PAST MONTH'S ARCHIVES
This month we are pleased to present...
Gail Hendrix
By Rita VainiusClick here for FREE Pattern
Gail Hendrix was born and raised in the Washington, DC area, the oldest of four children. Her father, John Griscom McGuire III, was the Captain of a PT boat who died when she was only 4 years old. She was raised by her mother June Justine, a homemaker who immersed herself in charity work and the arts, and her stepfather, William Henry Martin II. Gail happens to be the only one of her siblings who has gone on to a professional life in the arts. One sister is a midwife, another sister, an accountant and her brother is a businessman. Gail attended Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, graduating in 1968. She then enrolled at the Corcoran School of Art, the only fully accredited college of art and design in Washington, DC graduating with a degree in Communications Design. Gail might have gone on to a job as a graphic designer in an advertising agency or some other similar position were it not for the fact that Mrs. Chase of the American Needlework Center attended an exhibition of art at the Corcoran. Gail's work was on display and immediately caught Mrs. Chase's eye, who offered Gail a position at the ANC on the spot.
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In its prime, the American Needlework Center in Georgetown was an prestigious institution - the oldest and most renowned needlework shop in the extended area. One learned and honed one's craft there in a manner similar to the guilds of yesteryear, going through the various stages of apprentice to journeyman to master craftsman. Wasting no time, Gail began her apprenticeship there the summer after finishing college. At the ANC she learned how to apply her creative energies, artistic abilities and technical expertise to needlepoint canvas - a novel medium and different from anything she had worked on before. Once she had mastered the techniques, she fine tuned them, eventually advancing to the position of head designer. In explaining her attraction to needlework, Gail remarks, "What first appealed to me about becoming a needlepoint designer was the fact that I could use all aspects of my training as a commercial artist, drawing, color, design, print and photography. This has inspired me to raise my craft to the highest level possible."
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Gail spent seven years at the American Needlework Center, by which time she was ready to strike out on her own. In 1979 she began designing for several shops in the Washington DC vicinity under the name Festival Designs. Within a short time, she had made a name for herself in the community. Two years later Gail met Hyla Hurley who owns a store called The Point of it All. (See this month's shop focus for more about Hyla's store). Gail began designing for Hyla in 1981 and has worked almost exclusively with her ever since. Strangely enough, it was artist, not shopkeeper who made the initial overture to design exclusively for the shop. Hyla, ever the realist with her bottom line to consider, was intensely flattered but concerned that she would not be able to guarantee Gail enough business. Gail's response was indicative of both the tremendous regard she held for Hyla as an individual and the faith she had in Hyla's business acumen and promotional abilities. She unhesitatingly responded, "You're a good businesswoman and I like the way you operate. I'm not worried about it!"
Click Here for Page 2 of this month's Designer Feature
DESIGNER ARCHIVES Click below if you missed our previous Designer Spotlights and FREE patterns Carmen Wyant
Janet Fenton
Carolyn Hook
Thea Dueck
Deborah Wilson
Karen Buell
Orna Willis
Linda Wyszynski
Jean Smith
Libby Sturdy
Emie Bishop
Stephanie Novatski
Rosalyn Watnemo
Linda Reeves
Carol Tinson
Julie Pischke
Catherine Reurs
Charland Garvin
Martina Weber
Cassandra Prescott
Mary Duckworth
Claudia Dutcher
Leslie Levison
Judi Kauffman
Linda Connors
Sue Kerndt
Dawn Lewis
David McCaskill
Linda Barry
Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum
Pam Davenport
Sue Stehle, of Sekas & Co.
Diane Evans, of Something Different
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