ARTS: Artists Guild makes comeback
By Viviana Tellez
Bridge contributing writer
Published Sunday, April 2, 2022
What began as artistic friends doodling after class one day, hoping to find a hangout spot, became an organization for art lovers.
The Texas A&M International University Artists Guild got re-established when this creative group of friends became the club’s officers, during Fall 2021.
“We contacted SOLE, ‘Hey, we want to start an art group,’” guild Vice President Grace Alvarez said. “They [said], ‘We already have one on record … you can revamp it.”
The guild remains active ever since; it meets frequently throughout the semester to create art.
“All TAMIU students of all kinds of majors and classifications are welcome to join, participate and have fun,” TAMIU Artists Guild President Camilla Mancillas said.
This organization promotes art on campus while providing students a stress-free place to escape from school work every Friday from noon to 1:30 p.m.
“Our mission for the club is to support whoever is interested in the arts or whoever has a creative mind,” Alvarez said. “To see people actually take advantage of that and feel welcomed in a space where they can do that is what [I] and the other officers aim to achieve.”
The art club set a variety of weekly hands-on activities for March, such as stickers, DIY earrings, felt art and fabric art to wear and appreciate.
“I see people and they have badges on their backpacks from our badge-event-making day and their stickers [when] they put them on their laptops or bookbags,” Alvarez said, “It’s not something you just get from the store … it’s like, ‘Hey, you made that.’”
The guild encourages students to relax, create and socialize with people who share common interests at its meetings.
Students can either show up to the designated place on campus or “become a member through Trailblazers to RSVP for events,” Mancillas said.
This organization communicates details to students on future events, reminders and student artwork via Instagram under @txamiu.artists_guild.
“A lot of people are really missing out on that social aspect of college,” guild member Marco Antonio Pompa said, “and this is a good place to come to. It’s not very demanding, and that’s really what drew me in. Also, if you’re really good at drawing, it’s a perfect place to show off your art.”
Pompa attends every meeting and leaves with something new every time, whether it be a friendship or an artistic creation. Some of Pompa’s most memorable pieces consist of pillows, pins, traditional art and perspective drawings.
Pompa describes the social aspect of the club as, “The perfect place to meet a lot of new people and bring friends. It’s a very good vibe—especially if you’ve had a hectic week. You can come here and chill; there’s usually very nice music so everyone is vibing.”
As STEM majors, both Mancillas and Pompa look forward to the stress-relieving aspects the club offers.
“The best aspect of being a member is your ability to create and have an event planned for you,” Alvarez said.
Aside from providing a place, the club caters materials and exposure for students to explore and utilize.
“We go around to take pictures of their work and we’ll share it [on] Instagram,” Alvarez said. “It’s really nice seeing them looking like they feel appreciated. Their work, more specifically, is appreciated by someone else.”
The guild allows students to create not only art but bonds with other like-minded people.
“We’re part of this together,” Alvarez said, “The whole point of this club was to be together—friends making stuff.”
Mancillas and Alvarez added their own personal touches to the art guild by collaborating on animations of certain critters.
Mancillas created a mascot based on her “favorite animal: the capybara, the large brown animal and her name is Campbell, like the soup” and Alvarez, made a mascot in honor of her pet hamster named Sweet Pea.
