The enthusiasm was palpable as students held up their Zen Doodle Animal drawings created in the second of two beginner art classes taught by Red Brick Gallery cooperative artist and educator Ann Harting on Saturday, August 1st in Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts’ Lincoln Hall.
Students enjoyed themselves in the two hour class and one saying they would come back and do every class the RBG offered. A grandmother brought her talented granddaughter with her – as they made art beside each other during a busy family summer weekend.
A seasoned arts educator with 35 years of experience, Ann Harting said, “As both an artist and an art educator, my goal is to not only teach, but to bring confidence to the student to make their piece their own, not a just a copy of the instructor’s.”
Ann Harting opened the session demonstrating specific patterns and how to alter and shade them – before guiding students in beginning their projects. All materials were provided including 35 outlines of various animals that students divided and filled in.
Students also received a booklet to take home with step by step blocks showing how to create over 40 patterns – with shading directives as well.
Ann Harting said, “With the zen doodle class: students chose their animals and pattern placement so no two are alike. One student owns chickens. She chose patterns that resembled feathers and planned to color her piece at home to match her favorite chicken. Another student chose a hummingbird design for her friend and plans to color hers in at home in vibrant shades to resemble stained glass.”
This was second of two classes offered this summer in the Red Brick Gallery and Gift Shop’s new art education initiative to bring the rich artistic background and teaching experience of RBG cooperative artists to engage with the community.
The first was a weaving class, according to Harting, in which “students chose their own colors and stitch pattern placement. In their samples, you can see that some chose to mix strands and weights to add texture and dimension. They were very focused as first time weaver’s and it shows in their wonderfully straight sides.”
Announcing the new educational classes through the Red Brick Gallery, Artistic Director Jason Floyd Lewis said, “We are eager to welcome the community to work with artist and educator Ann Harting in her two art classes offered this summer through Allegheny Riverstone Center for the Arts. This is the beginning of a new initiative for the Red Brick Gallery to bring the rich artistic background and teaching experience of RBG cooperative artists to engage with the community, sharing their knowledge and experience and connecting with local residents who would like to learn specific artistic skills.
We plan to offer many more classes next summer with additional RBG artists who also are seasoned educators. We hope this venture will help to grow interest in fine arts and craft in our area, to inspire less experienced artists to pursue this kind of work, and to expand the network of people who are served by ARCA’s role in our region.“
Ann Harting Educator Statement
For more than 35 years, I have shared my love of art by teaching a wide variety of creative mediums throughout Clarion County and the greater Pittsburgh area.
My teaching journey began with rubber stamping and scrapbooking, but after discovering a local art center, my creative world expanded. As I continued to learn and grow as an artist, so did the range of classes I offered.
Today, my teaching includes fiber arts such as weaving, knitting, wet and needle felting, and dyeing, along with pottery, fused glass, ink drawing, and ink with watercolor.
I have taught in art centers, galleries, private studios, and coffee shops, primarily working with teens and adults. For the past several years, I have also created and taught a weekend children’s art program at a local state park campground as part of an annual fundraiser for a local nonprofit organization.
As an award-winning artist, I believe teaching is one of the most meaningful ways to share creativity with others.
I have also designed and led make-and-take art projects for nonprofit fundraising events, combining art, community, and fun. Nothing brings me greater joy than watching a student’s confidence grow as a project comes to life in their hands.
One of the most important lessons I hope to share is that there are no mistakes in art. Sometimes a piece takes an unexpected turn, but that new direction often reveals possibilities we never imagined. I often feel that the medium itself tells me what it wants to become, and I encourage my students to embrace that same spirit of discovery.
Many of my former students have gone on to teach, exhibit their work, or simply continue creating for the joy of it. Whether you are picking up a new medium for the first time or building on years of experience, I invite you to join me in exploring the creative journey.
About Ann Harting
Now living in the Cook Forest area, Ann Harting’s mother fostered her creativity from an early age, supplying her with a multitude of crafting supplies. She began sewing at the age of seven, inspired by her mother, an accomplished seamstress and quilter, and grandmother, a dance costume and pageant dress designer. A skilled seamstress in her own right – she even designed her own wedding gown and her children’s christening attire.
In her previous role as operations manager at an art gallery/teaching center in Pittsburgh, Ann managed daily operations, created all print publications, maintained digital platforms, assisted curating exhibitions, and taught classes in several mediums including weaving, knitting and fused glass.
Ann exhibits her work regularly at galleries in western Pennsylvania, where she has won numerous awards for her pottery and weavings. She has also participated in solo shows and “by invitation only” shows with a select number of artists. Her art is primarily available at the Red Brick Gallery where she is a Cooperative Artist, The Gallery at New Bethlehem Town Center and the Sawmill Center for the Arts.
Describing her inspiration and artistic journey, Harting said, “Since childhood, fiber arts have been a passion, offering me the joy of transforming simple materials like fabric, yarn, and wool into something entirely new. When I ventured into clay work, it introduced a fresh dimension to my creative pursuits.
In my pottery, I gravitate towards hand-building techniques rooted in both functionality and sculptural expression. I revel in crafting earthy, organic forms, often enriching pieces with pressed flora and intricate carvings. Through the application of glazes and stains, I strive to harmonize these textures, lines, and marks, imbuing each piece with a distinctive narrative.
Weaving also holds a special place in my artistic repertoire, drawing me to the intricate beauty of flowers and trees, both in their physical presence and their hues. The rhythmic process of weaving offers a delicate balance of structure & freedom, as the design gradually unfolds with each pass of the shuttle
While I may begin with a rough idea, I relinquish control to the medium, allowing it to guide me to completion. Whether at the loom or shaping clay, I cherish the moments of quiet contemplation, allowing my hands to translate the whispers of my thoughts into tangible expressions.”
Harting’s website is https://artfulcook.weebly.com