Ojai Valley News Blog

Trimpin’s proposed music machine awaits final city OK

By Sondra Murphy
With public art being a priority in Ojai and Libbey Bowl being a centerpiece of the city, the art chosen for the bowl’s make-over will be a crucial feature.

With public art being a priority in Ojai and Libbey Bowl being a centerpiece of the city, the art chosen for the bowl’s make-over will be a crucial feature.

The Ojai Planning Commission gave the go-ahead last week for the Art Commission’s recommendation for that art selection to progress to the Ojai City Council for final approval and it was an agenda item at last night’s meeting. The Planning Commission had previously approved the public art concept for the site, but was asked to verify that the piece selected was consistent with the design permit issued last year before being submitted to the council.

“I was the Planning Commission liaison to the selection committee,” said Commissioner John Mirk. “It was incredible. We had over 30 proposals, narrowed it down to three artists and that meeting went four hours because each of the proposals was great. What we chose with Trimpin’s work is just amazing. People will come from miles around just to see this.”

From three finalists, the selection jury unanimously picked the sound arch concept by Trimpin to serve as the art for the reconstructed Libbey Bowl, set for dismantling after the Ojai Music Festival ends this summer and expected to be finished before its next season in June 2011.

Trimpin is a Seattle-based kinetic sculptor and sound artist who has a history with Ojai. He was honored in May at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa along with Joan Kemper by the MacArthur Foundation Fellows program and was a featured performer at the 2009 and 2006 OMF. His proposed sculpture is a one-of-a-kind work to be created for the bowl.

“The plan is to move the sidewalk from behind the tennis court bleachers out to the center of the lawn,” said city manager Jere Kersnar. The approximately 10-feet-tall by 15-feet-wide arch is to be installed at the new entryway. “It’s two octaves on a musical scale, so you can have all kinds of things.”

The tubular archway is inspired by the shape of the bowl’s shell and can be programmed for recurring tunes or sounds or even set up with motion sensors to create different tones depending on activity around Libbey Park. “I could see sensors that are triggered when a kid goes down the slide, for example, or when someone walks in a certain area,” Kersnar said.

“If you haven’t sent in your personal donation, now is the time to do so,” said Councilwoman Carol Smith, who attended the meeting and called Libbey Bowl a “world-class venue.” The city of Ojai and the Ojai Music Festival have already pledged two-thirds of the $3.3 million needed to rebuild the decaying facility in downtown Ojai. “Remember, they want the last million to come from the public, whether you have $10 or $1,000 to give,” said Smith.

Libbey Bowl amphitheater has been serving the community since it was built in the 1950s and is currently used by as many as 30 nonprofit groups for more than 50 events each year. It is estimated that 1,000 performances of plays, concerts and other civic events, such as OMF, have been staged at the bowl since 1957.

Designed by Austen Pierpont and Roy Wilson, Ojai Festival Bowl, renamed Libbey Bowl in the 1970s, cost $12,000 to build the stage and shell section back in 1957. In recent years, spot repairs have been unable to keep up with the steady deterioration of the largely wooden structure. Termite damage, wood rot and other forms of decay have added safety issues to the list of concerns about the bowl’s endurance.

Last year, the city hired David Bury & Company Architects, Ltd. for the concept designs of the bowl, which received glowing reviews in January 2009 during a historic special joint meeting of all major Ojai commissions and councils.

Bury has designed a number of other Ojai projects, such as the pergola, that merge historical designs with modern considerations. New laws and structural requirements, such as building codes and handicap accessibility, have been incorporated into the bowl’s redesign. Sustainability being a city policy, Bury is aware of green materials and has used appropriate technology throughout the design as the budget allows.

Bury’s plans have moderately increased the shell height and depth of the bowl while lowering the stage floor a bit. Currently, the shell slopes low at the back of the stage, restricting its use. Ramps and doorways that accommodate a variety of set and human concerns have also been incorporated into the plans. Storage, cable conduit and equipment posts will be added to improve sound and lighting.

To learn about volunteering for or making contributions to the Libbey Bowl reconstruction, call 646-3117 or visit the web site at LibbeyBowl.org.