All Oak Hills High School students electing to enroll in an Art and Design Department course will develop a Competitive Advantage, Appreciation of the Arts, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills, Interdisciplinary Connections, Social and Global Awareness, and Career Preparation related to Visual Communication.
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!
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”.
Ms. Schorsch’s Drawing and Printmaking students are wrapping up their experience with the Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching Classrooms (ARC) program, which immerses high school art students in Cincinnati’s visual arts community, connecting them with artistic practices, exhibitions, marketing strategies, and careers in the arts.
As part of ARC, students collaborated with their Artist-in-Residence, Adoria L. Maxberry, a Cincinnati-based visual and performance artist, educator, designer, and founder of Most OutGROWing LLC. Guided by a belief in the power of creativity for personal and collective growth, Adoria creates immersive experiences that blend education, reflection, and community. Her work spans murals, fiber arts, illustration, and mixed media, often embedding hidden phrases and personal stories. Throughout the students ARC experience, she guided students in creating a large-scale collaborative artwork for the upcoming exhibition at the Taft Museum of Art.
“Where Our Worlds Meet” is a whimsical celebration of the everyday worlds students move through: school activities, neighborhoods, digital spaces, shared hangouts, impactful life experiences, and quiet personal moments that bring joy. By incorporating favorite objects, symbols, and visual references from these familiar environments, the piece reflects how individual identities are shaped by daily experiences while remaining deeply connected to others. Each element carries personal meaning, but gains new significance when placed alongside the contributions of peers.
At the heart of this work is the question: How can we come together to creatively respond to the world around us? Through collaboration, students explored what it means to live together creatively: listening, adapting, and finding harmony within difference. The process emphasized connection over perfection, inviting playful experimentation and collective problem-solving as a way to build creative unity.
Aligned with ARC’s focus on collaboration and connection, this artwork represents both self and community. It honors individuality while highlighting shared experiences, showing that creativity thrives when voices overlap, ideas intertwine, and imagination becomes a common language. Together, these contributions form a joyful, unified response to the environments we all inhabit every day.
“Where Our Worlds Meet” will be on exhibition at the Taft Museum of Art from February 13th-16th, 2026. There will be an exhibition celebration on February 15th, from 1:00-2:30pm, with remarks at 1:30pm. Please join us in celebrating the creative vision of the Drawing and Printmaking students and Adoria Maxberry!
On December 5th, AP Art and Design students embarked on their first field experience 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, 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.
During the tour, students engaged with the Sheida Soleimani’s “What a Revolutionary Must Know” exhibition. Sheida Soleimani’s solo exhibition presents her complete “Ghostwriter” series, uniting photography, sculpture, and video to reconstruct her parents’ escape from Iran’s totalitarian regime through surreal, staged visual narratives that explore resistance, identity, memory, and political trauma, while also marking her first presentation of video work in a museum. An Iranian-American artist raised in Cincinnati, Soleimani examines interconnected histories of political violence across Iran, the United States, and the Middle East through multimedia, photo-based installations. Her work is held in major museum collections and widely covered in prominent publications. Based in Providence, she is an associate professor at Brandeis University and founder of Congress of the Birds, and she created a public artwork of 100 cast aluminum tulips honoring protesters killed after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a project that debuted at the 2023 Armory Show and continues to raise funds.
“Second Nature” showcases three digital animation works from the 21c Museum Hotels collection, featuring artists Jennifer Steinkamp and Chris Doyle, who use computer-generated imagery inspired by natural forms such as trees, vines, butterflies, and mushrooms to explore movement, pattern, and the fragile relationship between humans and the environment, with Steinkamp’s Dervish 3 depicting a tree shifting through the four seasons in a wind-like, whirling motion, and Doyle’s Circular Lament and Rondo using animated, nature-referencing shapes and bioluminescent mushrooms within symbolic, sacred-like forms to suggest ecological tension and the simulated presence of organic life through digital technology.
Students also had the unique opportunity to experience an artist talk from their teacher, Jamie Schorsch, an exhibiting artist in the “Journey to Healing” exhibition, where she shared how creating artwork has been a powerful tool in processing trauma and shaping her identity in adulthood. Through her personal story and visual work, students gained insight into how art can serve as a path to healing, self-expression, and resilience.
The Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching Classrooms (ARC) program immerses high school art students in Cincinnati’s visual arts community, connecting them with artistic practices, exhibitions, marketing strategies, and careers in the arts. This semester, Drawing and Printmaking students are participating in the program, which includes one museum visit, four classroom visits, and culminates in a winter exhibition at the Taft.
As part of ARC, students are collaborating with Adoria L. Maxberry, a Cincinnati-based visual and performance artist, educator, designer, and founder of Most OutGROWing LLC. Guided by a belief in the power of creativity for personal and collective growth, Adoria creates immersive experiences that blend education, reflection, and community. Her work spans murals, fiber arts, illustration, and mixed media, often embedding hidden phrases and personal stories. She has led significant public projects, including Revolutionary Recipes: The Flavors of a Black Woman Amplified, and partners with organizations like ArtWorks. Adoria also teaches in schools, performs as a lead puppeteer and voice actress on the Emmy-winning children’s series Paige’s Place, and was recognized as a Black is Excellence: Unsung Hometown Hero by the City of Cincinnati in 2022. Through ARC, she will guide students in creating a large-scale collaborative artwork for the Taft exhibition.
After spending their first visit getting to know Adoria and brainstorming about the things they experience in their daily environments, or what they find impactful about objects they interact with on a daily basis, they created a collaborative design synthesizing their different perspectives. During this week’s visit with Adoria, they began laying out their design and blocking in color. Over the next few weeks, the Drawing and Printmaking students will continue their collaboration in preparation for the winter exhibition of their work at the Taft Museum of Art.
OHHS Art and Design 