About Ruthanne Hartung

Photographer, Kyle R. Weaver

Ruthanne Kramer Hartung
1938-2009

Ruthanne Hartung, 71, Reading, died Dec. 28, 2009, in Reading Hospital. She was a daughter of the late Paul H. and Florence Mae (Ruth) Kramer. Ruthanne was a 1960 graduate of Kutztown State College, earning a BA in art education.
A lifelong artist, she was a juried member of the PA Guild of Craftsmen. Her work is included in many public and private collections worldwide, including: Ephrata Cloister, The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies and the Museum of American Folk Art.
In 2008, she authored the book "Fraktur," one of a series of books published by Stackpole Books for The Heritage Crafts Today Series. She was selected one of the top 200 traditional American craftsmen by Early American Life magazine.
Ruthanne was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Reading.
She is survived by her two sons, John E., husband of Tracy Hartung, Pasadena, Calif., and William P., husband of Eulalia Hartung, Upper Darby. Also surviving are four grandchildren: Justin, Taylor, Amaya and Megan, and two siblings, Paul C. Kramer, Nacogdoches, Texas, and Maryjane Kramer, Lancaster. Ruthanne was pre-deceased by her husband of 49 years, John W. Hartung, who died Nov. 21.
Services were held Thursday in St John's Lutheran Church, with burial in Charles Evans Cemetery.

Ruthanne practiced an art form which was her heritage. Keeping folk art alive and adapting it to our modern world is her major objective. The artist had a B.S. art degree in Art Education from Kutztown University; taught art in public schools; studied privately in watercolor techniques and studied Gothic Black Letter forms with Ralphael Boguslav and Paul Shaw in NYC. She has also traveled and studied in Germany for insight into the origin of her folk art.

Professional activities include Juried membership in the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen; past Vice-President and Chair of Standard Comm., Traditional Arts Survey and association with community events in local TV and fine art projects related to her work. The artist has exhibited and demonstrated her folk art at shows and museums in the area, including the Kutztown PA German Festival in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

Ruthanne is the author of "Fraktur", published in 2008 by Stackpole Books.

Her work traveled in the "Crafts and Community, Traditional Arts in Contemporary Society" exhibit sponsored by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Museum of American Folk Art, NYC. Workshops have been held at Wyomissing Institute of Fine Art, Reading Area Community College and for the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission. she has had interpretive exhibits at Hopewell National Historical Site and was commissioned to create licensed reproductions for the Ephrata Cloister, a Pennsylvania Historical Site. The artist's work is part of many public and private folk art collections worldwide.

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