Drawings on Player Piano Rolls

in 2023, Donations of new/old Player Piano Rolls…

These smaller player piano roll visual poems continue to utilize rolls that include karaoke-like sing-along text on the side. Often three layers of player piano paper thick, I create ink drawings in response to the sections of lyrics. For example, in this 2023 series titled Montana, each small visual poem has a section of lyrics from a song roll titled Montana from 1917.

I am thankful for the recent donations of player piano rolls that both inspire and make these artworks possible. Often, these new pieces are created in a short series of approximately six and are installed using small magnets.

in 2021, building upon my use of Player Piano Rolls…

This new series of piano roll drawings continue to utilize rolls that include karaoke-like sing-along text on the side; however, in a desire to display the drawings without frames, I sought ways to refine and strengthen the material. The above artworks are coated in beeswax and often include multiple layers of piano roll paper that are sealed together allowing for text that merges and combines to form visual poems. While they feel inviting and vulnerable being displayed without frames; the beeswax and layering strengthens the paper and firms the form.