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Meet John Lanzador—REC Artist in Residence

by Alex Otte Callon, REC Manager

5/17/2024

Rosenthal Education Center , REC Artist in Residence , Hunt Slonem , Joan Miró

After reviewing an impressive array of proposals from Cincinnati area artists, the museum is thrilled to announce the selection of John Lanzador as the 2024 Rosenthal Education Center (REC) Artist in Residence! Recently I sat down with John and asked him a few questions about his creative practice and his new role here at the museum. Here’s what John had to say!

Artist John Lanzador wearing a green hat and green shirt in front of a vibrant display of framed art featuring pigs.

Alex: Hi John! Tell us a little bit about yourself.

John: Hello! First, I love having fun. Fun for me would be visiting museums, playing pickle-ball, and hanging out with my family and friends. I teach art at Maddux Elementary in Forest Hills, I create art in my home studio, and I live in North Avondale. When I’m not busy teaching and making art, I’m interviewing artists on my “ArtHang” podcast.

Alex: Why is art important to you?

John: Art is everything to me. I teach art all day and create my personal art at night. It’s something that I find enjoyable, challenging, and therapeutic. I don’t know what I would be doing without art.

Alex: If you were a type of art supply what would you be?

John: Fun question! I’d love to be a simple pencil. Pencils are useful, versatile, and can create many things. My art always begins with a pencil ... so that’s the one art supply I can’t be without.

Alex: What inspired you to apply for the residency? And what do you hope to share with museum visitors through your work?

John: I love the art museum, and I love the REC space. I wanted to be involved with it somehow and discovered the perfect opportunity to create art for such a fun space. I’ve always admired Hunt Slonem’s colorful rabbit paintings in the Terrace Café and was inspired to create a “Cincified” version of it.

You can visit John’s interactive, multisensory art installation, A Pig-ment of Your Imagination, in the REC now through October 27, 2024. Here, John reimagines Hunt Slonem’s Bunny Wall (located in the Terrace Café) and Joan Miró’s renowned Mural for the Terrace Plaza Hotel, tying in iconic pig symbols of Cincinnati and inspiring visitors to create artworks of their favorite things.