Check out this short KBTC documentary on Trimpin

(Thanks for the YouTube hint, Romeo!)

watch video Video Description KBTC is Public Television for western Washington, the local production Full Focus looks at the life of the art of Trimpin . Writer / Producer Daniel Kopec; Videographer / Editor Michael Peters

Copyright © 2007 YouTube, Inc.

Trimpin

I wish I wish I WISH! that I could see his exhibit. Its hard to forget a name like Trimpin though so I hope to one day see(hear/experience) his work in person. Listening to the descriptions of his installments, being that they combine visual and artistic elements with music, it reminded me a lot of the Blueman Group when I was able to see them live in Las Vegas. I thought that they were just a strange advertising gimmick for Pentium but they're actually amazing artists who do similar work by intregrating visual art displays with physical comedy and theatrical elements and of course they're percussive and melodic music. I would be curious to know if there are any connections between the performers and Trimpin in their training or study.

An article; describing the uplifting values of sound, intertwined with factual information on some guy I don't know. I myself would take a bat to those instruments, obtaining the optimal experience of vandalism to musical 'pinyatahs'. I hated the author's writing style, not pessimistic enough to be real.

Artopian Seattle and Trimpin' World

-- As a side note, I find myself very much satisfied and intrigued by the way the two different author's wrote in these articles.


Artopian Seattle

As Jacob has written about the way this author wrote, I like how it wasn't too 'unrealistic or extravagant.' It would be an interesting world if the world revolved around art as described in this article. I really like how the writer also allowed us to feel as if we had a say about the topic and that just because she wrote it and published it wasn't a done deal and something to keep untouched. Also how she gave her contact information. It just seemed friendly and open to new ideas.


Trimpin's World

I give props to the author of this article, I don't think there could be a better writer to describe and create vivid images of Trimpin's work by words as Judy Wagonfield has done here. Although I would like to experience Trimpin's work first hand to draw my conclusion, I think that I will be impressed by his unique style and actually become entranced and willing to stay at a museum. From my past experiences at museums, I noticed that they bore me very much. However, since attending this class, that has changed a little.
Overall, I like how Trimpin incorporated sound, music, rhythm, science, and engineering into his artwork.

Trimpin

I thought that this article was really cool to read about and made me want to go see it but I dont know what much else to write about. But one thing that stood out to me was the statement at the very beginning when he said "I dont understand how young people can listen to music and study" I totally disagree with that i cant study with out music and not just quite kind I have to listen to fast paced music. Any ways yeah I really want to see this and push the shoes around...yeah awesome.

Sound Artist

Thats a cool way of making music. Its interesting that he never records it so you have to be there in person. Sounds interesting but im not sure if i would attend, not really my type of art form.

It should be "Trippin"...

I found this article to be quite confusing, seeing as its entirely about sound. Its the same as trying to describe a dance...it can never fully be felt, because that is why they danced it in the first place. Because it isnt SUPPOSED to be said, therefore trying to say it goes against the whole point. On the other hand, describing how something sounds is quite difficult, though I praise the author on a worthy attempt.

O NO!!!! IT DIED AGAIN

Well this was a intresting artical on music/art i got good picture of what hell was talking about but i missing so much more like he says in the artical. To understand it i need to feel and hear his art in person then i could write something better but can't really write anything yet sorry.

Why my hamster died yesterday...

Yes, I wanted an interesting title. Plus, Robbie egged me on. He likes hamsters. He does. So, the sound artical art thinga ma jig. It was an intereting read. I felt like a lot of it was missed though...it's just so hard to describe something as complex as sound, especially when it's an artists exhibit as extreme as this guys. There are some visuals that are definitely cool though, like the dancing and pounding clogs. I'm sad he doesn't record his work. I would like to see some online...but I guess it's a good thing, because it forces the work to be experienced, not just watched and heard.

"Thee is mad, boy!"
-Beneatha, Raisin in the Sun

Trimpin

THIS article was awesome. It was written so freely and expressively. There were so many wonderful images and great descriptions of Trimpin's music. Plus, the music and "exhibit"-type way of showcasing it sounds amazing. Reading this article really made me interested in researching where I can go see and hear Trimpin's work. I especially liked the dancing clogs. :)

Dance

Ummmm... this article was really hard for me to read and understand simply because nothing was explained. I am not familiar with the dancers written about and their styles and without that information, the article wasn't comprehendable to me.

rad mr.trimpin =]

trimpin, trimpin, trimpin.
the name itself sounds like something coming out of a musical instrament.

so, i couldn't realy visualize the art work through the writers discription.
and i really couldn't understand the article.
so what did this 18 year old college stdent with a laptop do?
i youtube'd that trick.

cool ish man.

i think the thing that intrigues me about this eccentric kind of art is that fact taht i've never seen ((or experienced)) something like that before. it's so not the norm that i can see it's appeal.
trimpin is kind of an inspiration to me.
he's the kind of artist that take risks to produce something great.
sure, it is considered a genre that people specialize in, but it it's still pretty out there.
i love that.
the fact that he's putting something out there that not a lot of people know about.
then there's the great art lovers
like beth sellars. she gives the artist an opportunity to show her stuff,
and also gives the public an opportunity to view the works.
gee, i need a person like that,
someone to give me an opportunity to show off my work.
gee i need an agent.
hehe.

