Utility Boxes Become Works Of Art In Yuba And Sutter Counties

The utility boxes on three street corners in Yuba and Sutter counties have been transformed into works of art.

Karen Fulk's painting at the corner of Franklin and Highway 99 shows a rooster crowing while a hen tends to a coop full of eggs.

"They roost in the trees at night,” she says. “So for this little box over here, I'm going to paint the tree with the chickens roosting at night, maybe with a full moon. Who knows?"

On her work table are several small cans of exterior house paint, brushes and a drawing of what the painting will look like.

"The inspiration was the chickens and I came over here and I took a lot of photos of the chickens around and then I drew up this to paint from," she says.

The paintings are drawing attention. Earnest Parker was passing by and stopped to take a closer look.

"It's something to relax your mind and stuff, you know? Besides just looking at a green box or whatever on the sidewalk," he says.

The Yuba Sutter Arts Council has paid for three boxes with seed money from the local Rotary Club, but the agency would like to transform at least 20 boxes.

It is now looking for benefactors to pay for the transformation of the remaining sites as it works to create an art trail between Marysville and Yuba City.