Painting old doors shows tie between family, community.

HANS MULLER is painting a tennis court on
this side of his door, and wants to use the
other side to show a picture of himself
surfing.

When Northport Public School art teacher Jenny Evans said students would be painting old doors from houses and buildings, most had a reaction similar to that of Hans Muller.

"When she first told us about the assignment, I was like, what?" said the Northport freshman. Once Evans explained a little more about what she was looking for – tying images put on both sides of the door to family and community – Muller said he was inspired to try something a little different.

"On one side of the door I’m painting a tennis court. The other side is a picture of me surfing," he said. Muller, from Hawaii, said the tennis court side is giving him some problems. "I kind of screwed up the tennis court, so now I’m having to go back and fix it. It will be all right," he pledged.

Ultimately, students in Evans’ art class and Northport community members will decorate about 60 doors that will be displayed at Haserot Park in Northport. Evans said she got the idea about "art doors" a while back.

"I saw a project a few years ago that dealt with painting doors. Individuals were painting the doors to honor their grandmas," she said.

The students and community members are not limited to traditional painting and design methods. Anna Posey took a door with a window, and added different sayings and phrases.

"I wrote all over it, stuff that is important to me," she said.

Posey has one side of the door completed and is starting to work on the other. Posey, Muller and the other students have three more weeks to complete their doors.

Muller said some students at first looked at their door and simply painted them. "They didn’t get what Ms. Evans wanted, so some of us had to start over," he said.

Evans said the biggest problem with the project was finding doors. "I have become known as the weird door lady that scavenges around for doors being thrown away or left behind before homes get torn down," she said.

Two local builders answered her call. Odom Builders has donated 50 doors, and Mark Voight has given about 10.

Evans said one of the best parts about the project is seeing what the students developed for ideas. "Anna’s door is very interesting. One of the students has put a chalk board and chalk so people may write on it. Just some very creative ideas," she said.

ANNA POSEY is using her door as a showcase of a
series of sayings and phrases that are important
to her.

Posey said she considered drawing different pictures or scenes on her door, but she liked the idea of writing. "It’s a little different than what most are doing. There are so many things I can put down, it’s very interesting," she said.

Muller said the idea of putting tennis on the front side came from his interest in the sport. The scene is viewed from above. "I’m looking forward to doing the surfing side, that will be fun," he said.

The first community session was held Tuesday night, and Evans said the project is open to anyone who wants to participate. "I know for sure 16 people are coming to the first session. We have parents and children, couples, a real cross-section of the community is taking part," she said.

In May, Evans and some volunteers will be mounting the doors to create an art space walking area at Haserot Park. Caroline Gorenflo is one of Evans’ students working on a set of double-doors that will serve as the entry way into the door walk.

"The people will walk through the doors and be guided down a winding path. It is really neat the way things are coming together," Evans said.

Anyone interested in participating in the community door project may contact Evans through Northport Public School at 386-5153.