Tag Archives: art

Exploring “I/Us”, “The Beauty Within”, and “Sacred Space” with the Taft Museum of Art’s ARC Program

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The Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching Classrooms program (ARC) immerses high school art students in Cincinnati’s visual arts community, artistic practices, exhibitions, and marketing strategies while exposing them to careers in the arts. This year, Drawing and Printmaking students are participating in this amazing program which consists of 1 museum visit and 4 classroom visits during the 1st semester, culminating in an exhibition at the Annex Gallery in the winter. This semester, students have been working alongside Cedric Michael Cox to experience the practices of a professional artist firsthand. Cedric also lead students in the creation of a collaborative artwork based upon the theme of “I/Us”, and an individual piece, for the Annex Gallery exhibition.

The experiences culminate in the creation of original artworks for exhibition at the Annex Gallery. Students were challenged to consider their interpretation of “The Beauty Within” or “Sacred Space” and generated works that demonstrate their approach to the term after brainstorming, project planning, and setting up their own resource images. Using a model for Juried Exhibitions, students selected 6 artworks for framing for the exhibition, 6 artworks that will be matted for the physical display in addition to sculptures, and the remaining will be displayed in a virtual exhibition in the gallery space.

Congratulations to the 6 Drawing and Printmaking students who were selected for framed participation in this year’s exhibition:

Madison Haley
Cody Leopold
Lilliana McGuire
Baylee Moorman
Alexandra See
Aurora Studenka

Madison Haley
Cody Leopold
Lilliana McGuire
Baylee Moorman
Alexandra See
Aurora Studenka

Congratulations to the 6 Drawing and Printmaking students who were selected for matted participation or sculptural display in this year’s exhibition:

Grace Gray
Sofia Grillo Tepe
Brandin Henderson
Colin Klaserner
Sydney Lehman
Alexis Predmore
Lukas Schwab
Natalie Weil

Sofia Grillo Tepe
Colin Klaserner
Sydney Lehman
Alexis Predmore
Lukas Schwab
Natalie Weil

The Taft ARC Exhibition will open at the Annex Gallery, 1310 Pendleton St., Cincinnati, OH 45202, on February 16th and run through March 28th, 2025. The OHHS Drawing and Printmaking students will be exhibiting alongside students participating from: Aiken H.S., McNichols H.S., Princeton H.S., School for Creative and Performing Arts, Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, Walnut Hills H.S., and Western Hills H.S.

Celebrating Cincinnati through Art: A Collaborative Journey for the Ohio Site Map Project and AAC Exhibition

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Ohio is home, but what is home? What is our relationship to place? How does place and home impact our lives? How do our lives impact place and home?

In partnership with the Ohio Art Council, the Art Academy of Cincinnati is hosting a new visual art exhibition this winter called, The Ohio Site Map Project. The purpose of the exhibition is to feature custom artwork made from K-12 students and teachers across Hamilton County to express their ideas, notions, and representations of home and place in Ohio. This collaborative exhibition will prioritize perspectives and compositions of youth in our community to elevate their values of home and place. Maps for this project will vary from realistic, surreal or anything in-between, all focused on what students see, think, and interpret about their experiences of home and place in Ohio.


Art has the power to bridge history, culture, and imagination. OHHS National Art Honor Society students Molly Audretch and Annie Riley, alongside Ms. Schorsch, embarked on a creative journey to produce an artwork that pays homage to the vibrant and multifaceted identity of Cincinnati.

The Foundation: Researching Cincinnati’s Roots
The project began with a deep dive into Cincinnati’s historical maps. These maps provided more than geographical information—they served as a visual narrative of the city’s evolution over time. By studying these maps, Molly and Annie gained insights into the foundations of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, the development of its infrastructure, and the changing patterns of its cultural and economic hubs. This research informed the overall composition of the artwork, grounding it in a sense of place and time.

Collaging “A Changing City”
Building on this historical framework, the students incorporated collaged images from “A Changing City,” a cartoon book created for peace and justice as part of SOS ART. This piece served as a reflection of the city’s adaptability and resilience, themes that resonate deeply with Cincinnati’s history. The integration of these images added layers of meaning to the artwork, linking the past and present while honoring the creative initiatives that seek to make art a force for positive change.

Inspired by Murals: Cincinnati’s Outdoor Gallery
Cincinnati’s downtown murals, iconic for their vibrancy and storytelling, became another element of inspiration. The students drew on the colors, styles, and narratives of these murals to weave the city’s artistic energy into their piece. These elements not only celebrated the city’s thriving public art scene but also connected the collaborative artwork to a larger conversation about the role of art in urban spaces.

The Flying Pigs: A Symbol of Whimsy and Resilience
No celebration of Cincinnati would be complete without a nod to its most whimsical and beloved icon—the flying pig. Representing the city’s humor, resilience, and nod to its industrial past, the flying pigs were seamlessly integrated into the artwork. These elements brought a playful yet meaningful layer to the composition, reminding viewers of Cincinnati’s unique character and enduring spirit.

The final piece stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit of Molly, Annie, and Ms. Schorsch. By blending historical research, artistic inspiration, and community-centered themes, the artwork reflects Cincinnati’s rich heritage and dynamic future. It is not just a visual representation of iconic landmarks and symbols but also a narrative of a city that continues to grow, adapt, and inspire. This Ohio Site Map Project highlights the power of art education and community engagement, showcasing how young artists can honor the past while creating something that resonates with the present and inspires the future..

