AAC News Archives - Art Academy of Cincinnati

May

Q & A with Julio Labra

Q & A with Julio Labra, AAC class of 2009

Julio Labra, born in Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1989, is an artist working in Asia. He is a painter whose works are representational of his nomadic life. Having never lived in one place for more than a year, Julio’s work depicts the journey and search for his identity.

He received his MFA in painting from Laguna College of Art and Design in 2014, and his BFA in illustration from Art Academy of Cincinnati in 2012.

Julio currently lives in Tokyo, Japan with his wife. Julio has been discovering what his studio practice looks like amidst the pandemic while traveling throughout Japan. His series “Drifting Studio”, “Drifting Studio 2” explores where he has lived while in Japan and what his studio spaces look like, how he creates, and how he adapts.

Q: Julio, tell us about your artwork and what you have been working on!
I generally work in series and the two series that I’m currently focusing my attention on are my Wonderland Series and Eto Series. Both share themes of fantasy and playfulness as well as focus on color and paint application.
Wonderland consists of images honoring the relationship I have with my wife. During 2020 we were pulled apart because of the pandemic and the international lockdowns, causing us to abandon our previous lifestyles. Wonderland is an attempt at lifting our spirits during our time apart, and the artwork creates a space where I can reflect on the past 2 years.

I’ve always been fascinated with tales of mythology especially stories of mythic creatures, and the Eto series is heavily inspired by the Japanese and Chinese Zodiac. For me, it’s invaluable to find parallels and intersections between different cultures, and I try to infuse aspects of the cultures I’ve been a part of into my work. Taking elements from Mexican Alibrije art, I push the color of the larger-than-life animals to add to the whimsical nature they already possess. My goal with this series is to synthesize my experience as a person of color living in China; providing a place for more than two worlds to harmonize despite their differences.

Q: What is your relationship with color? I notice your works are very vibrant and radiate intense colors!
I’m absolutely in love with color and have only recently given myself permission to experiment with it in my work. I have pushed against the muted tones that I was using in my twenties to create work that is more vibrant and energetic. Placing colors beside each other in a style similar to collage I’m able to see the effects of each color against the next. I want each plane of color to pop and have it’s own identity within the context of the painting so it can be viewed from afar as a singular entity and appreciated for its fragmented detail up-close.

Q: What has your life been like since graduating from the AAC?
I’m so grateful for the AAC because I was able to learn so much about myself during my time there. The most valuable experience came after graduation when I used the funds awarded to me by the AAC through the Wilder Traveling Scholarship. I chose to take the money and travel to Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. This expedition is what sparked my interest in international travel and led me to travel across the world. Coming from a small town I was not inclined to go beyond my borders, but I’m so thankful that I was able to explore new horizons after graduation.

From Cincinnati, I moved out to California to attend Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) for my MFA in Painting. During my two years at LCAD I was introduced to the Southern Californian art scene and began participating in the art scene. With two other artists, I opened up a not-for-profit art gallery and hosted monthly exhibitions featuring local artists.During my time in California, I worked as an adjunct professor and preparator for galleries. It was during this time that I applied for a teaching position in Qingdao, China. After accepting the job, I moved to China and worked there for four years. That experience was invaluable and opened my eyes to a whole new paradigm of ideas. Using the opportunity to travel I was able to see parts of the world that I would have never believed I’d see. I’ve been spoiled by travel and can’t wait to return to my explorations and working in different parts of the world.

Q: Do you have any big accomplishments or achievements you would like to share with us?
My biggest accomplishment within my artistic practice would be attaining the Star Arts Space artist residency in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This experience opened my eyes to color and expanded my palette. My artwork blossomed in this beautiful country and I learned so much about Kyrgyz culture. The work I made there was an attempt at comprehending the pitfalls of tradition and the trappings of identity. I learned that naming myself American was far too broad and that it is beyond difficult to gain a grasp on the multitude of distinctions between each group within a culture. To simply say one country is the same is ludicrous and my time traveling around the mountains and cities of Kyrgyzstan made me confront this conundrum. Being a person of multiple backgrounds, I have always had a tough time identifying with one group, but until this point, I had been able to sidestep any deep investigation into my cultural background.

