Mt. Lebanon student artwork is on display nearly 7,000 miles away in Jinan, China, the capital of China’s Shandong province.

Karen Hartman, or “Miss K” to her students, oversees and teaches Mt. Lebanon Art Factory, an afterschool program at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center where kids made the internationally displayed artwork.

A  Scott Township resident, Hartman has taught at the Rec Center for more than a decade, and her two adult daughters live in Mt. Lebanon. Last summer, Hartman took an extended trip to China for the wedding of her daughter, Sheena, to Bo Han.

While there, she explored the local art scene and befriended Teacher Yanzi, the director of the Yanzi School of Art and Music in Jinan. Jinan is “a beautiful town, from the culture to the art to everything else,” said Hartman.

The Yanzi School is an afterschool art program focusing on children’s aesthetic education, which is a holistic practice in China to increase creativity and critical thinking — not unlike Mt. Lebanon’s Art Factory program.

Han’s parents happened to know Yanzi, as their younger sons were students of hers in primary school.

When Hartman visited the school, she was invited to share tea and watermelon. “It was just all so welcoming,” she said.

In the staff of five to six people at the Yanzi School, only one person spoke English. However, that didn’t stop Hartman and Yanzi from communicating.

“We broke the language barrier with hugs and smiles and our love for art and teaching kids … teaching children to create.”

When Hartman and her family left Jinan, Yanzi gifted them resin ornaments, pillows and magnets. Gift giving is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, and Hartman was grateful for the gesture.

Back in Mt. Lebanon, Hartman wanted to return the favor, so she began a project with her Art Factory students. Each student colored a drawing for the Year of the Snake and the Chinese New Year with their first names and ages.

“I told them they’re going to be international artists,” said Hartman. “I told them they’re not getting it back. It’s a gift, you know? And they were okay with that.”

When Han’s parents came to visit, Hartman sent the children’s art with them back to China, where Yanzi received it.

Hartman and Yanzi communicate through a mobile app called WeChat that automatically translates Chinese into English and vice versa. This makes it possible for them to stay in contact and express excitement over the children’s art.

“I’m so happy to receive your gift. Wow, that’s amazing,” said Yanzi in a WeChat message to Hartman. Hartman plans to visit Yanzi again if she returns to China, but in the meantime, “at least she’s getting a little bit of Pittsburgh art.”