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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

2024 OHHS Permanent Art Collection Winners Announced!

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Lily Clark and Kaylyn Schirmer are the class of 2024 Permanent Art Collection winners and their work is now a part of a continuing tradition of artistic excellence at Oak Hills.

The Senior Permanent Art Collection started over 30 years ago when the Student Council decided to enrich the daily experience of Oak Hills High School students by hanging art posters throughout the building. This sparked a partnership between the Art & Design Department and Student Council- the creation of a Permanent Student Art Collection competition. The competition was established for seniors who have enrolled in any art and design course during their time at Oak Hills High School. Students could submit up to 2 original artworks to be juried, with the chosen works to be professionally framed and presented to our school district at awards night.

These original artworks have been framed by Picture Frame Co. and will be added to the growing collection of over 150 artworks prominently displayed throughout Oak Hills High School and District Office.

Lily Clark
Kaylyn Schirmer

OHHS Art and Design Student Awarded 1st Place at the Taft Museum of Art’s ARC Exhibition Opening!

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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 engage in meaningful interactions and mentoring with artists Kay Hurley, Cedric Cox, Kevin Muente, and Saad Ghosn. The students 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, 5 of which could be selected for a juried exhibition at the Pendleton Arts Center Annex Gallery. Students were challenged to consider their interpretation of “Wonder” and generated works that demonstrate their approach to the term after brainstorming, project planning, and setting up their own resource images.

5 students from each participating school were selected for this year’s competition. The 5 Drawing and Printmaking students who were selected for this year’s exhibition to represent OHHS were:

Miles Frisch (10)
Aubree Fuson (9)
Austin Haarmeyer (9)
Jackson Mundstock (9)
Michael Smith (9)

The “Wonder” Exhibition, which opened on February 18th, 2024 at The Annex Gallery, showcased the work of students from Aiken, Hughes STEM, McNichols, Oak Hills, Princeton, School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Spencer School for the Gifted and Exceptional Students, St. Bernard, Summit Country Day School, Walnut Hills, Western Hills, and Winton Woods High Schools. At the opening reception, Miles Frisch received the Noteworthy Award for the Best in Show from OHHS and Jackson Mundstock took home the 1st place award!

As part of the award, Jackson will continue to learn the professional aspects of the life of an artist by being paid for the use of his image, having the work reproduced onto the Taft Museum of Art’s reusable bags, having his work showcased to funders and the community to show the outcomes of the ARC program, as well as the creation of a museum banner that will be displayed outside of the Taft Museum of Art as well as Oak Hills High School!

Jackson Mundstock, Grade 9, “Les merveilles de se demander”, Charcoal on Canson Paper

Check out “Wonder” now through March 30th, 2024 at the Annex Gallery!

OHHS Art and Design Students Exhibiting at the 2024 CAM Teen Expo

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Each year The Cincinnati Art Museum engages young artists to display their artwork at our 10×10 Teen Art Expo.

Students from the OHHS National Art Honor Society will be exhibiting work at the Cincinnati Art Museum! The Cincinnati Art Museum Teen Expo Volunteer Team curated an exhibition of artworks addressing the theme of “Behind the Scenes”. Artists were invited to interpret and use their creative voice to address this theme in the media of their choice. The only parameter was that works submitted had to be 2-Dimensional and only 10 inches by 10 inches.

Congratulations to the following students whose work was selected to be a part of the exhibition this year!

Finley Nguyen will be exhibiting “Setting the Stage” at the Cincinnati Art Museum
Emma Brunner will be projected in the Great Hall at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Artworks selected by the Teen Expo Volunteer Team will be displayed in the Great Hall from March 26–31, 2024. Participants are invited to an opening party planned by the team on Thursday, March 28, 2024.