Arts In Mind: Developing Your Creativity with Oak Hills’ Own Jamie Schorsch

In the newest season of Arts In Mind: Visual Art, Oak Hills High School art teacher Jamie Schorsch joins a lineup of accomplished artists and educators sharing their passion, process, and purpose. The series, created by the Northern Kentucky Institute for Arts Education, connects students with professional voices from across the creative spectrum, helping young artists discover their potential and chart their path from middle school through high school and beyond.

For Schorsch, being part of Arts In Mind is an extension of her belief that art is not only a skill but a journey, one that unfolds through discovery, development, and reflection. “Art helps students find their voice,” she shares. “It allows them to make sense of the world around them and to see their own capacity to create change.” Each video in the AIM: Visual Art series is designed to support four key stages of artistic growth: discovering artistry, developing skills, extending understanding, and preparing for college and career. Through these steps, students gain insight into how creative practice evolves and how it can lead to meaningful opportunities.

Schorsch’s feature highlights her dedication to building creative confidence in her students. In her Oak Hills classroom, she encourages young artists to take risks, explore new materials, and connect their art to larger ideas, from personal identity to global issues. Her approach mirrors the mission of Arts In Mind: to empower students to see themselves as artists today, not just in the future.

Teachers can access Schorsch’s episode and others through Arts In Mind’s free video library. Each segment is accompanied by a Viewing Guide, helping educators spark discussion, introduce career pathways, or encourage independent learning. For students watching, these conversations offer more than just advice, they open a window into the creative life. They reveal that art is a lifelong journey, one built on curiosity, persistence, and passion.

As Arts In Mind continues to inspire the next generation, Jamie Schorsch’s inclusion in the series stands as a reminder of the powerful impact teachers have in shaping artists, thinkers, and innovators.

If you are interested in hearing more of Schorsch’s experiences and perspectives on art, check out Episode 24 of Art Hang, hosted by local artist, educator, and fellow Arts in Mind participant. The Arts Hang podcast series explores inspiring and motivational stories about Greater Cincinnati area artists and their artist processes.

Summer 2025 “Celebrating Art” OHHS Art and Design Students to Be Published

“Celebrating Art” 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 31 OHHS Art and Design students were invited to be published in the Summer 2025 “Celebrating Art”!  Only the best art is selected to be included in the full-color hardbound art book, “Celebrating Art”. Additionally, final judging for the “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 Dignan-Cummins’ Ceramics 1, Honors Enamels, Mosaic, and Glass, Honors Fiber Arts, Sculpture, and AP Art 3D Design classes:

Skyla Blevins
Mahala Burnett
Nola Cain
Kasandra Campos Sanchez
Evelyn Dann
Jayla Gazaway
Grace Gray
Austin Haarmeyer
Belle Kirby
Darlyn Levia Herandez
Jack Ludwig
Samantha McDonald
Leo Ruthven
Addison Wuebbling
Zoe Wuerdeman

From Kopf’s Art Foundations, Digital Art Foundations, and Painting and Public Art classes:

Claire Boles
Cynthia Brown
Adriana Garcia
Aubree Harden
Megan Mackay
Ahleya Velasco

From Schorsch’s Drawing and Printmaking, Art Foundations, and Studio Art AP 2D Design and Drawing classes: 

Molly Audretch
Bethany Bachman
Colin Klaserner
Kendalyn Kress
Cody Leopold

Lily McGuire
Annie Riley
Lizzie Schreibeis
Sophia Wehman
Lydia Wilson

Mastering the Arts: OHHS Art and Design Students Excel in AP Art and Design & Art History

The OHHS Art and Design Department is proud to recognize the incredible achievements of our visual arts students, several of whom earned the top score of a 5 on this year’s AP Art and Design and AP Art History exams. These scores reflect their deep commitment to hard work, critical thinking, and creative exploration.

AP Art and Design students undertook a year-long journey to develop a portfolio that demonstrates both conceptual development and technical skill. The course challenges students to explore a self-driven line of inquiry through a series of artworks, encouraging experimentation, research, and personal voice. Their portfolios are evaluated by professional artists and educators, and a score of 5 indicates the highest level of accomplishment, with the work showing exceptional artistic decision-making and mastery of materials.

Congratulations to the following students who earned a 5 on their AP Art and Design Drawing Portfolio:

Molly Audretch
Lizzie Schreibeis
Jordan Tinsley

Congratulations to the following students who earned a 5 on their AP Art and Design 2D Design Portfolio:

Grace Gray
Alysse Niewoehner
Sophia Wehman

Meanwhile, students in AP Art History immersed themselves in over 250 works of art spanning diverse cultures, time periods, and media. This rigorous course asks students to analyze and interpret visual, historical, and contextual elements of art from prehistory to the present. A score of 5 on the AP Art History exam signifies a high level of visual literacy, historical understanding, and analytical writing ability.

