Hearne Fine Art is excited to present “Storytelling Through the Arts: Banned Books & Beyond” featuring the innovative works of artist LONI HARSHAW, a Little Rock native and art educator. Harshaw enjoys adding symbolism to her art. The color choices and Adinkra symbols all paint a story. However, in true educator fashion, the art in this show was produced with more than aesthetics and the color palette in mind. The artist has created an impetus for knowledge building and dialogue beyond the canvas and frame.
Just as polarizing as the practice of banning books, the author portraits are meant to spark conversations and curiosity. Harshaw wants you to be confused, concerned, and frustrated. When you do not recognize the authors you see on these gallery walls, the artist implores you to seek out more information on their lives, their books, and why many feel the words they penned should be shielded and unavailable for public consumption. Even if these faces are familiar to you, the artist has created this body of work with the hopes that people see these pieces and a memory is jogged and an inclination develops to revisit each title or read every book in the author’s oeuvre. She looks forward to doing the same.
In addition to tackling the notion of banned books, this show also features Harshaw’s most recent body of work – a dedication to musicians and the stories they tell. With these works, the artists urges viewers to dialogue about each musical artist and the relevance of them being showcased together. Just like with the banned books series, there is an inherent challenge to search the musicians, listen to their music, and see how the generations have influenced the others. So often we forget about the foundation of different genres of music and how all of them are truly connected; this body of art is meant to ignite that forgotten curiosity about music, its origins, and its original story. This series is Harshaw's way of linking two of her loves – art and music - together to tell one story. A story that we aren’t meant to talk about but should.
Hours/Programming:
July 25 - September 6, 2025
Monday - Friday | 10 AM - 5 PM - Saturday | 10 AM - 6 PM
Artist Reception Friday, August 8, 2025 - 5:30 pm
Artist Talk : Saturday, August 23, 2025 - 2 pm
Media Specialist Panelist Discussion - Saturday, August 30, 2025 - 2 pm
Artist Bio
LONI HARSHAW is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and a 2009 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she earned her B.S. in Visual Arts Education. She obtained her M.S.E from Arkansas State University- Jonesboro in 2012. She has been teaching visual art for the Little Rock School District for 15 years and has served as a department chair at Little Rock Southwest Magnet High School for the past three years. She is proud mom to Octavia Simone.
In December 2024, Harshaw made her professional debut as a featured visiting artist in the exhibit “Conversations with Artist Frank Frazier." Her artwork is currently a part of the “HerSTORY & Beyond” exhibit at the Spellman Museum of Forney History in Forney, TX and the “In Search of Myself” exhibit at the ArtsXchange in East Point, GA. She was a guest on The Finesse Media Podcast in April, 2025, where she discussed the importance of Art Literacy.
See the show online at www.hearnefineart.com
Also check out other Arts events in Little Rock, Music events in Little Rock, Literary Art events in Little Rock.
