September 12, 2013
The Northeast Texas Community College Art Department held an artist reception featuring local artist Skinny Trammell on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The Lone Star resident's hand-crafted musical instruments were a featured exhibit in the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts foyer.鈥燬kinny is 84 years old and fishes every day, makes musical instruments, and tells a few yarns now and then. The instruments on display at the Whatey include guitars, fiddles, ukuleles, and dobros. Over the years, Skinny has collected "old wood" from many places including a 150 year old walnut trunk and discarded crates from Lone Star Steel. He cuts out the basic shape with a scroll say and then uses an exacto knife to refine the shape. He loves to talk about his instruments, how they were made, and the story behind each one. Click to view a gallery of photos from the reception!