-romeo

***ohh...and by the way...
robbie's only kinda lame now =]

hi robbie!

deffinetly my kind of art!

I would really love to experience some of Trimpin's "sound sculpture!" It really challenges the viewer/listener to let go of any preconceived notion of what art or music can be. I have long appreciated so called "noise music," holding the belief that music is just sound that conveys ideas. Trimpin seems to have taken this philosophy and ran with it. I would be very interested to hear more about Jean Tinguely and these other kinetic artists.
I am deffinetly in agreement that this was more of an artist profile than the article of Peter Boal. Although it doesn't provide as much factual information about where he came from, I feel like I have a better idea of who he is.
Overall, a very intriguing article.

Peter Boal

I think its a very benificial thing for the culure in a community, or large city like Seattle, to have an outside influence come into power as an artistic director or such positions to bring new life and new ideas from other places, unfamiliar to the population. I mentioned the example in class though, when similar situations can be abused and have a negative effect. However, from what I know of Peter Boal's goals and sights for the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company I definitely support him in his work and hope to see more revolutionists try to make a difference in the culture of cities in America.

Dancing, singing, humming, and Whirring

So I feel like I would absolutely love this kind of artwork, kinetic. It seems like it would be perfect for actors in the sense that we are observant and take in the details, maybe not of inatimate objects, but it's good practice. We actually have to use all of our senses and do what our impulses tell us when watching the art of Trimpin, which to me, seems amazing. "Trimpin's work explores unique and contemporary integration of sound, space, and movement," which is EXACTLY what we theater majors are working on in our first year in Acting. I love it!
This seems to me more of an artist profile than the one on Paul Boal. It describes in detail his work, has quotes by him INSIDE the article, and I hear his name more often than his influences' names :-). This was an easy read into a form of art I didn't know existed, but now would love to see.

Blog Blog Blog

I have the night off from work! Its been awhile though so here we go... BLOG BLOG BLOG:

I want to start off by saying that my last blog about The Real West Marginal Way was inaccurate. I did feel the way I said about not liking the piece really but in class when we talked about the different imagery and phrases the author used I realized that it was a pretty well written story. I think it is interesting though that for some reason I didn't remember that from the first reading.

Sweet Home
I want to just highlight a sentence that stood out to me: "The word community is often used as a euphimism for poor neighborhoods and small towns." When I read this I instantly thought of a few examples when I had heard someone use this word with another, more negative, meaning. Discussing this piece in class made me give thought on what I consider to be "home".
My sense of home is actually a place rather than a sense or feeling. For me Home is still grounded in Tucson. Thats where I am familiar with things and thats where I think I would feel at home. But as people were sharing thier thoughts I came to realize that the memory that I have of home and the memory that I'm anxious to have restored in reality again, will never come back to me. That memory of home is contained, ideal and unchanging. When actually, Home is changing and updating everyday. The way I remember home is four months ago, before I left, and it depresses me a little to think, when I go back in two months it will not feel like "my home". And it never will feel that way again.

From Kobe to Broadway
I thought that it was really nice to know that Cornish is known and respected even outside of the country for its programs. Its also really encouraging to hear that this Cornish alumn worked hard to attend Cornish, while attending Cornish and after Cornish and was able to make it to Broadway (somewhere that many of the theatre major students would probably like to end up in time.) It proves that it can be done! We just have to keep working hard... forever.

Artopian Seattle
I loved the tone and structure of this piece! I think that the article did a good job of saying 'all of this would (or could) happen if...' without getting too unrealistic or extravegant. I don't know a lot about the art scene or about galleries in Seattle but it all sounded very legit and rational yet it isn't truth. It was a rhetorical persuasive article that didn't try to make you feel bad about any of it and the structure of saying 'This is what we'd all like to have but don't' and then saying "This, of course, is not the reality." convinces you of the great things that could happen before you have a chance to be put off by any sort of plea or guilt trip.

Home -- Blog Makeup

Thankfully, due to the author's eloquence and well researched and fully explained train of thought, as well as her unbiased and academic exploration of the definition of home in a variety of contexts and pointed lack of personal opinion, leaves me with nothing to argue or criticize, but certainly left me to wonder when I truly considered home 'home.'

