Bio
Steve Tobin is a conceptual American artist working in steel and bronze with a history in glass and ceramics. He is best known for his monumental public sculpture installations, including the Trinity Root, which was executed after 9/11 and placed at St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan.
Over the last forty years, Tobin has mastered highly innovative techniques, applying his knowledge of science to art making. Merging scientific methods with industrial processes and recycled materials, his sculpture works defy time, gravity, and chemistry while channeling the forces of nature.
Tobin’s sculptures are exhibited in museums across the world from the United States to Europe and Asia. His works have been featured in numerous media and press publications including, CNN, Art in America, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Sculpture Magazine.
Tobin’s art studios are located in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.
He was born 1957, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Education
1979
Tulane University, B.S. Mathematics
Solo Exhibitions & Installations
2023
Houston Botanic Garden, Houston TX
2022
Steve Tobin: ROOTED, San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, TX
2019- 2020
Steve Tobin: Unearthed, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Boothbay, Maine
2020 – 2021
Steve Tobin: Nature Underground, Naples Botanical Gardens
Naples, Florida
2018
Steelwaters, 5th Shanghai Jing’An International Sculpture Project (JISP), Shanghai, China
2016–PRESENT
San José Museum of Art, San José, California. Installation
Steve Tobin: Cocoon Awakenings, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania
2016–2017
Steve Tobin: Southern Roots, Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, Nashville, Tennessee
Steelroots, 4th Shanghai Jing’An International Sculpture Project (JISP), Shanghai, China
2015–2016
Exposed: The Secret Life of Roots, United States Botanic Gardens, Washington, D.C.
2014–2016
Palm Springs Museum of Art, Palm Springs, California. Installation
2014
Out of this World: Works by Steve Tobin, James A. Michener Art Museum, Doylestown,
Pennsylvania
Steve Tobin: Roots, Museum of Art–Deland, Deland, Florida
2013
Roots on 7, Morrison Gallery, Kent, Connecticut
2012
Steve Tobin’s Natural History, Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples, Florida
Aerial Roots, Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey [catalogue]
Exposed Roots, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, Colorado
2011
Steve Tobin’s Natural History, Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples Florida
Touching Earth & Sky, Minneapolis Landscape Arboretum, University of Minnesota,
Chaska, Minnesota
2010
Steelroots, Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, New York
Steelroots, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois
Steelroots, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania
2009
Steelroots, Calgary, Canada. Permanent public installation
Steelroots, Chicago, Illinois. Public installation
2008
Steelroots, The Patricia & Philip Frost Art Museum, Florida International University,
Miami, Florida
Weeds in the Garden, Fordhook Farm of the W. Atlee Burpee Co, Doylestown,
Pennsylvania. Installation
Steelroots, Kouros Gallery, New York, New York
2007
Steelroots, 40 Years of Art in the Parks, New York Department of Parks and Recreation,
Prospect Park, Brooklyn [catalogue]
Cocoons, Philadelphia International Airport. Installation
Steelroots, Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, California
2006
Steve Tobin Paintings, OK Harris Gallery, New York, New York
Exploded Earth, American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California
Steelroots, Kouros Sculpture Center, Ridgefield, Connecticut
2005
Trinity Root, 9/ 11 memorial, Wall Street and Broadway, New York, New York. Installation.
Moved to Trinity Retreat Center, West Cornwall, Connecticut, 2015.