Click HERE to learn more about Julio’s experience in Krygzstan.

May

Senior Thesis: Virtual Galleries

Virtual Galleries

Thank you to our Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC) 2021 graduates, friends, and family for enduring through these critical times with radiant creativity. The pandemic impacted many people’s ability to view the capstone work of our Seniors. We captured the galleries virtually, so if you missed one of the shows you can experience them below by clicking the images below.

Group 1: Untitled

K Kroencke
Miranda Berg
Kelsey Keiser
Saint (Natalie St. George)
Kacee Hamant
Kaitlin Moser

Group 2: AESEXLA

Ezra Cline
Lura Bentley
Elena Herren
Abby Cornelius
Abbie Gilfilen
Xavier Sepeda
Sam Anderson

Group 3: Smorgasbord

Michael Lee
Amyia Carroll
Darby Forand
Lance Rinehart
Bryce Schmitt

Group 4: Lustrum

Jay Cason
Nytaya Babbitt
Kaitlyn Ewalt
Taila Dowling
Milo Harris

Group 5: Personal Forms

Krista Sheneman
Emma Hedges
Bai Rhodus
Sarah Perez
Trenton Buck
Z Banderas

Apr

Jennifer Grote Named Distinguished Alumni

Jennifer Grote Named Distinguished Alumni 2021

The Art Academy of Cincinnati Alumni Association established this award as our highest honor. The Alum who receive this honor have distinguished themselves by the contributions they have made in their particular field or profession, in service to the Art Academy and to the betterment of humanity.

On behalf of the Art Academy Alumni Council, it is my great privilege to recognize Jennifer Grote, Class of 2003, as this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Over the years, Jenny has exemplified the power of creative spirit, working as a successful artist, gallery director and advocate for the Art Academy’s students and alumni. Always striving to strengthen our AAC community, Jenny has organized and curated many group shows, including Raw Walls and the biennial Minumental Show. Through thick and thin, Jenny’s support of our beloved Art Academy has remained steady and focused. She is someone who observes a situation and knows exactly what needs to be done at just the right time. As Past Alumni Council President Mike Beeghly says, “Jenny Grote became my trusted sounding board for any big decisions the Alumni Council was making. Being a practicing artist and gallery director, she always considered the viewpoint of the artists and designers first and foremost.”

Jenny’s positive energy and creative vision has made alumni initiatives successful, inclusive and rewarding. Embracing her role as an artist and agent for positive change, Jenny has always made time and space to challenge her artistic impulses and share her work in meaningful, carefully crafted shows. In fact, Jenny’s latest body of work was on display at the Indian Hill Gallery this past fall, and all of us on the Alumni Council agree that it is some of her strongest work yet. As one art critic remarked, Jenny’s work, “offers art that takes us beyond the confines of our present distress into a larger realm of being.”

We are so fortunate to include Jennifer Grote as one of ours. She is a true champion of the Art Academy, we are a better institution because of her quiet, inspiring leadership over the years. Congratulations!

– Christine Carli, AAC Alumni Association President

About Jennifer Grote

After graduating from The Art Academy of Cincinnati in 2003 with a BFA, emphasis in painting, I remained active in the arts community through exhibiting locally in galleries such as the Phyllis J. Weston / Annie Bolling Gallery, Cincinnati Art Galleries, AEC Gallery, Semantics and the Harvest Gallery among a few. I was Gallery Director and Curator of the 537 Gallery (2001-2009) which included exhibition planning, installation, and public relations. I continue to work as an independent curator.

As a member of the Alumni Council (2003-2019) and President of the Alumni Association of The Art Academy of Cincinnati (2007-2010), I was active in fund raising for student scholarships. Organizing biannual Beaux Balls, alumni exhibitions, and activities which enhance the student experience and scholarship fundraising are a driving force in my volunteer work.