Congratulations to the following students who earned a 5 on their AP Art and Design 2D Design Portfolio:

Molly Audretch
Samantha Gardner

Whether mastering studio techniques or exploring the global story of art, these students have proven themselves to be thoughtful, disciplined, and deeply engaged. We commend their hard work and can’t wait to see the impact they will make in the creative world and beyond.

Congratulations to our outstanding AP Art and Design and AP Art History scholars!

Spring 2025 “Celebrating Art” OHHS Art and Design Students to Be Published

“Celebrating Art” 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 95 OHHS Art and Design students were invited to be published in the Spring 2025 “Celebrating Art”!  Only the best art is selected to be included in the full-color hardbound art book, “Celebrating Art”. Additionally, final judging for the “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 Ambs’ Ceramics 2 and Art Foundations classes:

Charlie Archer
Claudia Borcherding
Kacey Brigger
Bella Couch
Shawn Fellows
Eliot Flaig
Evelyn Good
Travis Harvey
Jillian Hayden
Aarian Hughes
Dylan Johnson
Arien Mesbah
Anna Price
Logan Ramstetter
Sophia Reid
Megan Schmidt
Aaliyah Schunk
Sarah Sieve
Sophia Tirado
Ahleya Velasco
Gloria Wilson

From Dignan-Cummins’ Ceramics 1, Honors Enamels, Mosaic, and Glass, Honors Fiber Arts, Sculpture, and AP Art 3D Design classes:

Leigha Aday
Josie Audretch
Victor Benken
Ava Bunke
Evelyn Dann
Eric Dew
Julia Dwyer
Sam Getz
Grace Gray
Brooke Hail
Maggie Heydorn
Belle Kirby
Jack Ludwig
Samantha McDonald
Kaylee Miller
Emma Mondary
Alysse Niewoehner
Lexi Predmore
Rylee Prickett
Mia Santiago
Elise Sargent
Addison Wuebbling
Zoe Wuerdeman
Olivia Young

From Kopf’s Art Foundations, Digital Art Foundations, and Painting and Public Art classes:

Grace Abrams
Cynthia Brown
Mia Esquivel
Aubree Fuson
Catherine Glogowski
Elena Greifeneder
Riley Roach
Sona Sougoule
Ahleya Velasco
Klara Zimmert

From Groh’s Art Foundations and Painting and Public Art classes:

Shaylee Aday
McKenzie Balford
Kailey Barrows
Liam Biehl
Skylar Clark
Desmond Damon
Kayman Diesman
Kaylie Gantzer
Allyson Hassett
Sarah Leonard
Alejandra Lui
Erica Martinez
Riley McIntyre
Gracie Metz
Summer Perry
Angel Smith
Dani Soper
Nadya Young

From Schorsch’s Drawing and Printmaking, Art Foundations, and Studio Art AP 2D Design and Drawing classes: 

Molly Audretch
Precious Boyd
Mylla Davis
Trenton Duetenhofer
Madde Garrison
Lyla Haste
Yassine Houmaidi
Kendalyn Kress
Cody Leopold
Diane Marde
Lily McGuire
Baylee Moorman
Bella Phillips
Annie Riley
Lizzie Schreibeis
Lukas Schwab
Claire Schwab
Alex See
John Teal
Jordan Tinsley
Sophia Wehman
Lydia Wilson

OHHS Art and Design Student Awarded 2nd Place at the Taft Museum of Art’s ARC Exhibition!

OHHS Art and Design students enrolled in Schorsch’s Drawing and Printmaking class had the opportunity to participate in the ARC program this year. The Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching Classrooms (ARC) offers an immersive educational experience to Greater Cincinnati high school students that includes a range of activities, including museum visits, classroom sessions with professional artists, and studio tours.

Throughout the first semester, students had the opportunity to work alongside mentoring with artist Cedric Cox as they built an understanding of artists, art, and society, working artists’ methods, exploration of various careers in the arts and culture sector, and appreciation for the Taft Museum of Art as a local resource with a rich history.

The experiences culminate in the creation of original artworks, and one collaborative piece, for a juried exhibition at the Pendleton Arts Center Annex Gallery. Students were challenged to consider their interpretation of “The Beauty Within” and “Sacred Spaces” and generated works that demonstrate their approach to the term after brainstorming, project planning, and setting up their own resource images.

The Exhibition awards took place on March 8th, 2025 at The Annex Gallery, showcased the work of students from Aiken, McNicholas, Oak Hills, Princeton, School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Spencer School for the Gifted and Exceptional Students, Walnut Hills, and Western Hills High Schools. At the opening reception, Aurora Studenka received the Award for the Best in Show from OHHS and Baylee Moorman took home the 2nd place award!