Artist Statement: Made with acrylic paint, duct tape, and newspaper. Several NYC birds are depicted on the piano: the American Kestrel (the smallest species of falcon and often spotted in Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (a small majestic bird in Central Park), Eastern Bluebird (the NY state bird), Black n White Warbler (all boroughs), Piping Plover (an endangered species that breeds near Rockaway Beach), Double-Crested Cormorant (which breeds off the coast of Pelham Bay, the Bronx), and the ubiquitous Rock Pigeon (all boroughs). Colorful, playful, and tactile, these birds are meant to attract people to the piano. They also represent the hope of NYC as they sing their unique melodies from urban rooftops, city beaches, and park benches. They encourage New Yorkers to express their voices, just as the pianos of Sing for Hope do.
Richela Fabian Morgan is a mixed media artist and fine crafter specializing in tape, paper, and found materials. Her artwork has been exhibited at Blue Door Art Center (Yonkers, NY), the Emelin Theatre (Mamaroneck, NY), the Rye Art Center (Rye, NY), and the Rockaway Artists Alliance (Fort, Tilden, NY). She has also written several craft books, including TAPE IT AND MAKE IT (Barron's Educational), DUCT TAPE BAGS (Clarkson Potter), and THE GREEN CRAFTER (Citadel). Ms. Morgan has worked with kids and teens for the past ten years, teaching various tape, paper, and recycled/upcycled craft programs in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Ms. Morgan lives in Larchmont with her husband and two teens.