It is always hard to be away from home, but I am a curious creature, and I want to see the world. My dad gave me huge wings, and my mother my dancing feet, and I have been using them for a while, moving around, leaving friends and family in so many places. It is good to see the world, but you run the risk of having to split your heart into too many pieces.
I moved to Fort Collins from Mexico City with my daughter and husband almost four years ago. As always, I was excited, but nervous about our new home. The uncertainty and mystery that involves moving to a new city; and in our case, a new Country.
We decided to explore a bit our new town during our first weekend. The first thing I noticed when we visited Old Town was the colorful Pianos. I remember saying that I wanted to paint a piano while thinking how beautiful they were.
I saw people playing them and kids dancing around them, it was such a happy scene, I felt delighted to be there. At that moment, I knew everything was going to be right, that our new home was going to be a good one. Even away from my family, I felt hope in my heart!
A year after, a good friend of mine told me the piano city program was accepting submissions. It was just a week left, but still, I decided to send out my application inspired by my daughter at her best friend from Borinquen (better known as Puerto Rico) the enchanted island in the Caribbean. We left great friends in Puerto Rico. My design was a tribute to those who became our family while living there.
A few weeks later, I got my acceptance letter. Full of joy I did what became my first painted piano in Fort Collins. We, my daughter and I, named it “Gollo” and for almost two weeks we painted with all our hearts.
I have to say that my daughter was incredibly supportive during the whole process, she was seven-years-old at that time. I thought she was only going to be of some help, but she ended up doing an amazing amount of work. Because of that, she felt unhappy when at the end she didn’t sign the piano even though she deserved it. I felt sad because of her disappointment, so I promised her that next year we were going to apply as an artist duo, side by side mother and daughter.
And so we did. We sent out our application together, using her theme idea “The day of the Death”. It was the perfect way to honor our traditions, that by the way is one of our favorite celebrations of the year. We applied, and we got the project! But this time as equal partners. Marina and I painted Lory our second piano!
We can’t say how much we love the Pianos about program; it is a beautiful community project. A fantastic way to display art by sharing the inspiration that can help us become a better and stronger community through art and music. A perfect way to celebrate life and express ourselves. I can’t wait until next year to apply again. Hopefully, we will get the chance to paint a piano again!
Carla Gamboa 