Twilight Reflections 2 was commissioned by a longtime friend I’ve known since grade school and high school. Creating artwork for someone you’ve shared decades of memories with makes the process even more rewarding.
The Roebling Suspension Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Cincinnati, connecting Kentucky and Ohio while standing as a symbol of the city’s history, architecture, and character. For this painting, I wanted to capture the bridge glowing at twilight, with reflections dancing across the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline illuminated in the background.
One of the things I enjoy most about commissioned artwork is bringing places that matter to people to life on canvas. Whether it’s a favorite city, a meaningful landmark, or a view connected to a special memory, every painting tells a story.
I’m honored that this piece now has a new home and hope it brings enjoyment for many years to come.
Twilight Reflections 2 | Roebling Bridge to Cincinnati 18” x 24” Acrylic on Canvas Original artwork by Jeff Johns
Interested in a custom skyline, cityscape, landmark, or meaningful location? I’d love to hear about your project. Give me a call at 859.630.9657 to start a painting.
Every painting has a beginning, and this piece became the inspiration for a series
Commissioned by a collector with a deep appreciation for Cincinnati, Twilight Reflections captures one of the city’s most iconic landmarks: the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge. As evening settles over the Ohio River, the bridge comes alive with warm light, reflecting across the water while the Cincinnati skyline glows in the distance.
What drew me to this scene was the contrast between strength and beauty. The massive stone towers, intricate suspension cables, shimmering reflections, and vibrant city lights all come together to tell the story of a city connected by history, architecture, and community.
This commission became the foundation for future interpretations of the bridge, inspiring additional paintings that explored the same landmark from new perspectives and moods. It remains one of my favorite examples of how a commissioned piece can evolve into something larger while still honoring the vision of the original collector.
Creating custom artwork is always about more than paint on canvas. It’s about capturing a place that holds meaning and preserving that connection for years to come.
Twilight Reflections | Roebling Bridge to Cincinnati Original Commissioned Artwork Acrylic on Canvas by Jeff Johns
Interested in commissioning a custom skyline, landmark, or meaningful location? I’d love to hear your story and help bring it to life on canvas. Call me 859.630.9657
As I look forward to the Covington Catholic Alumni Art Show on January 25 and this special evening celebrating creativity, talent and of course the 100 year anniversary of the school.
For this event I was asked to write about my art journey.
My experience at Covington Catholic was an inspiration that still fuels me to create art, design and branding today as a creative professional and fine artist, one who focuses on painting our amazing Cincinnati skyline and other regional icons. I was absolutely blessed to have amazing parents who sent me to Covington Catholic, which ultimately led to having Tim Hader as my art teacher. I started taking art classes my sophomore year, a pivotal time when you’re growing and really figuring out who you are. Tim has always had a genuine way of connecting and inspiring students and I remain eternally grateful for his influence on my life, passion and career. My hope is to create a legacy of artwork that brightens homes and captures moments with a lasting presence on walls that endures well beyond my time.
Hader’s art class is where it all began. Under Tim’s guidance and alongside other talented students, I developed my creativity, refined my talent and found my focus and drive to pursue art throughout life. I would pour what I thought was a lot of time and care into my work, only to scan the room at pieces other people were working on and realize I needed to work even harder to reach my potential. I also realized that time would just fly by whenever I picked up a colored pencil or paint brush.
My growth as an artist was a true progression I could achieve with discipline and measure objectively. While I enjoyed other school subjects, I could clearly see my personal improvement in art from piece to piece. Often, once I’d complete a piece, thinking it was ready to turn in, I’d prop it up on my nightstand before I bed, fall asleep looking at it, and wake up the next morning to refine it even further. (In addition to art, I also liked to make prank phone calls, but that’s another story. So, I’ll stick to this one.)
From sophomore year until I was graduated, I focused more and more on art, especially work using Prismacolor colored pencils. Those pencils would have me up all night bringing to life visual concepts with the perfect blend of colors. From there, it was about sharing each piece with the class and explaining what it meant to you during critique times. It was about learning to take and apply feedback, collaborate with others and make each piece better for the next round, which really kept me excited. Toward the end of senior year, my passion for art continued to grow and Hader’s inspiration and guidance continued guide my career. I remember Tim mentioning that I should look into graphic design, believing I would excel at it. I honestly had never heard the term before, much less know you could make a career of it.
