To give you an idea of the nature of the larger commissions for The 365 Project, here are a number of sample photographs from Greg Boyd’s “If you can't find art in your own backyard ....”

When complete, “If you can't find art in your own backyard ....” will include 365 digital photographs of various artistic discoveries, interactions, and manipulations, all done in the artist’s back yard. The images shown here were created between January 1 and January 13, 2003.

The series will change as both the seasons and the weather change — and as events change over the course of the year. Just as with all commissions for The 365 Project, this is a substantial body of work (in this case, 365 images), which is dedicated to interacting with the world and creating engaging and accessible work.

These images bring the artist and his audience out of the studio and into the world.

In the artist’s words:

“As nature is really the model for all aesthetic experiece, what better way to experiment with color, line, texture, composition, the effects of light and shadow, juxtaposition of images, depth of field, size and scale, unusual materials and techniques, etc., than by learning to see and make use of what’s closest at hand. More importantly, what better way to get out of the studio and into the world, where art can intersect with daily life, become part of the larger cycles of nature, and challenge and delight people by providing them with unexpected insights and surprises.

“By itself the natural world often seems serene, stately, permanent yet ever changing, and (for some of us) a bit distant, or even (because it remains beyond human control) threatening. Nature provides a constant and reassuring reminder that the life force is infinitely greater than our power to destroy it.

“The artwork in my project results from the intrusion of human concerns and ways of seeing, imagining, and interpreting into nature. A careful bit of meddling, shaping or just paring down and framing can help uncover the whimsical, the provocative, and the surreal. My aim in these experiments is to use nature as a mirror in which to reflect what's noble, sublime, absurd, comic and tragic about the human condition, to symbolically portray our hopes, dreams, asperations, follies, joys, and sorrows.

“As winter seems to be a good time to reflect on what’s come before, right now I’m mainly recycling and building from found materials. Many of the pieces are constructed of fallen or dead objects: leaves, tree limbs and sticks, cord wood and rotting fruit. In the spring, look for art that focuses on growth and imitates or incorporates the budding of nature...

“I’m planning some large scale painting projects in this environment later this year, as well as a weekend party and outdoor exhibition...”