The Monthly Arts Series Gives Artists a Chance to Show and Tell
When it comes to TRIPOD, the monthly arts series in Tacoma, it’s all about who you know. Well, more about who Lynn Di Nino knows. Di Nino, an accomplished visual artist, has long made a side project out of bringing people together, namely through the 100th Monkey – a series of art parties that became a Tacoma tradition some 20 years ago.
“Because I orchestrated those 100th Monkey parties, and lots of other art events, I ended up knowing a lot of people,” says Di Nino. “I’m always running into people that have such interesting things going on, and that made me want to present that to the general public.”
So began TRIPOD, more than five years ago, where Di Nino brings artists of all stripes around to show off what they’ve done, what they’re working on, and where they’re going. Artists will come up on stage, readied with a projector, and show off 50 images over 15 minutes, guiding the audience through a story, or just giving them an inside look at their creative processes. The effect is somewhere between a TED Talk, show-and-tell, and a friend sharing their vacation slides.
“There’s usually artists, photographers, sculptors, and then for variety, I’ll ask people I know that travel to do a presentation of where they went,” says Di Nino. “One time, we had a show of ‘places not to go.’ We always find interesting people, no matter what the theme is, and we get a consistent audience of about 50 people.”
As these themes shape up, month after month, Di Nino leaves some room for exploration, testing the bounds of what TRIPOD can accomplish.
“I just turned 80, if you can believe it, a couple months ago,” says Di Nino. “Because of that, people in my age group are falling over, all over the place. So, I know quite a few people that are going, ‘Oh my god, I didn’t know all that was entailed in taking care of the business of a deceased spouse.’ And a lot of the TRIPOD audience are also older. I thought, why don’t we do a really daring show centered on death?
“We had that show a few months ago, and it was very well attended,” De Nino continues. “I didn’t want to focus on throwing dirt on caskets that are going into the ground, but on people celebrating the life of a recently deceased person, while at the same time talking about things you need to think of, as the executor.”
That show, “Aftermath of Dying, Grief and Consequences,” is available to watch in its entirety on TRIPOD’s YouTube channel, along with many of their other shows. While the show stands out for its weighty subject matter, taken as a whole, it reflects the kaleidoscopic purview of TRIPOD, where anything and everything can get its moment in the spotlight.
For July’s show, there will be presentations on Olympia’s Procession of the Species, the making of a giant Trump puppet for the “No Kings” protests, and a piece from New Zealand’s World of Wearable Art. It’s just another month for TRIPOD to take a dip into a seemingly endless well of creativity.
“I hope that TRIPOD helps cement the idea of Tacoma as an arts town, because it’s all about people that live here and what goes on here,” says Di Nino. “I get feedback all the time that that’s working.”
What:
TRIPOD
Where:
Center for Spiritual Living, 206 N J St, Tacoma
When:
July 18, Doors at 6:30 p.m., Show at 7 p.m.
Recurring Every Third Friday
Cost:
Free
More:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240807964994221
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3BJTb6jTBoRVfp8Y0XmHw