My first visit to Trio was on a typical Truckee spring afternoon: warm and sunny, daffodils peeping up in the garden. An hour later, clouds moved in and snow appeared at the rate of 2 inches an hour. While the world was draped in new snow, I attended the art reception at Trio, a new art/wine/music establishment located in downtown Truckee. Taking in the beauty of the sudden blizzard through the ornate Victorian windows of the C. B. White House, I sipped champagne, and turned my attention to the featured artworks: seven lithographs by two internationally known artists: Erro and Asako.
I was introduced to the exhibit by Bernadette Rusgal, of Galleriagalerie gg in Montreal, Canada, a vivacious woman with great enthusiasm for art. She brought these artworks to the Tahoe Truckee area for their local premiere. This was also Bernadette’s first visit to Truckee, which she said she loves. ‘The scenery is so beautiful, but it’s the people here that make it so special. Everyone is so nice, warm, and interesting,’ she said.
Bernadette speaks passionately about the work of Pop artist Erro, (born Gudmundur Gudmundsson), a 74-year old Icelandic native who splits his time between Paris, Thailand, and Spain. Bernadette finds the political messages in Erro’s art intriguing, noting the way he combines familiar American icons with images of comic book characters or dolls, utilizing collage to create a kaleidoscope type of imagery. Erro gained notoriety during the 1960s, when he was one of the innovators of La Figuration Narrative, a painting movement in Europe that paralleled the Pop art movement in the United States. The works are highly detailed: there’s much to see and discover. Erro’s American contemporaries are Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and there are obvious similarities in their styles.
In contrast, the 2 lithographs by Asako, a Japanese artist who has made her home in Tuscany, are more subtle and softer. Asako’s color palette reflects the gentle hues of the Tuscan landscape. Her self-portrait is particularly warm and appealing.
The idea for combining art, wine, and music into Trio was conceived by manager Todd Englert, who was also the former owner of the Blue Lamp in Reno. Trio offers fine wines, appetizers and desserts, and musical entertainment almost every night of the week. The overall mood of Trio is romantic and elegant, evoked by its surroundings within the beautifully restored Victorian building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Trio provides a venue for local musicians to perform, and the music varies from jazz, swing, reggae, and boogie woogie to open mic night on Mondays. Trio features artwork by local and out of the area artists, and plans to have regular featured exhibits of a wide variety of artwork.
Todd’s creative concept for Trio is to provide an eclectic mix of art and music, and have a place for people to gather to enjoy themselves. Open daily from 4 p.m. to midnight, Todd is hoping Trio will eventually evolve into a great after hours place, adding an alternative in Truckee to the standard-fare bars in the late evenings (after the restaurants are closed). Located at 10292 Donner Pass Road In Truckee, it’s definitely a place to check out. Call 530-582-2323 for
information.
