By Manna Parker

Outdoor pianos are gracing Boston’s streets once again this fall! Around sixty pianos painted and decorated by local artists and community groups will be placed around Boston for the public’s enjoyment from September 23rd to October 10.

Four Somerville artists have been chosen to decorate some of the pianos this year. Jason Chase, Lois Blood Bennett, Liz LaManche, and Ben Kauffman have all contributed their beautiful designs to Street Pianos Boston. We asked them some questions about their art and personal passions to honor their dedication and artistic talent.

Jason Chase:

How long have you been an artist?

I’ve been Painting and showing professionally for 20 years now, I started early in Colorado. Came to the Boston area to get my masters and liked it, so I settled down here. I’ve shown all over the country, but I like Boston/Somerville.

~Courtesy of Jason Chase

What made you decide to pursue art?

Oil painting is all I’ve ever really loved to do. I’ve always had a love of paintings, both seeing them and especially making them.

What inspires you in your work?

My own day-to-day life inspires most of my paintings. But also objects from my past, arts always some form of bellybutton looking when you get into it.

How do you hope to contribute to Street Pianos Boston this year?

I hope people enjoy seeing and playing my piano, I think it’s a fun art project to be involved with.

What have you found to be the most fun about contributing to this event?

I’m really pleased with how my piano came out, I made mine match a piece I made in Davis square for the Somerville Arts Council, The popcorn switch box. I hope some people from Somerville see the piano and make the connection.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future with your art?

More shows and just to be happy painting. I currently show with Gold Gallery in South Boston, keep your eye on them for my pieces in future shows and see more work at my website jasonchase.com.

Lois Blood Bennett:

How long have you been an artist?

I have always made art of some kind. I love creating. Before I got into the art I do now I have been an artist in fiber – sewing and knitting first then weaving, spinning yarn, making lace, dying fabric and yarn. Then pottery and recently I have taken on an enameling on copper project. So the short answer would be about 60 of my 62 years.

What made you decide to pursue art?

I simply love to create beauty. My current work that I am doing on the piano is abstract digital designs called fractal flames. I work with the computer to manipulate mathematical equations that combine to generate images of great beauty and complexity. My education in electrical engineering (MSEE) gives me the technical skills and the mathematical knowledge to work this way. The software allows me to work with the images to manipulate the color and structure of the images until I am happy with them. Then I have them printed on any media – paper, cloth, and all the products from places like Zazzle. For the piano I am working with Cambridge Reprographics in Somerville to have the images printed on self – adhesive clear vinyl that I am applying to my piano. This kind of vinyl is used to “wrap” cars and busses so it is perfect for this project since it may be exposed to the elements.

What inspires you in your work?

In the fractal flames the constant process of discovery is a driving force. My process starts with asking the software to generate a random set of images based on some parameters I specify. I then can manipulate the images and apply other equations and change the parameters. I don’t always know what I am going to get and the images that appear are like magic. As I see what comes out I am sometimes totally blown away by the beauty of them. I am also a photographer and I have always found that seeing the beauty in everything is a driving force also. The world is full of moments of beauty if we only watch for them and keep our eyes open.

How do you hope to contribute to Street Pianos Boston this year?

The opportunity to participate in Street Pianos is such a gift. I hope that people will enjoy seeing my art as much as I enjoy it. As a singer I have many friends who I hope will play the piano and others and share the joy. It is all about joy. Making people smile.

What have you found to be the most fun about contributing to this event?

I really liked spending time with the other artists. My work being mostly done on the computer has meant that I have not been able to spend as much time at the design center working so I have not had as much of that time as I would have liked. I have really enjoyed the challenge of finding the right designs and getting into a new process as I have not used the vinyl before. I am thrilled with that aspect as I am always wanting to learn new things. I also have really enjoyed working with my husband, William Bennett, who has helped me every step of the way and especially going with me to help apply the images to the piano as it takes at least two pairs of hands to get it right.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future with your art?

My goal is to find a way to make my art my full time job. As I live and have a studio space at Brickbottom Artist Building and I am in constant contact with artists who are in the art world full time I am inspired. I hope to move into producing images for use in public spaces. I did a large piece (35 feet x 8 feet) for the Millbrook Lofts building in Somerville this spring and I hope to find more opportunities to have my work in that type of context again. I also would like to get some art training and learn to draw better. I sell cards at Cambridge Artists Cooperative on Church Street in Harvard Square and I hope to expand that involvement.

What other things do you pursue when you’re not doing art?

I sing in two choirs at my church, Christ Church Cambridge in Harvard Square. That and I work full time as a computer system administrator. I am hoping to retire from that job to do art full time in a few years. I have one daughter and two wonderful granddaughters that I hope to spend more time with as they get bigger. I also really enjoy travel. With the choir I have had the privilege of traveling to Paris and London and other places in England to sing in the great cathedrals and I hope to do that again.