In times of crisis, it's easy to discover 'home,' no matter which definition you choose. For me, home was discovered in my freshman year of college in Southern California. Home is culture. Home is family.

The Last Big Six -- Makeup Blog

The "Last Big Six" article by Matthew Kangas is an excellent history of how the arts really started to emerge as a recognized national market--though the apparent fact that Seattle's art galleries accept 'craft' as much as art was upsetting to me.

First of all, I believe it is unfair of the gallery owner and the author to imply that art, or should I say 'craft,' forms, which apparently include glass blowing and ceramics, as somehow less respectable than "fine arts." In actuality, their continued definition of "fine arts," which includes artitsts such as Hilda Morris and Jacob Lawrence, is anothere statement which makes me cringe. Are these modern works of abstraction considered "fine" because of public adoration? Market price? Or perhaps their conceptual innovation? ... or maybe the traditional nature of their chosen mediums? To me "fine arts" are not based on any of these factors. It is a term which describes either a broad artistic field, like music or dance, or a very narrow and specific classification of art which forms the foundations of these broad arts categories, pieces which demonstrate extreme technical excellence and sublime aesthetic appeal--pieces which are the manifestation of the pinnacle of said fine art form. That being said, I do not believe the term 'fine arts' should apply to the artists highlighted in the article.

One thing I did like however, was that Kangas chooses to conclude on a positive note, expressing his op[timism and vision for the Seattle art communitiy's future, and, upon learning about all the hard work, dedication, and initiative which created this culture, I agree with Kangas, the Seattle arts community has nowhere to go but up.

Kobe

It's nice to read such an inspirational story. It's wonderful to know that each and every field can be approached from a variety of different ways, and that Cornish can help no matter which approach one chooses.

Trimpin as a Rolemodel to Artists

I was sad when I looked at the date of this article and found it was from last year. After reading this article, I want to see this man’s work!

Also, Trimpin is an incredible role model for all of us artists. Instead of being upset that people just push a button and then walk away from all of his hard work, Trimpin actually decided to change his exhibit to ensure his audience would stay to watch. I feel like most artists I know would take the viewer’s apathy as personal insult and shrug their shoulders at a lost cause or destroy their creation in a fit of rage. Kudos to someone who does neither of the above and ALSO manages to alter their piece to counteract an apathetic generation.

Bravo Peter Boal...

First of all, I would like to say that I hate Peter Boal. While Seattle may have been a little behind the times with regard to Balanchine’s choreography, Seattle audiences were never screaming for more…which is probably why Kent Stowell and Francia Russell’s one night of Balanchine was limited to just that: one night out of their entire season. As I remember, Pre-Peter Boal, I was always excited to go to the Ballet. ‘Is it Cinderella? Is it Carmina Burana?’ who knows. It could be anything, but always something entertaining with classical dancing and beautiful costumes. Now, when my dad tells me we have a ballet on Sunday, I already know it’s Balanchine. Why? Because now it’s always Balanchine.
I groan aloud, and my dad takes this as a sign that I no longer want to be a part of this family’s ballet outing. I hurriedly explain that it’s because I know it’s another all-Balanchine performance. He actually tries to argue it with me, “No, it couldn’t be. There’s just no way.” Obviously, that Saturday, he was proven wrong. How many times can I sit through Jewels without banging my head on the wall? I was never a fan of Balanchine in the first place, and now, thanks to Peter Boal’s tenacity, my family, after subscribing to PNB for over a decade, will now cease their support because going to the ballet is no longer about beauty or technique.
Oh, and did I mention that Peter Boal refuses cast the best and most beautiful long-time PNB dancers like Olivier, Poretta, Stanko, in favor of the SAB immigrants he’s ushered here? He promises them that they will be stars and makes them principals as soon as they make the switch. Where does this put all of our hardworking soloist and corps dancers who have been working to earn those positions? In his own words when contrasting the two companies, SAB works you so hard that you wear your stage makeup to a 5 o’clock rehearsal so that you’ll be ready to be onstage by 7 the same night whereas apparently at PNB, the dancers cry if they don’t get their tea break, it’s little wonder that so many New York dancers are flocking our way, pushing old favorites out of the spotlight. Things have been getting so hard for the PNB principals that many are now moving away, Cristophe Marvaal for example. How many more of our true Seattle dancers will have to suffer at Boal’s hand? Thankfully, after this year, I won’t have to watch. Bravo, Peter Boal. Bravo.

BALANCHINE: MASTER OF THE DANCE

By the time of his death on April 30, 1983, George Balanchine had created over 400 works and was recognized as a 20th-century master alongside Picasso and Stravinsky. Here is the story of how the man born Georg Melitonovitch Balanchivadze in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1904 went on to become the artistic director and primary choreographer of the New York City Ballet.

