Critic's picks: Visual arts

Trimpin: "Sheng High." Seattle's ingenious sound artist Trimpin premieres "Sheng High," an installation of 40 bamboo pipes anchoring a forest of tall bamboo tripods at Consolidated Works. Trimpin's "score" for the pipes will be noted on the wall and played as a scanner passes over the notes (represented by CDs) activating the pipes. Sept. 30-Nov. 27, Consolidated Works, 206-381-3218 or www.conworks.org.

Frank Okada: "The Shape of Elegance." One of the Northwest's premier abstractionists, Okada painted rich, densely textured canvases that balanced minimal form with maximum color. This retrospective traces Okada's evolution over several decades, as he blended a Japanese aesthetic with midcentury abstraction and a Northwest sensibility. Okada died in 2000. Oct. 8, 2005-Jan. 8, 2006, Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, 360-466-4446 or www.museumofnwart.org.

"The Romantic Vision of Michael Brophy." Nature is a theater set in the paintings of Portland artist Michael Brophy. A Tacoma Art Museum survey presents his grand scale oils and smaller gouache paintings with strong presence and a point of view that ventures into the surreal. Oct. 8, 2005-Jan. 1, 2006, Tacoma Art Museum, 253-272-4258 orwww.tacomaartmuseum.org.

Robert Helm and Chester Arnold. Elusive Eastern Washington painter Robert Helm, known for his exquisite craftsmanship as well as the spare, poetic content of his paintings, presents a show of recent work at Linda Hodges Gallery. He's paired up with another technical whiz, Bay Area painter Chester Arnold, who paints images of almost overwhelming complexity. Oct. 6-29, Linda Hodges Gallery, 206-624-3034 or www.lindahodgesgallery.com.

Fay Jones. One of the Northwest's favorite painters returns with a show of new work. Jones has always forged her own path as an artist, painting archetypal characters in strong compositions with instant appeal. Jones won the Twining Humber award for lifetime achievement this year. Nov. 3-Dec. 17, Grover/Thurston Gallery, 206-223-0816 or www.groverthurston.com.

Cheap thrills

The most economical way to be a regular museum visitor is to buy an annual membership and get in free anytime you want to go. But if you can't afford multiple memberships, remember that most museums offer free admission at least one day a month. Here are a few examples: Frye Art Museum: Admission is always free. Seattle Art Museum: Free first Thursday of each month. First Fridays are free to seniors. Expect to pay a surcharge for special exhibitions. Henry Art Gallery: Free 11 a.m.-8 p.m. every Thursday. The Henry is always free to college and high-school students with I.D. Tacoma Art Museum: Free third Thursday of each month. Museum of Glass, Tacoma: Free 5-8 p.m. the third Thursday of each month.