A man in Massachusetts has taken his patriotism to a whole new level for the 4th of July.Arthur McCann has transformed his front lawn into a red, white and blue American flag.It's complete with 50 stars and 13 stripes.He used field paint, stencils and measuring tape to get the job done.It only took him about two hours.McCann says he just loves America and being creative.-----<doc-sep>NORWOOD, Massachusetts (CBSDFW.COM) – The Fourth of July holiday is a time when many Americans like to show their patriotism in different ways, but one Massachusetts man takes it to another level. Arthur McCann of Norwood, transformed his front lawn into a red, white and blue American flag complete with 50 stars and 13 stripes. He used field paint, stencils and measuring tape to get it right. He said he comes from a patriotic family, with a grandfather who served in World War II, and wants to show respect for veterans and others serving their country. McCann said he has a big Independence Day party ever year. He says the response to the lawn flag from those in town, is quote, “through the roof,” with people standing on the roof of their cars to take pictures with their kids in front of the flag. “I just love America and the freedom and opportunities it gives and I love to be creative,” said McCann. “I really, I’m like blown away, that people, like, stand on the roof of their car, and take pictures with their kids here. It’s like, it’s really rewarding for me. It’s so cool.”<doc-sep>“I felt such a positive response [the first time] that I felt the need to do it again this year,” McCann said. “It comes from nothing but love and patriotism and a positive message.” Arthur McCann, 36, first painted his lawn flag two years ago in preparation for his annual Fourth of July party, he said. Last year, when neighbors saw that he didn’t paint the flag, they asked him where it was. When Independence Day rolls around each year, Americans opt for different ways of showing their patriotism. This year, one Norwood resident painted a 600-square-foot American flag on his front lawn, much to the delight of friends and neighbors, he said. Advertisement McCann’s grandfather, William Murphy, served in the US Navy in World War II, he said, and he considers his family to be “very patriotic.” McCann used approximately 25 cans of field paint to produce the 20-foot by 30-foot flag by hand, he said. He used stencils to paint the 50 white stars and a large measuring tape to make sure the stripes were straight and of equal length. Assisting him in the process, he said, was his 7-year-old daughter Jenna. “She made sure all the lines were straight,” McCann said. “She made sure I had 50 stars and 13 stripes.” The whole project took around two hours to complete, he said, and he plans on doing it again next year. McCann takes homemade decorations for other holidays to the extreme as well. He said he likes to go all out for Christmas and he’s won the title of “best Halloween decorations” in the nighborhood in years past. “I’m a builder, a creator,” McCann said. “I’m an art guy.” Andres Picon can be reached at andres.picon@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @andpicon.<doc-sep>
Arthur McCann's tribute to veterans takes up most of the front lawn of his Norwood, Massachusetts, home. It's a giant American flag, spray-painted using field paint. And it will stay there for several months before the paint grows out, he told USA TODAY. “I just like to go big," he said. He estimates the flag measures roughly 30 by 20 feet. McCann, who runs a maintenance department, said it took him about two hours to create the tribute. McCann said his grandfather served in the Navy in World War II. The flag is an artistic tribute to those who served, he said. This is the second time he's painted the flag before an annual Fourth of July party at his house. He said locals drive by to see the flag. It's a patriotic community, he said. There are lots of flags displayed in his neighborhood. There also are a large number of veterans who live in the area, located southwest of Boston. He hopes no one takes the flag the wrong way. It's not a political statement to him — it's a patriotic one: “I really do this for a positive message,” he said. Opinion:July Fourth is a celebration of the founding freedoms we need to teach in our schools Later on Wednesday, McCann plans to welcome about 75 people into his home for a Fourth of July party. They'll eat chicken, burgers, mac and cheese, corn bread, sausages, and more. “I just love America and the freedom and opportunities it gives and I love to be creative,” McCann told WBZ-TV.