PAINTING FOR COVINGTON CATHOLIC ALUMNI ART SHOW | JANUARY 25, 2025.

Hello. I’m Jeff Johns, a fine artist whose creative passion was first ignited in Tim Hader’s Covington Catholic art classes. Throughout my creative journey I’ve explored a range of mediums, from digital to colored pencils to paint. My ongoing love for the latter medium—paint on canvas—was actually rekindled at Hader’s 25th anniversary alumni art show, held at Bellevue’s Sigra Gallery. I exhibited digitally created artwork at that show, but after surveying other work on display, my eyes were opened to the visceral impact of more traditional mediums, whether it be paint on canvas or pencil on paper. Newly inspired by Hader’s enduring influence on his talented students, I picked up the brush again. Since then, I’ve focused on painting large format canvases with heavy acrylic color blends applied in thick, expressive strokes. I’m compelled to create art that can literally cast its own shadow within a piece, taking on a subtly different presence depending on the lighting and time of day. My recurring subjects are regional icons I see almost daily—horses, sunflowers and the Cincinnati skyline, including, of course, the historic Roebling Bridge and Paul Brown Stadium. For tonight’s event, I wanted to bring it all together in a meaningful way. Titled “A Few of My Favorite Things,” the painting frames the glowing Roebling with vibrant sunflowers in the foreground as the sun sets over what we all hope is another Bengals win. 

A Few of My Favorite Things, Featuring the Roebling Bridge | Cincinnati 24″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas by Jeff Johns