Art and Cloth opens in Harvard

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Longtime Harvard resident Sharon Chandler is living the dream.

Chandler and her daughter Rachel Manly, have recently opened Artand Cloth, and are teaching summer art programs at the studio on285 Ayer Road in Harvard.

Chandler, who grew up in Harvard and considers herself an“old townie,” said “Growing up in Harvard, Ialways wanted my own place for art, and this is a dream cometrue,” adding that she lives down the street from Art andCloth.

Chandler studied art at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouthduring the 1970s and is currently the Harvard Middle School artteacher. She said she is pleased with the program’s informalsetting, longer timeframe spent with students and small class size.

Chandler credited Manly, who is going to be a senior at the MaineCollege of Art, in Portland, Maine, with helping to make the studioa success.
“I trust her input and she makes a lot of decisions for me. Icould leave for a week and I trust Rachel to run this,”Chandler said, while joking, “I could leave for a week andArt and Cloth would be better for it.”

Manly said she enjoys her role of co-teacher, especially withyounger children.
“I’ve done two classes so far,” she said.“I have a great time with the younger kids, the 5 and 6 yearolds. Going to school with kids my age, it’s refreshing tosee how they interpret the project.”

Manly, a printmaking major, will often send silk-screens toChandler from college. She especially enjoys the gallery.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids to practice,it’s a great way to practice and be ready for the real world.Not many places are so lenient,” she said of Art and Cloth.
Manly said the relationship with her mother has been full ofcompromises and rewards.

“I thought we’d be over the top, but we balance eachother out,” she said. “Whenever one of us has a crazyidea, the other has a way to compromise the idea.”
Manly designed the store’s logo, a plump looking owl, whilehome from college. Chandler has an extensive owl collection.

“We wanted it [the logo] to be something where people wouldbe curious but not scare them away,” said Manly.