Being a wife, mother, grandmother, and registered nurse, all inform my work in the various ways. The environments of all these roles merge to create my style of investigation in painting and sculpture.

Artist Statement

The familiar can be something nonobjective extracted from the very objective and real. Our learning process begins in infancy through recognition of color, then shapes, which progresses to three-dimensional form and then we begin to compare what we have learned to what is new. This comparative process becomes innate, automatic and unconscious. The nonobjective nature of my work seeks to tap into this innocent learning process. The brain, a powerhouse of storage, transforms all life’s experiences into cellular memories of color, form, line and texture. These are the basic elements of artwork. I deconstruct experiences and reconfigure a memory using these pure elements to create work that speaks to the brain in abstract form.

My chosen materials vary. The materials have a language of themselves, each dictating the progression of my creativity. I combine them to create a comparison of abstract geometric forms and materials that are a juxtaposition of a personal language of color, form, line, and texture. Porcelain, wood, metal, found objects, and painted canvases all link in my language of common form to create a formal challenge to engage the mind, pose possibilities, seek conclusions and lead the viewer to return again to explore, rethink, speculate and create new meaning.

My work seeks to create a dialogue of personal histories through compositions that seem like perception tests compelling the viewer to give the work a second study which, in turn yields more discovery and richness. The meaning I intend may be in contrast to the viewer’s response also tempered by their memories and subconscious.

Igor Stravinsky, a 20th century Russian composer, wrote in 1940 about his creative process. His writings speak of the search for personal truth and inspiration through a manifesto of editing: “My Freedom consists in my moving about within the narrow frame that I have assigned myself for each one of my undertakings. I shall go even further: my freedom will be much greater and more meaningful, the more narrowly I limit my field of action and the more I surround myself with obstacles. Whatever diminishes constraint diminishes strength. The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees oneself from the chains that shackle the spirit.”

Thoughts About Jennifer

“As a student Jenny was authentic, engaged and always went above and beyond expectations. She challenged the idea of what a painting could be.

Post-graduation she continues to thrive in the contemporary arts community by not only exhibiting her own work but supporting other artists by curating and providing opportunities in the arts,”

-Paige Williams, AAC Academic Dean.

“Jennifer Grote was an exceptional student—curious, diligent, hard-working and attentive in both her studio and academic work. She had high standards for herself, which she continues to carry in her studio practice.

Jenny has a strong personal vision that is evident in all the varied media that explores. The maturity and professionalism in her work reflect well on the Academy.

More than these accomplishments, the Distinguished Alumni Award is a recognition of the many years in which Jenny’s service on the Alumni Council benefitted current and past students of the Academy. She worked tirelessly, taking on ambitious and demanding projects. This award is thanks to an exemplary person.”

-Gary Gaffney

“When I came to the Art Academy Alumni Council in 2015, Jennifer was one of the first to accept my quirks and shortcomings. I had and still have very strong opinions about things Art Academy related but the true sign of leadership is exactly what Jennifer possesses in spades. She listens and lets you express your feelings with care and sensitivity. The ability to think outside the box and create environments such as “Raw Walls” is a rare quality and to invite others to share her unbridled enthusiasm and drive only serves to further our communities creative endeavors. Congratulations Jennifer on the Distinguished Alumni Award. It is well deserved.”

-Patrick Kunnen, AAC Alumni Council

“So happy to hear that Jenny will receive a long over-do thank you for all she has done over the years to promote the AAC (did not see attachments of her work) and help with the Alumni Council. What I remember most about Jenny, was her eagerness to explore new possibilities, test her assumptions, and strive for excellence. I can’t remember a conversation I didn’t thoroughly enjoy or a critique where she didn’t present something new. She always seemed fully invested.”

-Kim Krause

Apr

Thesis 5: Personal Forms

Personal Forms

Krista Sheneman

Sheneman is a time-based sculpture artist who uses performance relics to capture her existence and elevate the mundane. Her work focuses on health, collection, and memory. She lives and works in Cincinnati, OH.

