Stupende e originale sono le foto di Bronstein. -Firenze Agenda
MJ's work confidently engaged the eye. -David Kiehl, Curator, Whitney Museum
Immediacy, originality, beauty and sensitivity. -Ellen Harris, Former Director, Aperture Foundation
A sense of power and a tranquil still life vision. -Il Gazzettino di Venezia
Inventive and spirited. -Carl Little, Poet, Curator
MJ's work confidently engaged the eye. -David Kiehl, Curator, Whitney Museum
Immediacy, originality, beauty and sensitivity. -Ellen Harris, Former Director, Aperture Foundation
A sense of power and a tranquil still life vision. -Il Gazzettino di Venezia
Inventive and spirited. -Carl Little, Poet, Curator
Art (making, studying, traveling-to-see, teaching) has been at the center of my life for more than thirty years. After all of this time, my motivation hasn't really changed. I make art to slow down and take a deep breath, to find what's beautiful, and to capture micro moments of time. Trying to mirror the bewilderment and wonder of Being Here is both grounding and mystical. The act of creating imagery and objects centers me and the resulting work is a diary and an offering. While decades of exhibitions, commissions, projects and publications have been gratifying, nothing is ever as potent as being in the studio.
I've always been a studio artist, and like most artists, I've spent my life constellating a few themes. Intimacy, relationships and playfulness are at the heart of nearly all of my work, which is personal, handmade, organic. I look for compositions with movement and balance, and I'm especially taken with juxtapositions, finding beauty in the coexistence of something raw with something delicate and refined. My process-driven work, no matter the medium, is created in the spirit of play and discovery.
A graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology and Hampshire College, I'm a ceramic artist with a background in painting and photography, and a dedicated, uninterrupted practice based in Belfast, Maine for the past three decades. From 2011-14, I was the lead art educator at the Center For Maine Contemporary Art, and the creator of the ArtLab For All Ages program. An insatiable traveler with a great love for the sea, in 2014 I began working for Celebrity Cruises, designing itinerary-based projects to teach creative watercolor painting aboard the ships. I spent five years traveling the world, painting and teaching all along the way. Traveling (especially by sea...crossing oceans, moving from port to port) has been a great joy, an education, and a constant source of inspiration. My ceramic and watercolor work especially reflect a fascination with visible layers of history, a spectrum of aesthetic and cultural influences, and countless hours in and on the water.
In the summer of 2022, I was selected for the Material Intersections residency at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, to explore "painterly approaches to working with clay." In the winter of 2023, I was in residence at Momento Ceramics in Locarno, Switzerland, focusing on my series Tenerezza. In the spring, a solo exhibition of watercolors and ceramics, Play Date, was on view at the Maine Jewish Museum. In 2024 and 2025, I returned to Momento Ceramics, focusing on Private Party and A Locarno, Con Amore.
My ceramic work can be found at Gallery B in Castine, Maine, the Center For Maine Contemporary Art shop in Rockland, Maine, and Amali Concept Store in Locarno, Switzerland. Studio visits by request.
I've always been a studio artist, and like most artists, I've spent my life constellating a few themes. Intimacy, relationships and playfulness are at the heart of nearly all of my work, which is personal, handmade, organic. I look for compositions with movement and balance, and I'm especially taken with juxtapositions, finding beauty in the coexistence of something raw with something delicate and refined. My process-driven work, no matter the medium, is created in the spirit of play and discovery.
A graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology and Hampshire College, I'm a ceramic artist with a background in painting and photography, and a dedicated, uninterrupted practice based in Belfast, Maine for the past three decades. From 2011-14, I was the lead art educator at the Center For Maine Contemporary Art, and the creator of the ArtLab For All Ages program. An insatiable traveler with a great love for the sea, in 2014 I began working for Celebrity Cruises, designing itinerary-based projects to teach creative watercolor painting aboard the ships. I spent five years traveling the world, painting and teaching all along the way. Traveling (especially by sea...crossing oceans, moving from port to port) has been a great joy, an education, and a constant source of inspiration. My ceramic and watercolor work especially reflect a fascination with visible layers of history, a spectrum of aesthetic and cultural influences, and countless hours in and on the water.
