Another Self-taught Art Beaded Piano

That last image was breathtaking, I know! I have gotten so many positive responses to New Orleans artist, John Lawson's beaded piano, that I'm posting another one, this time a Baby Grand. He calls it "Booker" and if you look carefully you will see the portrait of this Jazz musician on the top of the case. John's next show is at Honfleur Gallery in Washington, DC from November 15th to January 2nd, and will include re-traced drawings encased in encaustic wax, photography, and sculpture using the salvaged Mardi Gras beads. What a talent!

Beaded pianos, self-taught art at it's best

A friend, John Lawson, created the most extraordinary art objects colleged with Mardi Gras beads. He wandered the streets after the celebration was over and collected hundreds of pounds of these garishly bright beads. Then came hours of soaking and cleaning. Then sorting colors. And then the magic began! 

These are life sized pianos covered, in a jazz theme, with the collected beads. This one is an old New Orleans Honky Tonk piano and is totally playable, right down to the "Jelly Roll Morton" twang. The pianos have been shown in museums and are part of great private art collections. They are really beyond belief! This is the hight of recycling, don't you think?