Wayfarers: An OHHS Art and Design FotoFocus Exhibition Opened this Weekend!

Posted on October 5, 2026 by OHHS Art and Design

As a part of this year’s FotoFocus Biennial, OHHS Art and Design Photography alumni will be exhibiting alongside their former teacher, Steve Groh, in the Wayfarers exhibition at Delhi Event Center. The exhibition theme and title, wayfarer, defines a person who travels, especially on foot. The term is often used in a literary or poetic sense to describe someone who goes on long, wandering journeys, embracing the freedom and unpredictability of life on the road.

Each Biennial, FotoFocus is structured around a unifying theme. The 2026 Biennial theme, The Long View, considers aspects of time and perspective in photography and film, and how these mediums shape our understanding of the world. “The long view” is a phrase used to invoke a broader perspective. It suggests both distance and duration, i.e., looking far into the distance and/or looking for a long period of time. The Long View acknowledges the semiquincentennial of the United States, encouraging a posture of reflection in regards to the grand sweep of our country’s history, its past, present, and future. Photography can show us many moments from that history but it can also serve as a metaphor for how we understand our past and decide to shape it over time.

Groh co-curated the exhibition with alumnus Hannah Knight (2018). The exhibition features a photograph that represents an earlier point in photographic journeys, and another that represents where individuals are now, along with a pair of shoes that somehow represents the journey through life. This weekend’s exhibition opening will include a brief educational component in the form of artist talks. Jamie Schorsch, OHHS Art and Design Department Chair, photography teacher Steve Groh, and Hannah Knight all shared their perspectives on art, the impact of photography on the world, and the journeys we take throughout our life.

OHHS Alumni from across the United States entered works for the exhibition, many of whom traveled back home to Cincinnati and the packed house opening on Sunday! The special exhibition is a testament not only to the great memories, wonderful new life experiences, and celebrations of connections amongst teachers and students, but also to the impact of Steve Groh ‘s journey as an educator and the lives he has influenced throughout his 31 years in the classroom.

Wayfarers will be on exhibition through November 6th, 2026 at the Delhi Event Center.

Exploring ‘Amplifying Your Voice’ with the Taft ARC Program

Posted on October 5, 2026 by OHHS Art and Design

The Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching Classrooms (ARC) program immerses high school art students in Cincinnati’s visual arts community, connecting them with artistic practices, exhibitions, marketing strategies, and careers in the arts. This semester, Drawing and Printmaking students are participating in the program, which includes one museum visit, four classroom visits, and culminates in a winter exhibition at the Taft.

As a part of ARC, students are collaborating with artist Cedric Michael Cox. Cedric is best known for his paintings and drawings that merge surrealism and representational abstraction. As a student at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), Cox was awarded a fellowship to study at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in 1999, he began to exhibit regionally and nationally. In addition to his work being in corporate collections, Cox has executed several large murals in various public and private schools in The Cincinnati Region. Cox’s past exhibitions include The Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati, The Weston Art Gallery, The Columbus Art Museum, the Dayton Art Institute, Five Myles Gallery in Brooklyn, the Museum of Science and Industry and Gallery Guichard in Chicago, and The Taft Museum of Art. Throughout the ARC program, Cedric will guide students in creating a large-scale collaborative artwork for the Taft exhibition.

During their recent museum visit, students toured the galleries with Taft docents and worked with Kareem A. Simpson, Duncanson Program Manager at the Taft. In the studio, they explored approaches to writing for this year’s inaugural writing competition. This year, all participating students are encouraged to write a 300 to 500 word essay about their experience in the ARC program and how it has influenced their artistic practice. They are encouraged to focus on the ways their artist inspired them, how their personal practice has evolved over the course of the program, the specific things they learned or experienced during the program, or any other aspect that is meaningful to them.

For many, it was their first time experiencing the Taft Museum of Art, a true community treasure.

2026 From Heart to Art: Celebrating Creativity, Community and Compassion

Posted on October 1, 2026 by OHHS Art and Design

Beech Acres Parenting Center, in collaboration with the Contemporary Arts Center, is hosting the 2nd annual ‘From Heart to Art”, teen-centered 2D art competition celebrating creativity, community, and compassion. Area teens were invited to submit any 2-Dimensional form of physical art (drawing, painting, watercolor, collage, etc.) for the competition. This year’s contest invited students to submit work on the theme of “Circles of Love”. A local panel of professional art enthusiasts will select winners on October 4th at the ‘For the Love of Kids Festival’ in Washington Park.

Best of luck to OHHS Art and Design students Aubree Fuson, Justine Levan, and Baylee Moorman who submitted entries for this year’s competition!

OHHS Art and Design Student Wins 2nd Place for Printmaking at the 2026 OAEA Emerging Artist Exhibition

Posted on September 14, 2026 by OHHS Art and Design

The OAEA (Ohio Art Education Association) High School Show showcases Ohio’s Emerging Artists’ artistic efforts. The Emerging Artist show is dedicated to showcasing the artistic efforts of students who have only had the chance to take one or two art classes in high school. The competitive professional forum is intended to prepare young artists for their creative future in college or in an art career. This showcase is designed to inspire new artists to excel in the areas of drawing, painting, sculpture, crafts, computer art, photography, and printmaking. Everyone involved should be proud of the students who inspire, creative thinking, problem-solving, and skillful techniques.

This year’s exhibition showcases over 120 works, selected from more than 170 entries, of art by students in grades nine through eleven from across the state. The work will be on display at the Riverside Methodist Hospital 3535 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43214 with a exhibition closing reception on September 26th, 2026 at 1:00pm. Prizes will be awarded to Best in Show in: Photography, Drawing, Mixed Media, Sculpture, Computer Design, Printmaking, and Painting, at that time.

Congratulations to Anna Schuler, from Ms. Schorsch’s Studio Art Foundations class, on being awarded 2nd place for the Printmaking category in this year’s Emerging Artist exhibition.

OHHS Art and Design Students Exhibit at the 2026 Harvest Home Fair!

Posted on September 14, 2026 by OHHS Art and Design

This past weekend, OHHS Art and Design students Charles Elam, Chloe Callaway, Baylee Moorman, and Michael Smith were featured in the Harvest Home Fair! Michael Smith received an Honorable Mention in the ‘Other Media’ category for the Art Show and Charles Elam and Chloe Callaway both received First Place in their respective General Exhibits You Hobby Show category.

Congratulations to Charles, Chloe, Baylee, and Michael on their awesome accomplishments!