Community piano from Piano Push Play, Portland, OR
Photo: Benji Bao Vuong
Playable art is soon to become a feature outside both the Downtown Public Library and the Hult Center!
Come watch two donated pianos turn into downtown's latest works of public art. Starting at
8 a.m. Saturday, July 1, artist
Jessilyn Brinkerhoff will be sanding and painting the piano outside of the
Downtown Public Library with a design based on the Library’s summer reading theme, “Build a Better World”. The piano will remain outside the Library for the enjoyment of accomplished and aspiring musicians through September. Jessilyn is a local illustrator, graphic designer and muralist who works to bring fresh art to the walls of cities, schools and businesses.
Beginning the
week of July 13, celebrated Eugene artist
Mija Marie will use collage and mixed media to transform a piano located under the Seventh Avenue marquee of the
Hult Center. The artistic theme of the piano is 1982 performance and pop culture in honor of the Hult Center's 35th anniversary this fall. Mija’s design is influenced by her delight in mixing mediums, the magical realism of her Mexican-American culture and her fervent love of everything ’80’s. The piano will be available for the public to play in between Mija’s work sessions and will remain outside the Hult Center through September.
Similar programs offering public outdoor pianos exist in many cities throughout the country. For information about the Portland, Ore. program, visit
pianopushplay.com.