The Piano Man is coming ! The Piano Man is coming ! June 29@2pm

The Piano Man exhibition opens on Sunday, June 29, with a reception from 2-4 p.m. and the event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will run from June 29 to Aug. 2 in the Coburn Art Gallery.

“The Piano Man Project” was created by the Mansfield artist Ken Arthur from a destroyed baby grand piano and the first “Piano Man” marionette assemblage was created from those salvaged parts.

After making a series of them, Arthur wanted to collaborate with a fellow artist on the project. He gave him two piano men in boxes with instructions that the artist could do anything he wanted to them. One was chosen for Arthur’s collection and the artist would keep the other. The Piano Man Project was born. Arthur usually makes a series of 44 (there are 88 keys on a piano) and uses the parts of three pianos for each series. Presently, there are more than 75 participants with others being added as opportunities present themselves. This exhibition embodies the collaborative spirit of the visual arts.

The exhibition includes the following artists: Charlene Arthur, Becca Arthur, Ken Arthur, Jeff Bell, Don Boyd, Al Brown, Jules Buker, Jim Buker, Luke Beekman, Liz Burgess, Marsha Gray Carrington, Linda Chevalier, Rich Cihlar, Mary Ann Clady, Daniel Corrigan, John Donnelly, Keith Dull, Mindy Duncan, Pam Erickson, Joe Fazio, Jerry Francl, Judy Francl, Dick Goosman, Brad Gray, Lou Graziani, Tracy Graziani, Josh Haplea, Jim Hendricks, Bret Hines, Sue Jones, Becky Kaler, Jason Kaufman, Chris Keener, Carolyn Kelley, Mike Kelley, Alexia Kemerling, Riley Kemerling, George Kocar, Patricia S. Krebs, Jenny Lucas, Gypsy Luc (Lucas Hargis), Renie Maginniss, Ruta Marino, M.P. Marion, Charles T. Mayer, Jesse McMahon, Kate McMahon, Keith McMahon, Sarah McMahon, Harry Melroy, Barbara Morejon, Donald Perone, Cynthia Petry, Frank Pitts, Steve Risser, Gail Roberts, Priscilla Roggenkamp, Rudy Roggenkamp, Cameron Sharp, Lori Smith, Matthew Stanfield, Sally Tharp, John Thrasher, Pete Twitchell, Kathleen Van Meter, Peg Vasil, Robert Villamagna, Kate Westfall, George Whitten, Willow, Linda Wilson, Jennifer Whiteford, Ted Wieseke, Karen Williams, Katie Wolf, Martha Young and Michael Zuilhof.

The gallery, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon on Friday and 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, is free and open to the public. For more information about the opening reception or the exhibition, call 419.289.5652 or visit us on Facebook.