Tag Archives: art

OHHS Art and Design Student Advancing to the State Level of Judging for the 2026 Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition!

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This past weekend, the regional level of judging for The Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition, took place. The Exhibition, now in its 56th year, is dedicated to the educational and artistic advancement of our talented young people in the state of Ohio. The exhibition is open to all of Ohio’s 1,112 high schools, both public and private, chartered by the State of Ohio Department of Education. The exhibition is a valuable incentive for our young people; it encourages an appreciation for the arts throughout Ohio and reflects the fine quality of art instruction and talent which exist in our state.

The process of selecting artworks for the state exhibition begins on a regional level. The state is divided into 15 regional locations, with high school students in each region invited to enter work in that regional judging. Each region has a designated Regional Director, who is responsible for choosing the judges for his or her region and arranging specifics of the event. The judging takes place first regionally, and then at the state level, with judges for the competition chosen from all over the country and are generally professional artists, college level instructors, or both.

This year our region # 14, Southwest Ohio, had almost 600 entries and 114 works were selected to move on to the second and final round of judging at the statewide level. Three different judges rated the work on a 0.5 – 10 scale and their scores were averaged together to select the top 20% of works. The Statewide judging will take place next Saturday, March 14th.

Congratulations to Lydia Wilson who had two pieces selected to advance to the state level of judging, and best of luck to her in the next round this upcoming weekend!

OHHS Art and Design Teacher Exhibiting in the New Women Exhibition @ CCAC

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As part of the signature programming of the Clifton Cultural Arts Center’s Nourse Gallery, CCAC is holding the third edition of “New Woman,” a juried group exhibition and accompanying fellowship for one selected artist. CCAC’s signature first-floor gallery, named for Elizabeth Nourse (one of the earliest women artists to achieve widespread recognition and make a living as a professional painter), aims to follow Nourse’s tradition by showcasing the artwork of women artists of Cincinnati and beyond, including the “New Woman” exhibition and fellowship. One winning artist will be selected from the group show for the biennial “New Woman” Fellowship at CCAC, receiving a solo exhibition and honorarium in the following year. The exhibition and fellowship together serve as a platform for recognizing and supporting the creative voices of women working across media, disciplines, and stages of their careers.

OHHS Art and Design teacher, Jamie Schorsch, was one of 55 artists selected from over 371 entries for this year’s exhibition. Schorsch’s piece, “The Heliocentric Sovereign” was selected for the exhibition alongside so many outstanding women from our region…including OHHS Art and Design alumnus Brittany Mathis and former teacher Jan Thomas!

Come out for the opening reception Friday, March 6th, from 6 – 8 pm. The exhibition will be on view through April 3rd.

The Heliocentric Sovereign: Artist Statement
“Metaphors for strength, reclamation of power, and identity populate my images focused on symbolizing resilience and the unwavering ability of the human spirit to overcome adversity, heal, and rediscover its authentic essence. The visual journeys illustrate the unraveling of the intricate tapestry of my identity, interwoven and imbued with mythological references, elements of mysticism, and spirituality, bestowing profound meaning upon events that have challenged my sense of self. In birthing the creations, they become a transformative medium, liberating me from the constraints of past experiences, societal expectations, and transcending pain that has confined me and impacted my personal journey.

The Heliocentric Sovereign merges the radiant, life-giving energy of the Sun with the confident creativity of the Queen of Wands. Cloaked in a garment patterned after solar flares, the fauna it cultivates, and crowned with a golden corona of enlightenment, the Sovereign radiates warmth and illumination. Surrounding forms turn toward this light, symbolizing the gravitational pull of hope, vitality, and renewal.

Drawing from Buddhist iconography, the figure’s raised hand forms the abhaya, the “no fear” mudra, representing courage, compassion, and spiritual awakening. This gesture conveys serenity amidst adversity and the calm assurance of inner strength. Feline imagery reinforces themes of independence and intuitive grace. Associated with solar energy, cats embody protection, self-possession, and balance between fierce vitality and quiet contemplation, mirroring the Queen of Wands’ creative fire and feminine confidence.

Marigolds, bright as miniature suns, symbolize remembrance, warmth, and transformation. Their cyclical nature honors both life and loss, reminding us that renewal is born through resilience. The inclusion of a raven deepens this meditation; its dark wings are a counterpoint to the light, representing mystery, wisdom, and the transformative power of introspection. Together, these symbols weave a dialogue between illumination and shadow, life and transcendence. The title’s scientific reference, “Heliocentric,” evokes the need for a stable inner center where one’s light endures despite life’s orbiting challenges”.

OHHS Art and Design Teacher Exhibiting in “Rooms of Grief”

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OHHS Art and Design teacher, Ms. Schorsch, will be one of the artists exhibiting in the Kennedy Heights Art Center’s Rooms of Grief, a powerful and deeply human exhibition running January 17th through March 14th, 2026. Co-curated by Ena Nearon of Ten Talents Network and Mallory Feltz (KHAC), the exhibition brings together 59 artists whose work explores the many forms grief can take and the ways art can help us process, hold, and heal from loss.

Rooms of Grief considers grief not as a single emotion, but as a series of emotional spaces we move through when loss reshapes our world. These “rooms” function as metaphors: places of silence, memory, anger, longing, tenderness, confusion, and, at times, renewal. Together, the artworks reveal grief as layered and personal; experienced through the loss of loved ones, identity, relationships, health, community, and imagined futures. While sorrow is present, so too are transformation and resilience, showing how creativity can give form to what is often unspeakable.

The exhibition highlights the role of art as a healing practice, one that allows grief to be witnessed rather than hidden, shared rather than isolated. For many artists, making the work becomes an act of care, remembrance, and survival; for viewers, it offers recognition, empathy, and permission to feel.

