Carly Henley
Composing Color
May 1 - 23, 2026
Leedy Underground Gallery I
My home is my sacred space where I can recharge after a long day. Running on a social battery is exhausting so I look forward to cuddling up on my couch with a cozy blanket to unwind for the day, and reflect. I need a space that is calm and serene. My work is all about creating these kinds of spaces for others. I create pattern designs that are translated into hand tufted rugs and embroidered wall pieces to create an elevated ambience.
How your home is kept not only dictates how you feel in the space, but it also communicates to others what you value. This way of working is about bringing a vibrancy of warmth, joy and balance to the home. Using a mix of warm and cool earthy palettes in combination with varying tactile materials such as mirrors, beads and laser cut acrylic I playfully explore contrasting surfaces and colors.
The environments we spend time in have a subtle but important effect on how we feel. My works are about creating spaces that ground you in your home where you can reflect and experience a moment of relaxation.
Artist Statement:
My body of work consists of various processes including tufting, embroidery, laser-cut acrylic and traditional Japanese shibori dyeing to investigate themes of nostalgia and beauty through color and pattern design.
My scientific background in biology influences my approach to making, which combines structure and control with sampling and play. I am inspired by color palettes found in nature as well as repeat patterns that recur throughout history such as optical illusions, sacred geometry and radial movement. The playful combination of shapes and color found in midcentury design and architecture also spark my interest and guide my designs.
Beauty and nostalgia are important themes in my life and work as I often draw on familiar colors that I associate with my childhood. Beginning with planning a color palette I aim to produce combinations of complementary warm and cool colors, in new ways. Ultimately in building color palettes my goal is to create an ambience for my ideal interior space that can serve as a space of beauty and refuge for others.
Artist Bio:
Carly Henley is a Kansas City based fiber artist working in various processes such as traditional Japanese dyeing i.e.( shibori), embroidery, fabrication and tufting. Using these processes she explores the conversation of nostalgia and beauty through color and pattern design. Originally from Saint Louis she was raised by dentists and spent her childhood full of extracurriculars pursuing singing, dance, and piano lessons. With having both parents in a professional field she believed that her career too, was destined to follow in STEM as well. During her time spent in high school she gravitated towards classes such as human anatomy, textiles, and sewing and foresaw a potential career path upon graduation. Carly later attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. After landing a job that was more oriented towards the science field, she decided to ultimately return to her passion of fiber art. She is currently working towards her second bachelors degree studying Fiber at the Kansas City Art Institute. Here she is combining her love of science and art through surface design elements of hand-dyeing, embroidery, designing patterns and experimental play.
Artwork Credit:
Carly Henley
Blush Mosaic
Hand- tufted acrylic yarn
87” x 56.5"