Girl Rising recently selected OHHS Art and Design teacher Jamie Schorsch and Drawing and Printmaking students to be featured on their new website’s Educators Portal. The new site includes Case Studies and Snapshots that highlight the work that students and teachers are doing through Girl Rising.

“Girl Rising is reaching classrooms and communities around the world thanks to the passion and creativity of educators. Read on to hear directly from teachers, explore their lesson plans, and get to know the Girl Rising tools they have used and adapted in greater detail”. – Girl Rising

Drawing and Printmaking students worked to create a narrative image based upon one of the story vignettes that they selected Girl Rising. The approach to the rendering style of the project was inspired by contemporary artist Kara Walker. Students studied the approaches taken by Walker in addressing issues of race, sexuality, and gender through her silhouetted forms.

The students went through an extensive planning process involving the deconstruction of concepts addressed by the stories of the girls in Girl Rising into symbolic elements that translated the essence of their journey into a single frame, or image. The compositions the students created demonstrate the unification of their notes and sketches taken during the viewing of Girl Rising, research related to the girls’ stories, and preliminary project planning.

Check out the full feature and student artworks on the Girl Rising website at https://www.girlrising.com/casestudies/.

“Enlightened”, McKenna Poole

Day Without Art (DWA) began on December 1st 1989 as a national day of action and mourning, aligned with World AIDS Day, in response to the AIDS epidemic. Over 800 U.S. art and AIDS groups participated in the first Day Without Art by shutting down museums, sending staff to volunteer at AIDS services, or sponsoring special exhibitions of work about AIDS. Over the years, Day Without Art has grown into a collaborative project in which an estimated 8,000 national and international museums, galleries, art centers, AIDS service organizations, libraries, high schools and colleges take part.  Oak Hills High School has been a part of this tradition for over 21 years.

In 1997, Day Without Art switched the approach to a Day WITH Art, in order to recognize and promote increased programming of cultural events that draw attention to the continuing pandemic. The name was retained as a reminder of the impact the disease had on the arts and entertainment communities, but parentheses were added to the program title. Day With(out) Art highlights art projects intended to inspire communities to action by creating art and awareness about AIDS.

The artist’s role as social commentator and activist has been engrained in the history of civilization and culture. Art and its creation as a response to social and political issues can be a powerful catalyst for influencing and raising public awareness resulting in positive social change. Art has a long history of using social commentary as a weapon of change or enlightenment. German expressionist artist Kathe Kollwitz created artworks that centered on themes of poverty, unemployment and worker exploitation during WWI and WWII.  Mexican muralist Diego Rivera used his art as a tool to vocalize for the oppressed against their oppressors. In April 1937, the world learned the shocking truth about the Nazi Luftwaffe’s bombing of Guernica, Spain- a civilian target- through Pablo Picasso’s great anti-war painting, Guernica. American Pop artist Keith Haring created public works to raise awareness about issues of drug abuse, corruption in government and societies- such as the Berlin Wall in Germany and South Africa under apartheid. These artists expressed their opinions and message to the literate and illiterate alike, and earned worldwide recognition.

To mark the anniversary of this event, the Art and Design Department at Oak Hills High School focuses on the positive and influential role the arts play in AIDS activism- as well as in other social, global, and political issues.  Artwork will remained uncovered as a way to draw attention to the possible future roles our current art students may play in our globalized future.

“Selections 2017” is a biennial exhibition and awards gala, hosted since 1983, that spotlights artworks created by talented area junior and senior high school students as selected by their art teachers. Congratulations to the 2017 OHHS Art and Design students selected for this year’s exhibition:

Selected by OHHS Art and Design Teacher, Kristen Campbell:
Madison Mitchell, Grade 12: Fashion Studio
“Exposed”, Jewelry and Mixed Media

Mikayla Davis, Grade 11: Fashion Studio
“United We Stand”, Jewelry and Mixed Media

Selected by OHHS Art Teacher, Bridget Dignan-Cummins:
Katie Essen, Grade12: Studio Art AP 3D Design
“Espiral”, Wood

Selected by OHHS Art and Design Teacher, Steve Groh:
Hannah Knight, Grade 12: Studio Art AP 2D Photography
“Bound”, Digital Photograph

Kim Czulewicz, Grade 12: Studio Art AP 2D Photography
“Paranormality”, Digital Photograph

Selected by OHHS Art Teacher, Jamie Schorsch:
Evander Frisch, Grade 12: Studio Art AP 2D Design
“Subdermal Spectrums”, Prismacolor Pencil

Kara Heckmuller, Grade 12: Studio Art AP 2D Design
“Reflecting on Reflections”, Acrylic

“Selections 2017” will be held in the Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery, located on campus at Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati OH.

