Tri-Cities Painted Pianos Project bringing joy, brightening days
Michael Nemo was in Missoula, Mont., a while back when something magical happened.
It was past midnight, and a young guy — maybe 18 years old — sat down at a piano and began to play.
He was excellent, a virtuoso, said Nemo, a Richland artist.
Soon, others joined in, playing their own instruments, lending their voices, dancing.
“We were there until the sun came up,” Nemo said.
The piano was painted by a local artist and set up outside as part of a public art and music project in the college town.
The project isn’t unique to Missoula — cities across the country have undertaken similar initiatives.
The Tri-Cities is now among them.
A team of local artists and musicians recently started the Tri-Cities Painted Pianos Project, with a few pianos already in place around town.
By the end of the summer, the Tri-Cities should have eight painted pianos in restaurants, shops and other indoor and outdoors spaces.
“It really is a project for the entire Tri-Cities,” said Cynthia Vaughn, founder.
She grew up with a piano at home, but many people didn’t have that same experience, she said.
“One of the great things about it is, we’re taking the velvet rope away,” said Carissa Pitkin Jones, a board member. “(The pianos) are accessible to everybody.”
One of the most visible painted pianos thus far is outside Kagen Coffee & Crepes at the Uptown Shopping Center in Richland.
Cameron Milton, an artist and board member, gave it an Uptown aqua 1950s/60s look.
The community is making it sing.
The project’s Facebook page is filled with photos and videos of people playing the console piano — young and old, expert and novice alike.
Pitkin Jones’ brother once saw a teenage boy tickling the ivories around 1 a.m.
On another occasion, a young family — with a couple of young kids — checked it out.
The father was so inspired he talked about needing to have more music in the family’s home and life.
“This one encounter with this musical instrument, this one encounter with art” resonated strongly, Pitkin Jones said.
That’s the idea. The project’s mission is to repurpose old pianos into public art and playable instruments that “bring beauty and joy to the community.”
Another of the pianos is at Caterpillar Cafe in Adventures Underground in Richland.
Nemo is the artist, and he’s created a dark, evocative landscape with images of some of his favorite musicians. David Bowie, Lana Del Rey and Tom Waits already are represented, with more to come, Nemo said.
The piano will move to the Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo later this month and then return to Adventures Underground, where it’ll be set up outside, after the fair’s run.
Nemo said he was excited to be part of a painted pianos project.
For him, “music and art are symbiotic.” And the project has the potential to create special moments, “where people come together without planning it,” he said.
Like that night in Missoula.
Or like right then, at Caterpillar Cafe.
Pitkin Jones sat down at Nemo’s piano. She’s classically trained, and she just about blew the roof off the place.
First, she played Debussy. Then Mozart. Then Brahms.
Nemo grabbed his brush, and soon he was laying down paint in sync with Pitkin Jones’ fingers on the keys.
It was spontaneous. It was magical. When the music stopped, painter and pianist smiled and others in the room broke out into applause.
To learn about donating a piano, painting a piano or becoming a piano sponsor, reach out to Tri-Cities Painted Pianos Project on Facebook.
Sara Schilling: 509-582-1529, @SaraTCHerald
By the end of summer, the Tri-Cities should have at least eight painted pianos.
Some of them already are set up and others are to come.
Here’s a look:
▪ The Landing Bistro & Lounge, Richland, artist/owner Margaret Click, sponsor Magnolia Music Studio.
▪ Life Care Center, Richland, artist Janice McIntyre with prep by Deana Paulson, sponsor Richland Rotary Club.
▪ Kagen’s Coffee & Crepes, Richland, artist Cameron Milton, sponsor Mid-Columbia Mastersingers.
▪ Academy of Children’s Theatre, Richland, artist Janice McIntyre, no sponsor yet.
▪ Adventures Underground/Caterpillar Cafe, Richland, artist Michael Nemo, sponsors Help-U-Move, Benton Franklin County Fair.
▪ SCRAP-Tri-Cities, Kennewick, artist Rachael Thompson, no sponsor yet.
▪ Richland Players theatre/The Parkway, Richland, artist Cameron Milton, sponsor Richland Players.
▪ Paul Dann memorial painted piano, location to be announced, Lisa Hill, sponsor Friends of Paul Dann.
This story was originally published August 6, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Tri-Cities Painted Pianos Project bringing joy, brightening days."