BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder High senior Jack Gaffney painted his first piano a couple of years ago, spattering a 1956 spinet piano that he found on Craigslist with multiple colors beforehand painting the keys.
A musician, he used the lightweight piano — tuned and refurbished by his piano technician, Ryan Elison — to perform on Pearl Street Mall over the past three summers.
"I love performing on Pearl Street Mall," he said. "It might be my favorite place to play."
His colorful piano got such a good reaction, he decided to paint a second one, using money from his Pearl Street Mall busking to buy supplies. This time, instead of keeping the painted upright piano, he donated it in December to his school.
"I wanted to give something back to my community and high school," he said. "I wanted to leave a part of myself and my music here."
Now, he's on the lookout for a third piano, with plans to donate it to a charity that works with kids in the spring.
"I want to inspire kids with music because music inspires me," he said. "It can give kids the opportunity to express themselves freely."
Gaffney started playing piano at 4 years old, started vocal lessons at 9, and was writing his own songs by the time he was 10. He performs his piano-driven rock and blues songs at venues across the country.
He bought the piano he donated to Boulder High off Craigslist for $100. A piano tuner got it back in tune, while he handled the painting. As an art lover, he said, he loves the idea of painting pianos.
"The art on the piano is how I see music in my mind, very abstract and colorful," he said. "Piano is so comprehensive. It's so visual. There's not much limit to it. If you can imagine it and you can reach it, you can play it."
He started painting the donated piano about a year ago. He didn't have a design in mind when he started, he said, instead painting a bold shape in one spot and building off that shape.
The abstract design is painted in splashes and swirls of red, white, black, yellow, purple, blue and green and more details on the keys.
Beau Bryson, the band director at Boulder High School, said students love the painted piano.
"The first time students saw the piano, they were astounded," he said. "It makes the room more colorful and vibrant. I feel lucky that Jack decided to share his work with the Boulder High School community and can't wait for future students to experience it."
After graduation, Gaffney said, he's planning to major in music composition, either at the University of Colorado at Boulder or in Nashville. He also wants to continue his piano painting project.
One of his dreams: to paint a grand piano.
