From the beginning, Trinity Orrell was a person that expressed herself through her extracurriculars. In high school Orrell participated in numerous activities, but ultimately was drawn to soccer and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC): Air force. Initially she went to community college for soccer but tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus. While studying she obtained her AA in Investigations, but that was not enough for Orrell.
In search of more in her studies and life, Orrell turned back to ROTC but this time with the Army. In her last year of her degree, she is receiving funds from the ROTC to pursue her education in Political Science at Seattle Pacific University. However, this was not always the road that she thought she would embark on. Orrell really enjoyed painting and thought about taking her talent to art school. Even though she is not at art school, she has not completely given up her paintbrushes.
Art is free, no restrictions, no rules. Art is a form of expression that gives her a “cathartic feeling,” Orrell said. Feelings that are sometimes so deep that it puts her into tears as she puts together her pieces. There have been many art forms tried from water paints to knitting, she has done it all, but does favor the motion of her tool. Fabric paints is currently her favorite but has taken a strong liking to oil paints as well due to the flow of the paint. These tools create stories and are the products of feeling that Orrell has felt, but that is not the only place where stories of feeling are told.
ROTC: Army is where Orrell feels the most pride, honor and love in her life. She is not only comfortable at it, “but pretty good at it,” Orrell said. The team dynamic is one where she thrives due to her love for other humans. However, Orrell has faced adversities due to gender that made her question that feeling of love for humans and this line of work. Not only has she come out the other side, but she has also encouraged, motivatedFF and listened to other younger females in the program to make sure they know that they are not alone. Not all people can express their feelings, but Orrell has done in not only in her art, but with her community. One female at a time she is making them comfortable and felt heard in a program that can be male dominated. Still, she allows for her own time to decompress and express her motions with each stroke and stitch.
