Mystery piano vandalized - being removed by Parks department

Shoreline residents near Shoreview Park have been tantalized by the sounds of piano music coming from the direction of the park.

Many assumed the piano was part of the Painted Pianos - donated pianos painted by artists which are placed in public spaces around Shoreline for people to play.

But no, according to a report by KOMO, this piano, which was badly out of tune, was placed between two trees in Shoreview Park by Shoreline resident Kaare Carlson, who told the reporter that "he and two friends used their all-terrain dolly to take the piano into the woods where people could enjoy it in a spiritual setting. He said it pains him to see pianos go to the garbage dump."

The piano had a distinguished history as it was last owned by jazz singer Greta Matassa. She had hoped to refurbish it but found that it was beyond saving.

Still, people were playing it.

A reader tipped the Shoreline Area News that the piano had been "horribly vandalized and pushed into a ravine." We contacted Dick Deal, Director of Shoreline Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services who sent Parks staff to check.

The piano was not in the ravine, but it had been vandalized.

Deal said, 

"The mystery piano that a resident placed in Shoreview Park has been vandalized and is being removed by Park Maintenance staff. I was never contacted by the person who placed the piano so I don’t know who to contact. To keep it from being scattered and becoming a bigger problem, parks staff will be removing it.

"I am a fan of “guerrilla” art, but when it is not secured in place it unfortunately just takes one person to destroy the art for those that enjoy it. "

However, the  Painted Pianos are still in place through August. Here's the webpage and here's the map.