Tag Archives: exhibition

‘Amplifying Student Voices’ with Cedric Michael Cox and the Taft 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, Ms. Schorsch’s 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 of collaboratively created artworks at the Taft Art Museum in the winter. This year, students will be working alongside Cedric Michael Cox to experience the practices of a professional artist firsthand. Cedric will also lead students in the creation of a collaborative artwork, and an individual piece, for the Annex Gallery exhibition.

Cedric Michael Cox is best known for his paintings and drawings that merge surrealism and representational abstraction. As a student at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), Cox was awarded a fellowship to study at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in 1999, he began to exhibit regionally and nationally. In addition to his work being in corporate collections, Cox has executed several large murals in various public and private schools in The Cincinnati Region. Cox’s past exhibitions include The Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati, The Weston Art Gallery, The Columbus Art Museum, the Dayton Art Institute, Five Myles Gallery in Brooklyn, the Museum of Science and Industry and Gallery Guichard in Chicago, and The Taft Museum of Art.

In 2019, Cox’s work was exhibited at the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati; in 2020, he had a solo exhibition at James Ratliff Gallery in Sedona, Arizona. A 20-year retrospective exhibition was created for Caza Sikes Gallery, along with a commissioned body of work for the Kinley Hotel Cincinnati in 2020. In 2021, a series of 64 paintings were installed for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and in 2022 created work in the Metro Dayton Library west branch. Recently, he executed four new murals for the community of Avondale that stand as monuments to the healing spirit of joy and community pride as well as several murals featured in local schools.

The Drawing and Printmaking students spend their first visit getting to know Cedric and brainstorming ways that they could communicate their collective interpretations of ‘Amplifying Student Voices’. Following the idea brainstorming sessions, through which they established a theme focused on music and culture, they generated sketches to be shared with Cedric which he will use to synthesize their different perspectives into a collective, cohesive, design.

Over the next few weeks, the Drawing and Printmaking students will continue their collaboration with Cedric in preparation for the winter exhibition of their work at the Taft Museum of Art.

Wayfarers: An OHHS Art and Design Fotofocus Exhibition in Partnership with the Delhi Event Center!

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Each Biennial, FotoFocus is structured around a unifying theme. The 2026 Biennial theme, The Long View, considers aspects of time and perspective in photography and film, and how these mediums shape our understanding of the world. “The long view” is a phrase used to invoke a broader perspective. It suggests both distance and duration, i.e., looking far into the distance and/or looking for a long period of time. The Long View acknowledges the semiquincentennial of the United States, encouraging a posture of reflection in regards to the grand sweep of our country’s history, its past, present, and future. Photography can show us many moments from that history but it can also serve as a metaphor for how we understand our past and decide to shape it over time.

As a part of this year’s FotoFocus Biennial, OHHS Art and Design Photography alumni will be exhibiting alongside their former teacher, Steve Groh, in the Wayfarers exhibition at Delhi Event Center. The exhibition theme and title, wayfarer, defines a person who travels, especially on foot. The term is often used in a literary or poetic sense to describe someone who goes on long, wandering journeys, embracing the freedom and unpredictability of life on the road.

Groh will be co-curating the exhibition with alumnus Hannah Knight (2018). The exhibition will feature a photograph that represents an earlier point in photographic journeys, and another that represents where individuals are now, along with a pair of shoes that somehow represents the journey through life. As an official part of the FotoFocus Biennial, the exhibition opening will include a brief educational component in the form of artist talks. Jamie Schorsch, OHHS Art and Design Department Chair, photography teacher Steve Groh, and definitely be speaking, and Hannah Knight will be featured speakers with additional alumni contributing to discussion throughout the event.

Mark your calendars now for the exhibition opening at the Delhi Event Center:

Wayfarers Opening Reception
Sunday, October 4
1:00–3:00 p.m.

From Inspiration to Exhibition: AP Art Students Engage with Gee Horton at the Contemporary Arts Center

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A recent visit to the Contemporary Arts Center provided AP Art and Design students with an exceptional opportunity to engage directly with Gee Horton while experiencing his exhibition, Chapter 4: In Another Lifetime. The visit moved beyond observation, offering students insight into both the conceptual depth of Horton’s work and the lived experience of a practicing artist.

Spanning two galleries, the exhibition continues Horton’s evolving body of work through large-scale photorealistic drawings, photography, collage, video, and installation. His exploration of generational memory, childhood, and the navigation of grief and loss, invites viewers to examine the tension between safety and vulnerability, and how these forces shape identity. Building on Chapter 3: Be Home Before the Streetlights…, Horton shifts from the idea of returning home to what is inherited once we arrive.

At the center of Chapter 4 is the narrative of Freeman Little, a boy living with a rare hereditary sleep disorder that produces vivid, prophetic dreams. Through this lens, Horton blurs memory, imagination, and reality, creating a space where past and present coexist. Students responded to this storytelling approach as a powerful model for embedding meaning and narrative within their own work.

Horton also shared his journey to becoming a full-time artist later in life, speaking candidly about the risks, persistence, and clarity that accompanied that transition. His perspective challenged students to think more expansively about creative careers and reinforced that artistic paths are often nonlinear.

The visual impact of Horton’s exhibition, particularly his graphite and cyanotype works, immersive assemblages, and symbolic imagery, deepened students’ understanding of how material and scale can support complex ideas. This, paired with the experience of exhibiting their own work, prompted thoughtful dialogue about intention, craftsmanship, and the role of art in communicating layered narratives.

In addition to engaging with Horton’s work, students experienced a meaningful full-circle moment by viewing their own exhibition on the CAC’s 6th floor Creativity Center gallery. The displayed works, developed through this year’s SOP (School Outreach Program) experiences, reflected individual and collective explorations of process, concept, and personal voice. Seeing their work installed in a professional gallery setting elevated the experience, encouraging students to consider presentation, audience, and context as integral parts of their practice.

Together, these experiences underscored the value of connection: between artist and audience, concept and execution, and student work and professional practice. For AP Art and Design students, the visit was not only an opportunity to learn from Gee Horton, but also to see themselves as part of a larger creative community; one where their voices, ideas, and work hold real presence and potential.

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”.