Henry Winslow Hallett: January 2023
Henry Winslow Hallett began weaving tapestries in 1971 after taking a class at The Arts and Crafts Center of Pittsburgh. In weaving he felt connected to the roots of humanity and found proof of magic in the world.
There was a lot of weaving in Pittsburgh in the 70s, and a lot of excitement around fiber art. The Weavers’ Guild’s annual show felt like an important event. Louise Pierucci and her weaving supply store, The Fringe, was a center for the excitement, and Louise became his mentor. Henry was included in her group of 10 artists, Fiber Ten, when they had a show at The Carnegie Museum of Art.
By 1989 Henry’s career with tapestry had run its course. There followed a 24-year hiatus during which he dealt with academic and business karma, but would nonetheless have occasional brainstorms about where he wanted to go with his art. In 2013 Henry took up needlepoint, which he prefers to call Needlework, or open-mesh canvas embroidery. At this writing, he has completed Needlework # 151.
“When I took up needlepoint, I carried over several ideas from my days weaving tapestry. I wanted my work to express the multi-layered nature of reality, I wanted it to be expressive in the same way that paint on canvas can be expressive, and I wanted it to be created in the moment, rather than a copy of a meticulously worked out plan. In my weaving I used many strands of fine yarn to blend colors and create textures. In the needleworks I blend sewing threads, cotton, polyester, rayon, metallic, neon, opalescent, and glow-in-the-dark.
After I’d figured out what I could do with needlepoint, and had done a number of rather large ambitious pieces, the question became what will supply inspiration for sustained exploration?
As a member of the first generation that had the option of being openly “gay” as part of their identity, coming out has been a never-ending process. I’ve gone through periods of railing against the wrongs of society until I realized that I am that society. My work has become an act of coming out to myself, of celebrating the beauty of gay sexual expression, in the hope that the pieces I create have meaning for those who are moving into a world of greater freedom and unity.”
Henry's work will also be shown at two upcoming AAP exhibitions!
GROWTH - AAP x CCS
January 14 – February 18, 2023
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition Space
2022–2023 FEATURED ARTISTS EXHIBITION
March 4 – April 15, 2023
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Exhibition Space
