Encore! Encore!

CINCINNATI, OH - Artwork by Fitton Center Director of Education and Outreach Kate Rowekamp makes the rounds again with the Human Rights/Derechos Humanos - Prints by Oaxaca and Cincinnati Artists exhibition opening Aug. 27 at Xavier University.

The exhibition ran at the Fitton Center from December 2021 through March of this year.

Not only does the exhibition get another appearance, Rowekamp and her fellow artists created additional prints for this incarnation of the show.

According to the XU website, “The exhibition consists of 75 prints by 25 artists, 12 from Oaxaca and 13 from Cincinnati. Each participating artist created a woodcut with a theme of human rights. …All artists also contributed two different prints for the exhibit, featuring their other printmaking techniques and styles.”

Rowekamp’s initial woodcut depicts a jaguar.

“I like to do things where I can communicate concepts through animals,” she said. “There was a whole list of human rights topics we could choose from, and I looked at housing. I kind of linked issues of immigration and the border wall and how those are affecting housing.

“That inspired me to look at parallels between housing for people and habitats for the animals, and how the wall is adversely affecting both of them. The jaguar depicted is one of many species whose habitats are affected.”

Three of the artists from Oaxaca join participating Cincinnati artists from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, for the opening Artists Reception in the XU Art Gallery in the A.B. Cohen Center (1658 Musketeer Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45207).

Local and visiting artists also present images of their work and speak about their techniques from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.

Human Rights/Derechos Humanos runs through Sept. 23 at XU. Saad Ghosn - founder and President of SOS ART - organized and curated the exhibition. SOS is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the arts for peace and justice.

As one exhibition opens, another closes.

A piece from Rowekamp’s Dozens collection – Fish Bones – appeared in JAM!: A locally juried art exhibition, featuring 15 awesome artists! sponsored by PAR Projects in Northside. PAR - Professional Artistic Research – hosts a closing reception for JAM! from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, in The Gallery at Studeō PAR (1662 Hoffner Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223).

Rowekamp looks forward to having her art on display for people to view and interpret. “It’s always fun to hear what people think a work means, what connections and ideas it conjures for them,” she said. “Since a lot of my art is narrative-based, the art can have its own little conversation with the viewer. It’s not as effective if it’s not out where people can see it. It’s not doing any good just sitting in my studio. The work comes alive when it has company.”

How does she pick where to display her work?

“It kind of depends,” Rowekamp said. “Sometimes I’ll get invited to submit work. Other times I’ll seek something out. It kind of varies based on what art I’m working on, what I have available and what shows are accepting submissions.”

For the record, there’s at least one more show on her immediate horizon.

Both Rowekamp and Fitton Center mosaics instructor Lori Kay Farr have work in the DECKED exhibition at Artspace Hamilton Lofts and The Strauss Gallery (222 High Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45011).

DECKED celebrates the iconography and cultural impact of skateboarding around the world. Artists decorated skateboards – also known as decks - in a curated exhibition featuring artists from as far away as Japan. DECKED opened Aug. 5 and runs through Oct. 1, with a Main Event celebration from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.

“Since it’s still kind of summertime for most of the exhibition, I made a fun, whimsical pool party for animals on my board,” Rowekamp said. “They’re having a good time in the pool.”

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture