Rising Stars: Meet Tricia Ulberg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tricia Ulberg.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I once watched a documentary about a musician who said she was born with “a tune in her head.” She didn’t know what it was like to not have the tune there, it is part of who she is. I would say I was born with a constant need to be creating and a business idea in my head! As a child, I would illustrate and sell my own greeting cards to family and friends. I took every art class available in high school, and I went on to earn a B.FA. in Graphic Design. I was always dreaming about having my own creative business someday.

I moved to Texas a few years ago, and as the saying goes, I wasn’t born here but I got here as fast as I could! I fell in love with the beautiful Texas hill country, the amazing food, and the contagious pride that the Texans have in their state. I got the Texas pride bug too, decorating my home with anything Texas that I could find.

I realized there was a lot more room, maybe even a NEED, for creative Texas products. This was the lightbulb moment for my next business venture! I purchased a screen press and taught myself how to use it. One day while I was at a vendor show, a good friend of mine suggested I print on tea towels. It was brilliant idea, and my tea towels are my best sellers. I also design greeting cards, vinyl stickers, and prints.

I have been working hard on improving my craft, designing fun products, and growing Spicewood & Rose (my business name is a tribute to the town I live in just outside Austin and the street I live on.) You can find my products in several stores in various cities around Texas, and I hope to be in many more. I feel so very grateful to the kind and supportive friends, family members, customers, and store owners who have helped me in my business endeavor. I would not be where I am today without that support!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I have spent a lot of time perfecting my screen printing craft. I am a small handmade shop and I don’t have a lot of the fancy equipment that bigger screen printing businesses have. I have needed to find creative ways to best utilize my small screen printing studio to accommodate the demands of my growing business.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a graphic designer with a love (maybe an obsession!) for typography. Typography is an integral element of design. When done well, it can make a huge difference in the aesthetic of a product. I spend a lot of time considering fonts and adjusting type on my product designs, and I believe this often sets me apart from my competitors. I have also started to design my own fonts.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is to trust my gut and design products that I would like to own myself. If I like something I have designed, there is a good chance others will too. I value feedback from others on my designs, and I use this feedback to make improvements, but I make sure that I’m staying true to my creative vision and that I’m designing products that make my heart happy. This is so important for creative entrepreneurs and helps to prevent burnout.

Contact Info:

• Email: howdy@spicewoodandrose.com
• Website: https://www.spicewoodandrose.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spicewoodandrose/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spicewoodandrose