Nino Trentinella is an award-winning artist and photographer, who has had her artworks exhibited in a variety of institutions (including the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.). As she now teaches at Sutton Grammar School, I had the pleasure of talking to her about her life and art in general.

 

I started by asking her about what got her interested in art in the first place: "I was born with a congenital condition that prevented me from walking, so I must have had to compensate by using my hands. I've been making art since before I could walk or talk, although it was never presented to me as a career option." She drew and painted a lot growing up, naturally improving at it, leading the people around her to encourage her to continue. She also told me that it was a shame that academic drawing has largely faded into obscurity, leading artists to copy photographs or limit themselves to abstract works. "I think, in many cases, this makes art more static and almost soulless."

 

Her art is quite the opposite of this, often conveying a deeper meaning the more you look at them. When I asked her about her style, she told me, "I want people to see the mandate of the everyday differently—to help them imagine a more magical world in the present moment. I work using a variety of media and use symbolism and narratives as the leading threads."  She also told me about how she loves using dots, as they represent the atoms that make up everything. As a homage to her being surrounded by Byzantine artworks throughout her upbringing, gold also plays a role in her art.

 

When she was 9 or 10, her father gave her his Zenith camera. It took her a year to take 24 shots, mostly candid photos of friends. When I asked her about this, she stated, "It wasn't until university that I understood that photography was an art form and that I could use it in other ways."  She shows how this is also true for other things, telling me, "I've been experimenting with AI technology, robotics, and stereoscopy lately. I think digital technologies offer a lot of potential, and I enjoy the process of crossover between media."

 

"Any creative subject, whether it be art, photography, drama, culinary arts or music, for example, will help create new links in the brain which will contribute to an increase in creativity and overall well-being. Doing something creative is the antidote to boredom. With this said, I recommend that people follow their passions instead of specific careers. There are a plethora of jobs that haven't even been imagined yet but that are on the horizon. So the best way to feel happy and find a career that you like is to do what you like doing. As Joseph Campbell said—‘Follow your bliss.’"