Artist & Art Educator
R E S U M E
EDUCATION
Virginia Commonwealth University: Masters of Art Education, Richmond VA, 2016
Post-Graduate Professional License, State of Virginia
Rhode Island School of Design: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Apparel Design, Providence RI, 2005
INTERNATIONAL
Ludwig Foundation: Contemporary Cuban Art Courses, Cuba 2004
Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art: Art History & Painting Courses, France 2003
EXPERIENCE
THE VISUAL ARTS CENTER, Richmond VA,
2017-Present: Education Manager
2009-2017: Instructor and Co-Director of Space Of Her Own
Teacher and co-director of Space Of Her Own, a mentoring program for preteen girls. Taught a variety of media including silk screen, dyeing, bookbinding, sewing, printing, weaving, soldering, and painting.
Taught beginning sewing, intermediate sewing, and pattern-making to students aged preteen through adult.
Taught a variety of media and subject matter in ArtVenture summer camps to ages 5-13.
Created and taught workshops for youth about the in-house contemporary art gallery.
Created and taught art classes for adults with physical disabilities at The Virginia Home, and adults with traumatic brain injury at the Mill House.
Created and taught Art After School program classes to youth at The Boys and Girls Club, William Byrd Community House, and SPARC.
Taught traditional Spanish paper maché Capgrosso (Giant Head) creation to Art After School program participants which culminated in a parade of the community’s creations.
Taught art lessons to mentoring teams in the Side by Side Program.
MILK RIVER ARTS, Richmond VA, 2015-Present
Artist Mentor
Worked alongside artists with disabilities in order to support them as independent artists.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, Richmond VA, 2017
Teaching Assistant for Patternmaking 204
Worked alongside two professors to help teach patternmaking skills for clothing design, assisted 28 students with questions, and graded drafts, patterns, and muslins.
BINFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, Richmond, VA 2016
Student Teacher, Supervising Teacher: Kirstie Hein-Sadler
Taught grades six through eight, Art 1, and art club in an arts integrated middle school. Designed curricula with 2d and 3d media based on the contemporary art gallery located next to the school.
SWIFT CREEK ELEMENTARY, Chesterfield, VA 2016
Student Teacher, Supervising Teacher: James Herd
Taught kindergarten through fifth grade and a girl’s fourth grade STEAM team. Designed curricula based on contemporary artists and big ideas in paper maché, MaKey MaKey, fiber art, clay, printmaking, painting, drawing, and mixed media collage.
THE RICHMOND CITY JUSTICE CENTER, Richmond VA 2015-2016
Teacher and Student through Virginia Commonwealth University’s Open Minds Program
Designed, taught, and assisted curricula including traditional studio practices, art history and aesthetic response, and new media production.
THE ART OF NURSING, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA, 2016
Tour guide
Planned tours and lead VCU’s School of Nursing students through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Used art criticism by way of observation, interpretation, and evaluation to enhance nurses’ clinical reasoning and perceptual skills.
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA, 2016
Supervising Professor: Dr. Courtnie Wolfgang
Aided in research about The United States prison system and the school-to-prison pipeline. Wrote an interdisciplinary curriculum to accompany the Performing Statistic’s newspaper (performingstatistics.com) in order to help area teachers educate students about the school-to-prison pipeline.
TEACHING PRACTICUM
Thomas Jefferson High School, Richmond VA 2016; Supervising Teacher: Stu Harnsberger
Binford Middle School, Richmond VA 2016; Supervising Teacher: Marjorie Valentine and Margot Fuller
Maymont Preschool, Richmond VA 2015; Supervising Teachers: Mrs. Green and Mrs. Jackson
Lakeside Elementary School, Richmond VA 2015; Supervising Teacher: Amy Powroznik
Hening Elementary School, Chesterfield VA 2015; Supervising Teacher: Rachel Rohr
Davis Elementary School, Chesterfield VA 2015; Supervising Teacher: Sean Collins
IGNATIUS HATS, Petersburg VA, 2013-2014
Millinery apprentice
Learned the art of millinery with materials such as felt and straw, while experiencing how to run a small business.
STUDIO TWO THREE, Richmond VA, 2011
Co-curator of the exhibition: “Land of 1,000 Greetings” and Contributing Editor of the accompanying exhibition book
Awarded a grant to travel to Rwanda in order to create an exhibit and corresponding publication.
Partook in grant writing, budgeting, and exhibition installation; donated proceeds to charities doing work in Rwanda.