Steve Tobin Paintings, The Banana Factory, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Earth Bronzes and New Nature, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine
2004
Roots, Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, Missouri. Installation
Roots, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. Installation
2003
Lantern House, Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Maine. Permanent installation
Earth Bronzes, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine
Earth Bronzes, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. Permanent installation
2002– 2003
Naked Earth, George C. Page Museum at La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California;
ancillary exhibition, at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California
Lantern House, George Eastman Museum, Rochester, New York
2001–2002
Earth Bronzes, Lehigh University Art Galleries and Museum, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
2001
Earth Bronze Trilogy, Part I, Buschlen Mowatt Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
Lantern House, Marco Polo Gallery, 49th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
1999–2001
Earth Bronzes, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York;
ancillary exhibition, African Termite Mounds, Montefiore Square, West Harlem, New York
Cocoons, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York
1998
Earth Bronzes, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts. Traveled to OK Harris
Gallery, New York, New York [catalogue]
Termite Hills, Art et Industrie, New York, New York [catalogue]
1997
Broadway River, New York University, Broadway Windows, New York, New York
1996
Matzoh House, Gallery B.A.I., New York, New York
1995
Steve Tobin: Reconstructions, Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College,
Collegeville, Pennsylvania [catalogue]
Steve Tobin: Reconstructions, Peyton Wright Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Steve Tobin: Reconstructions, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
1994
Sanske Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
Habatat Galleries, Boca Raton, Florida
1993
Steve Tobin at Retretti, Retretti Art Centre, Punkaharju, Finland [catalogue]
1992
Carpe Diem Gallery, Paris, France
Waterglass American Craft Museum (Museum of Arts and Design), New York,
New York. Installation
1991
Lehigh University Art Museum, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Habatat Galleries, Boca Raton, Florida
1990
Cocoons, Judy Youens Gallery, Houston, Texas
Steve Tobin, Sanske Gallerie, Zürich, Switzerland
1989
Cocoons, Holsten Galleries, Palm Beach, Florida
1988
Steve Tobin: The Glass Garden, Moore College of Art and Design, Levy Gallery for the Arts,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1987
Dream Glass, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Glass for Tea Ceremony, Tazawa Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
1986
Wheaton Ware, LaVaggi Gallery, New York, New York
Glasscapes, Glass Gallery, New York, New York
1985
David Bernstein Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
Manhattan Bowls, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1982
Glass Sculpture, Gallery 10, New York, New York
1980
Glass Portraits, Hanson Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
Glasscapes, Spring Street Enamels Gallery, New York, New York
1979
Sculptured Glass, Bienville Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
Group Exhibitions & Installations
2014
Vanitas, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
2008
Retrospective of the Permanent Collection, inaugural exhibition in the Museum of Art and
Design (formerly American Craft Museum), Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York
2007
Shattering Glass: New Perspectives, Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, New York [catalogue]
2005–2007
Earth Bronzes, Spring/Summer 2005 Exhibitions, Grounds for Sculpture,
Trenton, New Jersey [catalogue].
El Bosque/The Forest, Museo Federico Silva Sculpture Park, San Luis Potos., Mexico.
Traveled throughout Mexico and the United States [catalogue]
2000
Roots, Vancouver International Sculpture Project, Vancouver, Canada [catalogue]
Exploded Clay with Glass Riverbed, Americans in Venice Exhibition, American Craft
Museum (Museum of Arts and Design) NewYork, New York [catalogue]
1994
Alene Lapides Gallery, Sante Fe, New Mexico
Waterworks, Palm Beach Community College Museum of Art, Lake Worth, Florida
Robert Morris Gallery, New York, New York
1993
From Our Vault, Wustum Museum, Racine, Wisconsin
1991
Friends of Birdyland, Carpe Diem Gallery, Paris, France
Le verre, Espace Duchamp-Villon, Rouen, France
1990
Glass Doesn’t Grow in the Forest, St. Augustine Chapel, Belgium
1989
Glass America, Heller Gallery, New York, New York (also 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
1986
em>Southern Studio Glass, Traveled to Kingsport, Tennessee; Ashville, North Carolina;
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Tokyo, Japan
1984
Pilchuck Glass, Travor Sutton Gallery, Seattle, Washington
1983
Southern Glass, Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts, Roanoke, Virginia
1981
National Art Glass, Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, California
1980
Liquid Color, Elizabeth Fortner Gallery, San Francisco, California
selected museum and public collections
Museum and Public Collections
Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
America Center, Helsinki, Finland
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California
American Museum of Glass, Millville, New Jersey
Boca Raton Museum of Art, Mizner Park, Boca Raton, Florida
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
City of Calgary, Canada
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine
Coca-Cola Corporation Collection, Atlanta, Georgia
CSC Global, Wilmington, Delaware
Florida International University, Miami, Florida
Fordhook Farms, Doylestown, Pennsyvlania
Frost Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, Naples, Florida
Gratz College, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey
James A. Michener Museum of Art, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
J’ing’An Sculpture Project (JISP), Shanghai, China
Karl Stirner Arts Trail, Easton, Pennsylvania
King Faisal’s Palace, Saudi Arabia
Lehigh University Museum of Art, Lehigh, Pennsylvania
Lowe Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Lausanne, Switzerland
Museum of American Glass, Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville, New Jersey
Museum of Art and Design (MAD), New York, New York
National September 11 th Memorial and Museum, New York, New York
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Retretti Art Centre, Punkaharju, Finland
The Sculpture Foundation Collection
Stephane Janssen Collection, Phoenix, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico
Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio
The White House Permanent Art Collection, Washington, D.C
Selected Permanent Collections
National September Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center
Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA
American Center, Helsinki, Finland
Museum of Art and Design, New York, NY
American Glass Museum, Millville, NJ
Boca Raton Museum of Art, Boca Raton, FL
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME
Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, MO
Frost Art Museum, FIU, FL
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
Coca-Cola Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Finair, Helskinki, Finland
Gratz College, Philadelphia, PA
King Faisal’s Palace, Saudi Arabia
Lowe Art Museum, Miami, FL
Musee des Arts Décoratifs, Lausanne, Switzerland
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinis College, Collegeville, PA
Retretti Museum; Punkaharju, Finland
State Museum, Harrisburg, PA
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
Stephane Janssen Collection, Santa Fe, NM
The White House, Washington, D.C.
