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)

CelebratingArt.com is devoted to the promotion and appreciation of student art. The intent of their student art contest is to motivate student artists.The top entries are published in an anthology that will record the creative works of today’s student artists.

Students recently submitted work and a record amount of 41 OHHS Art and Design were invited to be published in the Fall 2016 “Celebrating Art”!  Only the best art is selected to be included in the full-color hardbound art book, “Celebrating Art”. Additionally, final judging for “Top Ten Artist” and “High Merit Artist” awards will be completed and announced soon. The following students should feel honored. This is not a contest where every entry is invited to be published and is a highly selective competition. Thousands of entries were not invited to be published. Being published represents a lot of talent, hard work and dedication from students.

Congratulations to the following students:

From Ms. Ambs’ Art Foundations and Ceramics classes:

Tiffany Riestenberg
Alexis Hetzel
Abbey Baker
Madelyn Clark
Katelyn Allen
Austin Gundrum
Justin Loudermilk
Avery Anderson
Jacob Matre
Jaicey Hollyfield

From Mrs. Dignan-Cummins’ Ceramics, Enamels Mosaics and Glass, Sculpture, and Studio Art AP 3D Design classes:

Holly Ahrman
Jennifer Argentiero
Andy Busker
Elizabeth Donges
Nash Gibbs
Ashley Glass
Emily Hetrick
Kiersten Hughes
Jordan Iori
Megan Kappen
Monika Kubak
Madison Mitchell
Ky’ara Murrell
Taylor Riestenberg
Madison Schaefer

From Mr. Groh’s Drawing and Printmaking class:

Olivia Lang

From Ms. Schorsch’s Painting and Mixed Media, Drawing and Printmaking, and Studio Art AP 2D Design and Drawing classes:

Hannah Welling
Mayson Reperowitz
Jessica Berra
Mia Kuchenmeister
Caden Adams
Louisa Anderson
Jenna Bertke
Rebekah Buechler
Bell Day
Julia Gomien
Devon Hanavan
Sophia Schmackers
Autumn Shelton
Megan Taylor
Sydni Crass

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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 20 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.

The OHHS Art and Design Department would like to encourage everyone to wear Red (the symbolic color aligned with AIDS awareness) or Black (the color representative of mourning those that have lost their battle with the disease) on Thursday to show your support of the event.

Mural Image Selection from the 2014 DWOA