Public art can look like many things, but two new projects coming to Windsor next month will make art out of the mundane, and create a dual artistic experience.
The first is the piano project, which will see 14 designed and painted pianos placed around the town. The Windsor Performing Arts Academy (WPAA), Move Over Mozart, and Art N Soul will be placing the pianos on May 1, according to Heather Cullen from the WPAA.
The plan is to have different people sign up for an opening day debut. “We want to invite anyone interested to come out and play, as this will set an example that these pianos are for everyone,” Cullen said in an email. .
Cullen hopes local players will “pick a piano location and play a favorite song. You don’t have be fabulous, it can be ‘Chopstix,’ ‘Heart ‘n Soul,’ ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ or a fancy pants piece. Also, you can play more than one piece. Please feel free to use your music or improv, or bring friends to play along.”
Cullen doesn’t anticipate a big public event, but they want to be sure the community knows the pianos are there to be enjoyed and played by everyone. She also hopes to have someone on the planning committee for each piano’s opening day ceremony.
To sign up to play on opening day, go to: https://www.windsorperformingarts.net/painted-pianos-project
The second project is a new utility box painting program called Discovering Windsor Through Art. This program aims to help beautify the community and is dedicated to exhibiting the visual arts outside the constraints of museums or galleries. The 2021 theme of “Community Healing” is designed to highlight “the resiliency of Windsor and help the community heal through public art,” according to a statement from the town.
Over the next few years, this program will grow to eventually include all 24 utility boxes in Windsor.
The boxes planned for 2021 are:
“Healing Thru Transformation,” located at Old Redwood Highway and Pleasant Avenue, by Aida Herrera-Keehn and Paula Castro.
“Coming Together,” located at Windsor River Road and Old Redwood Highway, by Amber Rankin.
“The Power of Kindness,” located at Windsor Road and Jaguar Way, by Isabella Damberger-Sheldon.
“Blooming Amid Adversity” located at Brooks Road South and Glen Miller Drive, by Kate Chuidian
“Creating, Growing, Healing – Together,” located at Windsor River Road and Market Street, by Meghan Gillies-Edward.
“Promise, Progress, Peace and Perseverance,” located at Shiloh Road and Skylane Boulevard, by Rachel Brooks.
“Growth is a Process,” located at Old Redwood Highway and Starr Road, by Sophia Katosh.
Theapplication period was January 12-March 1, 2021. The town received 10 applications and, after a competitive ranking process, seven artist and their designs were selected. The Public Art Advisory Commission served as judges and ranked the applications based on use of color, overall design, design originality and consistency with theme. The town council officially approved the artwork at their regular meeting on April 7.
“The need for community healing right now is great, and the more community support for this process, the better,” the town said in a statement.
This is a new annual program for the town and the 2022 applications will be released in January of 2022.