Fortunately, I did look into graphic design and saw my hard work pay off when I received offers of art scholarships from Thomas More College and Mount St. Joseph. However, my choice was ultimately shaped by a chance encounter at a Frame & Save, in Florence, Kentucky, where I ran into another talented Covington Catholic alum and former Hader student, Kevin Brummer. Kevin was dropping off a still-life painting for framing. I was impressed by his work and asked where he was attending school. He encouraged me to check into Cincinnati Academy of Design, so I compiled my art portfolio and set up an interview with the school’s Mike McGuire.
I ultimately attended Cincinnati Academy of Design, which trained art directors and creative directors on the visual side of the business, starting with illustration, design and typography. In 1997, I was graduated as class valedictorian. From there, my professional art career started in earnest. Through it all, I have been thankful for the guidance of my amazing teachers—Tim Hader and Mike McGuire. Wow! Absolutely incredible people who have inspired so many students. I am blessed to be among them.
Here are a few of the paintings of the Roebling Bridge that will be for sale at this event. A portion of the proceeds will help fund the Kathy Haders Adversity Scholarship
A few of my Favorite Things Featuring the Roebling Bridge | 24″ x 24″ Acrylic on Canvas $1275.00
The Amazing Roebling Bridge | 48″ x 60″ Acrylic on Canvas $4250.00
The Magnificent Roebling Bridge | 48″ x 48″ Acrylic on Canvas $2480.00
A Few of my Favorite Things Featuring the Roebling Bridge | 24″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas The Amazing Roebling | 48″ x 60″ Available for PurchaseThe Magnificent Roebling Bridge 48″ x 48″ Acrylic on Canvas by Jeff Johns
Here’s the final capture of this original acrylic on canvas painting of the Roebling Bridge and the view looking into Cincinnati as you cross it. This piece is now finished and has been entered in a photo/art contest for The Roebling Bridge which can be found here.
The Amazing Roebling Bridge | 48″ x 60″ Acrylic on Canvas by Jeff Johns
Excited to share this gigantic painting I did of the Roebling Bridge! Rocked this painting in 2022 and it’s now hanging at the Milcroft Gallery in Milford Ohio which again is super close to Cincinnati. This vibrant icon of the skyline lights up against the night sky. Just love the complimentary colors with the golds blues and oranges in this piece.
This paintings s currently available so if you’re interested just let me know.
The Magnificent Roebling Bridge, Cincinnati Ohio | Acrylic on Canvas by Jeff Johns
Finally, was able to post this series of black and white Roebling Bridge paintings. I rocked this for a gallery opening and I swear these sold within the fist 30 minutes the doors opened. Pretty fun little series that capture this iconic bridge in Northern Kentucky.
Roebling Bridge | A series of black and white portraits, 8″ x 10″ acrylic on canvas by Jeff Johns
Excited to share that this commissioned painting is now complete!! Colin was able to rock it with me one day a few weeks back which was so awesome then I’ve been continuing to add in the detail while building up texture and tones to finish it off.
This painting was so big I had to get Red Express a local courier service to pick this up in a box truck and deliver it to my client.
Untamed Glory | Portrait of the Cincinnati Bengal Tiger, 84” x 100” acrylic on canvas by Jeff Johns and Colin Daugherty
Why all the photos? We’ll to show size, and how it looks on the studio light versus natural light. Where it’s going to be hung it’ll be surrounded by natural light. Thanks to my amazing wife Michelle for helping me carry this outta the studio today too!
Excited to share this final capture of another commissioned painting of the Cincinnati Skyline. This piece was brought to us to focus on two key buildings in the skyline that would in turn be leveraged as a birthday gift to the owner of those two buildings. Pretty neat opportunity to work this painting with Colin and such an honor to craft this one-of-a-kind birthday gift. Hope you enjoy too!
The Amazing Cincinnati Skyline | 30″ x 40″ acrylic on canvas by Jeff Johns and Colin Daugherty
Living in Kentucky you almost have to love horses and horse racing. Given the beauty of these amazing animals it’s always fun just capturing all the energy and motion in a painting that capture that moment in time. This painting here is a mixed media on canvas.
In the Money | 20 ” x 20″ Mixed Media on Canvas by Jeff Johns
JefferyJ.com | Original Fine Art & Commissions 