Ben Kauffman:

How long have you been an artist?

~Courtesy of Ben Kauffman

I’ve been painting since I graduated college, 20+ years ago. At various times, I have had gallery representation, shown, and sold my work. I now work full time outside of art, but continue to enjoy not only the painting itself, but being a successful working artist and all that entails.

What made you decide to pursue art?

25 years ago, I’d convince myself I painted simply because if I didn’t, my head would blow up. Though I no longer believe that to be the case, painting remains both an outlet for creativity, and a necessary means of expression. Especially now, living with my wife and three kids in the Union Square area of Somerville, where I happily paint during nights and weekends in my cramped, unheated, un-air-conditioned third-floor studio. With my headphones on, it’s a focused outlet for expression that’s almost meditative for me in the way that things like running, or hiking, or ice hockey are.

What inspires you in your work?

I grew up in Philadelphia, yet spent, and continue to spend, many summers in the woods, mountains, rivers and deserts of the U.S. Thus I often work with the materials of the city, now Somerville, while maintaining connection to the colored landscapes of other places: greens and browns of northern Maine, rusted reds of South Dakota, or dusty ochres of Montana and Wyoming. I work with materials I feel some connection to. I grew to love the “hand-me-downs” received as a child, and now, be it clothes and furniture for myself and studio, or canvas, tree bark or scrap wood for my art, I like old, rough, time-worn objects. The idea is to construct “canvases” in which the placement of these objects in relation to each other creates not only a dynamic composition, but an intriguing dialog between the objects. They have stories to tell. And if I’ve done my job well, you can read them as I do—at an arm’s length from the canvas—and piece together their puzzle for yourself.

How do you hope to contribute to Street Pianos Boston this year?

Honestly, I kicked around a few themes, but wasn’t satisfied with any of them. I did my usual “industrial collage” work (see benkauffmanart.com) on the piano last time around (2013), and this time decided that I’d just like to do a bold 2-D painting — with the piano as my tricked-out 3- D “canvas.” It’s a challenging project to do well, but I really enjoy it.

What have you found to be the most fun about contributing to this event?

There’s nothing better than successful public art projects. I sat and watched the piano I painted in 2013 a few times, and magical things happened without fail. It’s really amazing to see the incredibly diverse folks of our city take their turn and sit down at that piano bench – either alone, or with a band; either with an audience, or almost sneakily – and bring their own expression, their own music, their own art to it. If there’s anything our country, and our city needs right now, it’s to be reminded of all that brings us together, and this is a project that has the power to do that.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future with your art?

I’ll continue to create, show, and sell my work – hopefully with gradually increasing levels of success. I’d like some gallery representation again, and would love to do some commissioned work; help design and decorate a local restaurant or bar.

What other things do you pursue when you’re not doing art?

I’m a dad. I run, hike, play ice hockey. And work. I have worked for the past 15 years for a software company, where I manage a team of 18 technical writers. I enjoy my job, and like the fact that it might someday (read: retirement) give me the chance to work on my art full time.

Liz LaManche:

How long have you been an artist?

I’ve been drawing and making things naturally all my life, but have only recently been concentrating on creating a bigger impact with my work.

~Courtesy of Liz LaManche

What made you decide to pursue art?

For many years I didn’t trust my voice or my abilities, so I did the kinds of creative work which were safer for me: UI design for software and the Web, graphic design. Recently I came to a point of questioning what I really wanted to accomplish in this life, and it is to use the language I have, which is art, to make things better in some way.

What inspires you in your work?

In the broader view, I want to influence people to be their best selves, to reconnect with their sense of humor and playfulness, compassion and kindness. Aesthetically: I’m inspired by people being authentically who they are; by the sensual beauty of saturated colors; nature; and a sense of history.

How do you hope to contribute to Street Pianos Boston this year?

I’m glad to be part of the great diversity of styles and artistic choices all the pianos represent. I hope mine makes people happy.

What have you found to be the most fun about contributing to this event?

Meeting other artists and seeing their diverse styles, the challenge of something new and different, and the knowledge that the pianos we work on will delight random strangers.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future with your art?

I’m looking forward to continuing to be part of the urban dialogue, and hoping to contribute toward making cities more engaging and fun places to be. I’d like to provide ways for people to engage with each other and break down barriers, contributing to greater understanding, peace and justice in our society. Literally, I believe we need this to be sustainable as a species.

What other things do you pursue when you’re not doing art?

I love doing aerial silk at Esh circus school in Somerville, and lifting weights to stay fit. I’m active in Boston Burners (local Burning Man attendees) events, and I create brand strategies and websites for growing companies. I also fiddle with my own art website, Earthsign.com.

— Photos by Robert Torres for the Celebrity Series of Boston/Street Pianos Boston and Matt Weston.