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Painted pianos up for auction

The Summer Art Celebration & Piano Cabaret is at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel Thursday, Oct. 1

With sculptures and art taken down around town, the wrap party is planned for the summer art season.

Three of the pianos painted for public use this summer go up for sale during the Summer Art Celebration & Piano Cabaret.

Four pianos graced the community for a second consecutive summer, inviting residents and guests to tickle the ivories.

The one painted by Robert Amos in 2014 will return to its space in the lobby of municipal hall. The other three – painted by Jim McFarland, Daciana Oana and Sherryl Hustins – will be auctioned off by Eric Charman during the event.

The piano that graced Cattle point and titled “Willows Beach,” painted by McFarland, was donated by Oak Bay High School and Barbara Adams, arts laureate for Oak Bay.

“This piano was used for many years at the school. It might interest an alumni who had a great music experience at Oak Bay. The piano, which is lively, continued to give pleasure to many this summer,” said Adams, who co-ordinated the second annual public art tour in Oak Bay.

“The piano has had a lot of playing this summer. Cattle Point seems to have had a big variety of people including tour buses,” Adams said. “Several people have commented that they saw a tour bus stopped and people gathered around the piano.”

The Summer Art Celebration & Piano Cabaret will be held at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel on Oct. 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“We’re also teaming with our Canadian College of Performing Arts and alumni will do the cabaret. They’ll do a set on the pianos,” Adam said.

“The long-term plan is to have six permanent installations with performance space around and they’re really keen on making sure the art is multi-faceted.”

Auction proceeds will benefit Oak Bay’s public art program.