RichArt's maze of illusions intrigues visitors

*This article was published in May 2006 in The Blue and Gold, a community-based newspaper for Centralia College.



Every day, Richard Tracy continues the construction of his Art yard.

His world consists of scavenging wrecking yards and local businesses for thrown out flowerpots, shopping carts , rubber hoses and even shower stall doors. Since 1985, he has recycled the discarded and rejected fragments of industrial America into walls, sculptures and mobiles.

Tracy, who prefers to be called RichArt, sees beauty where most people don't. Tracy's craft takes the saying, "One man's junk is another's treasure," to a completely different level.

Styrofoam, for instance, is a substance of infinite potential.

Fastened by bolts and thick glue, dozens of wood-paneled walls are covered with the stuff. He cuts and collages plastic foam into jumbled patterns that are reminiscent of Cubist techniques.

Then, he sits back and welcomes the rain.

Over a period of time, the rain transforms the plastic foam's color and surface. The collages are no longer white, but rather, shades of cement and granite. The material's plasticity allows the rain to round away edges and chisel off bits and pieces.

In result, the walls appear like stone carvings from an ancient civilization.

But you have yo use your imagination to see it.

Tracy is always eager to share his fantastical world with others. Located on the corner of M Street and Harrison, the art yard's gates are open 1 to 4 p.m. daily and guided tours are free.

During his tours, Tracy's thoughts zigzag like a labyrinthine structure of his yard.

But, if you listen, you'll catch slices of lucid insight.

"Art is an illusion," Tracy says.

His belief in this statement is apparent--his art yard is one giant maze stocked with illusions.

Some many only view his wire and wood sculptures as mere assemblies of junk. But, to the imaginative, the place is a fortress of magic, bejewelled by dandelions and bluebells. Every junk-creation hints of something else.

Clumps of tangled wire look like thorn bushes in wintertime.

Creatures with crutches for legs and Styrofoam balls for noses looks like Frankenstein roots and sci-fi monsters.

Their surfaces are infested with splotches of rust. Their torsos are made from cages, smashed-down wooden crates. Pom-poms extend from their heads to mimic pony-tailed hair.

But curiously, they wear sunglasses, giving them a human quality. Their bodies are grotesque, but their faces are funny and kind.

While many locals have neglected to visit Tracy's outdoor museum, its existence has leaked far beyond Centralia's city boundaries.

People from afar travel to Centralia just to explore RichArt's ruins. Among the curious have been writers, photographers and even television crews, who have sought out Tracy fro his work and eccentric personality.

Most notably, Tracy is the subject of a short documentary titled "RichArt," which has played in several art museums and film festivals.

On the Internet, people can discover the Art Yard on www.roadsideamerica.com, an online guide to offbeat tourist attractions.

But whether people come from in-town or from across the world, Tracy takes delight in all visitors and encourages them to create. In fact, for 22 years, Tracy conducted art lessons in his own yard.

"There's been people who've really cut into my heart," Tracy says.

His favorite population group to work with are five-year-olds.

"A five year old knows exactly how to do art because they don't take reality seriously," Tracy says. "When they play house, it becomes their reality."

Tracy also attributes nature as a great source of creativity. Rain, sunlight and wind all play active roles in the artistic process.

He loves how aluminum glimmers in the sun. Or how mobiles of wok-lids and soda cans crash in the wind like children banging on cymbals.

"There's nothing better than what nature can do," Tracy says. "And nature can take over."

Especially when nature comes in the form of plants and fungi. Weeds, wildflowers and even mold thrive among his creations.

Perhaps Tracy would safeguard his artwork from nature if they were made from expensive materials. But junk art is a frugal art, the original and ongoing reason why Tracy keeps it up.