Car Doors Auctioned For Youth Art Programs

The 5^th annual Car Door Show fundraiser at SARA Park Rodeo Grounds Sunday in Lake Havasu City brought reclaimed artwork and sculptures that were auctioned to boost art and music curriculum in local classrooms.

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“We started this in 2013 to raise awareness about art and music in the community,” said Karen Oliphint, Car Door Show co-organizer and participating artist.

Dustin Otterbach, event co-organizer, said Oliphint’s entry was among his favorites when it cames to the 10 entries.

“It’s very creative,” Otterbach said of Oliphint’s brightly colored “The Puppet Theatre” car door.

Oliphint said the sock puppets involved in the sculpture make her feel happy.

Otterbach said he also liked 10-year-old artist Kalei Tinnelly’s “Prrfct Purse”.

“It’s a door off of a water truck,” Tinnelly said. “We spray-painted it, and painted the polka dots and the cat, and we super-glued the jewels and the ribbon and the flowers.”

Kalei Tinnelly poses with her door that she painted. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

In all, the project’s completion time was about three days but worth the cause, she said.

“My mom told me about it,” Tinnelly said of the event. “And, I really like art.”

Other entries included Bob Thompson’s “Tailgate Party”; “Katy Dixon’s “We the People”; Jayde Best’s “In God We Trust”; Mary and Scott Montgerad’s “Made in the U.S.A.”; Beth Erlander’s “The Sentinel”; and Bob Thompson’s “Rockabilly Reunion”; Dustin Otterbach’s “License and Registration Please”; and Dwayne Utterback’s “Untitled”.

Last year, the event earned $23,000 for K12 Foundation’s efforts to enhance art and music programs into local classrooms. Last year, three of the car door entries each were auctioned for $1,000. The car door entries each are valued at about $300.

For more information, visit www.k12foundation.org.