There were several auctions...
There were several auctions held each day during the three-day show, and hundreds of folks looked on while each piece was presented and sold.
For the past five years the organizers of the Detroit Autorama have allowed a portion of the floor space at the show to be devoted to a pinstriper jamboree, with the artwork created on-site to be auctioned off for charity.
This year the Motor City Auto Arts Pinstripers Charity Auction raised roughly $30,000 for the Leader Dogs for the Blind (leaderdog.org), an 80-year-old organization that supplies guide dogs to the visually-impaired or blind. That's a good chunk of change, considering the tough economic times most folks are experiencing.
Pinstripers and sign painters from all over the country (as far away as Nevada) joined together to lend their talents and create artwork that would be auctioned off at specific times during the show.
Organizers Bob Behounek and Dave Jeffery led the team of stripers at this event (and did a great job), which also saw local legend Keith Knecht be recognized with the first Motor City Auto Arts Lifetime Achievement Award for his pinstriping and sign painting talents.
We look forward to next year's show, which organizers promise will be bigger and better than this year's, and that's sayin' something!
Auctioneers Joe Konkel (left)...
Auctioneers Joe Konkel (left) and Pat Callahan did a great job of getting folks to open up their pocketbooks (even in this economy) and raised roughly $30,000 for the Leader Dogs for the Blind charity.
Though some pinstripers brought...
Though some pinstripers brought artwork from home to have auctioned, some also worked on pieces during the show (much to the delight of the spectators) and then had those works auctioned, too.
Each piece was presented to...
Each piece was presented to the crowd, and then the bidding began. Some pieces went for a few dollars while others were in the several hundred dollar range.
Nearly anything can be pinstriped,...
Nearly anything can be pinstriped, and some of the more creative subjects at the auction was this tricycle made by Michigan's Ray Smith and a custom-striped guitar.
Almost too nice to wear, but...
Almost too nice to wear, but these shoes were certainly great to look at!
Ron Jelinek (right) and Bob...
Ron Jelinek (right) and Bob Behounek carry around one of the larger pieces to be auctioned.
Bob Behounek (striping) and...
Bob Behounek (striping) and Dave Jeffery were the main organizers of this year's event, and they have helped run similar events in Chicago and Milwaukee, too. When he wasn't running things at Detroit, he was busy creating artwork for the auction.
Dave "Dave The Painter" Corry,...
Dave "Dave The Painter" Corry, from Utica, MI, has 30 years pinstriping experience, and he was layin' some lines down in Detroit, too.
One surprise was seeing how...
One surprise was seeing how young some of the pinstripers were. That's 14-year-old Eddie Olisar from Chicago working on a Tiki design, and many think he'll be a future star in the world of pinstriping.
Bowling pins are a popular...
Bowling pins are a popular subject to paint and pinstripe, but no one knows why! Maybe it's just the shape. Anyone who knows the answer should e-mail STREET RODDER Editor Brian Brennan!