Art Harrington and Fred Rodger are both retired educators and fine artists, and in Rodger's words, "kind of nuts." The duo has cultivated a close friendship that spans nearly three decades, and it also constitutes two-thirds of the ownership of Red Raven Art Company, 138 N. Prince St., Lancaster. For the first time in more than 10 years, Harrington and Rodger have joined forces to offer an art exhibit at the gallery until the end of September.

When Rodger was a teacher at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, he met Harrington through his wife, Janice, who also taught at the school. The two men admired each other's work and unique artistic style, but they also realized how much they had in common. In addition to their shared creative passion, they were both lifelong athletes who became coaches and pursued a career in education. Harrington taught at Solanco High School for 29 years before retiring in 1998, and Rodger retired from teaching in 2003.

Harrington and Rodger first showed their work together at the former Central Market Art Co. gallery, which was located on King Street in Lancaster city. When the gallery closed its doors in 2005, the pair was left without a place to show its work. Shortly after, Harrington and Rodger spotted an empty art gallery for sale while walking around the city. They decided to lease it and establish Red Raven Art Company, bringing on board two additional artists: Regina Martin, who is married to Rodger, became the third owner, and Lee Lovett became the manager.

It is true that Harrington and Rodger have many things in common, including an admitted tendency to get bored of their current painting styles and explore new forms of expression. However, the two artists produce work that is wildly different in both technique and subject matter. Rodger is heavily influenced by art history, and he often becomes enamored with a particular artist and studies his or her work. Harrington finds much of his inspiration within, viewing each painting as an opportunity to manifest a specific feeling or moment as a spectacle that he can share with others.

The title of Rodger's portion of the show is "You Knew This Would Happen Some Day," and it references a remark that his friend made upon seeing the paintings for the first time. Rodger often refrains from titling his work until it is finished, at which point he asks other people to title it for him. A friend of Rodger's, noticing that the new paintings were starkly different from any of his previous work, told him, "Fred, we knew this would happen someday." Rodger normally incorporates a high level of realism in his work, but his latest paintings were influenced by the thin and wispy sculptures of Alberto Giacometti.

Harrington's half of the show is titled "Looking Back, Moving Forward." For his latest work, Harrington repurposed elements that he has used for the last 25 years to create something new. He applied a different color palette and altered his compositions, seeking to capture a fresh perspective and an evolved look.

An artist reception will be held at Red Raven Art Company on Friday, Sept. 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. Harrington and Rodger will also host a virtual artist talk on Saturday, Sept. 16. For more information, search for "Red Raven Art Company" on Facebook.