Meet Tricia Waddell | Textile Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tricia Waddell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tricia, how do you think about risk?
You are never going to do anything truly compelling or find out what you are capable of without taking risks in your life and your career. But it’s easy to say that and yet quite hard to do. I believe in taking big swings sometimes just to move things forward in a meaningful way and force myself to reach another level way beyond my comfort zone. It can be very stressful, and I’ve definitely needed support from friends and family to mentally do it, but I’ve never regretted trying. I am more afraid of not living up to my potential (or having an uninteresting life) than any failure that may come from trying something. That’s what ultimately makes me push through the fear. I think the thing that people don’t talk about however is all the unglamorous things you do before and in between the big decisions to make you prepared to handle an opportunity when it presents itself. That can be anything from saving up money from a job you don’t love, to spending hours in the studio by yourself working, to lying awake in bed doubting yourself only to keep going anyway. I make a million small decisions leading up to the big ones I’ve made such as quitting my job, moving to New York to go to study fashion design, or applying for residencies and shows. Somehow, you have to maintain a belief that you are on the right track even when you don’t know where it’s all going to end up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create soft sculptures and textile art that are interior self-portraits of everything I keep hidden. I’m obsessed with combining dye, cloth, texture and unique forms to tell deeply emotional stories. Each sculpture is inspired by raw internalized emotions that I translate into forms to give them voice. I create all the fabrics by painting with dye, which forces me to let go of control, embrace imperfections, and work organically. It is a cathartic act to take emotions we often hide, feel overwhelmed by, or feel too vulnerable to express and give them a conceptual physical form. This particularly body of work initially grew out of my response to COVID quarantine isolation and Black Lives Matter events when I needed to find an outlet for pent up emotions and get them out of my body. I was inspired by the beliefs from many cultures that objects and dolls can hold protective and healing powers. My work explores radical vulnerability and empathy, and forces me, and hopefully the viewer, to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. And my goal is to create space for folks to feel seen and heard, while also removing the stigma of discussing mental health, particularly in marginalized communities.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I want to go out for an amazing meal, some of my faves are Wildflower, Cuba Cuba, The Kitchen, Safta, and Barcelona Wine Bar. Best takeout when you need a break from going out is Chef Zorba’s for yummy Greek comfort food. I love a good cocktail bar experience (especially one with great bar snacks) so I take friends to Bar Max (super laid-back for relaxed chats with friends), Welton Room (perfect date night), Fort Greene (best vibe), The Marigold (inspired design + plants!), and Dew Drop Inn (favorite cocktails + french fries combo). Places that are just cool to hang out in include ESP HiFi Listening Bar (great music and ambience) and Reelworks Denver (for awesome DJ concerts and Roll Denver monthly themed roller skating nights). I love to go out dancing so I would definitely take someone to La Rumba for some salsa dancing or anywhere the Love Language crew (on insta @lovelanguagedenver) is playing for neo-soul, afro-beats, and house music with live percussion. As an artist, I am always going to exhibits to see new contemporary works. There are tons of places to go to around the city, especially on the First Fridays of the month, but the places that are on regular rotation for me are Redline Contemporary Art Center, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Understudy, Platte Forum, and Rule Gallery to name just a few. There are so many!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Well, first and foremost I would give a shoutout to my mom who has supported all of my crazy ideas and talked me off the ledge countless times when I’ve felt stressed, overwhelmed, or insecure. She miraculously believes I can do anything, and in turn convinces me when I doubt myself. I also have an incredible support system of friends that keep me going, which I truly love and appreciate every day. Plus many artists in the Denver art community are generous with their support, connections, and information-sharing, and I continue to meet local creatives that inspire me all the time.

Website: www.studioblkbird.com

Instagram: @studioblkbird

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciawaddell/

Image Credits
All images of sculptures and working in the studio are by Aubreigh Brunschwig (https://www.twopencecreative.com/) Headshot by Grace Hanover