Join the Art Academy of Cincinnati and our partners in celebrating the completion of The Ohio Site Map Project for the exhibition opening reception:
Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 5p-8p
SITE1212, Art Academy of Cincinnati, 1212 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Light refreshments provided
Exhibition will be on view through Thursday, December 12, 2024
Gallery Hours: 9am-9pm

OHHS AP Art and Design Students and Visiting Artist Rachel Linneman

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Artist Rachel Linneman recently visited the AP Art and Design students for an interactive workshop as a part of this year’s Contemporary Arts Center School Outreach Program. The CAC SOP offers students from grades 2 through 12 a comprehensive, immersive experience with contemporary art. Running from September through May, this year-long program includes an in-school orientation, two guided tours of CAC exhibitions, a classroom project tied to the exhibition led by a local artist, and a spring visit to an artist’s studio. Program docents work with the same class throughout the year, fostering continuity and rapport with the students. Many docents have developed long-standing relationships with the schools and teachers they support, providing consistent guidance and engagement year after year.

Rachel Linnemann is an Appalachian artist teaching at the University of Cincinnati where she received her Master’s in Fine Art in 2021. She graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and a minor in Psychology. Linnemann was chosen for the Revealed early career artist series for the Sculpture Center and will have a 2024 solo show. She has worked as a professional Artist, Educator, and Preparator for various organizations such as the Cincinnati Art Museum (OH), Bucknell University (PA), Artworks Cincinnati (OH), and Applied Imagination (KY). Linnemann recently completed a residency with the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio where she exhibited for the show Emerge. Her work has been shown in Ohio, Michigan, Greece, Louisiana, Indiana, Maryland, and Kentucky. She works across media to develop a language surrounding mental health, growth, resilience, and joy.

Linnemann is a found objects artist, utilizing recognizable objects of labor and femininity to celebrate her Appalachian ancestors. Reflecting on her upbringing, she is examining generational trauma and generational knowledge and its connection to labor. She often heard stories of hardship partnered with stories of gratitude and strength. There was an understanding of the darkness of the world balanced with the gratitude for the present moment and an emphasis on knowledge being protection from the past. Like a butterfly perched on barbed wire, one a symbol of freedom and something delicate, another a symbol of strength and oppression, Linnemann’s memories are a balance of opposition.

During the workshop, students explored concept of identity through individual collages and selected, and archived, found objects of personal significance in the creation of a collaborative ‘community pie’ piece. The idea of constructing multiple views of the self, and components that make up community, created connection to the Barbara Probst exhibition at the CAC, ‘Subjective Evidence’, that focused on multiple vantage points capturing a single scene and moment in time. Throughout the year, students will create artworks inspired by their experiences with the CAC SOP and will participate in an exhibition in the Spring of 2025.

The 2024-2025 Memory Project: Creating Portraits of Kindness for Children in India

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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 nine years, Drawing and Printmaking and NAHS students have created over 470 portraits for children in Madagascar, the Philippines, and Syrian refugees in Jordan, Puerto Rico, the Rohingya in Rakhine, Columbia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone. This year, students at OHHS created portraits for 30 Indian children.

Children in India face a complex set of challenges that affect their education, health, safety, and development. While school attendance has improved, many children, especially in rural areas, still lack access to quality education due to poverty, long travel distances, and inadequate resources. Economic pressures contribute to high dropout rates and force many children into labor, where laws against child labor are inconsistently enforced. Health and nutrition are also major concerns, with many children suffering from malnutrition and limited healthcare access, especially in rural areas. Mental health needs are often overlooked due to a lack of resources. Gender discrimination affects girls in particular, as cultural expectations often push them out of school early and into child marriages. Many children are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse remaining prevalent. Climate change also poses challenges, as frequent natural disasters disrupt schooling, displace families, and impact health, while water scarcity affects hygiene and daily life. The digital divide became especially apparent during the pandemic, as many students lacked access to online learning resources.

“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.

OHHS NAHS Welcomes OLEA for “Contemplations on Democracy”

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The OHHS National Art Honor Society welcomed OLEA for a special performance as a part of the Creative Canvassing program. OLEA, the current SOS ART Artist in Residence in partnership with the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, used chamber music to explore themes, through a non-partisan lens, related to the 2024 election.

The members of OLEA met in the Spring of 2021 through their participation in the Cincinnati New Music Ensemble (CNME). Inspired by the artistry, musicianship, and spirit of collaboration they saw in one another as well as their shared interest in new music, they founded OLEA shortly after. OLEA aims to create music that is engaging and impactful for audiences. With their unique instrumentation of violin, clarinet, cello, and piano, they have played in various duo, trio, and quartet configurations, exploring some of the most compelling chamber music repertoire. Since its inception, the importance of new music and creative collaboration has remained at the center of OLEA’s artistic vision. Future projects include regional tours through the United States, competing in international competitions, and commissioning new works by living composers.

Students had the opportunity to engage with issues that excited or concerned them while learning about the democratic and electoral processes that shape our modern political landscape. Students voted on topics they wanted to comment on and explore more deeply including climate change, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, violence, healthcare, income inequality, and disinformation.

Students were able to gain insight into the ways that democracy works in our everyday lives through musical and extra-musical demonstrations. The interactive performance was accompanied by the reading of poetry and the projection of visual art by greater Cincinnati Artists, addressing the same themes.