Kris Friesen
Galleries
In Tune With Nature: Piano Box Mural in Public
In Tune With Nature: Completed Piano Box Mural
In Tune with Nature is a very different kind of mural, serving as a theatrical structure that houses a piano available for public use. Located at the front entrance of the Chemainus Public Market, this Piano Box mural encloses around the piano at night, when the market is closed, and when the market opens during the day, the artwork spreads open as a mural backdrop inviting pianists to play.
Two separate murals live in this Piano in a Box artwork; the exterior has a vibrant BC forest landscape, and the interior shows a rich underwater BC seascape. As a child, whales were one of the first things I ever drew. As a BC mural artist, it always rewarding to paint whales, especially local ones.
As a Vancouver Island mural artist it was a pleasure to paint art reflecting nature locally, above and below the ocean. The mural on the outside of the Piano box has music notes playfully meandering around a tree through the woods; sheet music to the song What a Wonderful World by Lois Armstrong.
In Tune With Nature Mural #C6 In Tune With Nature is a departure from what is commonly called a mural, i.e. art painted directly on a wall or surface.
The themes of this mural, painted on the inner and outer surfaces of a purpose-built box, are nature and music.
The musical score is from “What a Wonderful World”, popularized by Louis Armstrong.
Viewers see a 1905 Bell upright grand piano, painted and blended into an underwater ocean scene.
Yes, Tomlin of Riot Brewing Co. fame had her submission picked by the Chemainus Festival of Murals Society in the ‘Name The Mural Contest’.
The competition promoted on social media and in the Chemainus Valley Courier drew 71 responses with 149 name suggestions, according to Society member Peter Collum.
Spurred to save a community from certain economic collapse, the Chemainus Mural Project has delighted and inspired millions of visitors and ultimately became the blueprint for community mural projects globally.
Come to this quaint seaside town and follow the yellow footsteps to discover the more than 54 murals and nine sculptures depicting Chemainus’ colourful past.
To make your visit even more memorable play the piano in our new mural In Tune With Nature and take a contemplative stroll through the Chemainus Labyrinth.
To make your visit more enjoyable, please drop by the Chemainus Visitors Centre to buy your Official Mural Guide.
The competition promoted on social media and in the Chemainus Valley Courier drew 71 responses with 149 name suggestions.
The society’s executive committee narrowed the field down to 10 names and the full board chose what they thought best represented the new mural.
Congratulations to Aly Tomlin, co-owner of Riot Brewing Co., whose submission In Tune With Nature, was selected to grace the newest piece in the Society’s outdoor art collection.
It resides to the left of the entrance to the new Chemainus Public Market.
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