Zuleyma Banderas, Hyper Guava

Zuleyma is a Graphic Designer who decided to combine her art practice with motherhood. In this body of work, she focuses on the unique bond between a child and their mother by transforming photographic moments into whimsical illustrative works of art. Her work incorporates vibrant colors, typography, patterns, shapes, and lines that resemble childlike characteristics. She works with digital software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate to bring my ideas to life.

Emma Hedges

“I am an interdisciplinary artist who primarily works in illustration, and photo manipulation/collage. My work focuses on my personal experiences expressed through costume and characters. Themes in my work include body /self-image, stereotypes, and feminism.”

Sarah Perez

“I am Sarah Perez and I’m a visual artist. I focus mainly on photography and illustration but I have also done a variety of other mediums such as screen printing and painting. My goal with my work is to make people happy as I find there is too much sadness in the world. I do this by exploring themes of fun and silliness while also adding a strange twist.”

Trenton Buck

Trenton is a sculptor and painter working with abandoned objects and materials. He uses these found objects because he enjoys making something new out of the old and forgotten.
Currently, he is working on abstract sculptures that are portrayals of faces. For Trenton, faces are a focus point because they are easily recognizable from person to person. This familiarization with faces has led him to be interested in their form and how it can be manipulated while still being recognizable.

Bai Rhodus

“This year, I shifted to concentrate on building my digital drawing skills, developing my style further in the dark, colorful and feminine direction I mentioned admiring in my visual inspirations section last year, while also exploring a recurring problem within classic literature, and especially in tragedy, horror and gothic romance subgenres: the treatment of female characters.”

Apr

Thesis 4: Lustrum

Lustrum

Nytaya Babbit

Nytaya is a Cincinnati-based artist working to help further the discussion on the mistreatment of the black feminine body.
“My work thrives on my current ideologies, my principles, and how outside forces such as social media might affect my system of beliefs. My goal for making art based on external influences on my beliefs is to make a connection with someone who might be disconnected from my way of thinking. I want the viewer to recognize, identify, and easily reference the narrative my paintings are communicating, relating it back to something that may have affected them. My end game is to have accessible art that a general audience can understand effectively.”

Jay Cason

“I’m an illustrator and printmaker inspired by love, experience, and representation.
My thesis explores self love and pride in the body, my body. I am inspired by experiences of the self and the facets of what makes the self. I let this body of work become an exploration of seeking out the inner workings of me. I plan on continuing to look inward for inspiration, while also taking time to break outwards.”

Taila Dowling

“My thesis work revolves around the exploration of character design, concept art, and world-building. When I first design a character, I start with an idea that was influenced by media I consumed or objects nature. I play word association but visually.”

Kaitlyn Ewalt

“History and different cultures inspire me, as well as the stories that have been passed down through many generations such as fairies and spirits. I am focusing on mythical/cryptid creatures in my work, as well as placing some horror aspects within. I am working toward being able to use my work as possible concept art for larger projects.

Apr

AAC ALUMNI MARKET

COMING SOON!

Apr

Thesis 3: Smorgasbord

Smorgasbord

Michael Lee

Michael is a Sculpture, Video, and Performance artist looking to make an impact.

“Everything I make is meant to be displayed publicly and is intended to start tough conversations. Whether it is social justice driven or a commentary on the art world itself, I work with any medium that lends itself to delivering the message. My primary media are larger sculptural pieces, videos, and installations.”

Amyia Carroll

Amyia is an Ohio-based creative who is passionate about community impact in the arts. She thrives the most when she collaborates and uses the art of storytelling, personal experiences, and creativity as a resource for others.

“My community work and design practice got its start, much like me, on the Northside of Columbus, Ohio. I have created a website to show a collection of my design pieces and community projects. My mission for this work is to support communities by creating brands to amplify their stories, build unique friendships, and give to others what I have gained for myself.”

