Saturday, July 25, 2015

Rancho Deluxe Junkyard Art Mason City Iowa



Dear Art Lover,      
     Mason City, Iowa, is known as the town for homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his students, as well as The Music Man, Meredith Willson. [Perhaps you recall the (musical) film with the famous tune “76 Trombones” or the lyrics spoken by Robert Preston, “Trouble, right here in River City” as I do].  Check it out:


     The great fringe benefit to Mason City for being River City is that they have never stopped teaching music at all levels in their schools! 
     However, Mason City is also home to "Rancho Deluxe Z Garden" aka con affetto “The Junkyard.”  I was there visiting family and thus, my aunt thought this was a “must see.”  Perhaps you will agree.

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art community art     What I like about these sorts of places is that there is usually a person with a vision.  He has an overall concept, but the details are rather open, as are the choice of materials for his 3-d collage of “outsider art.”  Sometimes they are the work of one man, as with Solomon’s Castle in central Florida.  I was told that “The Junkyard” is led by the property owner, but that he invites kids and others to contribute their own voices to the overall composition.  Whether or not the neighbors appreciate this look, there is a lot of community expressed here in the shared effort.  I may not want to live in a place such as it, but I am very glad these spaces exist.



The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art
hmm? Really the voice of the people?  Glad it does not say, "SLOW Children / [image] / At Play."

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

Ah HA!  There appear to be plans for expanding the maze of cubes into the back section of the property.

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa collage art

This is the Vietnam Memorial.  Sadly, there was a helmet and rifle that have since been stolen.  My aunt remembered those more clearly than what is left there now.

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa Vietnam Memorial

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa Vietnam Memorial

The Junkyard Outsider Art Park Mason City Iowa Vietnam Memorial


Happy Birthday, Skye in Oz!

My apologies from the long vacation from my blog.  I have been visiting family, friends, my recent Kickstarter project supporters, and galleries around the southeast and Midwest US.  The amount of driving I had to do really cut into quality time with so many people, and caused me to miss too many others.  I am now getting a bit settled in Austin, Texas, and working here until early September. 
Peace,
Kelly
~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor, painter, writer, teacher

P.S.  Here is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home (I did not have time to note whether it was his or a student's actual design.)
Frank Lloyed Wright designed house Mason City Iowa

     This is the Mason City home for Meredith Willson, the original Music Man in Iowa, USA. 
The Music Man home museum Mason City Iowa Trouble in River City

Mason City home of Meredith Willson The Music Man