In the summer of 2022, I was selected for the Material Intersections residency at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, to explore "painterly approaches to working with clay." In the winter of 2023, I was in residence at Momento Ceramics in Locarno, Switzerland, focusing on my series Tenerezza. In the spring, a solo exhibition of watercolors and ceramics, Play Date, was on view at the Maine Jewish Museum. In 2024 and 2025, I returned to Momento Ceramics, focusing on Private Party and A Locarno, Con Amore.
My ceramic work can be found at Gallery B in Castine, Maine, the Center For Maine Contemporary Art shop in Rockland, Maine, and Amali Concept Store in Locarno, Switzerland. Studio visits by request.
MARCIE JAN BRONSTEIN . VISUAL ARTIST
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2026 Hera Gallery: Labor, virtual (juried)
Waterfall Arts: Homegrown, Belfast, ME (invitational)
2025 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London, UK (invitational)
Sidlehouse Gallery, Freeport, ME (juried)
Gallery B, three exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Lewis Gallery,Washed Away, curated by Carl Little, Portland, ME (juried)
A Locarno, Con Amore, Amali Concept Store, Locarno, Switzerland (2 person)
2024 Gallery B, four exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
2023 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London UK (invitational)
Marywood University, The Russell Collection, Scranton, PA (collected artist)
Gallery B, four exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Parsonage Gallery, Summer Exhibition, Searsport, ME (invitational)
Maine Jewish Museum: Play Date, Portland, ME (solo)
2022 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London UK (invitational)
Carver Hill Gallery: Winterlude, Camden, ME (invitational)
Gallery B: three exhibitions,Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Penobscot Marine Museum: Penobscot Bay as Muse, Searsport, ME (invitational)
2021 Cove Street Arts: Eaux the Water, Portland, ME (3 person show)
Clifford Gallery: Photographing Belfast's Waterfront Belfast, ME (invitational)
2020 Zillman Art Museum: Being Here, Bangor, ME (solo)
2018 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Biennial, Rockland, ME (juried)
2017 The Annex Art Center, Castine, ME (invitational)
2014 Photographic Resource Center: Flash Forward Festival, Boston, MA (invitational)
Slocumb Gallery: Positive/Negative: Pages, Johnson City,TN (juried)
2013 New England Photography Biennial, Framingham, MA (invitational)
Aarhus Gallery: Infinite Horizons, Belfast, ME (invitational)
2012 Parallax, Women’s Photography Exhibition, Notre Dame U, MD (invitational)
2009 ME Museum of Photographic Art: 50 Artists, Falmouth, ME
2007 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Altered Nature, Rockport, ME (invitational)
Elan Fine Arts: gallery artist, Rockport, ME
2006 Photomedia Center: Illuminating the Negative, Erie, PA (solo)
2005 Elan Fine Arts: gallery artist, Rockport, ME
Blum Gallery, College of Atlantic: Portrait/Self Portrait, Bar Harbor, ME (juried)
Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Winter in Maine, Rockport, ME (juried)
2002 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Plugged In, Rockport, ME (juried)
2002 Elements Gallery: gallery artist, Rockland, ME
2001 LSU: Works On Paper 2001, Prize Winner Baton Rouge, LA (juried)
1999 Elements Gallery: The Doll Series & Dogs in Cars Rockland, ME (two solos)
Maine Coast Artists: After Dark, Rockport, ME (invitational)
The Frankfurt Airport: First Designer’s Ave, Frankfurt, Germany (invitational)
1997 Creative Photographic Arts Ctr: Photographs 1992-1997, Lewiston, ME (solo)
A.I.R. Gallery Invitational: Generations, New York, NY (invitational)
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, Hamilton: Emerging Artists, New York, NY (2 person)
1996 Sylvia White Gallery: The Horse Show, Los Angeles, CA (juried)
