About the Artist

Nova Stewart (they/she) is an Illustrator, Educator, Arts Administrator, and Community Advocate based in Northeast Ohio. They hold a BFA in Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art (20’) and an MA in Arts & Culture Management from the University of Akron (25’). Nova has exhibited work regionally and are currently developing a surreal illustrated memoir that explores personal trauma, memory, and identity. Alongside their studio practice, they continue to build community-care initiatives through StarFall Creative Collective.

Their experience in education and nonprofit work informs a creative practice rooted in care and reflection. Drawing from lived experience, Nova creates dreamlike visual narratives where fantasy becomes a form of survival. Guided by kindness, introspection, and imagination, their work invites viewers into quiet spaces where grief, hope, and transformation are allowed to coexist and heal.

Nova is also the creator behind Star Catcher Studio, a playful illustration brand featuring vibrant designs and handcrafted items. Drawing from their background in picture book illustration and a love for colorful, star-filled imagery, the brand reflects a sense of wonder and gentleness. Currently undergoing a rebrand, Star Catcher Studio is shifting toward a more nostalgic, fairytale-inspired direction - aiming to better align Nova’s commercial work with the themes present in their personal artistic practice.

GALLERY EXHIBITIONS

Cleveland Institute of Art’s 2025 Alumni Exhibition, Holding Up the Mirror, CIA’s Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland, JUN-AUG 2025

82nd Annual Juried May Show, The Little Art Gallery, North Canton Public Library, North Canton, MAY-JUN, 2025

Birdsong, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Main Library, Akron, MAR, 2025

FRESH: Soft Offerings, Juried Exhibition, Summit Artspace Main Gallery, Akron, JAN 10-MAR 25 2025

Love, Sex, and the Body, Hildebrandt Artist Collective, Cleveland, FEB 1-MAR 22, 2025

Trip to the Moon Gala, Akron Soul Train Benefit, OCT 2024

Groundhog Show, Akron, JUN 2024

In the Shadow: Artwork from the Solar Eclipse, Summit Artspace, Akron, MAY 24-JUN 15, 2024

Inside the Closet, Hildebrandt Artist Collective, Cleveland, MAR-APR 2024

Creative Folk Exhibition, White Rabbit Gallery, Barberton OH, SEP 2023

Bazaarbeque Vol. 10, KINK Contemporary, Cleveland, JUL -AUG 2023

YES WE ARE, Hildebrandt Artist Collective, Cleveland, JUN-JUL 2023

Groundhog Show, Akron, JUN 2023

Tiny Art Show, Wild Goose Gallery, Columbus, FEB 10, 2023

AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIP, PUBLICATION

Making Art Work: An Artist’s Field Guide to NE Ohio, From MA thesis research, book self published 2025

ArtsNow, Creative Investment Program Grant, Fund attendance to 2025 LEAD conference (Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability) in Cleveland, 2024

BratBox Artist Feature - Artist and FleurBot Enamel Pin feature in monthly subscription box, May 2022

2nd place, Duvel Glass Design Contest, 2019

Nettie Borstein Scholarship, Based on competitive assessment of art portfolios for the 2020 class, Cleveland Institute of Art, 2017

Illustration in Huffington Post Contributor Article by Kathryn Poe, Dec 2016

Nova Stewart

Illustrator | Crafter | Art Educator

Arts Administrator | Community Advocate

Instagram

StarCatcher_Studio

StarFall.Creative.Collective

www.linkedin.com/in/nova-stew-art

View my complete CV

Nova Stewart is an Arts Administrator, Educator, Illustrator, and Community Advocate based in Northeast Ohio. They hold a Master’s in Arts & Culture Management from the University of Akron (’25) and a BFA in Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art (’20), with additional concentrations in Creative Writing, Design, and Art Education. Nova has worked across numerous regional arts nonprofits supporting a range of functions from public programming, grant writing, event coordination, social media, and community partnerships.

With almost a decade of experience in creative entrepreneurship through their illustration brand Star Catcher Studio, Nova blends administrative insight with firsthand knowledge of the challenges artists face. Their teaching background spans K-12 visual arts, community programs, and adult workshops, alongside mentorship work helping emerging artists navigate professional practices, branding, and arts markets.

They are the co-founder of StarFall Creative Collective, a grassroots, artist-led initiative that hosts free events, develops arts resources, and cultivates spaces of care, access, and connection for creatives in Northeast Ohio. Their leadership work centers mutual aid, inclusive program design, and sustainable models for artist support.

Nova’s professional values are rooted in creativity, community, and care. Whether designing public-facing cultural events, building partnerships, conducting research, or managing arts spaces, they aim to create systems that nurture resilience and foster belonging - ensuring that the arts remain a transformative force for individuals and the communities they call home.