Inspired by simple, geometric shapes, color, and tactile materials, she is both an artist and educator committed to rethinking the way people live with and relate to art and design. She is drawn to meditative and transformative processes, utopian impulses, and natural materials. Whether making furniture, soft sculpture, home textiles, or fine art, quality craftsmanship is at the forefront of her ethos of making.
I like systems. They calm me.
I like minimalism. It delights me.
I like color. It energizes me.
I like stitching. It grounds me.
I like wool. It comforts me.
I like quality. It reassures me.
I like making things. It helps me understand the world.
Tricia Stackle was born and raised in Boise, Idaho. She is the middle child in a family of seven. Her childhood interests included professional basketball, bunnies, rainbows, riding bikes barefoot, track and field and eating pizza.
Stackle earned a bachelors degree in Art, Theology, and Secondary Education from St. Louis University in 2002. She lived in Florence, Italy for a year in college, traveling extensively throughout Europe, Africa, and Turkey.
Her first career was teaching high school art for seven years in Seattle, Washington.
In 2010, Stackle earned an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from Cranbrook Academy of Art. She continues teaching (adults this time) and has begun her own art/design practice.
In 2013, she moved to San Jose with her partner and fellow Cranbrook classmate, Ron Hemphill. Together they started HillStack Studio at The Alameda Artworks. They each have their own art practice, and do collaborative work under the HillStack name. Their first project is called Funny Bunnies—handmade, heirloom soft sculptural bunnies made out of 100% wool fabrics and stuffing.
Stackle’s work is published in three books, Mobile Architecture, 500 Felt Objects, and coming out fall 2016, Felt: The Soft Revolution. Additionally, her work has been featured in three magazines, FiberArts, Surface Design, and recently in the local magazine, Content.
Stackle’s current interests are sheep, bunnies, rainbows, dark chocolate, walking, sewing, drawing circles, Ron, and eating pizza.