Schorsch will be exhibiting two mixed media pieces in the exhibition. “The Charioteer’s Resurgence” explores grief as both burden and transformation. “The Tempered High Priestess” explores grief as a force that dismantles and reshapes identity. Through mysticism, symbolism, and self-portraiture, Schorsch confronts identity fractured by trauma, allowing grief to guide healing and reveal strength forged through transformation.

Exhibiting artists include:
Patricia Acker, Ebony Alli, Lisa Andrews, Cora Arney-Georgilis, Lauri Ann Aultman, Brooke Cahill, Nina Caporale, Susan Carlson, Ben Casuto, Samuel Casuto, Robert Coates, Heather Conley, Isabella Crowe, Billie Cunningham, June Pfaff Daley, Leslie Lehr Daly, Dan Dickerscheid, Deborah Dixon, Mary Anne Donovan, Judith Effa Ford, Melvin Grier, Nikita Gross, Zephyr Grove, Ell Halim, Kendall Hall, Donna Hardy, Robin Hartmann, Art Hasinski, Jessica Grady Heard, April Huerta, Lindsey Hurst, Ruth Jose, Michael Kearns, Deborah Kovacs-Sturdevant, Cynthia Kukla, Robyn Lince, Lindsay McCarty, Micah Mickles, Carol Mohamed, Amy Mueller, Mia Natas, Zoë Peterson, Kat Rakel-Ferguson, Su Ready, Fatemeh Rezaei, Janet Rocklin, August Roth, Anastasia Schneider, Gerrie Schon, Jamie Schorsch, Zachary Severt, Charlemae Sexton, Kimberly Wilfong Sigman, Emily Sites, Matt Steffen, Shawn P. Sweeney, Megan Taylor, Brianna Wallace.

The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, January 17th from 6–8pm, inviting the community to gather for an evening of art, reflection, and connection. This event is free and open to the public. Additional programming extends the exhibition’s themes beyond the gallery. A Panel Discussion on navigating grief will take place on Saturday, February 7th, 2026 from 1–3pm at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center Lindner Annex (6620 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45213). This conversation is free and open to the public. A facilitated Art Therapy workshop is also being planned; participation will be free, with registration required due to limited space. Details will be announced soon on KHAC’s website.

50 Years of Inspiration: An Exhibition Honoring Artist and Educator Jan Thomas and Five Decades of Creative Legacy

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50 Years of Inspiration is a powerful exhibition celebrating the extraordinary career and lasting influence of Jan Thomas, artist and former Oak Hills High School (OHHS) art teacher, whose dedication to arts education has shaped generations of creative professionals. Spanning five decades of teaching, mentorship, and artistic practice, the exhibition highlights the profound impact one educator can have on students and communities alike.

The exhibition brings together 128 artworks, including 15 works by Jan Thomas and 113 pieces created by former students, offering a multi-generational portrait of creative growth. Among the artists represented are 26 former OHHS students, eight of whom are now art educators themselves, continuing Thomas’s legacy in classrooms across the region. The title 50 Years of Inspiration reflects a remarkable full-circle moment: two exhibiting artists were students during Thomas’s very first year of teaching at Regina High School in Norwood, 50 years ago. Their inclusion underscores the enduring relationships and creative influence that have defined Thomas’s career.

Artists in the exhibition represent a wide spectrum of creative paths, including college professors, photographers, graphic designers, tattoo artists, community arts leaders, independent artists, and a nationally recognized drag performer. The exhibition also features a clay mosaic artist whose work directly inspired the mosaic tile walls at Oak Hills High School, as well as a Northside arts naturalist currently building a permaculture cobb house, illustrating the expansive ways art connects to place, purpose, and community.

The exhibition opens with a public reception on Sunday, January 11th, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. Come out to celebrate an educator whose commitment to creative thinking has left a lasting imprint on students, schools, and the broader arts community, and mingle with OHHS alumni, current, and former art teachers. The show will remain on view at Ruth’s Parkside Cafe (located at 1550 Blue Rock St, Cincinnati, OH 45223) through the end of February.

The 2025-2026 Memory Project: Creating Portraits of Kindness for Children in Cambodia

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“The Memory Project” is a nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, and extreme poverty. Over the past ten years, Drawing and Printmaking and NAHS students have created over 500 portraits for children in Madagascar, the Philippines, and Syrian refugees in Jordan, Puerto Rico, the Rohingya in Rakhine, Columbia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, and India. This year, students at OHHS created portraits for 30 Cambodian children.

Children in Cambodia face a complex set of challenges that affect their safety, education, health, and long-term opportunities. Many children grow up in poverty, which limits access to adequate nutrition, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and stable housing, particularly in rural areas. Malnutrition and preventable illnesses remain common and can have lasting effects on physical and cognitive development. Although education is officially free, hidden costs, the need for children to work to support their families, and uneven school quality often lead to irregular attendance or early dropout, with girls sometimes facing additional barriers due to gender expectations. Child labor, trafficking, and exploitation continue to place vulnerable children at risk, while child protection systems are under-resourced and struggle to respond effectively to abuse and neglect. These challenges are further intensified by climate change, as floods, droughts, and heat affect food security, health, and livelihoods, creating an environment in which many Cambodian children must navigate overlapping social, economic, and environmental pressures as they grow up.

“The Memory Project” portraits are created by students enrolled in the Drawing and Printmaking course (grades 9-12). The students began by analyzing the artwork of Kehinde Wiley and used the information provided about the children’s favorite things, colors, and hopes for the future to design the background of the image. Once the portraits are delivered to the children, we will receive a video of their reactions to the artwork. Below are some of the highlights of the OHHS Drawing and Printmaking students’ resulting portraits.