Bryce Schmitt

“I am a graphic designer who has been in love with the way that line and form, work in the design world. I have recently been interested in abstract painting. I believe that art should be bound by no names or ideals but should be appreciated for the way that it appears to the average viewer and not to the higher class for money/power.”

Darby Forand

Darby is an Illustration major who is developing a card-based, role-playing game called Uncle Fungeon’s Magic Dungeon with some colleagues. His thesis show revolves around the game itself, promotional materials, and the tie-in works that they plan to sell and develop.

Apr

Hanif Abdurraqib: 2021 Commencement Speaker

Hanif Abdurraqib Internationally Acclaimed Poet
to Address Graduates at the 152 Commencement Ceremony

The Art Academy of Cincinnati is pleased to announce Hanif Abdurraqib, internationally acclaimed poet, essayist, and cultural critic as commencement speaker for the 152nd graduation ceremony. The ceremony will be held  Sunday, May 16, 2021, 10 am—1 pm.

Recently featured on NPR’s  Fresh Air, Abdurraqib will champion the class of 2021 to realize their creative visions. His first collection of essays They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, NPR, Oprah Magazine, among others. 

Art Academy senior Amyia Carroll (BFA 2021) referenced his work in her recent capstone project. Carroll states, “I remember reading Hanif Abdurraqib’s They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, and this line always stayed with me, ‘The truth is, if we don’t write our own stories, there is someone else waiting to do it for us. And those people, waiting with their pens, often don’t look like we do and don’t have our best interests in mind,’ with this, I discovered my role as a designer was not only crucial to who I am today, but why I chose to become a creative.” 

“His work made me think about using our voices to tell our own stories, and as an artist, how can I be responsible for making sure that if I’m telling someone else’s story, I’m doing it authentically.”

About Hanif Abdurraqib:
Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His poetry has been published in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American, and various other journals. His essays and music criticism have been published in The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. His first full length poetry collection, The Crown Ain’t Worth Much, was released in June 2016 from Button Poetry. It was named a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Prize, and was nominated for a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. With Big Lucks, he released a limited-edition chapbook, Vintage Sadness, in summer 2017 (you cannot get it anymore and he is very sorry.) His first collection of essays, T hey Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, CBC, The Los Angeles Review, Pitchfork, and The Chicago Tribune, among others. He released  Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest with University of Texas press in February 2019. The book became a New York Times Bestseller, was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and was longlisted for the National Book Award. His second collection of poems, A Fortune For Your Disaster, was released in 2019 by Tin House, and won the 2020 Lenore Marshall Prize. In 2021, he will release the book A Little Devil In America with Random House. He is a graduate of Beechcroft High School.

Apr

Thesis 2: AESEXLA

AESEXLA

Abby Rae Cornelius, 5G Migraine

5G Migraine, shows a day in the life of characters who are living in fear of 5G mm waves. They unknowingly participate in the commodification of their fear by purchasing the latest forms of protection offered to try to save themselves from this supposed danger. This sketch intends to poke around with themes of capitalism. Capitalism is entrenched in our everyday lives and is part of the backdrop of American society.

“I am someone who sees value and importance in the light and the dark, the positive and the negative. I believe these opposites are part of a greater system that speaks to the interconnectedness of all things. My work is in service of post-irony and post-truth satire. I break down the binary of the self and other exploring ideas of abjection and fear.”

Sam Anderson

Sam is a Creative Writing major and a Sculpture minor. Both fields directly influence each other, allowing Sam to explore written and visual language that exists within the art world.
You can purchase their book, “Between Vessels” by clicking HERE.
“My artistic process and main focus primarily challenge the mindsets of consumerism as well as sentimentality. Poetry is my main practice currently, however, I also use a variety of materials and forms to express my ideas.”

Xavier Sepeda

Xavier is an illustrator from San Antonio TX, who’s interested in new ways of storytelling such as using visual elements from papel picado to create narratives.
“I am co-creator of Space Jesus, a comic that follows lord and savior Jesus as he journeys through Space in hopes to prevent the return of Space Satan.”

