Artful endeavor

"John R. Hart " | The Union

Photo for The Union by John Hart Old Barn Self Storage at 175 Spring Hill Dr, Grass Valley, held an art contest for local elementary school students to be displayed on the hillside off Highway 49. First place winners and teachers and parents are left to right: Megan Kiser and teacher Shelly Andersen, Sadie Thompson and teacher David Lynn, and Alexi Collins with father Chris Collins.

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"John R. Hart " | The Union

Photo for The Union by John Hart Old Barn Self Storage, 175 Spring Hill Dr, Grass Valley, winners of the hillside art contest, that kids art are display on the hillside facing the freeway. First place winners and teachers and parents are left to right: teacher Shelly Andersen, teacher with Blake Hronis and Kayda Kinch, not in photo is Aiden Browning.

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"John R. Hart " | The Union

Photo for The Union by John Hart Old Barn Self Storage, 175 Spring Hill Dr, Grass Valley, winners of the hillside art contest, that kids art are display on the hillside facing the freeway. Third place winners and teachers and parents are left to right: Lexi and father Chris Collins, Kayda Kinch and teacher Shelly Andersen and Eve White and mother Carol White.

Expand Photo

"John R. Hart " | The Union

Photo for The Union by John Hart Old Barn Self Storage, 175 Spring Hill Dr, Grass Valley, winners of the hillside art contest, that kids art are display on the hillside facing the freeway. All winners with teachers and parents. Students left to right are: Sadie Thompson, Megan Kiser, Blake Hronis, Kayda Kinch, Alexi Collins, and Eve White. Back row are: David Lynn, Shelly Andersen, Chris Collins, and Carol White.

There is more to the kitschy signs atop the hill off Highway 49 than a form of advertisement or way to gain attention. The signs belong to Old Barn Self Storage. The business held a school contest for the top three drawings for February, March and April and awarded cash prizes to students and their teachers to contribute toward the purchase of classroom art supplies. “We take the 8 1/2-by-11 drawing and blow it up to make the sign,” said Stephen DeSena, vice president of Old Barn Self Storage. “Our underlying mission is to support elementary schools in art because …