List of Media
Art in America Inside Back Cover, September 2022
Fox Business | Mornings with Maria Bartaromo, July 2022
San Antonio Magazine Cover (with Twisties), July 2022
Wise Fool Podcast, Czeck Republic, December 2021
American Alliance of Museums, feature, February 2021
ARTnews, back cover, Winter 2020 – 2021
eBELLA magazine, cover, December 2020
New York Times, feature (James Barron) April 2017
Artnet News, feature, April 2017
NY Daily News, feature, April 2017
The Daily Mail, feature, April 2017
Artforum, feature, April 2017
Sculpture magazine, feature, Summer 2017
New York Times, feature (James Barron), April 2017
New York Times, feature (James Barron), July 2016
Wall Street Journal, feature, August 2015
Wall Street Journal, feature, December 2015
The Philadelphia Inquirer, feature, July 2014
Huffington Post, feature, April 2013
The Times of Princeton, NJ, front page, August 2011
ARTnews, review, November 2011
Life in Naples magazine, feature, November 2011
Naples Daily News, feature, November 2011
On View magazine, feature, November 2011
Happenings magazine, cover story, November 2011
artdaily.org, feature, March 2011
Celebrated Living magazine (for American Airlines premium class passengers), feature, Summer 2010
Chicago Tribune, feature, April 2010
Chicago Daily Herald, feature, April 2010
Town & Country magazine, feature, special travel issue, April 2010
Chicago Tribune, feature, April 2010
Chicago Sun-Times, feature, April 2010
Chicago Tribune, feature, April 2010
Chicago Herald, feature, April 2010
The New York Sun, photo with caption, October 2007
New York Times, feature, December 2007
The New York Post, feature, November 2007
Gallery Guide, feature, 2006
Lifescapes West Coast Art + Design, feature, May 2006
New York Times, feature (Sewell Chan), 2006
Art in America, review, June/July 2006
New York Metro, feature, September 2005
NY Newsday, image with caption, September 2005
National Geographic magazine, feature, August 2005
Philadelphia Inquirer, feature, July 2005
The New York Sun, photo with caption, September 2005
The Battery Park City Broadsheet, photo with caption, September 2005
The Living Church, cover story, September 2005
Sculpture magazine, image with caption, December 2005
New York Times, feature (Randy Kennedy), July 2005
New York One, feature, September 2005
CNN, 3 part special feature on Trinity Root, September 2005
New York Daily News, feature, September 2005
New York Daily News, photo with caption, September 2005
The Battery Park City Broadsheet, photo with caption, September 2005
Smithsonian magazine, feature story, June 2004
Chicago Tribune, feature, May 2004
South County Times, St. Louis, feature, April 2004
Chicago Sun Times, photo with caption, May 2004
Landscape Architecture magazine, feature, April 2004
Los Angeles Times, feature, October 2002
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (SoCal), feature, October 2002
Christian Science Monitor, feature, October 2002
New York Times, feature (Roberta Smith), July 2001
Sculpture magazine, feature, March 2001
Natural History magazine (AMNH), photo with caption, May 2001
Ceramics Monthly, cover story, March 2001
The Philadelphia Inquirer, feature, November 2000
Newsweek, feature, November 2000
New York Times, feature (Kelly Crow), November 2000
The Philadelphia Inquirer, feature, November 2000
Philadelphia magazine, feature, March 1999
People magazine, feature, June 1998
The Boston Globe, feature, January 1998
The Philadelphia Inquirer, feature, May 1998
Art in America, review, September 1998
Gallery Guide, cover story, Summer 1998
Inside magazine, feature, Spring 1997
Glass magazine, cover story, Winter 1996
The Morning Call, feature, 1996