Tricia O’Brien Biography
Tricia O’Brien was born in Michigan, and moved to San Francisco for college in 1981. She studied textiles at SF State with Candice Crockett, then later finished her BFA in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking at Cal State Hayward in 2001. At Hayward, she was introduced to printmaker Jimin Lee, and was inspired by the many faceted processes of printmaking. She earned a juried Award for Excellence in the 3-dimensional work of Xerox Photo Transfer for a hand-crafted book. In 2021, after retiring from the food & wine industry, she reignited her relationship with printmaking. Her unique, one of a kind Monoprints are made using recyclable materials; plastic bags, string, cardboard, tissue paper and other packing materials, as well as rubber inner tubes from bicycle tires. All of these items are either inked or arranged on a plate and put through the printing press. Some of her work involves drawing, watercolor or acrylic and pen and ink directly onto printed monoprints. She is interested in the play and surprise of the abstract, organic images and markings that occur by these discarded materials as they intersect with the structure of the printing press and traditional applications of registration, and clean edges.
Tricia has been greatly influenced by both the California Impressionists and Bay Area Figurative movements, as well as Wayne Thibaud and Richard Diebenkorn’s use of color. There are many artists that inspire her, including: Kiki Smith, Inez Storer, Raymond Saunders, Georgia O’Keefe, Richard Serra, Christopher Brown, Helen Frankenthaler, Li Lin Lee, Nathan Oliveira and more, along with a recent find, contemporary Australian artist, Belinda Fox.
Tricia O’Brien teaches printmaking at the Sonoma Community Center in Sonoma, as well as at the Benicia Arts Center Annex and upcoming Adult Education Spring Classes at DVC in 2024. She is a member of the Sonoma Arts Guild and lives in Sonoma with her husband Glen.
Tricia O’Brien
2023
Shows: 2023
Art in the Park, participant
Arts Guild of Sonoma, ongoing
Arts Benicia, Members Show
Arts Benicia, Traditions and Innovations
Arts Benicia, Print Day in May, participant
Bennett Valley Winery, solo show
Vintage House, solo show
2024
Gericke Winery, group show
Sonoma Community Center, instructor show
Teaching:
2024
Feb 2nd- Friday evening 5-8pm
Sonoma Community Center
March 23/30- Saturdays 11-3pm
Diablo Valley College
April 7th- Sunday 11-3:00pm
Benicia Arts Annex
