Operation UpCyle: The Continuing Saga of Stella Rose

In Spring 2023, we teamed up with the Downtown Revitalization Committee to replace an outdoor piano. — This a growing post as the cultivation of the Draper Pedestrian Block continues… Reverse Chronological Order.

Rita gave Stella the final coloring with detail giving the Rose a fresh look with a new coat to celebrate spring blooms.

[Footage in processing, stay tuned]

Phase I

Reinvigorating our efforts to document, promote, produce and elevate Blacksburg’s street art scene, we are a part of the team handling the transplanting and the embellishing of the replacement piano and the repurposing of the original.

The OG basking in the setting sun in her last week after a run for the ages
She has been stationed outdoors in the center of town for many years and played in all the elements and hours.

T

The upright has been played by more people of all ages, skills, styles and walks of life than any other for many miles.
It is hard to gauge how many different kinds of hands have graced these keys,
and not far-fetched to guess the number would be in the tens of thousands.

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We stowed the original stowed in a safe spot awaiting upcycling into a public art installation.
4-15-2023
The new downtown piano, donated by the Blacksburg Pentecostal Holiness Church on Center Street,
landed safely under the canopy tents on the Draper Pedestrian Block.
The Town of Blacksburg volunteered labor, truck and trailer for transporting.
4-15-2023
The new downtown piano, repurposed from a church, landed safely under the canopy tents on the Draper Pedestrian Block.  Painting and tuning and a bench coming soon…
The previous piano on the backside has been stowed safely for repurposing into a public art installation.
4-15-2023

Late Night Act of Mayhem

Piano Mayhem 4-24-2023 — ~3AM
Replacement Piano found on its back.
No witnesses, Perpetrator At-Large

This is how someone chose to express their emotions in the witching boozy hours of the night in the first week in the neighborhood for the transplant. .

[A reader emailed us this article which is apropos]: Japan street piano confiscated after public ‘break rules’

Anonymous Neighborhood Watch:

Piano was placed back upright by good samaritan (s?) sometime the same morning.

4-25 Afternoon: Back in action and only slightly bruised the replacement held up after a late night sucker-push.

Tuning Team: First Session 4-26-2023

~3:00
Two hours and the two hardest octaves down, the highest and lowest ranges, and the rain came.
Tweaking the last octaves in the middle ranges with a lamp in the dark and fog six hours after the process began.
4-29-2023 Post-tuning test.

The Painting of the Piano is IN PROGRESS

Here are some shots of the ongoing process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jK0Kq4DJMg
Creative Director Rita Brame 5-18-2023 ~
https://youtu.be/gSjg_6TnQkg

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