About the Workshop
Hex signs have decorated barns across Pennsylvania Dutch country for generations — bold, colorful, geometric designs rooted in folk tradition. In this hands-on, all-ages workshop, you'll learn the history behind hex signs and create your own to take home.
This is a STEAM learning event: alongside the art history and technique, participants will learn how to use a compass to divide a circle into even sections — a foundational geometry skill applied directly to the creative process.
🎟 Tickets: Coming Soon | Seating limited | Preregistration required
Ages: All ages welcome; an adult partner is suggested for any participant under 12
Materials Needed: Paper, pencils, paint or colored pencils, and a compass (materials/stencils will be provided by the artist and The BEAR)
To register, please use the link below to pay by credit card.
What you'll do:
Learn the history — What are hex signs, and why did Pennsylvania Dutch farmers paint them on their barns?
Master the geometry — Learn how to draw a circle and divide it into equal sections using a compass, with a live demonstration.
Explore meaning and symbolism — Traditional PA Dutch farmers who painted hex signs often say the designs are purely decorative, with no inherent meaning. Others point to sources suggesting the patterns, forms, and colors do carry symbolic meaning. Participants are invited to decide for themselves: will your hex sign just look beautiful, or will it mean something?
Design your sign — Sketch and refine your design on paper using colored pencils, a compass, a ruler, and provided stencils.
Transfer and paint — Outline your finished design on your board, then paint it.
Finish your piece — After the paint dries, a clear coat will be applied to seal and protect your hex sign.
Participants will leave with a new geometric skill, a bit of Pennsylvania folk art history, and a hand-painted hex sign of their own.
About the Artist
Sharon M. Gross is an artist and Master Gardener from Skippack, PA.
About seven years ago, after working at Schang-Hai Gallery framing other people's art, Sharon decided to start taking art classes of her own — beginning with acrylic painting through the local school district. She later found a way to merge her lifelong love of gardening with her art practice, discovering the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators (PSBI) and studying with Margaret Saylor at Chanticleer Garden.
As a Master Gardener for the past 20 years, Sharon brings a scientist's eye for detail and nomenclature to her botanical illustration work — closely observing specimens from her own garden, including her prize-winning okra plant, to create paintings that tell stories about plants and the environment.
Sharon currently serves on the board of PSBI and a local art center, and regularly gives talks on garden topics as a Master Gardener.
If you're having trouble signing up for a ticket, we may be sold out - Please fill out this form to be added to our waitlist. If you have any issues with your reservation, please email director@bathcountyarts.org