An unplayable musical instrument may seem useless to most – but just wait until local artist Mike Peyton gets his hands on it.

For the sixth year in a row, the Katy-based artist will be contributing work for Music to the Eyes, a charity raffle supporting the Seven Lakes High School Orchestra.

The event is slated for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, May 19 at Seven Lakes High School, 9251 S Fry Road in Katy.

Each year, Peyton and other artists take defunct instruments and turn them into works of visual art to be put up for raffle.

Peyton is primarily known for his work with gourds, transforming snake gourds – a long vegetable that twists like a serpent as it ripens – into a variety of sculptures, then covering the surfaces with elaborate designs he creates freehand with acrylic paints and Sharpie markers.

He enjoys the change of pace he gets each year with the Music to the Eyes event.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Peyton said. “For me, it’s a little something out of the box. It’s different from my usual stuff so it gives me the opportunity to be creative in different ways, and it’s for a good cause. Plus, they provide the instruments. All I have to do is provide some time.”

Music to the Eyes organizer Sharon Fibich looks forward to seeing Peyton’s contributions each year.

“Mike Peyton is a fantastic guy and a tremendous artist,” Fibich said. “Every year, it is a delight to see what inventive new things he will produce. One year, he made a violin look metallic and rusty using cinnamon, turmeric and salt. It’s been my favorite piece. It was beautiful, and it smelled great. I wanted to reach out and touch it. It was the coolest.”

All proceeds for the event support the Seven Lakes High School Orchestra program, raising funds to purchase equipment and music, as well as providing scholarships for qualifying graduating seniors.

For more information about the artist, visit www.mikepeytoncreations.com.

For more information about Music to the Eyes, visit https://www.facebook.com/Music-to-the-Eyes-203949152971101/?ref=page_internal&hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf.

For more information about the Seven Lakes High School Orchestra, visit www.sevenlakesorchestras.org.

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