In the city where we live, there is this really cool place that’s informally called the piano hospital. It’s a place where blind people can learn how to tune and repair pianos for a living. Folks can also buy pianos there. I remember someone from the piano hospital coming to tune my piano when I was in elementary school.
This summer they organized an event called Keys to the City. Ten pianos were decorated by local artists and placed around town in public places. My partner Kelly and I worked on two pianos together. One of them is part of the Love is a Radical Act body of work.
Below are some photos of the piano in progress. Kelly painted a beautiful speckled blue background, then we both added some cut-and-paste elements, and I finished it off with large ceramic heart “flowers.”
painting the piano
lovely speckles
laying out the heart flowers
beginning the tree
more heart flowers and beginning the clouds
clouds raining hearts
heart tree complete with “S+K” on its trunk
The piano made it debut at the beginning of August during Art in the Heart.
on display on Main Street
Love is a Radical Act lettering with clouds and flowers
During Keys to the City, it sat near the entrance to the Kiggins Theatre.
This is the first time I hear of the Piano Hospital. It feels good and inspiring that there are people who help others make a living despite their blindness. It’s a very humbling act 🙂