Reflections on the Moeller Art Program

 by Bro. Charles P. Wanda, S.M. 

Moeller Art Teacher and Art Department Chair, 1964 to 2004

    Having been involved with the Arts here at Moeller for the past 43 years I have witnessed its growth and many contributions to the school. 

   In the first years (1964) the department occupied the current Chapel space which it shared with Mechanical Drawing.  Because of the limited space the Junior and Senior art classes were combined during one class period.  Right from the beginning the Studio Art courses were recognized by the administration of the school to be College Preparatory level with the emphasis on preparing the graduates for entrance into an Art school or College program to further their study of Art .  During that time we also had a Poster Club as an extra-curricular activity which produced spirit signs, silk-screened bumper stickers, and other promotional posters for school activities. A couple of 1965 graduates  who are still working in the arts are Tom Levesay who has been involved with UC publications since graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Art and Larry Mersch a designer and photographer.  Alan Horais 1966 has had a long career with various Disney productions as a set and special attractions designer. The mid-sixties also saw the creation of GOMO, a cartoon spirit character designed by Mike Simpson and Greg Stanforth .  For a few years the Gomo actually became a team maskot with a furry coat and big eyes.  Others from the late 60’s include Greg Stanforth 1967 who is currently  teaching art and photography at Moeller, Mike Zimmer of the same class who is an architect.  Bruce Huninghake 1968 a Graphic Designer and Larry Scott also ‘68 a studio food photographer who’s work is used by P&G and others in  Cincinnati .  From the class of  1969, Don Adleta is professor of Art and Chairman of the Graphic Design Dept. at Ohio U. , Charlie Keenan an illustrator and graphic designer in Milwaukee , and Bob Pauly a Cincinnati Illustrator.   

     In 1970 when space became available in the Brothers’ residence we were able to separate the Art and Mechanical Drawing courses.  At about that time Mr. Ralph Baumann began a Photo Club which operated out of a small storage room on the second floor which is now part of the Computer office. Grad Tom Levesay also taught part-time and moderated the production of the innovative square yearbooks  Mechanical Drawing occupied the old art room and the studio art classes moved into the basement of the Marianist wing.   During the 70’s we saw an increase of student interest in taking art, and the department began to grow in student population.  As our reputation spread among art schools and the local community we began to draw students with exceptional ability who knew thay would some day become artists.  Two of the more famous Fine Arts painters are Tim Folzenlogen 1970, who is currently represented by the MB Modern Gallery in Manhattan and Greg Storer 1974 whose works are on display at Ohio State and are in various collections of prominent Cincinnatians.  Another art teacher is Rick Gajus 1970 who has been the backbone of the Harrison High School art program for many years.

     Others in the early 1970’s are Bob Janning  1971 who is an industrial designer in the Silicon Valley, Tom Montag ‘70 and Jeff Folzenlogen ‘72 who are both painters, and Steve Clement ‘73 an illustrator and designer in Minneapolis.  The class of 1974 besides producing Greg Storer also has Bill Bonn an architect, Jim Effler noted for his air brush illustrations and co-owner of AIR studios, and Steve Glaser a package designer and Maurice Mattei an illustrator.  A 1975 art grad who found his niche in an arts related field was Paul Keels noted for his sports broadcasts for the Reds, Bengals, UC and currently for OSU. Marl Tilsley also of ‘75 has been the primary architect on the current additions to Moeller.  Greg King also of the class of 75 has been a commercial artist in Chicago .

     From the second half of the seventies we have Bob Cavellier 1976a graphic designer, Jim Simon and Greg Tilsley 1977 in architecture. Mike Gutzwiller ‘78 a furniture designer and scultor in Cleveland, Joe Nolan ‘78 sign maker and designer for Meyer Signs, Bill Wiehe ‘78 in graphic design and Steve Klein CEO of WBK Marketing and Packaging Design here in Cincinnati.  1979 has three grads in the industrial design field, Bill Kraimer in the medical field at Ethicon, Pat Murray an interior car designer with Link Industries in Michigan, and Gary Lenihan a toy and game designer for Milton Bradley  Pete Huster also of ‘79 is CEO of Huster Design Studio, and their classmates Doug Behm who at last report was the Director of many national commercials and Joe Fago an illustrator and former art editor of Car and Driver magazine.

   The 1980’s brought a decade of expansion  in our art faculty, course offerings and  scholarships offered to our grads.  Among the graduates of 1980 we have Tim Binzer, a graphic designer, Greg Kenney and John Linesch who are commercial artists working with various advertising in Chicago, and Jim Fitzpatrick a noted illustrator in Cincinnati.  Of the grads of 1981,  Dave Fagin is an art director of a local ad agency, Tom Hunt a painter who has exhibited in various galleries in St. Louis, John Recker art director and account executive, Scott Schneider and Mark Schoelwer who are graphic designers.

