Trimpin (L), Burkheimer (R) at the 2013 CNAA's

The winner of the 2013 edition of the Contemporary Northwest Art awards is... Trimpin (officially it is called the Arlene Schnitzer Prize and comes with 10K). It's a bold choice, in that the work is somewhat unremarkable (even compared to his other work) and the rest of the show holds some very solid if safe work overall. I'd say the show is mostly handsome if safe and narrow.


Another view of the 2013 CNAA's, (L to R) Nyland, Miller and Layman

I'll have a more formal review out soon but let's just say this is the best CNAA to date (to paraphrase Jim Winkler's accurate statement)... even if it still doesn't feel like a true sampling of what it means to make contemporary art in the Northwest. It is a step in the right direction and very well installed (which no other Northwest survey show seems to be able to pull off).

*Update, I thought I'd pass on this introductory video that was screened just before the award announcement. Sure some artists grumbled but it is a lot better than the way OPB's Art Beat handles visual art.