KJ Bateman

After dropping my son off at the airport for a year in Guam, I was feeling a bit melancholy so decided to visit the piano once more. Since it was the next to last day of the exhibit why not visit all the pianos? Why not, indeed. Armed with the city map, I tracked them all down. I thought my piano had fared well until I looked at the sides. Harlequin' pig nose ripped off Before And poor Columbine's cat mask was completely gone. Comments? Yes. Don't tape signs onto artwork. Before This was no where near as bad as the damage done to Yasuyo Dunnett's lovely piano. It was destroyed by somebody behaving very badly. Good Day, Sunshine   Yasuyo Dunnett rendered completely unplayable The other pianos were in better shape. Slug Fest     Karien Balluff                                    Wonderland ...

Someday, I will blog along in real time as I am doing a project. I had hoped to do so with the piano but after crawling around painting in odd corners I just collapsed on the couch and watched home renovations shows. If you want to see the evolution of the project from start to finish with details go here . At the Richmond Beach Library  19601 21st Ave. NW until September 15, 2015

I decided to see if the medallions would pry off the front panel. I used a palette knife and hammered it gently in all round the edge. It went in easily but stuck in the middle. When I lifted up the front panel, lo and behold, screws! Five screws were holding it on. Several turned freely in their holes. Don't know why they didn't fall out. Medallions gone. See the five screw holes? I roughed up the ovals with a wet sanding sponge and loaded up the primer. The legs left unprimed. Not sure if I'll leave them as is or paint over them. Because I still don't have the final design worked out. Another Piano Time artist, Yoyo. Jennifer working mosaic magic on her piano. Jennifer and I painted pianos in 2012.

I was accepted to paint a piano for Shoreline's Piano Time 2015. I last did this in 2012. Unfortunately, that piano was in terrible shape musically and the city opted not to keep it. No one could be found to take it.  I considered just taking the upper and bottom panels until I remembered the state of my basement. Oh No! Another beautiful old piano Again I face the alteration of a lovely piece. I would have preferred a modern spinet with little innate character.  Look at the detail on the medallions! I am tempted to see if I can pry them off without breaking them. In 2012 we painted in a huge empty hardware store with a utility sink. This time it is a former medical office. The space is cramped and the hours are restricted to M-F  9-5.  Limited access is tricky but has it's upsides. I have to schedule when I'll go and there is an enforced break on the week-ends. The piano is washed. Priming starts on Monday. And I still have to...

Remember the piano languishing unadorned? The artist assigned it was unable to paint it. Enter Julie Nagel , shown here painting a sunflower. This is one brave artist. Go, Julie, Go! Everyone else has finished and the piano movers deliver the pianos to their destinations tomorrow. Some of us will have final touches. I have a few little things I am still working on and I will apply a clear coat on site.  Yes, it's the  old VOC and ventilation thing. I hope it doesn't rain. Keep your fingers crossed.

This is the first motif for the left side. It is taken from the string arrangement. The circles are the tuning pins. More motifs. The flower design is also from the inside of the piano. I wanted to honor the piano's origins. Right side with base coat of the planter. Right side with more filled in.