   In 1982 when Bro. Charles Wanda started a two year sabbatical to study Commercial Art, Greg Stanforth took over the reins of the Art Department and within a year had established a course in Photography.  After his sabbatical in 1984 Bro. Wanda returned to share the teaching of Studio Art with Greg Stanforth .   In the 1985-86 school year a second course was added in Photo (Color Photo) and Moeller began the Fine Arts Survey course requirement for graduation.  It was begun in the Senior year and was later moved to the Freshmen courses.  The Fine Arts classes offer a quarter each in the study of Visual Art , Theater, Music and Film.

   In 1989 Greg Stanforth began his masters program in Photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology.  His teaching duties were assumed by Miss Judith Lamb who continued on the staff for three years.  At the time Judy left the department Mr. Stanforth had just completed a year as an admissions representative for the Art Academy of Cincinnati , and was anxious to return to teaching, and Moeller in particular.  Upon his return we revised the teaching assignments and Bro. Wanda took over the Basic Studio Art courses with Mr. Stanforth assuming responsibility for the Art III and Art IV Studio courses as well as Photo I and II and the Visual Arts quarter of the Fine Arts Program.

     In the graduating art class of 1982 we have been informed that Joe Carr is a graphic designer, Tom Markgraf is a scultor, and David Plogman is an industrial designer.  Rick Cisneros of the class of 1983 is an illustrator and painter, Steve McMahon a commercial artist and Jeff Russ who teaches part time at NKU.  Of the grads of 1984. Scott Carrelli is an art director and graphic Designer in California, Blu Moor is an art editor and graphic designer, Clay Parker a painter, Don Ventre a photographer and Sean Wallace an illustrator whose works have appeared in the St. Anthony Messenger.

    From the graduating classes of the second half of the 80’s we have Joe Ionna of 1985 who is a curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Shannon Werling who owns his own design firm and Jeff Whitaker a sculptor in Seattle.  Bob Fisher of the class of 1986 is an illustrator, art director and graphic designer working in Atlanta for the Cartoon Network,  Pete Voshefski currently in graduate school at U of New Mexico and formerly an installer of the works of Nam Jun Pak for Solway Gallery in Cincinnati and Chris Whitfle a freelance illustrator and an art teacher in the Cincinnat Public Schools.  Greg Fehrenback is a graphic designer from the class of 1987 and Steve Pope an Art Director and designer who has his own agency. Chad Borke  of 1988 who received the largest scholarship to a Moeller grad from Pratt Institute is now an industrial designer working for Clineque in NYC, Randy Schimpf of that year is a graphic designer, Mike Schroeck an animator and designer, and Tony Schroeder an industrial designer for Honda in LA.  Of the 1989 grads; Mark Barnett is a graphic designer, Jim Barrett teaches high school art and photography, John Cox is a videographer, and Jim Ebbeler a graphic designer and illustrator in San Francisco .

   In 1990 and 1991 we had the opportunity to finally replace the temporary wash bowls used for clean-up with real stainless steel sinks.  The Photography classes enjoyed the replacement of wood and fiberglass sinks also with stainless steel, the addition of more enlargers and the separation of the color lab from the black and white lab. We acquired more storage space and freshened-up the art desks after their thirty years of “wear and tear.”

   The 1990 grads include Dave Hart a painter in Colorado ,  Ryan Kurtz now the photo director for Cincinnati Magazine, and Christian Schmit an illustrator.  Dave Vennemeyer of the class of 1991 is a designer for Hasbro ( Kenner ) and has many figures of store shelves as well as those used in the recent Star Wars movie.  The class of 1992 has Andy Bauer a performer with various cruise lines,  Jeff Ebbeler and Christian Wilhelmy in graphic design and illustration, and Chip Thole an industrial designer for GM.  Of the class of 1993 Bill Dodds is a fine artist. Steve Eichmann an industrial designer, Kevin Sorg in graphic design, and Dave Trumpey also in graphic design in Lake Placid .  Gabe Cortez who graduated in 1994 is a designer, Tom Doepker in graphic design, Nate Dressman in industrial design and working for GM with Chip Thole ’92, and Tom Kelley ’95. Mark Hilvert also of the class of 1994 is a graphic designer and Aaron Melson in fine arts. Chip Brown of the class of 1995 is an animator and graphic designer, Jeff Ryan a fine artist (painter), and Kevin Wimmer an illustrator and designer.  From the class of 1996, Ken Brodeur is involved in computer photography, Gary Bruckert in industrial design, and Nick Damico in graphics and industrial design.  Ryan Wellbrock of the class of 1996 is a graphic designer and Aaron Moeggenberg is in fine arts.

   Beginning with the 1999-2000 school year Greg Stanforth upgraded the Art III and Art IV courses to become Advanced Placement (AP) courses giving the students an opportunity to receive college credit for submission of a portfolio to the College Board.

   The remaining grads from the 1990’s are currently continuing their education in art at an art school or college.  Anyone who has continued in art or is now in an art program graduated from Moeller and went on to school on a partial or full scholarship to the school of their choice.  Over the years the graduating art classes have been offered scholarships totaling as much as $840,000.00 in one year.