The Friends of Mitchell Park installed a piano on June 24 in the Village of Greenport’s Mitchell Park, inviting the public to play and enjoy music while overlooking the harbor.

“Sky Piano” was donated by the Friends of Mitchell Park (FOMP), a nonprofit organization that supports events and programming open to all at the park in the center of the village.   The all-volunteer effort was initiated by FOMP Board member Bob Mills when he suggested the board consider finding a piano to place in the park for members of the public to play. Fellow board member Poppy Johnson offered to donate her instrument and paint it. The Village supported collaborating on the creative project.

“We’re excited to receive this musical gift,” said Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi. “The Village is always looking for ways to encourage active engagement with the park, and the piano felt like a natural opportunity together with our new farmer’s market, also supported by Friends of Mitchell Park.”

Johnson painted the piano with whimsical clouds dotting azure skies. “I  was inspired by the first work of art I ever bought, ‘Left Turn Sky,’ by Fluxus artist Geoff Hendricks, who painted blue skies on all sorts of objects,” Johnson said. “I love clouds, I find them both beautiful and funny.”  

The Kimball upright piano was moved and installed by Doug Gregg, Classic Piano Doc, who also donated his professional tuning services. The Wm J Mills & Co (established in Greenport in 1880) custom made and donated the Sky Piano’s canvas cover to protect it from the elements.

Mitchell Park joins thousands of public parks and spaces around the US and internationally in making a piano available for the public to play and enjoy in the heart of our village’s business district, said FOMP board president Diane Mulvaney. 

The FOMP and Village of Greenport have collaborated on several projects, most recently, updates to the park’s public restrooms, and placement of a new sign at the park inviting organizations and individuals to apply for FOMP program funding, and to support programming through charitable donations.