Melanie Zibit — Artist’s Biography & Statement
Born: Cambridge, MA | 1948
Studio: Shirley, MA
I learned to carve in the marble workshops of Carrara, Italy. I have lived among artists in rural Eastport, Maine, and NYC. Currently, I carve at the Vermont Carving Studio and Sculpture Center along with sculptors from all over New England. I give presentations at museums, schools, universities, galleries, and arts festivals; have received commissions and exhibited in museums and galleries throughout New England and America. Some awards I have won: 2014 and 2015 from the NYC Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club and the Best Abstract in Show Cape Cod Art Association 2015. My sculptures are in private collections.
Artist’s Statement
“In the art of sculpture . . . it is left to the artist to make out of many things one thing, and from the smallest part of a thing an entirety.” Rainer Maria Rilke writing about Auguste Rodin, 1919
I am inspired by ancient and modern sculptors. I use marble and bronze, classical materials, and components of forms found in nature to create a modern statement. Leaving elements natural or forms unfinished invites the viewer to complete the form in their mind’s eye.
Melanie Zibit, Central Massachusetts
Recent Awards
- CLWAC Annual Juried Exhibit, NYC, January 2019
- Settlers Green Market Place Installation June 2018
- Cape Cod Arts Association – Artists’ Vision March 2017
- Best In Show
- International Light Space & Time online Figurative Art
- Exhibition April 2017
- 3rd Place Overall out of 677 entries
- 1st Place in the 3 Dimensional Category
Selected Group Exhibits
2016 – 2019
- Visualizing the Word Ekphrasic Art National Juried Show Arnold, MD
- The Seeing of Sound Art League Rhode Island
- Concord Art Association, Rhoddy Competition
- Fitchburg Art Museum 84th Regional Arts and Crafts Exhibit, MA
- Outdoor Sculpture Walk, Old Frog Pond Farm, Harvard MA
- Eustis Estate New England Historic Homes Canton MA.
- Cranes Estate, Ipswich MA
- Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Annual Juried Exhibition, NYC
- Heritage Museum and Garden – Outdoor Commemorations
- Elm Bank Massachusetts Horticultural Society Wellesley, MA
- “The Female Form – Go Figure” Groton School, Groton, MA
- Outdoor sculpture invitational exhibit, Danvers Peabody Library
- Gilbert Boro’s Studio 80, Outdoor Exhibition Old Lyme Connecticut
- New England Historic Homes, Portsmouth, NH
- Cape Cod Arts Association – Artists’ Vision, All Cape Cod, National Juried
- International Light, Space & Time online Figurative Art Exhibit
- Meredith Sculpture Walk, Meredith New Hampshire
- Lewis Gallery, Portland Public Library, Portland ME
- Marblehead Arts Association Sculpture Exhibit
2014 – 2015
- Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Annual Juried Exhibition, NYC
- Roddy Competition Concord Art Association, Concord, MA
- Process/Progress: Sculptural Transformations Bridgewater State University
- Outdoor Sculpture Walk, Old Frog Pond Farm, Harvard MA
- New England Historic Homes, Portsmouth, NH
- Regional Exhibition of Arts and Crafts, Fitchburg Art Museum
- Outdoor sculpture invitational exhibit, Danvers Peabody Library
2010-2013
- Bristol Community College
- Wolfeboro, NH Outdoor exhibit
- Transportation Building, Boston, MA
- Six Summit Gallery, Ivoryton, CN
- Maxwell Library Bridgewater State University
- Danvers Peabody Library
- Lexington Cary Library
- Endicott College
2005-2009
- Middleborough Art Festival, Middleborough, MA
- Green Mountain Fine Art, Stowe VT
- Vermont Sculpture and Carving Studio, West Rutland VT
- Mil Brook Gallery, NH
- University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- ArtGallery333 in Falmouth, MA
- North Shore Art Association Gloucester, MA
- Depot Square Gallery, Lexington, MA
- Cape Cod Cultural Center, South Yarmouth, MA
- Transportation Building, Boston, MA
2000-2004
- Brandeis University, Waltham MA
- Bristol Art Museum, RI
- Roxbury Latin School, Boston, MA
- Cambridge Art Association, MA
- Depot Square Gallery, Lexington, MA
- Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
- Danvers 250th Anniversary Exhibit, Danvers MA
- New Bedford Art Museum, New Bedford, MA
- Attleboro Museum of Art, Attleboro MA
- Sheraton Hotel Danvers, MA
- Middleborough Public Library, Middleborough MA
- SOWA Open Studios, Boston, MA
- Concord Art Association, Concord MA
- Simmons College Boston, MA
1970 – 1987
- Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham MA
- South Shore Arts Festival, MA. Cohasset MA
- The Strong Gallery, Bar Harbor, ME
- University of Maine, Augusta, ME
- Jonathan Pierce Gallery, Bangor, ME
- Sculpture Center, East 69th St., NYC
- Hansen Galleries, West Broadway, NYC
1970 – 1987 (cont.)
