The Painted Violin Project
A unique collaboration with the Rushmore Music Festival that features local Black Hills artists supporting student fellowships.
The Painted Violin Project
The Rushmore Music Festival invited twelve Black Hills Area visual artists for a collaboration that brings together the visual and performing arts on the First Annual Painted Violin Project: Black Hills Edition. The Painted Violin Project is a unique fundraising effort to support full-tuition scholarships for talented middle and high school-aged music students nationwide to attend the Rushmore Music Festival, a residential solo and chamber music camp in Rapid City. This project invites visual artists to work with a unique medium, a violin, in a forum that both promotes their work and helps young musicians achieve their artistic goals. These twelve pieces of art are going available for purchase to the highest bidder in Spring of 2025.
From Start to Finish
Transforming an old, damaged instrument into a restored, one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Removing the original varnish required sanding...
...and sanding...
...and more sanding...
For the more intricate parts of the violin, such as the scroll, a rotary tool proved to be very effective at removing the old varnish without damaging the instrument.
Special care was given to not damage the beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay along the purfling.
A black stain was carefully applied to the finely sanded surfaces, enhancing the violin's unique appearance while highlighting the natural flow of the wood grain.
The mother-of-pearl inlay, set against the deep black stain added a touch of elegance and refinement.
Following the staining process, high-quality acrylic paint was utilized to meticulously render the rose on the back of the piece.
The same process was applied to the front of the violin as well as the back when painting the rose, for consistency.
A single, thin coat of varnish, made from polyester resin blended with oil, was carefully applied to finish the instrument, enhancing its durability and appearance while preserving its delicate and elegant look.