Summit County Public Art Board's Favorite Local Pieces // Art Pianos for All

In this new blog series we will feature Summit County Public Art Board Member’s favorite local art pieces. See Summit County public art through new eyes and experience what makes these pieces so special according to our Summit County Public Art Board members. Once you’ve read our blog, go experience these public art pieces for yourself! 

In this blog post we feature a favorite from Summit County Public Art Board Chair, Matthew Lawyer. 

His favorite Summit County Public Art pieces are the Art Pianos for All across Summit County. 

“The County art pianos are very near and dear to my heart.” Says Matthew Lawyer. As a piano player himself, Matt believes the piano is a phenomenal tool for expression and to give the community access to play these artist decorated pianos is an amazing opportunity for music, community, art and fun in unexpected places. 

One of Matt’s favorite pianos out of the collection is the recently decorated Chase upright piano, Wildlife of the West, by Michael Calles at the Summit County Library, Kamas Valley Branch. As a longtime lover of landscapes and wildlife of the West, Michael has painted a landscape with a doe and buck pronghorn from Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area on the front panel. The back panel depicts a bear in the Bear River Mountains in Cache County. The side panels  showcase portraits of native Utah wildlife including deer, moose, and mountain lions.

Matt expresses his delight in getting to experience one of the pop-up performances held this past September, outside and socially distanced in the Summit County Library, Kamas Branch parking lot, using this particular art piano with Utah Symphony Youth Guild member Megan Tandor. “She blew everyone away!” says Lawyer, “I felt so lucky to experience incredible, high caliber music on a beautifully decorated piano in a safe and socially distant way. It was the first time I had seen live music in months!” See the live performance here. 

And see all seven Summit County Art Pianos for All for yourself. Find them in the following locations. Keep in mind that although they are meant to be played and enjoyed by all, we ask you to refrain from playing them at this time due to COVID-19 concerns. 

"The Train of Wonders"- Ledges Event Center // 202 Park Rd., Coalville 

"Love A-Fair"  - Coalville City Hall // 10 S Main St., Coalville 

"Blue Note" - South Summit Aquatic Center in Kamas // 350 E 200 S Kamas

"Musical Musings" - Summit County Library, Kimball Junction Branch // 1885 W Ute Blvd Park City

"Wildlife of the West" - Kamas Valley Branch Library // 110 N Main St., Kamas Art Piano - Newpark Resort & Hotel // 1476 Newpark Blvd., Park City 

”Folksy Scenes of Utah Wildlife” - Kimball Junction Transit Center // 1885 W Ute Blvd., Park City

Learn more about the Summit County Art Board here. Learn more about the Art Pianos for All program here.

Thanks to SCPAAB chair Matthew Lawyer for the insight. Stay tuned for more Summit County public art favorites in the coming months.