Pianos on Parade will bring music throughout downtown Minneapolis all summer

Local artist James Powell was tasked with painting one particular piano even though he's never painted a piano.

"My whole design is kind of in the trees, trying to keep everything native to Minnesota," Powell explains. "And then I've got like, some little cut out bird houses that are going to go on here, so everyone's going to be living in the in the blooms."

In fact, this year's theme is 'Bloom Where You Live.'"

Making a home wherever you are, so whatever's going on around you, it's kind of finding that safe home, and the community, and the place that you belong," Powell adds.

When he's finished, the piano will be released into the wild - well, somewhere in downtown Minneapolis - for the public to enjoy and play.

For now, Powell is working on his craft in Dayton’s corner window on 8th and Nicollet Mall. For him, it's fun to have people pass by and admire his art.

"It seems to have got some good responses from people through the glass and just walking by, I kind of like the idea of people coming by every morning and being able to see it," says Powell. "I try and get something done, it's almost completed, so it's like something new each day."

The “Bloom Where You Live" theme is serving as a metaphor for what they call Minneapolis' resilience and beauty.

Each piano is painted by local artists with a theme over the past several years. The program will be open for impromptu concerts as well as for programming with local musical talent.