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.
OHHS Art and Design 