The Henry Gallery strives to be a cultural asset for Penn State Great Valley and the local community. The Henry Gallery’s exhibition program focuses on group shows of local and regional arts and artists and the community organizations that support and encourage their work.
The gallery opened in 2010 and is named for Joseph and Marilyn Henry who made a major gift to expand its facilities, art acquisitions, and programs in January 2013.
Located on the second floor of the Penn State Great Valley Conference Center, the Henry Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and when the campus is open for evening events.
Current Exhibit
The ART of Storytelling
Curated by Da Vinci Art Alliance
January 17 - March 17
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 19 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Register here
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
"The ART of Storytelling" pays homage to age-old textiles as artists develop new approaches to their art.
Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener's imagination. Storytelling forges connections among people, and between people and ideas. Stories convey the culture, history, and values that unite people.
Artists have been telling stories since the first caveman drew a hunter killing a mammoth on a cave wall. When religion became a core experience in more modern humans, we used art to bring to life stories in religious scripts. Artists use color, line, gesture, composition, and symbolism to tell a story. A picture does tell a thousand words.
Holding hands with the past while pointing toward the future, nine artists pay homage to age-old textiles as they develop new approaches to their art. Each has their own long-developed practice of working on canvas or with paper, wool roving, cloth, and other materials. Techniques include painting, printing, felting, piecing, stitching, quilting or weaving. These artists take their place in a time-honored sisterhood of skilled makers from centuries past whose creations were often disparaged as “women’s work.” Each of the artists have daringly and confidently spun new ways to combine strands and shapes, sweep color and pattern across a surface, and express both softness and strength, and both joy and resolve as they reveal their stories.
Linda Dubin Garfield is a printmaker and collage artist whose series “Paper Art Quilts” honors traditional quilt settings. Susan Leonard is an art quilter whose quilts reveal personal stories and win prizes. Christina E Johnson challenges stereotypes encouraging individual empowerment. Eleanor Levie is an art quilter, working with recycled fabrics she has printed, squeegeed, stamped, and stenciled. As a painter working on canvas with a variety of organic, mark-making techniques. Sandi Neiman Lovitz is showing works from her “Tapestry” series. Valetta uses images and words to create wall tapestries. Cynthia Philkill offers insight into the people who she creates using interesting materials. Elsa Wachs, a painter, explores an ever-expanding palette of mixed media, combining digital art and other new technologies with traditional materials. Marcie Ziskind creates complex textiles involving wet felting, layering, sculpting, and embroidery.
As these women connect with the past, they also connect with each other, through threads of conversation, encouragement, and inspiration, sharing their stories with each other as well as those who see their work.
Upcoming Exhibit
Facing Forward: Portraits Looking to Our Future
Curated by Artists Equity
April 3 - May 31
"In Nature I Am Whole" by Jennifer Chernak
"Caitlyn's California" by Karin Crossley
"I Remember" by Barbara Dirnbach
"Coming Of Age" by Liz Silbaugh
"Emergence" by Robyn Stone
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 6 | 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Register here
This exhibit will focus on portraiture to tell stories of inspiration, hope, challenge, and change that faces this unusual time in history head-on. It has always been the role of art to document, examine, and make sense of a concept and our moment in time. What better vehicle to begin to process, capture, and reflect on who we are today than portraiture?