January | 2017 | OHHS Art and Design

This Rain Barrel Art Project was created to promote the use of rain barrels throughout the Ohio River Valley area through a creative and educational medium.

Rain barrels continue to grow in popularity across the country. However, one of its biggest drawbacks is their dull appearance. Some people are less likely to use them given their negative aesthetic impact to residential and commercial landscaping, even though they conserve water and save money. The “Save Local Waters” initiative believes that producing beautiful artistic rain barrels that have unique painted details will make them more desirable and naturally increase interest to promote their use.

The Rain Barrel Art Project desires to educate people on environmental issues like storm water runoff, watersheds and water conservation.

This year, OHHS Painting and Mixed Media students will be creating 3 Rain Barrels for this year’s event. Congratulations to all of the students who were selected by their peers to submit pieces for the jurying. Congratulations to Kara Heckmuller, Chasity Ruele, and Thalia Georges on the selection of their design by the “Save Local Waters” committee for this year’s event!

: Chasity Reule “Imagine”

: Kara Heckmuller “Capture the Moment”

: Thalia Georges “Life on Mars”

Rain Barrels will be displayed at the Cincinnati Zoo April 1st-20th and auctioned off at Rain Barrel Benefit Auction held during Tunes and Blooms on April 20th. Visit the OHHS Art and Design Facebook page for images of the progress!

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards began as a small writing contest with a $5 prize and six winning applicants in 1923. Today, more than 90,000 teens in grades 7 through 12 from around the nation annually submit more than 185,000 works of art and writing in 28 categories. Winning students earn opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication and scholarships.

The Awards, now presented by the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, not only celebrate the rich future of artistic America, but also document its past. The program has been credited with identifying early talent in generations of America’s cultural icons, including Truman Capote (1932), Richard Avedon (1941), Andy Warhol (ca. 1945), Sylvia Plath (1947), Robert Redford (1954) and Zac Posen (1998), each of whom won the award when they were in high school.

Student works are evaluated by industry leaders and exhibited in New York City venues as well as cities across the country through the traveling exhibit, ART.WRITE.NOW. These exhibitions give audiences the opportunity to see the work of the nation’s top young artists and writers, inspiring appreciation for the teens’ maturity, talent and originality. For most young winners, this recognition is their first experience of being identified as serious artists and writers, and the impact on their self-perception can be life-changing. Richard Avedon called winning his Scholastic Award, “the defining moment of my life.”

This year, regional judges reviewed nearly 5,000 pieces submitted by 229 educators. Works were judged on originality, technical skills, and emergence of personal vision or voice.

The OHHS Art and Design Department would like to congratulate the following students on their awards for the 2017 competition:

Gold Key Winners:

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Holly Ahrman “Waldwipfelweg”
Sydni Crass “Going Pro”
Sierra Dance “In The Times”
Julia Gomien “Grisaille Bone”
Kaitlyn Kellard “Getting The Point”
Megan Taylor “Shards”

Silver Key Winners:

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Jenna Bertke “Earned Accomplishment”
Rebekah Buechler “Overturned”
Dallas Dorn “Make A Wish”
Evander Frisch “Ominous”
Leah Funk “Illuminated Soul”
Julia Gomien “Illuminating Reflections”
Kara Heckmuller “The Discarded”
Madeline Kelch “Time On My Hands”
Mia Kuchenmeister “Into The Woods”
Madeline Scheckel “The Golden Wedding”
Jazmin Strunk “Woodstock”

Honorable Mention:

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Allyson Albertz “Pride In Accomplishment”
Maddie Allen “Morning Times”
Louisa Anderson “Rosette”
Louisa Anderson “Grasping”
Samantha Anderson “Breaking Down And Through”
Rebekah Buechler “Configurations”
Mackie Haders “Caged”
Devon Hanavan “Close Up”
Kiersten Hughes “Smolder”
Olivia Kelly “The Promise”
Mia Kuchenmeister “Germany”
Mayson Reperowitz “Treasure From Bulgaria”
Mitchell Rizzo “I Like To Draw Monsters!”
Autumn Shelton “After Party”
Emma Walker “Modern Day Eve”

Stop by the Art Academy of Cincinnati to see this year’s exhibition of award winning artworks and save the following dates and times:

Works on Display: January 20, 2017 – February 3, 2017
Art Academy of Cincinnati
1212 Jackson St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Awards Ceremony: January 27th, 2017
School for Creative and Performing Arts
108 W. Central Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
7pm: Presentation of Awards, 9th & 10th Grade Winners
8pm: Presentation of Awards, 11th & 12th Grade Winners

Exhibition Opens: Friday, January 20, 2017 (5pm to 9pm)
Visiting Hours: Monday – Sunday (9am to 9pm)