The 16th Street Mall pianos return with fresh paint jobs and fresh inspiration

During the summer, one of the coolest features of the 16th Street Mall downtown is the painted pianos, those randomly placed sets of 88 keys that anyone can just sit down and play for a while -- they're not the fanciest and they're not the best-sounding (temperature fluctuation and the...

By Jef Otte

May 26, 2011

Audio By Carbonatix

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During the summer, one of the coolest features of the 16th Street Mall downtown is the painted pianos, those randomly placed sets of 88 keys that anyone can just sit down and play for a while -- they're not the fanciest and they're not the best-sounding (temperature fluctuation and the elements will do that), but that's part of the appeal -- and even if they're not, they are some of the most interesting-looking pianos you're likely to find. That's because each season they all get a new tune and a new paint job from a local artist, a program so popular among artists that the Downtown Denver Partnership actually has a wait-list to paint one. The pianos came back again yesterday, and they're looking good. Here's few of our favorites. Piano Name: "Chasing Summer" Artists: Lea Wells and Gail Firmin Location: 16th Street Mall & Court
Piano Name: "Denver Then and Now" Artist: Eric Matelski Location: 16th Street Mall & Welton
Piano Name: "Jorge" Artist: Lynda (Janie) Knowles Location: 16th Street Mall & Larimer
Piano Name: "Phosphene" Artist: Eileen Riley Location: 16th Street Mall & Arapahoe

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Jef Otte

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