By Bailey Borkowski 
The Ramspondents

Filling Fort Collins with art and music, Pianos About Town allows community members to express their creativity.

One artist is giving a piano a fresh coat of paint, preparing it to go out into the community. Chyna Mapel is the artist and is using her mixed identity as inspiration for this piece.

“This design is super close to my heart, and it's almost like I'm painting myself”

Mapel is Chinese American, and her piano plans to reflect the two sides of her.

“It's called two halves of a whole, and one side is the mountains of China and a cherry blossom tree on a mountaintop, and then the other side is a night scene that's supposed to be more like Colorado, and that's a pine tree,” Mapel said, “it's supposed to signify my experience as someone of mixed race.”

Growing up mixed, Mapel reflected on the difficulty of never fitting in and the hardships of it. Mapel doesn’t shy away from her experiences, expressing them in this piece.

“They're really kind of gnarly shaped, because it's tough up there. But they're thriving”

The trees are thriving because Mapel is thriving. Although Mapel has years of experience with different art forms, she has only recently picked up mural painting. But even in the recent months of painting, she has quickly fallen in love.

“I do love painting, and I'm learning that I love painting on a large scale, like it feels good in my body, if that makes sense, there's so much tension when I'm doing something really tiny, and it feels expansive and so creative to paint on a large scale.”

This was Mapel’s second time applying to do this project, although feeling discouraged from getting rejected she wanted to try again. This year she was first selected as an alternate, but after an artist dropped Mapel got the opportunity to paint.

Through art, Mapel has been able to reinvent herself and combine different traditions, which is one reason why she loves it.

“Art has really pushed me to embrace creating my own way in the world, like just finding my own way, and embracing this idea that you don't have to declare yourself as one thing and only do that for the rest of your life”.

You can find and play Mapel’s piano in downtown Fort Collins.

Bailey Borkowski is the station manager at CTV 11 and a journalism student at Colorado State University who focuses on reporting the full and accurate truth and keeping the Fort Collins community informed. 

Compiled by Calvin Masten ofThe Ramspondents

The weather is getting colder, but the good vibes continue to flow in Fort Collins during these early November days. Take a look at some fun and free events coming up this week:

The Fort Collins restaurant, cafe, bakery, and teaching kitchen is hosting a fall market on Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Get into the holiday spirit with handmade goodies, locally made crafts, and a wide variety of local artists and makers. 

Looking to try out some new jokes? The Comedy Fort is hosting a new material night at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10, where comedy fans can sign up to perform or simply enjoy the show. 

Celebrate those who have served our country with a morning of food and song at the Fort Collins Senior Center. The Kiwanis Poudre Golden K Club of Fort Collins and the City of Fort Collins Recreation Department will be serving breakfast from 7 - 10 a.m., with the presentation of the colors happening at 8 a.m.

Looking for a night of blues music and good drinks? Check out the Buzz Brothers Acoustic Jam session from 5:30 - 8 p.m. at the Breckenridge Brewery Fort Collins taproom, where Fort Collins residents are invited to bring an instrument to jam or just sit back and enjoy the music. 

The popular show and tell event is back at the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising, and it’s all about pockets. Come to the exhibit from 5:30 - 6:30 p..m. with an object that relates to pockets in any way, and enjoy a night of conversation and listening with the community.  

Chinese-born and NYC-based artist Sidian Liu explores the themes of displacement, intimacy, and care through her exploration of strangers’ kitchens. The Lincoln Center will be hosting her work from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14, with an artist talk at 6:30 p.m.

The Bath Garden Center & Nursery is hosting its annual Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 and 16. Come for an assortment of gifts, decorations, treats, and unique holiday items, and stay for a raffle where the winner could win $100. 

By Cole Walters
The Ramspondents

There are currently no active weather warnings associated with the upcoming week. However, that is subject to change. For pressing updates on the weather in Fort Collins, stay updated through the National Weather Service in Boulder.

Temperatures this week are looking warm and pleasant, with highs reaching almost 20 degrees higher than the historical average of this week in past years. Little to no precipitation is expected this week.

Monday 11/10

Warmer and mostly cloudy with a high in the high 60s and a low in the mid 40s. There is currently no chance for precipitation.

Tuesday 11/11

Very warm and mostly sunny with a high in the 70s and a low in the 30s. Little to no precipitation is expected.

Wednesday 11/12

Warm and mostly cloudy with a high in the 60s and a low in the 40s. There is currently no chance for precipitation.

Thursday 11/13

Warmer and sunny with a high in the low 70s and a low in the 40s. Little to no precipitation is expected.

Friday 11/14

Warmer and sunny with a high in the low 70s and a low in the 40s. Little to no precipitation is expected.

Saturday 11/15

Partly cloudy with a high in the high 60s and a low in the high 30s. Little to no precipitation is expected.

Sunday 11/16

Sunny with a high in the low 60s and a low in the 30s. There is currently no chance for precipitation.

Temperature and weather predictions are sourced from NWS Boulder and Accuweather.

Cole Walters is a junior at Colorado State University majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Science Communication. He has a diverse background in journalism and communication, including social media, written journalism and photojournalism.