Marcia Miele Branca is a practicing artist proficient in printmaking, drawing and painting. Her work has been shown throughout the NY/NJ metropolitan area.
Ms. Miele Branca earned a B.A. degree in Art Education from Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio in 1972, and an M.A. in Printmaking from Montclair State University in 1990. She has done postgraduate work at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Bennington College, Vermont, and Kean University. She completed her M.F.A. at New Jersey City University in December 2002. Her work has been reviewed by Eileen Watkins, former art critic for the Star Ledger, Dan Bischoff, current art critic for Star Ledger and Barry Schwabsky of The New York Times.
She received scholarships from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Alliance for Arts Education, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and Sugar Maples Center for the Arts.
Ms. Miele Branca received 1st Place in the 1999 Hunterdon Museum Members Show. In 2005, she was awarded first place in the Monmouth County Arts Council Annual Juried Show at the Monmouth Museum.
She received a scholarship for the 14th International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA.
Ms. Miele Brance is an active member of the West Essex Art Association, Studio Montclair, and the Book Arts Roundtable. After teaching in the Belleville School System for 36 years and at Essex County College, West Essex Branch, she works at her studios at Manufacturer’s Village in East Orange, NJ, and in West Caldwell, NJ.
She is available for private consultation on student portfolios for college entrance.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Local Coffee, Montclair, NJ
Livingston Public Library, Livingston, NJ
2018
Tree Inspirations, New Jersey Center for Healthy Living, Montclair, NJ
2014 & 2016
Mixed Media Works, West Caldwell Public Library, West Caldwell, NJ
2013
Eclectic Prints, West Caldwell Public Library, West Caldwell, NJ
2009
Text(ure) Fields Revisited, Block Gallery, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ
2002
Text(ure) Fields, Lemmerman Gallery, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
1996
Barnes & Noble, Hoboken, NJ
Recent Work, Belleville Public Library, Belleville, NJ
1990
Recent Work, Sprague Gallery, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Galerie des Amis, West Caldwell Public Library, West Caldwell, NJ
Critique Group Showcase, Studio Montclair Gallery, Montclair, NJ
Rhythm & Blues, Studio Montclair Gallery, Montclair, NJ
2022
Studio Montclair State of the Art 2022, Leach Gallery, Montclair, NJ
Americana, The ACL Art Gallery, Livingston, NJ
Flights of Fancy, The ACL Art Gallery, Livingston, NJ
Be Still, Left Out Art, New York, NY
2021
West Essex Art Association Members’ Show, The Koether Gallery, West Caldwell, NJ
Livingston Arts Association, Livingston Municipal Building Gallery, Livingston, NJ
West Essex Art Association Juried Art Exhibition
Beauty Is…, The ACL Art Gallery, Livingston, NJ
2020
JAM at MAM, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, NJ
2019
Three-Person Exhibition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Livingston, NJ
State of the Art, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ
Reflections, The ACL Art Gallery, Livingston, NJ
Spring Awakening, La Vie Galerie, Livingston, NJ
Livingston Arts Association Annual Spring Members’ Show, The Koether Gallery, West Caldwell, NJ
West Essex Art Association Juried Art Exhibition, The Koether Gallery, West Caldwell, NJ
2016
Belmar Arts Council Annual Juried Show, Belmar, NJ
2015
The Art of Books, Museum of Early Trades and Craft, Madison, NJ
2014
The Fine Print Show, Second Story Art Gallery, Atlantic Highlands, NJ
2011
Small Works Show, Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ
2010
Viewpoints – Studio Montclair, Aljira, Newark, NJ; Juror: Rocio Aranda-Alvarado
Encaustic Student Show, NJCVA, Summit, NJ
2008
Making Marks, Center for Visual Arts, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
2007
The Home Gallery ’07 Juried Show, Mt. Holly, NJ
2006
Alumni Art Exhibition, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ; Juror: Midori Yoshimoto
2005
Monmouth County Arts Council Juried Show ’05, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ; Juror: Naomi Grossman
2004
Marietta College Alumni Show, Marietta, OH
2003
MFA Exhibition, College Art Association, Hunter College, NYC
