Eric Trine at Anna’s Joint, Downton Long Beach. Art direction and Furniture.
A few quick notes:
I am Eric Trine - A human person, partner of one, father of two, maker of many many things.
I live and work in Long Beach, CA. I grew up here, In Surfurbia (per Reyner Banham).
I was born in “The Valley” then my parents moved us down to “The OC.”
And to be perfectly frank, my studio is in Signal Hill (which is the donut hole in the middle of Long Beach).
The paradox of LA is it’s indeterminable specificity.
That is, one is never quite sure what specific criteria is at play to determine one’s constitution of La-ness. Everything is more or less LAish.
The “ish” is where my work resides.
I live where the San Gabriel River meets the Pacific Ocean.
Where the Tongva tribe resides.
I live where the 605 meets the 405.
I live almost directly West of the house I grew up in.
The sun rises over where I’ve been.
This is a very California way of thinking.
My first real art job was as an events coordinator for a magazine called “ISM.”
Ism and Ish are my cultural inheritance.
It is the water, in that “what’s water?” sort of way.
I was born in 1983.
I am trained in the low arts, high arts, soft arts, fine arts, and their respective histories.
Many mediums and mediations - we will summarize this henceforth as:
Extra Medium
I spent my teenage years in the production and design department for Orange County School of the Arts - building sets and working on hundreds of productions.
I was honored to give an alumni address in 2017. Watch Here.
My first four years of college I was a ceramics major at Long Beach City College (2005).
I completed my BFA in Sculpture, or maybe Installation Art(?), at Biola University (2007).
MFA in Applied Craft and Design through the Oregon College or Art and Craft (2013).
Professional Work - In 2010 I began “Eric Trine Studio” full time - primarily doing small scale design/build and commissioned projects.
In 2015, post Grad school, I filed for Incorporation and shifted the focus of the studio to “Products” and “Collections” rather than primarily “Projects and Contracts.”
In 2018, I changed the name of the business to Amigo Modern to separate the disciplines between Art work/practice and Business work/practice.
They really are two separate disciplines, with different criteria at play. I wanted the business part of the business to become it’s own thing that other people could eventually run.
The products and collections from my early days, and from the Amigo Modern years, were all produced within 30 miles of my Long Beach studio.
In Fall 2020, our main production partner closed permanently, giving me only a few weeks notice.
Since then, the studio shifted all focus to commercial projects, and business to business partnerships, wholesale, etc… Thus, not maintaining any sort of website or digital presence outside of Instagram updates…
2024 - The practice is finding new integration under “The Studio” framework.
That is to say, whether it is furniture design, or interior design, or teaching sculpture at a local school, or curatorial projects, writing articles, books, etc.. It’s all coming out of me.
No longer doing business as Amigo Modern - it’all under one roof, and I am under that roof.
It’s all in house.
Welcome to my house.
Arranging Oneself Within The Arrangement, 2015
PROFESSIONAL WORK in 2024: Fall Updates
Products - Certain pieces are making their way back into my “Permanent Collection” - as in, always available to order.
You can order online, or reach out via email.
All products are commercial grade.
If you see photos of anything you like, on this site, my IG accounts, just screenshot that and send it over in an email with any questions you may have.
Projects - ALL Products started as Projects.
Seriously, there isn’t anything that is in production that I thought “you know what the world needs?”
Every product started as a request from someone else - a client, a space, a friend, etc…
It is precisely that specificity of the ASK that drives the design process forward.
Projects are very important to the development of my pieces.
Consulting - 3 main components - Interior decorating and advising, product licensing, and product development for artists (more on this later).
Art Practice - This is an area of my practice that could use more formalization and communication on the internet.
I will be adding an official ‘Art’ page to this site, filling in my CV, etc..
Per LLM ChatGPT says in response to the question, What is Eric Trine known for?
“Eric Trine is known for his work as a designer and artist, primarily focusing on furniture and home goods. He gained recognition for his minimalist and modern designs that often incorporate a playful use of colors and shapes. Trine's work bridges the gap between art and design, making everyday objects both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Some of the key aspects of his career and work include:
Furniture Design: Trine is particularly famous for his geometric wireframe furniture, such as his Rod+Weave chair and Octahedron side tables. These pieces exemplify his clean, contemporary style.
Art Installations: Beyond furniture, Trine has created large-scale art installations that emphasize his unique approach to form and space. These installations often appear in galleries and public spaces.
Collaborations: Trine has collaborated with various brands and designers, bringing his distinctive style to a broader audience. His work has been featured in several design magazines and exhibitions.
DIY Philosophy: Trine promotes a DIY (Do It Yourself) ethos, often sharing his processes and encouraging others to engage in creative projects. He has conducted workshops and shared tutorials, contributing to the maker culture.
Overall, Eric Trine is celebrated for his innovative and accessible approach to design, blending functionality with a strong visual appeal.”
Or From the Meta LLM:
Eric Trine is known for the following ¹ ² ³:
· California Modern Design: He is known for his modern design principles and aesthetics, which are casual and clean, without the status quotient.
· Mid-Century Modern Design: He is also known for his work in the mid-century modern design look, which is inspired by the philosophy of designers who didn't want the products to have status, but to build products that improve lives.
· Long Beach Design: He is known for his work in Long Beach, which has been described as an emerging Long Beach renaissance.
· Amigo Modern: He is also known for his work with Amigo Modern, a small design company where he designs and produces furniture and home goods.
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Other Stats:
Eric Trine was born 1983 in Los Angeles, CA.
Education:
Orange County School of the Arts - 2001
Long Beach City College - 2005
Biola University - BFA - 2007
Oregon College of Art and Craft + Pacific Northwest College of Art MFA - 2013