Exhibition Dates:  November 12 – December 8, 2017
Awards Gala: MSJU Theater at 1pm, Sunday, 
Gallery Reception: Sunday, November 12^th

The “Selections” 2017 scholarship winners will be announced at the Recognition Ceremony at 1pm on November 12th.

The Oak Hills High School Art and Design Department

From Left to Right: Kristy Kopf, Kristen Campbell, Melissa Ambs, Bridget Dignan-Cummins, Jamie Schorsch, Steve Groh, and Dan Couch. Not pictured: Francine Gibson

Mrs. Melissa Ambs
Art Foundations; Ceramics; and Fashion Studio

This is my fourth year teaching Art Foundations, Ceramics, and Fashion Studio classes at Oak Hills High School.  I am an Oak Hills graduate myself and after high school, I studied Graphic Design and Art History at the University of Cincinnati, College of
DAAP. I continued my education at U.C., earning my Master’s degree in Art Education in 2008. Before teaching at OHHS, I taught art to Pre-K to 8 th grade students at St. Cecilia School in Oakley. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy travelling the U.S. and abroad with my husband, Brian. We also enjoy spending time with family, friends, and our beloved fur babies. In my personal artwork, I’ve worked in a range of mediums,
but I am consistently drawn to subject matter that is inspired by natural elements and has a graphic simplicity.

Mrs. Kristen Campbell
Art Foundations and Fashion Studio

Hello! Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Mrs. Kristen Campbell and I have been teaching as a visual arts educator at OHHS for nine years.  I currently teach Fashion Studio and Art Foundations, grades 9-12. I received my education from Mount St. Joseph University and continue to stay in contact with the excellent Art & Design Department at The Mount.  I have an amazing husband, Jason Campbell, and a loving/supportive family. Some of my interests include:  Faith, Family, Indoor/Outdoor Gardening, Holistic Health Care Approaches, Walking, Calligraphy and Findlay Market. I have also traveled to Costa Rica, Spain and too many states to list.

Mr. Daniel Couch
Architectural Drawing; Advanced AutoCAD; AutoCAD: Basics; 3D Game Animation I; 3D Game Modeling II; and Graphic Arts
Anime Club Advisor

Anyone who has spent any significant amount of time with me would eventually ask themselves. “Hey, is that guy an adult male, or is he a child in an adult body. This question might be raised after knowing these facts about me: At my wedding, to my lovely wife Alex, we had lightsabers and legos, I have a toy and comic collection that most children would dream about, and in my free time I enjoy gaming of all kinds.

This will be my fourth full time year at Oak Hills High School. I have been lucky to teach classes that allow me to express my passion for all things nerdy and artistic. In my classes I like to put a focus on working together and making things. We make life sized robots, working prototypes of a video games, costumes, and detailed architectural models. My favorite part of the job is assisting these young designers in the development of their creative problem solving skills, helping them to transform their early concepts into fully realized products.

I received my B.F.A from the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program. During that time, I focused on drawing, oil painting, and sculpture. I have since focused on everything from toy making to costume design, and T-shirt printing. I enjoy learning new art making techniques and I am always open to adding a new skill to my tool belt.

Mrs. Bridget Dignan-Cummins
Ceramics; Honors Enamels, Mosaics, and Glass; Honors Fibers; Sculpture; and Studio Art AP 3D Design

I am a mother of two wonderful daughters, Harper and Emery. My husband, Todd, works in theater and we met working for our local stage union. I have a dog, Brody, and a small home filled with love and chaos. Interests and hobbies are a struggle to stay up on with a life filled with so much between work and family, but I do love working with glass and fibers. I have a torch set up in a studio in my basement to work on lampworking by creating glass beads. I also try to carry with me a ball of yarn and knitting needles whenever I have an appointment or my kids have gymnastics.
I am privileged enough to teach the most amazing classes; Advanced Placement studio Art 3d, Sculpture, Ceramics, Honors Fibers and Honors Enamels, Mosaics and Glass. It allows me to showcase the media to young artists who are looking for the right material to fully express themselves. I find these materials are often around us for everyday use and therefore carry a story with them different from paint, pencils and photography. A functional tactile quality that allows for more senses to experience the art and reach audiences in different ways.

