SLIDE & A WITH LYNN DI NINO >>>

Art is perplexing. Artists are enigmatic and weird. Does this sound like anyone you know? Does it sound like you? If so, let the TRIPOD Slide Show be the equivalent of a SkillPath financial seminar for the bankruptcy of your artistic knowledge. Talented Tacoma artists command the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom once a month, illuminating their work and creativity with the visually aided enhancement implied by the name of the series. Created by Tacoma artist Lynn Di Nino, the night of digital slides features three local photographers and one creative theme.

The next TRIPOD Slide Show slides into Madera Friday featuring 15-minute slide shows by photographers Kevin Freitas, Sharon Styer and Chip Van Gilder under the theme "Tacoma."

I converted my Q&A with Di Nino into a slideshow presentation without most of the slides. (Well, it was an awesome idea in the shower.)

SLIDE ONE: (Di Nino with friends)

• LYNN DI NINO: The idea of the TRIPOD shows started because I know so many local photographers. All seem to travel quite a lot and some of their pictures are so compelling. 

SLIDE TWO: (Scene from her first TRIPOD show)

• DI NINO: The first shows centered around specific subjects: tile work in foreign places, architecture, and then themed shows like The Parts Show.  My approach is always brainstorming with friends. Auto parts, body parts, spare parts, hair parts, etc. gives rise to creativity (and fun). 

SLIDE THREE: (The Roman numeral 15 constructed out of auto parts)

• DI NINO: With The Parts Show I invited three artists to make up a 15-minute show on their theme, which is close to 50 slides, narrated. This particular show was VERY funny. 

SLIDE FOUR: (Jori Adkins hugging a lion statue)

• DI NINO: Most artists love the challenge of coming up with a good show.  I have not limited the presentations to professionals.  People who are passionate about certain subjects have delivered many of the best-received shows; for example, Jori has taken pictures of lion statues all over the world.

SLIDE FIVE: (People in a circle holding hands in the middle of the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom)

• DI NINO: Another motivator for doing these shows was to promote Madera Architectural Elements Showroom, which I am a member. The membership includes 12 artists who create custom work for contractors, etc. - and we have been looking for ways to expose the space and art to the public. Each month these shows bring in 30-40 people. We happen to own 30-40 chairs and can make the space relatively dark.

SLIDE SIX: (Black space)

• DI NINO:See. Dark.

SLIDE SEVEN: (Photo of me hiding behind a lion statue)

• DI NINO: I believe every person, with encouragement and exposure, can be "an artist."  It can take many forms and these shows are a relatively easy way for even shy people to present something they care about.  Talking in the dark is easier for most.

SLIDE EIGHT: (The words "ART" and "LECTURE" are separated by a greater than symbol)

• DI NINO:Are the slide shows more art than lecture?  I'd say they are meant to be educational and entertaining.  And to expose people to small amounts of new information that they can absorb.  For example, Chuck Bergman, professor at Pacific Lutheran University showed penguins in the Antarctica and we learned that there are many species of penguins and that about 95 percent of them seem to have disappeared and no one can pinpoint the reason.

SLIDE NINE: (A slide of a slide)

• DI NINO: Why slide shows?  It seems EVERY person now has a digital camera and knows how to use it.  As I go about my life I'm alert to whatever pictures people are taking.  I keep mental notes and if I find a compelling new show idea, I find other complimentary shows by thinking up a title for it all to fall under. 

SLIDE TEN:(Scene from last month's James Sinding's Words installation at Tollefson Plaza)

• DI NINO: I'm also very motivated by words in general, or phrases.  It seemed challenging to find three shows under the umbrella The Parts Show.  Now I'm toying with the idea Paper, Scissors, Rock, or any phrase that has three units to it and then I'll go find shows that fit.  It's pretty fun and the audiences have LOVED these shows. 

SLIDE ELEVEN: (Di Nino asleep on Madera's Showroom floor)

• DI NINO: One trick is to never go over the time limit: stimulate your audience, don't let them fall asleep!

SLIDE TWELVE: (Photographers Kevin Freitas, Sharon Styler and Chip Van Gilder holding cardboard signs of their respective bios:)

• Kevin Freitas is a Tacoma lover transplanted here in the late '90s. Born in Oklahoma, he grew up in Vancouver, Wash. and forged an early love for technology and digital cameras and hasn't looked back since.  You may know Kevin's web-presence brainchild: FEEDTACOMA.COM.

• Sharon Styer was born in 1950 in Amherst, NY.  When she moved to Tacoma five years ago, she decided to learn her way around Tacoma through her lenses.  It's remarkable the number of places she's been allowed in simply by wanting to photograph it.

• Chip Van Gilder has studied photography since 1978.  His experience with 35mm slides, color negative, and B/W negative, 2 1/4 film, 4x5, and 8x10 film including full- fledged darkroom and mounting capabilities, also includes digital imaging, creating large panoramas, event photography, portrait work and art photography.

SLIDE THIRTEEN:(I'm demonstrating how to make shadow animals with my hands against the bright white screen)

TRIPOD Slide Show

Friday, Sept. 23, 7-8:30 p.m., $5 donation
Madera Architectural Elements Showroom
2210 Court A, near El Gaucho, downtown Tacoma