When Cheng Li moved to the U.S. from Japan, she found that her passion for music remained the constant amidst change in her life. “When I lost my spoken language, music was the one language that stayed with me,” said Li, who learned to play piano at a young age. “Music was there for me when I felt lost without my voice.”
This year, Li will marry her love for music and visual art as one of 13 artists chosen to paint a piano for Fort Collins’ Pianos About Town program. Pianos About Town, a program that brings local art and spontaneous music to the streets of Fort Collins, today announced the artists selected to paint pianos in 2022.
2022 Artists
Twelve of 13 artists are new to the program this season. Selected artists are: Becca Black, Hannah Call, CM Canino, Ciera Dykstra, Monika Lea Jones, Athena Koss, Cheng Li, Holly McQuinn, Kris Barz Mendonça, Rachael Pitchford, Makari Roehrkasse, Snail Candy Arts, and Aerica Raven Van Dorn.
“We’re excited to welcome our returning and many new artists to this program,” said Ellen Martin, visual arts administrator for the City of Fort Collins. “We received a record number of applications this year and are pleased with the diversity of styles and artist experience selected as part of the City of Fort Collins’ RFP process.”
Piano painting begins May 11
Outdoor painting will take place at the Art in Action tent on the south side of Fort Collins’ Old Town Square. For Li, painting a piano brings to mind her first visit to Fort Collins. “I spotted a painted piano and sat down to play,” said Li. “In that moment, playing on the beautiful piano under the dappled shade of an aged tree, I felt at home in this new place. I hope that through my art, I can help create a similar magical moment for someone else strolling through the town.”
Pianos About Town
Pianos About Town is a collaboration among Bohemian Foundation, the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places and the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority. Community members watch as local artists transform donated pianos into public art. Placed across 20 locations across town in the summer, and six locations in the winter, the completed pianos offer surprise interruptions of color and music across Fort Collins.