Today we’d like to introduce you to Trish Andersen.
Hi Trish, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After graduating from SCAD, I moved to Brooklyn and eventually started a fabrication and design studio for the event and set world which I ran for 13 years. It was fun and challenging, but I’d fallen into it by following opportunity, not passion, and eventually burned out. I promised myself I’d get back to making my own art, and when I discovered tufting at 33, I was hooked. At first, it was just for my sanity- I never imagined it could become a career.
The best advice I’ve ever received is, “Create what you want to see in the world,” and that’s been my guide ever since- whether I’m making fine art, designing flooring, home goods, or building large-scale installations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Tufting was not in the mainstream when I began back in 2017. At the time I was in a place of transition trying to figure out a new direction for my life and career and a friend sent me a video of people in India creating rugs with a tufting gun. It felt like the perfect tool to explore. Because of the total lack of information available it took me about a year in between all of my other projects to get my first tufting gun working properly. When it finally came together I cried- I had not felt so alive in a long time. I’m sure that was at least due in part to the long journey it took to get there. If you are pulled toward something you have to figure out how to use the setbacks to your advantage; something going ‘wrong’ can be very discouraging but if you flip it, it can also be motivating as it gives you more information on how to make it right.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My main focus is on tufting and fiber art- I like to say I make art for the wall and for the floor. I take commissions for fine art as well as custom rugs and carpet designs, which have been featured in venues like Design Miami Paris and even served as the runway for fashion shows. Alongside this, I create my own line of tufted rugs, floor mats, and other home goods, bringing the tactile and visual richness of my work into everyday spaces.
I’m always looking to push creative limits, whether through large-scale fiber installations or sculptural works. Right now, I have an immersive installation titled Little by Little on view at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art- a piece that celebrates how patience, presence, and persistence- little by little- can create something joyful, something whole.
What’s next?
My husband, artist Michael Porten, and I are building a shared studio on our property- a space designed to nurture both of our creative practices. Progress has been slow as we juggle the whims of our toddler and other projects, but we see it as part of the process. Just like in art, building something meaningful takes time. We’re looking forward to the day when our commute to work is a short stroll through a yard bursting with flowers and greenery rather than dodging piles of lumber and construction debris.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trishandersenstudio.com
- Instagram: @trishandersenart
