The pianos are back on the sidewalks of downtown Everett.
Until Aug. 22, you have the city’s invitation to jam (but not pound) on the artist-decorated Street Tunes pianos along Colby, Wall, Hewitt, Hoyt and Grand avenues. Pianos also are located at the Everett transit station on Smith Avenue and down at the waterfront on Craftsman Way.
See if you can spot all 18 pianos. Better yet, play a tune on each. Whether it’s “Chopsticks” or something by Chopin, people will listen.
Carol Thomas and Lisa Newland — of the city’s cultural arts office where Street Tunes is organized — often are transfixed watching and listening as people greet the pianos.
They smile at parents who take their kids around the neighborhood to play all the instruments and check off each piano on their maps. They especially enjoy the musicians who bring sheet music and other musicians to play along. And their hearts hurt a bit when homeless folks tickle the keys with tunes from the past.
The interactive art project, now in its eighth year, is one that epitomizes the growing strength of the arts in Everett, Thomas said. And it’s been copied by numerous other cities in the region.
“It’s been amazing to watch Everett become a cultural destination,” Thomas said. “People come from all over to hear music on the waterfront, blow glass at the Schack (Art Center), see theater, ballet and concerts at the (Everett) performing arts center, and take part in the Everett Art Walk. Street Tunes attracts people to downtown Everett, even in sleepy August.”
Over the years, numerous local artists have been commissioned to decorate the sidewalk pianos. Some whose pianos are still in rotation each August are Janet Wold, Shannon Danks, Cheri O’Brien, and Darrin Hess and Jane Meagher.
New this year are the pianos “Everett from the Inside” by Denah Johnston and “Live Your Song” by Rosemary Jones.
An Everett Cultural Arts Commission member, Jones, 38, heard at a commission meeting that two Street Tunes pianos were being replaced. She asked if she could be considered to paint one.
“I decided to wait until I saw ‘the canvas’ before I made a plan,” Jones said. “I’m glad I did. Once I saw the art deco motif in the piano’s wood, I decided to bring out those features from the 1920s. While I was painting, I read ‘The Great Gatsby’ and I listened to jazz from that era.”
In just over a month, Jones sanded the piano, primed it, and gave it three coats of black paint and weather proofing.
“So I hope that baby lasts,” said Jones with a laugh.
The title of the work — “Live Your Song” — is painted across the front of the piano and the top is decorated with peacock feathers in magenta, eggplant and teal colors.
“The title is about embracing one’s story, your own song and all of who you are,” said Jones, who lives in the culturally diverse Delta neighborhood of Everett.
The city doesn’t need any donations of pianos, but it’s common knowledge around town that the pianos that hold up year after year on the sidewalks are the smaller “console” pianos, Thomas said.
At each location, people are looking after the pianos, Newland said. “People feel ownership over this project. It’s a total community effort. We have never had any vandalism,” she said.
The shop Grow Washington, at 3013 Colby, stores the pianos during the remainder of the year in its 88 Keys Gallery. When the pianos are back at Grow Washington, the store’s management plans to offer a piano play-off competition. For information, call 425-293-8880.
Street Tunes
Through Aug. 22 in downtown Everett. Maps are available at each piano.
Take a 90-second video of yourself playing one of the pianos and upload it to Instagram using the hashtag #StreetTunes17 to earn a Streets Tunes pin to wear on your jacket. More at everettwa.gov/1745/Everett-Pins.
Find the pianos:
Imagine Children’s Museum, 1502 Wall St., where you will see “Meow Art” by artist Cathy Tanasse.
Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Ave., “Everett from the Inside” by Denah Johnston.
Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt, “Moonlight Garden Jam” by Holly Stafford.
J&L Barbecue, 2915 Colby Ave., “Mambo Kings Sing Songs of Love” by Cheri O’Brien.
Best Nails, 2928 Colby, “Jimi Hendrix Experience” by Jesse James Jeter.
Renee’s Clothing, 2820 Colby, “Broadway Boogie Woogie” by Si Newland.
Major League Pizza, 2811 Colby, “Music Leopard Lounge” by Janet Wold.
Silver Cup Coffee, 2707 Colby, “Night Concerto” by Anna Mastronardi Novak.
J.Matheson &Burkett’s, 2615 Colby, “Intertwined” by Amber Forrest.
Jonn Laurenz Fine Cuts, 2908 Wetmore Ave., “Summer Reflections” by Shannon Danks.
Narrative Coffee, 2927 Wetmore, “Live Your Song” by Rosemary Jones.
Wetmore Theater Plaza, 2710 Wetmore, “Play Me a Tune in the Rolling Hills” by Krista Jefferson.
Sno-Isle Food Co-Op &The Sisters, 2804 Grand Ave., “Produce Sounds” by Elizabeth Person.
Home Inspirations, 1502 Hewitt Ave., “Tickle My Keys” by Jackie Cort.
Sol Food, 1405 Hewitt, “The Phantom” by Jeromy Sawdon.
Scuttlebutt Brewery, 1205 Craftsman Way, “Pacific Coast Rocks” by Melana Bontrager.
Everett Station, indoors, 3201 Smith Ave., “Joy Unspeakable” by Kim Mattson.
Everett Station, outdoors, “Sun in Raven in Whale” by Darrin Hess and Jane Meagher.
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