Tasteful Art Leads to Unique Student Exhibit, Display on Corporate Web Site

Art and food to meet every taste was recently on display at the Five Seasons Family Sports Club café as University of Cincinnati undergraduate fine arts students displayed oil paintings of food – along with serving the food depicted in their art.

The paintings were the result of the winter quarter 2011 Introduction to Painting course led by

Frank Herrmann

, professor of fine arts in UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP).

The exhibit of these oil paintings with the food they depicted was the result of a partnership between the undergraduate fine arts students with students in the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

Leading the partnership effort were UC students Leanne McNamara Cacchiotti and Allison Rellar and Cincinnati State culinary student Scott Cacchiotti.

Explains McNamara Cacchiotti, “Allison first suggested the idea of combining the paintins of food with actual food. I had worked at the Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Symmes Township, and my boss there (Brett DeCurtins) is also a UC alum. So, that provided us with a space.”

In all, seven UC fine arts students pooled their funds to purchase food for the opening, and Scott Cacchiotti of MCI prepared it.

The UC fine arts students involved in the event were

• Jackie Braden
• Kelsey Downie
• Maria Castrodale
• Leanne McNamara Cacchiotti
• Carolina Perrino
• Jennifer Rankey
• Allison Rellar

Recalls McNamara Cacchiotti, “Between 100 and 150 people came to our event, and yes, we ran out of food.”

But it was still a great experience for the students, who are encouraged to display their work. In fact, the exhibit was a first effort by the fine arts students to mount an exhibit.

“The best part was making the basic idea real,” says McNamara Cacchiotti, 21, of Loveland. She adds, “We did it ourselves, and so, we learned about all the work that goes into mounting an exhibit and encouraging attendance.”

Among those attending the exhibit was The Kroger Co.’s catering general manager, and he is now in discussion with the students in regard to exhibiting four of the paintings on Kroger’s “Chef’s Choice Catering” site.

• View additional images and information related to the students’ art and food creations.
• Apply to UC’s undergraduate fine arts program.