The man who would one day rank among the greatest choreographers in the history of ballet came to the United States in late 1933 following an early career throughout Europe. His trip came at the invitation of Lincoln Kirstein, a Boston born dance connoisseur whose dream it was to establish an American school of ballet and company equivalent to those in Europe.

The first result of the Balanchine-Kirstein collaboration was the School of American Ballet, founded in early 1934. It later became known as the premier American ballet academy and breeding ground for the New York City Ballet, which Balanchine and Kirstein were to establish together after 14 more years, in 1948. Balanchine’s first ballet in this country was "Serenade," set to music by Tchaikovsky, which was premiered outdoors on the estate of a friend near White Plains, New York, as a workshop performance by students of the school.

In 1935, Balanchine and Kirstein set up a touring company of dancers from the school and called it the American Ballet. That same year the Metropolitan Opera invited the company to become its resident ballet, with Balanchine as the Met’s ballet master. On October 11, 1948, Morton Baum, chairman of the City Center finance committee, saw Ballet Society, formed two years earlier by Balanchine and Kirstein, in a City Center Theater program that included "Orpheus," "Serenade" and "Symphony in C" (a ballet Balanchine had created for the Paris Opera Ballet under the title "Le Palais de Cristal" the previous year).

Baum was so impressed that he negotiated to have the company join the City Center municipal complex. Balanchine’s talents had found a permanent home. That home was to become known as New York City Ballet and Balanchine would serve as its artistic director until his death in 1983.

With a company initially strapped for cash, Balanchine eschewed elaborate costumes and sets and presented his dancers in practice clothes, an innovation he continued to use for selected ballets long after money was no longer an issue. Among the “practice-clothes ballets” in the Balanchine repertory: "Agon," "Episodes," "Ivesiana," "Kammermusic No. 2," and more than 20 Stravinsky/ Balanchine collaborations.

At this time, he also choreographed "The Nutcracker," New York City Ballet’s first full-length ballet and an enduring popular success. Although it took a long while for New York City Ballet to become a popular company, by the time Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1964, Balanchine’s reputation was established and he was ready to reach a larger audience on a larger stage.

To many observers who followed New York City Ballet through the lean years, the opulent and elaborate productions that began to emerge at the New York State Theater must have seemed out of character. For those, however, who realized that Balanchine had dreamed of creating for America what the Maryinsky had been for Russia, the development was perfectly logical, and ballets such as "Don Quixote," "Union Jack," "Jewels," and "Vienna Waltzes" soon followed.

The legacy left by Balanchine when he died remains as profound as it is extensive.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/balanchine_g.html

Peter Boal

For a dancer, his career is truly amazing. As chris has said before me, Peter Boal's career span is the dream of all professional dancers. And I truly agree with the boxed quote at the end of the article: It doesn't make nay sense to have a dance audience that says, " We only go to On The Boards" or "We only go to the PNB' or "We only go to Meany." I want audiences to support all of the dance in Seattle. - I hope more people feel the same way as Peter Boal does, because we as artists or part of the community can not be selective of what or where we support. Because art is all the same.

Peter Boal

This man in my opinion has the dream career span, for a dancer. To be at the hight of your career then to move to a creative director position is a dream. I hope to do some of the same with my acting career. I want to act for several decades then begin to direct as well, and even later in life I would like to be an artistic director so I can put together an amazing place for drama.

Kobe to Broadway

Mikiko's story was incredible and inspiring. It was so interesting to hear about a Cornish student coming from such a far away place as Japan in order to pursue their dreams and artistic endeavors. I was also touched by what Mari London called Mikiko's "naivete", because it is so rare that someone has a strong enough will to go for something combined with the faith do go through with it, disregarding the odds that may be against them.

Sweet Home

This made me consider my own idea of home and prompted me to question what the true meaning of home is, realizing that it means something so different for everyone. After reading Sweet Home, I reflected alot on the different forms that security and comfort can take, whether it be a physical location or a single person. One quote that especially struck me was Louise Erdrich's quote in which she compares the inhabitants of urban environments to "hunter gatherers" and the context that bounds us together, specifically brands that have been made infamous and more than just the companies they represent. Although I agreed with her in the sense that our culture puts an excessive amount of stock in these symbols, I did not agree with this bold generalization that these symbols make up the context for who we are and where we live.

Question for Chris

Hi Chris,

I have a question about what is supposed to be read by Monday, October 8th. Are we supposed to read Artopian Seattle and Profile: Peter Boal? Did we skip one? I'm not sure, so if you could clear that up, that would be great.

-Stacy