Confluence of Nature: Nancy Hemenway Barton

Confluence of Nature: Nancy Hemenway Barton features 12 textile wall sculptures and five works on paper by artist Nancy Hemenway Barton, each an exploration of the stunning locations from around the world that informed and inspired her artistic process.

Hemenway (1920–2008), a multidisciplinary artist, found her voice as she traveled the world, experiencing rich colorful cultural traditions from the Andean weavers in Bolivia to appliquéd textiles by the Fon in Benin. She described these cultural traditions as natural art. Between 1966 and 1997, Hemenway created large-scale wall reliefs made from handloomed fabrics, primarily sourced from indigenous weaving communities, where she had lived and worked. Barton folded, tucked and embroidered her fabrics to create richly textured abstract works that reflected her deep connection to the natural world. This artistic philosophy stems from the backdrop of her home in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Hemenway’s past words speak to the core of where she finds inspiration. As she explained, “Each artist develops his or her style from the environment. Usually, it is the place of birth and childhood that burns brightest in the expression of a creative need, sometimes the development comes from circumstances of life.”