About-
I am an artist and teacher from Canton, Ohio.
During my Master’s of Art Education at KSU, I took a weaving class, and have not stopped since. Working in textiles allows me to combine colors, textures, and pattern in new ways to create artwork and textile designs. My time is split between working as a middle school art teacher, creating textiles on my loom, and putting textiles in the public eye through my curation of exhibitions and shows. I enjoy working for myself, but love the challenging of collaborating with a fellow artist or designer to make something new.
Stephen Tornero CV 2022
Profile
Artist and Art Teacher with 15+ years experience. Weaver for 10+ years. Focusing on the intersections between color, texture, and pattern in handwoven panels and useful objects. Current work includes a shift to using materials sourced locally from Ohio and the surrounding area. Art practice and teaching practice inform each other, and help to guide students through artistic problem solving. Seeking to show work in galleries and museums, and organize exhibitions which display excellence in textiles and fibers.
Education
2015 - MA Art Education
Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
Thesis focus: Adolescent Students and Contemporary Visual Culture
Studio Focus: Textile Art
2008 - BA Art Education
Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
Employment History
2013 - Present; Art Teacher; Plain Local Schools, Canton, Ohio. Courses taught; 7-8th grade Visual Art, Honors Art, Fashion and Costume Design, Ceramics.
2019 - Present; Adjunct Faculty, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio; Art Education Program. Courses taught; Major Review, Professional Practices
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Duo Show A Fair Trade, Studio M, Massillon, Ohio
2024 110 Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
2022 Unnatural Fibers, Summit Artspace, Akron, Ohio
2022 Threads Moving Backward and Forward (as guest curator), The Massillon Museum, Massillon, Ohio
2022 Reflection, Hope and Expectation; Healing Arts Corridor; Summa Health Center, Akron, Ohio
2021 Solo Show Bowery Building Installation, Curated Storefront; Akron, Ohio
2020 Solo Show Troppus Pop Up, Troppus Projects, Kent, Ohio
2018, ‘19, ‘20 Stark County Artists Exhibition, The Massillon Museum, Massillon, Ohio
2018 Teacher as Artist, Riffe Gallery; Columbus, Ohio
2017 Educator and Artist, Silk Room Gallery, The Massillon Museum, Massillon, Ohio
2016 Solo Show Fountain Gallery; Malone University, Canton, Ohio
Grants and Awards
2023 “Outstanding Art Teacher” East Region; Ohio Art Education Association
2022 “Art Teacher of the Year”; Stark County Educational Service Center
2018 “Best In Show”; Stark County Artists Exhibition; The Massillon Museum, Massillon, Ohio
Publications
Pinskey, J. (2024) Does it Waffle? CAN Journal, Winter 2024
Centrone, B. (Ed.), Tornero, S. (Illustrations) (2021). Dress you up. New Lit Salon Press.
Shapiro, D. M. (Author), Tornero, S. (Illustrations) (2020). (This is not a) Mixtape for the end of the world. Bd-studios.com.
Tornero, S., & Kan, K. H. (2017). Remix with humor: Motivating learners in an inclusion classroom with visual culture. Art Education, 70(5), 50-56.
Collections
L3, L4; Summa Health Center, Akron, Ohio; Purchased in 2019
Blue Sunset; Summa Health Center, Akron, Ohio; Purchased in 2019
Bibliography
2018 Summa Health Artist Profile - https://www.summahealth.org/art/tornero
Professional Organizations
Ohio Art Education Association; East Chapter
Professional Service
Exhibitions Chair; Ohio Art Education Association; East Chapter