- Boston Fine Arts Gallery, Boston, MA
- Gallery on the Green, Lexington, MA
- Chesterwood Competition, Berkshires, MA
Solo Exhibits
- Jags Gallery, Brookline, MA
- Eastport Library, Eastport, ME
- Strong Gallery, Trenton ME
- Frank Tanzer Gallery, Newbury St. Boston
- George Lewis Gallery, Newbury St. Boston
- Roxbury Latin School, Roxbury MA
- Middleborough Public Library, Middleborough MA
Reviews and Publications
- Interview at the Heritage Museum June 2018 related to the sculpture Arctic Ice on exhibit June – November 2018 (http://www.melaniezibit.com/section.aspx?id=4849)
- “Shirley Sculptor featured in Garden Exhibit,” Nashoba Valley Voice 7/19/2017
- Filippin, Marc, “Review exhibition – Bridgewater State University” Lexington Minuteman, January 2013
- “Movement in Stone” Brigham and Women’s Hospital 4/2012
- Wood, Martha Crosier, “Scene & Herd: Sculptor finds heart in stone”, 2011
- Rooney, Ashley book 100 New England Artists, 2011
- “Sculptor serves on art symposium panel,” Lexington Minuteman, March 19, 2009
- Amore, B., (Ed.) Caving out a Dream, Koboro Press, Benton, VT 2007
- “Artist featured in North Shore Exhibit,” Lexington Minuteman, July 11, 2007
- Kelly, Brian, “Resident completes commissioned sculpture in Italy,” Lexington Minuteman, August 15, 2003
- Zibit, Melanie, Boston Cable TV talk show, “It’s All about Art” 2002 http://www.itsallaboutarts.com/feature6.htm
- Betts, Peter, “Sculptor picks Eastport for its charm and beauty” Bangor Daily News, October 29, 1971
Works in private collections -throughout New England, Georgia, New York, and Oregon
Juror
- Marblehead Arts Association – 2008, 2014
- North Shore Arts Association 2007
- Attleboro Museum 2003
Organizations
- New England Sculptures Association
- Vermont Carving Studio and Sculpture Center
Guest Lecturer
- Roxbury Latin School – Mentor in stone carving 2019
- Russell’s Garden Center, 2009
- Arts Educator (semester) Waldorf High School, Belmont, MA 2006
- Western Oregon University, 2004
- Creativity in Sculpture: Roxbury Latin School 2001, 2002
- Romance of stone carving, Danvers 250th Celebration 2002
- Boston Cable TV talk show, “It’s All about Art“ 2002 http://www.itsallaboutarts.com/feature6.htm
- New Bedford Art Museum 2002
- Women in the arts Wheaton College 1975
Education
- Brandeis University BA
- Magna Cum Laude with honors in art, (award most promising student in sculpture)
- Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
- University of Illinois, M.Ed.
- Harvard Business School, MBA
- Middlesex Community College Certificate in Counseling