THE VALENTINE RICHMOND HISTORY CENTER, Richmond VA, 2009-2010
Museum Technician in the Costume and Textiles Collection
Oversaw interns and volunteers and helped maintained a collection of 40,000 pieces of clothing and household textiles.
Assisted visiting researchers as well as exhibition research, preparation, and installation.
Lead tours and put together detailed programs catered to specific interest groups.
JAPANESE EXCHANGE AND TEACHING PROGRAM, Japan, 2007-2008
Assistant Language Teacher
Designed and taught English lesson plans (listening, speaking, writing, reading) in middle and elementary schools.
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, Providence RI, 2003-2005
Head Monitor, Apparel Department
Helped younger students, made schedule, supervised monitors, and maintained computers and industrial apparel machinery.
VOLUNTEER
The Visual Arts Center of Richmond: Community Arts Center & Art 180: Community Arts Non-Profit, special events: 2009-Present
Current Art Fair, Richmond’s first art fair: 2016
Binford Middle School, various art related events: 2016
Stuff Redux: Richmond’s Creative Reuse Center, organized donations: 2013
Valentine Richmond History Center, costume and textiles collection volunteer: 2008-2009
English teacher to neighborhood English club, Japan: 2007-2008.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
National Art Education Association: Community Arts Caucus & Women's Caucus
Virginia Art Education Association
AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS
Graduate School Scholarship: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 2014-2015, 2015-2016
Travel grants to attend the National Art Education Association’s annual conventions: New Orleans, LA 2015 & Chicago, IL 2016
Master Teacher Award: Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Richmond VA 2013
Apparel Design Department Medal for Achievement: Rhode Island School of Design, Providence RI 2004
SKILLS
APPAREL DESIGN: Hand and machine sewing and knitting. Apparel construction via draping and drafting of both knits and wovens. Tailoring. Knowledge of textile potentials and properties. Accurate ability to draw design concepts, fabrics and technical flats.
OTHER MEDIA: Fiber arts, printmaking, metalwork, upholstery, photography, clay, painting, drawing, bookbinding.
INTERPERSONAL: Positive presence. Works well as an individual and as a member of a team. Learns quickly. Able to convey ideas clearly. Good brainstorming and solutions provider. Organized and detail oriented. International work experience. Speaks basic Spanish and Japanese.
TECHNOLOGY
Windows, Macintosh, Photoshop, Illustrator, iMovie, Art-making Apps, Prezi, Haiku Deck, Social media, Basic HTML, Makey Makey
PRESENTATIONS
Stephen, T. (2017). Revolution in the Art Room: Navigating Adolescence with Feminist Pedagogy.
National Art Education Association Annual Conference. New York, NY. Copresenters: Link, B.
Stephen, T. (2016). Collective Storytelling: Image and Sound. Virginia Art Education Association Annual
Conference. Norfolk, VA. Copresenters: Strathearn, S., McManus, M., Wolfgang, C.
Stephen, T. (2016). Curriculum Slam: Changing Tides. Virginia Art Education Association Annual
Conference. Norfolk, VA. Copresenters: Corpuz, A., Kreiger, V., Bleam, L., Wolfgang, C.
Stephen, T. (2016). From Consumer to Creator: Technology in the Artroom! Virginia Art Education
Association Annual Conference. Norfolk, VA. Copresenters: Corpuz, A., Bleam, L., O’dell, S., Strathearn, S.
Stephen, T. (2016). Some of My Best Students are Felons: Justice, Art Education, and Incarceration.
National Art Education Association Annual Conference. Chicago, IL. Copresenters: Wolfgang, C., Buffington, M., & Ogiere, E.
Stephen, T. (2015). Identity and Incarceration: Creating Curriculum for Women at the Richmond City
Justice Center. Virginia Art Education Association Annual Conference, Roanoke, VA. Copresenters: Bleam, L., Schneider, J., Bell, U., Hu, S., & Winter, B.
Stephen, T. (2015). Space Of Her Own: An Innovative Art-based Mentoring Program. National Art
Education Association Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA.
Stephen, T. (2014). Space Of Her Own: Transforming Women, Inside and Out. Virginia Art Education
Association Annual Conference. Richmond, VA.
PUBLICATIONS
Stephen, T. (2017). Service-learning, the arts, and incarceration. Journal of Prison Education and
Reentry. Coauthors: Buffington, M., Wolfgang, C.