15 Questions with… Aubrey Trinnaman

How are you at the moment?

I am feeling a mix of blessed and anxiousness.

What is your morning ritual? How does your day begin?

Well, we just got a new puppy around here, so all morning rituals are out the window for the time being. The new flow is being awoken by a baby shark at about 5am, going outside, keeping an eye out for coyotes while we take a morning piss together, feeding her breakfast, and trying to sleep or meditate for one…more….minute.

What, right now, can you see?

I see hues of yellow naked willows outside the window and a black raven flying overtop.

What artist, project, book would you recommend we see/follow?

Been thinking lately about Eleanor Antin, Toyin Ojih Odutola’s most recent exhibition, Charlie Engman’s book ‘Mom’.

Tell us about your process when starting a new project

It very much depends on the project. I like to zone-out and visualize for some projects…long walks in the dark at night help get that kinetic visual flow happening. Some projects I sketch out in phrenetic notes or leave myself a lot of voice memos about. And some projects emerge after I have experimented in realtime long enough (often months, or even years) that I see a theme emerge and then I continue to follow it wherever it takes me. I always have several projects going at the same time. I am a slow brew by relative standards.

What has been your favourite collaboration?

I used to design my prom dresses and my mother would make them. She is an amazing seamstress who would hand-sequin dresses for my sister’s beauty pageants… what a trip. She would always agree to the endeavour after looking at my sketches and then curse my ’sway-back’ as we fitted the dress. I liked to remind her where I got that particular curve. 

What is your greatest achievement? 

I suppose my greatest achievement might be just growing older and continuously shedding prescribed constructs to find joy and curiosity. 

What is your greatest regret?

I can feel regret when I am too slow at effectively communicating.  I can be lousy at responding with electronic devices. I would like to stay in better touch with distant friends.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Hey littler self ? :   look to radical people older than you for diverse models of how you can explore life. You don’t have to stick to this one prescribed Mormon track. Explore whatever questions draw you in ~ and if you don’t know how to do something, ask. Then stay with it. Cultivate a practice until the returns of joy find you. And record your songs. Stay in music lessons. Don’t shave. Choose compassion.

What is your latest project about?

One is about the loss of prescribed masculinity and the fumbling bumbling men wandering in a place that they no longer lay claim to.

Another is very different in that it’s very elemental and sculptural. It has to do with the relationship between predators and prey, and how we share outdoor/psychic space.

What are you researching at the moment?

I am researching animal sounds.

What can you not work without?

I cannot work without A LOT of solo time.  And long walks or drives to make space for visions.

What challenges have you faced working in your industry?

I suppose one of my biggest challenges is that I’ve never committed fully to a specific industry, therefore I have very little financial resources to explore what I’d like to. I have at times been confused about how to work while maintaining my artistic integrity or stimulation… keep the flavour feeling real n good. The nature of photography challenges me, and I’ve always had some apprehension about the proprietary/projection aspects of it. 

And of course – Weird Dude Energy – a consistent and pervasive challenge. 

What are you hoping for in 2021?

Deeper empathy and more curiosity and pleasure for all living energies.

Share a song with us, what are you listening to at the moment?

I am quite literally listening to at this moment: Kku by Kate NV.