Residents can come to appreciate a plethora of guitars, drums and cellos—not for their sound but for the original art plastered atop the various instruments—at Able ARTS Work’s second annual Yamaha Cares Upcycled Guitar exhibit.
Instruments that were once destined for a landfill have made their way to artists from local foundations through a partnership between Long Beach not-for-profit Able ARTS Work (AAW) and the Yamaha Cares Upcycle program.
The gallery honors AAW’s mission of making creative art activities and resources for people of all abilities. They will also be displaying a number of upcycled instruments from other charities throughout Orange County that received pieces from Yamaha Cares.
The Yamaha Cares Upcycle program began in 2020 as an employee-based initiative to “promote education, arts, health and human services, and community development in the areas where its employees live,” according to the company’s website. The Yamaha Corporation of America is based in Buena Park.
In December of 2020, Yamaha donated more than 200 slightly blemished guitars, cellos and violins to four not-for-profit organizations: the Anaheim School District, KatrinaKures/CHOC, Able ARTS Work and the Boys & Girls Club of Buena Park, where the company’s U.S. headquarters is located.
While the gallery only received four upcycled guitars that year, they invited the other participating organizations to display their works of art, many done by children or those with disabilities, all in the same space. The innovative exhibit raised a total of $2,600 for the artists and foundations involved.
“It was really neat to collaborate with kids and to see the work they had done,” said Kristy Glass, director of community advancement for AAW. “Some of their guitars were very meaningful and spoke to what was happening at the time and they were thrilled to see their work in the gallery. We thought, ‘Oh, we’ve got to do this again.’”
This year’s exhibit brings a new slew of instruments reimagined: an “E.T. Dude” sculpture completely transforming a guitar, an old ukulele covered in gems, a violin featuring funky robots painted with acrylic markers.
AAW will be featuring artists of their own as well as creations from KatrinaKures/CHOC, a foundation dedicated to researching childhood diabetes; The Ranchos Los Amigos Foundation, which raises funds for patients dealing with disabling injuries or illnesses; and Growing Side By Side for Adrian’s Place, a foundation that supports families with children with special needs.
Each piece sold will directly benefit the artists and charities involved.
The gallery’s opening will coincide with First Fridays in Bixby Knolls, an additional perk of the organization’s new location in Bixby Knolls, Glass explained.
“We align our exhibit opening with First Friday’s events and it brings in an amazing crowd,” Glass said. “I feel like there are more people that have the opportunity to walk through, see and appreciate the art and acknowledge the artists.”
Residents will have the chance to upcycle their own instruments at the exhibit opening, as AAW will be selling pieces of a deconstructed drum set for $3 for participants to paint, draw and write on.
The exhibit will run from July 1 to September 1, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the EXPO Arts Center. First Fridays take place on the first Friday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Bixby Knolls and will coincide with the gallery’s opening.
The gallery will be closed Monday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.
Able ARTS Work is located at 4321 Atlantic Ave.
This article was updated on June 30 to correct the location and times and of gallery.
