SoMA Anna Chin ’22 talks with Nest Artists President Tiana Sharpe ’23 about the first TrinGala.

Nest Artists made history on Friday, April 8 by hosting their first staple event, TrinGala within the walls of the TrinColl Chapel. They transformed the space by showcasing students’ artwork and crafts, and had gorgeous floral decor to compliment the beauty of the space. Venghour Than ’24, Nicole Saltzman ’22, Esdras Javier ’22 , GiGi Hernández ’22, and Gaby Gomez ’22 were some of the few talented artists who performed and shared their work at this event. 

SoMA representative and fellow Nest Artist member Anna Chin ’22 sat down with President Tiana Sharpe ’23 to chat after the event and learn about how the Nest Artist Collective came to life. 

 

Anna: How was Nest Artists formed and who are the founding members? 

Tiana: My posse brother Christopher Cooper ’23 and I were dreaming of ways to continue our art careers into college. We both wanted to create a space for creatives to collaborate, express themselves, and develop as artists. We met my older sister Brenda Ordonez ‘22, who tried to make a similar organization her first year. All three of us went to Rom (Romulus Perez, Assistant Director of Campus Activities) and started the process of making an organization. We became officially SGA (Student Government Association) recognized in Fall of 2020. 

A: Can you describe the artists who are apart of this organization?

T: Nest Artists is proud to be an inclusive organization that welcomes all creatives from all disciplines. Art is limitless, so we invite dancers, painters, digital creators, writers, and any other practice. Some of our members are archivists or interested in art history. Nest Artists is a space for anyone interested in art and wants to collaborate. A lot of our student artists are pioneers on campus that create unique and portfolio developing opportunities for other student creatives. 

A: What work has Nest Artists produced?  

T: Our first mural is at the Mather entrance of the Underground Coffeehouse. Neema Kimondo ’23 and I, with the help of some friends, created an eight wall mural during the Spring 2020 semester. We are currently working on murals in La Eracra, Charleston House, and the library! If you are an artist or know anyone that would be interested in creating a mural on campus reach out to me!

A: What inspired TrinGala and did it meet your expectations? 

T: I love all of the formal events at Trinity, because it’s always a night to remember. You and your friends get to dress up and feel special for a day. Since we have so many talented students, I wanted to make a formal event that celebrated our student creatives. Plus the MetGala as a concept is always really interesting because you’re looking like art to go appreciate art. (The theme for the inaugural was Gustav Klimt’s ‘The Kiss’.) Since we have a couple fashionistas on campus, I wanted to have a night to see them shine. I loved how TrinGala turned out this year, the live performances were amazing and we were able to compensate several student artists. All the art looked gorgeous in the Chapel, and I can’t wait to plan next year’s.

A: What do you wish for Nest Artists in the future?  

T: I hope the organization gets bigger and hosts more events with diverse artforms. I want to be able to come back to TrinGala as an alum and see the next generation of artists at Trinity. I also want to see Nest Artists to grow within Hartford; we are in the heart of a beautiful arts community and we could form a great network. 

Follow Nest Artists on IG to stay in the loop about future plans: @tc_nestartists