Ohio Artists Approved for Individual Excellence Awards

Eye On Art | 01/30/2025 9:00 am

Today, the Ohio Arts Council’s (OAC) board met and approved 75 awards for Ohio artists through the OAC’s Individual Excellence Awards (IEA) program. Award funding totals $375,000 for state fiscal year 2025.

The IEA program recognizes outstanding accomplishments by artists in a variety of disciplines. Awards give artists the resources to experiment and explore their art forms, develop skills and advance their careers, and receive affirmation and acknowledgment for outstanding work.

Funding recommendations for IEA are made through an anonymous, open panel review process focused on the exceptional merit of past artistic work.

During this funding cycle, nearly 600 applications were received from artists from across the state. Applications in crafts, design, interdisciplinary, media arts, photography, visual arts 2D, and visual arts 3D were accepted. Each approved artist will receive a $5,000 award.

“Every year, the Individual Excellence Award recipients showcase the exceptional artistic talent across Ohio. This year’s awardees demonstrate that artists can build thriving and sustained careers here in the Buckeye State,” said OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins.

A complete, alphabetized list of IEA recipients in this funding cycle follows. A filterable spreadsheet is also available for download.

Crafts

Tom Bartel, Athens
Jack Gramann, Columbus
Michael W. High, Chardon
Peter Christian Johnson, Kent
Andrea LeBlond, Cleveland
Aimee Lee, Lyndhurst
Char Norman, Columbus
Carmen Ostermann, Columbus
Eva Polzer, Akron
Weiting Wei, Powell

Design

John Hankiewicz, Oxford

Interdisciplinary

michael d casselli jr, Yellow Springs
Melanie Emig, Lakewood
Claudia Esslinger, Gambier
Sharareh Khosravani, Cincinnati
Rebecca Nava Soto, Cincinnati

Media Arts

bob drake, Cleveland
Jacob Koestler, Solon
Thomas Megalis, Broadview Heights
Kate Raney, Athens
Hao Zhou, Gambier
Dani ReStack, Columbus (collaborative award)
Sheilah ReStack, Columbus (collaborative award)

Photography

W.E. Arnold, Columbus
Matthew Chasney, Cleveland
Robert Colgan, Columbus
James Dickerson, Toledo
Madeleine Hordinski, Cincinnati
Lori Kella, Cleveland
Amanda King, Cleveland
Greg Martin, Cleveland

Visual Arts 2D

Wesley Berg, Berea
Cassidy Boyuk, Hilliard
Carmel Buckley, Cincinnati
Amy Casey, Cleveland
Donna Coleman, Oberlin
Gianna Commito, Kent
Katie Davis, Dublin
Myles Dunigan, Oberlin
Valerie Escobedo, Findlay
Melissa Haviland, Athens
Hiroshi Hayakawa, Columbus
Dan Hernandez, Maumee
Mark Warren Jacques, Columbus
R Kauff, Lakewood
David King, Cleveland Heights
N. Maye Luga, Mentor
Liz Maugans, Bay Village
Kathy McGhee, Galloway
Mike Meier, Cleveland Heights
Rachel Mentzer, Oberlin
Melih Meric, Akron
Cody F. Miller, Columbus
Hannah Parrett, Cincinnati
Shawn Powell, Kent
Sharone Putter, Columbus
Paul Rienzo, Cincinnati
Eliana Calle Saari, Gahanna
Karen Snouffer, Gambier
Justin Sorensen, Mount Vernon
Chris Taylor, New Albany
Aaron Troyer, Columbus
Zach Van Horn, Reynoldsburg
Micaela Vivero, Newark
Gina Washington, Cleveland
John Weber, Hilliard

Visual Arts 3D

Dana Lynn Harper, Columbus
Manami Ishimura, Gambier
Richard W. James, Hamilton
Lisa Merida-Paytes, Cincinnati
Paul O'Keeffe, Cleveland Heights
Sa'dia Rehman, Columbus
Sara Torgison, Cincinnati
Shon Walters, Dayton
akeylah wellington, Columbus
Supermrin (Mrinalini Aggarwal), Cincinnati

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.