A Zionsville Middle School fifth-grader is making her mark on the Indiana art scene.

Nine-year-old Anna Rose Worthington was one of three winners in Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales’ “I Voted!” sticker design competition. Anna Rose’s design was printed on stickers that were distributed to voters at the polls on Election Day.

Anna Rose also was a grade-level winner at the Indiana State Fair this year, with her watercolor on canvas entry, “Fun and Freedom at the Off-Road Park.” She said the piece — featuring a Jeep traveling along a winding road under the moon and stars — was designed to elicit feelings of driving off-road at state recreation areas.

The piece was displayed throughout the fair in the Indiana Arts Building.

For the Worthington family, art seems to be in their DNA. Anna Rose’s parents, Andrea and Partick Worthington, also are artists. Andrea Worthington is a conceptual artist who explores several mediums. Patrick Worthington specializes in photography, particularly urban and rural landscapes.

“I’ve been creating art my whole life,” Andrea Worthington said. “I studied visual arts at Occidental College in Los Angeles and later worked as an art director and creative director at a publishing company, where I produced hundreds of book covers. This experience allowed me to merge fine art with graphic design and storytelling, giving me a unique perspective on visual communication.”

Patrick Worthington studied photography and drawing at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

“My early work was more traditional, but over time, I started gravitating toward abstract landscapes,” he said. “I find a lot of creative energy in exploring how framing and space can distort a landscape, turning it into something more about form and texture rather than a direct representation of nature.”

The couple’s young sons, Cameron, 7, and Elliot, 5, also are budding artists.

The couple said art came naturally for Anna Rose.

“We joke that she’s always been like the character Poppy from ‘Trolls’ — if you leave her alone for five minutes, she’ll have made an entire art piece,” Andrea Worthington said. “When she was 3, she would draw figures and then cut them out to make her own paper dolls. Now, after school, she’s constantly creating something new, often with cardboard, paint and whatever materials she can find. We make sure she always has supplies on hand and find opportunities for her to show off her work.”

Anna Rose said she’s inspired by the world around her, as well as her own imagination. She said she loves to draw and make figurines out of cardboard, which she often gifts to family members and friends. She said she’s planning a big painting project next.

“I love drawing characters from stories I make up in my head, especially people and animals together. I like using bright colors and creating a lot of action in my drawings,” she said. “I’m inspired by the things around me. I get ideas from the stories in my head, and I like to draw or make things based on what I imagine. I like animals and people, especially when they’re doing something fun or exciting together.”

Her parents try to encourage and grow that sense of imagination.

“I’ve always encouraged her to be free with her creativity,” Patrick Worthington said. “We keep an easel up at home, and I like to introduce her to new techniques or mediums. We also try to take her to galleries, local art shows and museums so she can get inspired by other artists’ work”

Anna Rose said entering contests was secondary to simply being a creator. While being recognized is always fun, she said the real excitement comes from sharing what she loves.

“When I started entering art contests it was fun doing art. I wasn’t trying to win, I was trying to do the best design so I would like what I made,” she said. “It feels good when other people like it, too.”

The family also said that people don’t give the Hoosier State enough credit for its expansive and diverse art scene.

“The art scene here is surprisingly vibrant if you look beyond the traditional institutions,” Andrea Worthington said. “You can find great local art in unexpected places — hotels, cafes, smaller museums and even outdoor murals. The murals are especially exciting; they’ve been popping up in small towns across the state.”

And, they said, even for people who are not artists, the art scene is still for them.

“I believe art is a universal language. For those who don’t think they have an artistic eye, I suggest approaching art with an open mind,” Patrick Worthington said. “Focus on how the art makes you feel rather than trying to “understand” it. Art appreciation is personal and doesn’t require specialized knowledge. My favorite quote from a professor is “make art that matters to you, and it will matter to other people.”

Anna Rose agreed.

“I think it is because everyone can make art no matter what age they are. Even a dot can be art,” she said.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

You don’t have to look far to see where Anna Rose’s Worthington’s artistic talents came from.

Her parents, Andrea and Patrick Worthington are also artists. The couple collaborated for the Indiana State Fair Soybean Art competition over the summer. They were finalists with their mixed media entry, “The Joy of the Harvest.” The sculpture is a classic gumball machine filled with soybeans instead of candy. Capsules dispensed from the machine contain a handful of soybeans, bridging the gap between agricultural roots and the innocence of youthful delight. The submission won a Merit Award for the Best Use of Soybeans and the People’s Choice Award as well.

The Indiana State Fair Soybean Art Competition is sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Brooks Lamb Foundation for the Arts, named for a Zionsville youth who died in 2020 in a car accident.

For the family, entering contests is just one way to share their passion for art.

“We believe that art is an essential part of life, enriching our experiences and connecting us to each other,” Andrea Worthington said. “My work in book cover design taught me the power of visual communication, and I’m excited to bring that into our family’s artistic endeavors.”

Patrick Worthington echoed the sentiment.

“Art isn’t just about creating something visually appealing. It’s about exploring ideas, questioning perceptions, and engaging with the world in a deeper way,” he said. “I hope my work encourages viewers to look beyond the surface and consider new perspectives on the landscapes and environments we often take for granted.”