Tony Lipps
Tony Lipps works out of a space at Essex Studios in Cincinnati, Ohio since 2015. He attended Kent State University's Fine Arts program from 2001-2005. In 2005 Lipps returned to Cincinnati and joined the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, where he served for 13 years as a Deputy in corrections for 6 years and as a Patrol Officer for 7 more years. While at the Sheriff''s Office, Lipps still created art as a hobby, working on commissioned paintings and donating many paintings to multiple causes during that time. Lipps has had artwork displayed in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Museum and in an exhibit represented by the Reds Hall of Fame at the Fitton Center in Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. When the MLB All Star games came to Cincinnati in 2015, Cincinnati Art Galleries held a baseball themed juried exhibit where Lipps sold his painting of Pete Rose, titled, "Charlie Hustle", in the first night of the exhibit's opening. Lipps sold a commissioned piece to former Cincinnati Bengal, Domata Peko, and was recognized on the local news stations in multiple interviews showcasing his artwork. Lipps has made commemorative portraits for many police officers from multiple departments and donated original paintings to benefits ranging from the American Heart Association to cancer benefits. In 2019, Lipps won Best in Show at "A fair of the Arts" in Anderson, Ohio. In June of 2021, Lipps held his first solo exhibit at The Eisele Art Gallery, displaying his cityscape paintings and sold 2 original paintings. LIpps continues a journey to enhance technique and subject matter to further build his background in painting. In May of 2022, Lipps joined a team of artists, led by Eileen Dorsey, in Columbus to paint a mural in the new Barrio's Restaurant.