Ms. Kristy Kopf
Digital Design; Digital Design MX; Graphic Arts MX; and Painting and Mixed Media

“Think left and think right, think low and think high. Oh, the  thinks you  can think up if only you  try”. -Dr. Seuss

I am an artist, a mom, and a teacher. Outside of school I attempt to balance raising my son, Theo, taking adventures near and far, playing and watching sports and making art. There is often a half finished project in my wake, and several other projects in the planning stages.

In the last 21 years, I have been blessed to teach almost every grade level at Oak Hills Schools. I currently teach Digital Design, Graphic Arts and Painting & Mixed Media. I believe the most important concept taught in my classes is Creative Problem Solving. My hope is all students embrace and apply creative thinking in all their courses.

Mrs. Francine Gibson
Art Foundations; Digital Art: Illustrator; Digital Art: InDesign; Digital Art: Photoshop; Technical Graphics; and Video Technology

I am one of the seven Oak Hills High School’s Art and Design teachers. I replaced my former Graphic Arts teacher, Mr. Rogers, back in 2001. Soon after this, my department began to evolve. It started with the name change from Industrial Arts to Industrial Technology then Design. Now the Art and Design Department fifteen years later, whatever the name, our goal has remained to offer curriculum that connects students’ interests, experiences, and talents to the “real world.”

I took my past professional work experience in the field of Graphic Design and Digital Retouching to serve the needs of young designers. Our school is one of the few able to provide students with the Adobe Creative Suite software (Photoshop, Illustrator and lnDesign) for the creative process in multiple classes.

On a personal note, my husband, Jeff and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this October. I am a proud mother of two sons ages 14 and 11. Both are musically inclined. One a percussionist and the other a competition pianist. They are ninth and seventh graders at Walnut Hills High School. We reside in a home built in 1875. I cherish craftsmanship and character found in things built by hand that last for centuries. I am currently using my art and design skills to repurpose antiques to create unique decor for my home. My husband and I frequent antique markets to find treasures that may become my next project. Art and Design have always been an important part of my life. Sharing this passion with students of all levels and grades is a pleasure.

Mr. Steve Groh
Capstone; Darkroom Photography; Digital and Alternative Photography; and Studio Art AP 2D Photography
Art Club Advisor

Steve Groh has been teaching art for over two decade and most of those years have been here at Oak Hills. His wife also teaches at the high school and they have two sons in the district. Mr. Groh is an ’88 alumnus who was inspired to pursue art as a career by his own art teacher. He attended Bowling Green State University where he graduated with honors in 1992, earning a B.F.A in graphic design. He then went on to earn his M.A. in Art Education at the University of Cincinnati where he was the Outstanding Graduate of his program in 1995. He is primarily the photography teacher these days and really enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for this art form with his students. He loves traveling and has taken groups of students on educational trips to Italy, France, Spain, and beyond. Preparing students to be global citizens is part of the mission statement at Oak Hills and he takes that goal seriously. He is a fun loving guy who enjoys the outdoors and can often be found hiking in the woods, exploring downtown, or relaxing on a hammock with a good book.

Ms. Jamie Schorsch
AP Art History; Drawing and Printmaking: Painting and Mixed Media; Studio Art AP 2D Design; Studio Art AP Drawing
Art and Design Department Coordinator
National Art Honor Society Advisor

I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Arts in Art Education with PK-21 licensure in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati DAAP program. In 2015 I earned my Master of Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from the University of Cincinnati CECH program. My teaching experiences have been widely varied, including working with students ranging in ages from 5-18, private and public institutions, and both inner-city and suburban schools. I have taught at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools, Fitton Center for Creative Arts, ArtWorks and am going on my 13th year of being employed by Oak Hills Local School District as an Art Teacher at Oak Hills High School, where I also serve as the Art and Design Department Coordinator. Currently, I teach: Drawing and Printmaking, Painting and Mixed Media. Art History AP, Studio Art AP Drawing, and Studio Art AP 2D Design at the high school.

When I’m not teaching, I create my own artwork and can be found deconstructing concepts of the American dream through fairy tales and characters from literature and picking apart representations and interpretations of popular culture. I’ve participated in the creation of many public artworks throughout the city of Cincinnati with ArtWorks which included several murals and pigs for the Big Pig Gig. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my cats: Rembrandt, Lucian, Frida, and Judith, who are all named after some of my favorite artists, and practice yoga…sometimes with my cats. I love Art History and travel and have been privileged to be able to visit many of the sites I teach about in my classes with my students, such as: Machu Picchu in Peru, Versailles in Paris, and the Alhambra in Spain.