2002
Off the Wall Exhibition, Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ
9/11: The Artists Respond, The Arts Guild of Rahway, Rahway, NJ; Juror: Lawrence Cappiello
27tth Annual New Members Show, City Without Walls, Newark, NJ; Curator: Stephen Sennott
Ten Little Art Mysteries, Rotonda Gallery, City Hall, Jersey City, NJ
Tinctorial Vociferations, City Without Walls at Seton Hall School of Law, Newark, NJ; Curator: Stephen Sennott
Monmouth County Arts Council Juried Show ‘02, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ; Juror: Gary Kuehn
2001
19th Annual Metro Show, City Without Walls, Traveling Show; Jurors: Hugo Bastidas, Steven Klindt, Yoland Skeete
Monmouth County Arts Council Juried Show ’01, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ; Juror: Stacy L. Smith
2000
MFA Exhibition, College Art Association, Hunter College, NYC
1999
Presumption of Innocence, Rush Arts Gallery, NYC; Curators: Hugo Bastidas, Howard Mc Calebb
Small Impressions ’99, Printmaking Council of NJ, Traveling Show
Hunterdon Museum 1999 Members Exhibition, Clinton, NJ; Juror: Alejandro Anreus
1998
Monmouth Art Alliance 12 Annual Juried Show, Redbank, NJ
Monmouth County Arts Council 19tth Annual Juried Show, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ; Juror: Cicely Cottingham
1997
Monmouth County Arts Council 18th Annual Juried Show, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ; Juror: Mel Leipzig
1996
Printmaking Council of NJ 23rd Annual Show, Cheltenham, PA
1992
Union County Arts Celebration, Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ; Juror: Kaaren Patterson
1988
Learned Processes, Printmaking Council of NJ, Somerville, NJ
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Art Spiel, October 13, 2021, “Marcia Miele Branca: MVA Open Studios,” Etty Yaniv
27th Annual New Members Show Catalog, September 5, 2002, City Without Walls, Newark, NJ, Stephen Sennott, Curator
The New York Times, January 17, 1999, “Unity Assembled From Bits and Pieces,” Barry Schwabsky
The Star Ledger, January 8, 1999, “Daring Directions in Hunterdon,” Dan Bischoff
The Star Ledger, September 13, 1996, “Spirals Become Common Motif,” Eileen Watkins
AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS
2021
West Essex Art Association Members’ Show, The Koether Gallery, West Caldwell, NJ, Merit Award
2020
14th International Encaustic Conference, Scholarship
2018
West Essex Art Association Annual Juried Show, Honorable Mention
2017
Essex County Senior Art Show, 1st Place
2015
Belmar Arts Council, Honorable Mention
2007
Art Association of Rutherford Juried Show, 2nd Place
2005
Sugar Maples Center for the Arts, Sugar Maples, NY
Monmouth County Arts Council Juried Art Show ‘05
1999
Hunterdon Museum 1999 Members Exhibition, 1st Place
Geraldine R. Dodge Fellowship, FAWC, Provincetown, MA
1998
Geraldine R. Dodge Fellowship, FAWC,Provincetown, MA
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts, Drawing & Painting, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
Master of Arts, Printmaking, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
Bachelor of Arts, Art Education, Marietta College, Marietta, OH
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
Adjunct Professor, Essex County College, West Caldwell NJ
Teacher of Fine Arts, Belleville Board of Education
Studio Art Instructor, Oakeside Cultural Center, Bloomfield, NJ
Teacher of Art, N.J. Workshop for the Arts, Westfield, NJ
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Manufacturer’s Village, East Orange, NJ
Livingston Arts Association
Montclair Art Museum
R & F Encaustics, Kingston, NY
Studio Montclair
West Essex Art Association
The Book Arts Roundtable
Peters Valley Craft Center
Artist Teacher Institute, N.J. State Council on the Arts/Alliance for Arts Education
Rutgers Center for Innovative Print & Paper
Art New England, Bennington College, Bennington, VT
Modern Art Symposium, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Judge, Women's Clubs Liberty District Achievement Day Awards, April 2017 & 2018
Curator, Rett Syndrome Research Trust Charity Art Show, Oakeside Cultural Center, Bloomfield NJ, May 2010
Judge, NJ State Federation of Women’s Clubs Liberty District Achievement Day Awards, March 2007
Curator, The Dina Cetrulo Retrospective, Fundraiser for the Dina Cetrulo Scholarship Fund, Belleville Public Library, October 2003
Curator, Montclair Art Museum Student Show, May 2002
