Stephana Toomey, OP
Liturgical Consultant / Designer

Sister Stephana Toomey a native of Greenville, Delaware, became interested in the Dominican Order and liturgical art in particular, while researching mural design for her Bachelor' thesis and buono fresco project at the Moore College of Art, Philadelphia. The point of interest was Father Marie Alan Couturier, O.P., and the refreshing art and architecture he had inspired in post World War 11 churches in Europe. After graduation and before entering the convent, Sister taught in public schools and began graduate studies at the Tyler School of Fine Arts, Temple University, Philadelphia; then she entered with the Dominican Sister, at Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Here, in addition to studies for religious life, she studied theology, philosophy and liturgy. She received her Masters Degree from the Tyler School of Fine Arts of Temple University. After graduate studies in art history, Sister composed slide illustrated presentations interrelating the histories of liturgy, culture and art and their influences on each other.

In 1975, Stephana did a post graduate year in Europe researching early Christian sites, in ground baptismal pools, church houses, iconography and the use of crafts in contemporary architecture namely churches. In Ravenna, Italy, she studied at the International Center for Mosaic and Glass. She had the opportunity to be an observer in the Vatican Mosaic Studios. These studies have been enormously helpful in Sister's liturgical design consultation service for contemporary, period architecture and historic churches. Each worship space is treated with care and liturgical appointments / art forms are designed to be functional for liturgy and complimentary to the architectural style of the church. In Baltimore, the new sanctuary at Corpus Christi, (Victorian Gothic) is an example of her historical design and coordination work.

In 1976, Stephana founded Efharisto Studio, in Baltimore. Today she carries out the Dominican charism of preaching through the language of the liturgical arts and consultation. Stephana studied Architectural design and Interior Design. She has been liturgical consultant and designer for churches, chapels especially of religious orders, college chapels and churches of other faith traditions nationally.

Her work has won awards in Bene: International Competition 1991, 1993 two stained glass windows, 1998 and a winner in 2000, two stained glass murals in the worship areas of the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, Columbia, Maryland. Her work is in the permanent collection of National Museum for Women in the Arts, Washington, DC. This piece was also in, the United Nation's YEAR OF THE WOMAN EXHIBIT, ( THE AMERICAN COLLECTION), Nairobi, Kenya, 1986. Fifteen Solo Exhibits including The Aquinas Center for Theology at the St. Louis Unversity, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Most recent exhibits include the Moore College of Art Alumnae In Focus Exhibit (March 2000) in Philadelphia, PA. Other accolades include: Who's Who in the East 1999, Who's Who in America and,Who's Who in the World 2000. And in 1999, she received The Fra Angelico Lifetime Achievement Award presented annually to a Dominican man or woman in the Arts for demonstrating the Dominican Order's charism of Preaching through Excellence in Art.