Lura Bently, Tools of the Trade

Lura is a rug maker and dream interpreter. She explores the concepts of identity through the repetitive nature of machine tufting rugs to create a relationship of comfort with tools used in laborious, time-consuming jobs. By creating objects associated with occupations/careers, she can play pretend with ideas of what her future and artistic practice could be. 
The works were conceived through the rejection of the workplace/task and lands themselves in the middle ground of comfort and career. By symbolically reconstructing elements of the surrounding vocations in her life, the artist synchronizes her exertion with those in the fields represented.

Elena Kay Herren, Fall

“Fall” is a series of insert illustrations excerpts from the YA novel written by Elena Kay Herren. The narrative follows teenager Thana who dies in a tragic car accident and is brought back to life by the demon Dimitri. The work explores themes of dichotomy, art history, irony, and magic.

“A picture is worth a thousand words” and sometimes we need a hundred words to understand the context of the image.
For my senior thesis I have written a young adult novel and am drawing insert illustrations for the text. The story follows a teenager named Thana who dies in a hit-and-run accident, then due to a series of coincidences is brought back to life by a demon named Dimitri.

Mar

Thesis 1

Virtual Galleries

Kelsey Keiser, Iris

Kelsey Keiser is a graphic designer based in Cincinnati. For her senior capstone, she envisioned Iris, a music festival with a creative and welcoming environment for the younger LGBTQIA+ generation in Cincinnati.

Miranda Berg, Diplopia

Diplopia is a female-focused lifestyle brand for women in the snowboarding culture. Miranda is passionate about web design, UX/UI, creating package designs, branding, and visual identity systems, as well as print and publication design.

Saint, Virtual Inhabitance

Saint is establishing their virtual inhabitance by creating collages at the convergence of URL and IRL. These collages stand as photographic works of American design and middle-class actualities.

“Each object that I include in a collage has a virtual origin – from
craigslist, Facebook marketplace, internet archive, google images. Every one of these objects also directly references its real-life interface. It loses its sense of direct belonging, but in its recontextualization, it develops a relationship within its composition. All of these share roots in a highly nostalgic American landscape and indicate its socioeconomic working class.”

K Kroencke, Thrash Zone

K is an Illustrator and musician from Louisville, Kentucky now living in Cincinnati, Ohio. In her free time sings in a punk rock band called “Sweet Action” and goes urban exploring for collage materials. She specializes in collage and screen printing to give a window into her life of punk rock and mosh pits.

KC Hamant

KC Hamant is a mixed media artist who’s passionate about the artistic process and making art fun and accessible. Their process of creating art is just as important, if not more important than the final work itself. They believe art should be enjoyable and inclusive.

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Q & A with Julio Labra, AAC class of 2009

Click HERE to learn more about Julio’s experience in Krygzstan.

Virtual Galleries

Group 1: Untitled

Group 2: AESEXLA

Group 3: Smorgasbord

Group 4: Lustrum

Group 5: Personal Forms

Jennifer Grote Named Distinguished Alumni 2021

The Art Academy of Cincinnati Alumni Association established this award as our highest honor. The Alum who receive this honor have distinguished themselves by the contributions they have made in their particular field or profession, in service to the Art Academy and to the betterment of humanity.

Artist Statement

Thoughts About Jennifer

Personal Forms

Krista Sheneman

Zuleyma Banderas, Hyper Guava

Emma Hedges

Sarah Perez

Trenton Buck

Bai Rhodus

Lustrum

Nytaya Babbit

Jay Cason

Taila Dowling

Kaitlyn Ewalt

COMING SOON!

Smorgasbord

Michael Lee

Amyia Carroll

Bryce Schmitt

Darby Forand

AESEXLA

Abby Rae Cornelius, 5G Migraine

Sam Anderson

Xavier Sepeda

Lura Bently, Tools of the Trade

Elena Kay Herren, Fall

Virtual Galleries

Kelsey Keiser, Iris

Miranda Berg, Diplopia

Saint, Virtual Inhabitance

K Kroencke, Thrash Zone

KC Hamant

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