Zoe Staley
Jeanette Staley, a resident of Westminster who has been painting for more than 30 years and who has run an art center, studio, teaching gallery, and performance space in Hudson, Mass., will participate in “Play Me, I’m Yours,” along with her daughter, Zoey Staley, a resident of Bellows Falls.
And they’re far from alone. The event, part of a global project aimed at “inviting the public to engage with, activate, and take ownership of their urban environment,” features 60 pianos decorated by artists representing a variety of geographic locations, backgrounds, and media. Once the work is completed, the pianos will be tuned and installed in neighborhoods across Boston and ready for the public to play and enjoy.
Jeanette Staley
“Play Me, I’m Yours” is the creation of Bristol, England-based artist Luke Jerram, who is gaining international renown for his sculptures, large installations, and live arts projects. Jerram has been touring internationally since 2008. Celebrity Series of Boston first produced the installation in Boston in 2013, drawing more than 500,000 people to engage with Street Pianos Boston, sharing music and song in a citywide festival.
Jerram says more than 1,500 pianos have been installed in 50 cities worldwide and that the project has reached more than 10 million people.
Zoey Staley majors in painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2013, Jeanette and Zoey worked together on a piano for Street Pianos Boston; this year, the women are painting their own pianos.
To learn more about “Play Me I’m Yours,” visit celebrityseries.org or streetpianosboston.org or follow the process on social media via #streetpianosboston.
