About Us
Halcyon (hal-see-yon): a period of time that was idyllically happy and peaceful.
About Jackie:
When I think back to my childhood, it was idyllically happy. My mother and grandmother taught me all the arts and crafts that would later turn into my adult creative outlets. Many of these memories and lessons took place on Cape Cod where my mother and grandmother would be needlepointing, painting, knitting, cooking, sewing and generally creating beautiful things.
I continue to find such happiness and peace in needlepointing and painting. I'm thrilled to foster these timeless crafts in the modern era. My mother and grandmother taught me the importance of heirlooms and handcrafted works of art at a young age; I hope to pass the same down to my own children and the next generation. Being able to sit down and produce a work of art that will last a lifetime is something so special. I'm so pleased it's mainstream in the younger generation now.
I majored in fine art in college and kept my hands in different forms of art throughout my teens and twenties. Now in my thirties as a busy mum of three, I find my history of studying and practicing different art forms helps center me daily in the chaos of everyday life. Painting my own needlepoint canvases was a natural step to satisfy my varied creative outlets. I decided to take the leap and try to sell my own artwork and I soon realized there was this amazingly supportive community of like minded artists and doers. My personal style helps feed my creativity when it comes to the design of the canvases. Between my love for cooking (think Ina Garten, Julia Child, Martha Stewart), adored famous figures (Lucille Ball, Princess Diana), classic New England architecture (Home Alone house, FOTB house), and my undying obsession with Cape Cod and the Islands (think quarterboards, rainbow fleet, whales and sharks galore), I put every inch of my personal style and classic aesthetics into my work.
About Hadley:
Hadley grew up a crafty maker, constantly creating projects from what she could find. In high school she channeled this creative side into photography and ceramics; the darkroom and pottery studio were always her peaceful respites. She continued her love of photography during college in the darkroom and later in digital design courses.
Upon graduation, Hadley was seeking a way to continue her artistic practices. Needlepoint accessories were gaining in popularity and Hadley remembered a dear family friend had always stitched belts, so she decided to give it a try. Living in Boston at the time, she found a local needlepoint store and took the leap into the needlepoint world. After a couple of mini sessions with the shop owner, Hadley was officially a stitcher!
After letting her stash sit for a few years, Hadley credits Jackie for reminding her of her love for the craft. When the two met, Jackie mentioned her needlepoint and Hadley quickly pulled down the box of "W.I.P.s" that had criss-crossed the country with her and were just waiting to be revisited. It was the beginning of many years of stitch sessions, brainstorming and needlepoint chats! Today, Hadley is part of the team at Halcyon House Designs as a Design Consultant.
Thanks for being here, thanks for needlepointing. and thanks for being creative. The world needs more art.