Danforth Gallery: Visions of the Mind, Portland, ME (juried)
1995 Gallery 2/20: Work in Progress, New York, NY (invitational)
1994 Casa Italiana/NYU : The Italian Series, New York, NY (solo)
Galleria Il Diaframma/ Kodak Cultura, Foto Colorate, Milan, Italy (5 person)
1993 Nuova Libreria Galileo & Studio Poletto, Mestre, Italy (solo)
1992 Artemare 1992: L’uomo e il Mare, Riposto, Italy (juried)
1990 Michael Thompson Gallery, San Francisco, CA (invitational)
UC Medical Center, San Francisco, CA (solo)
1987 Hampshire College, Amherst, MA (solo)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2026 Down East Magazine
2025 Maine Home & Design, featured artist
2023 Play Date . ceramics and watercolor: Exhibition Catalog
2021 Portland Press Herald: exhibition review, Portland, ME
Working Waterfront, Island Institute: feature article, Rockport, ME
Maine Arts Journal: feature essay and paintings, online
2020 Being Here: Marcie Jan Bronstein, catalog Zillman Art Museum
2019 ArtMaze Contemporary Art: featured artist, Issue 13, online
2018 Decor Maine: featured artist, Portland, ME
Your Impossible Voice Literary Journal: cover
2017 Portland Press Herald: feature article, Portland, ME
Yale University, Perch Arts & Literary Journal, New Haven, CT
New England Review: cover painting, Middlebury, VT
Maine Home and Design: Maine Artists To Watch, Portland, ME
Princeton Art Brushes: Artist Spotlight
2016 Art Revealed Magazine: portfolio and interview, London, UK
2015 After The Pause Poetry Journal: featured portfolio
2008 The Maine Sunday Telegram: featured author, Portland, ME
2004 Exploring Color Photography: feature • McGraw Hill, New York, NY
2003 Non Satis Scire: Hampshire College: cover + portfolio, Amherst, MA
2001 Object Lessons: Beauty and Meaning in Art, Madison, WI
1998 The Free Press: Two Artists in a Barn, feature, Rockland, ME
1997 The Maine Sunday Telegram: review of solo exhibition, Portland, ME
1994 Creativity: And then there was NON., New York, NY
ZOOM: Al Diaframma, Milan, Italy
1993 Il Gazzetino: Un’americana che dipinge le foto (review), Venice, Italy
Il Gazzetino: Musica & fotografia (review), Mestre, Italy
Progresso Fotografico (portfolio), Milan, Italy
1992 La Nazione, Florence, Italy
RESIDENCIES
2023, 24, 25 Momento Ceramics, Locarno, Switzerland
2022 Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME
2018 Millay Colony, (Full Fellowship), Austerlitz, NY
1986 Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
1985 Vermont Studio School, Johnson, VT
PUBLIC ART / COMMISSIONS / GRANTS/ etc
2025 Gardens & Open Studio Tours, July & August
Waterfall Arts: Artist’s Studio Presentation, Belfast, ME
2024 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Presentation, Rockland, ME
Maine Craft Tour: Open Studio, Belfast, ME
2023 Pecha Kucha Presentation, Strand Theater, Rockland, ME
2021 Maine Community Foundation: Crosswalk Design, Belfast, ME
2005 Maine Arts Commission: Good Idea Grant, Augusta, Maine
2004 Public Percent-for-Art Program: 30’ x 15’ installation, Belfast, ME
2002 Public Percent-for-Art Program: 24 works, Denver, CO
1994 Saks Fifth Avenue: art in Fifth Avenue windows, New York, NY
1990 Neiman Marcus: art in windows, San Francisco, CA
EDUCATION
1992 Lorenzo de Medici: Diploma Magister Linguae: Italian, Florence, Italy
1988 Hampshire College: BFA, Amherst, MA
1986 Fashion Institute of Technology: AAS, Magna Cum Laude, New York, NY
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2026 Hera Gallery: Labor, virtual (juried)
Waterfall Arts: Homegrown, Belfast, ME (invitational)
2025 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London, UK (invitational)
Sidlehouse Gallery, Freeport, ME (juried)
Gallery B, three exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Lewis Gallery,Washed Away, curated by Carl Little, Portland, ME (juried)
A Locarno, Con Amore, Amali Concept Store, Locarno, Switzerland (2 person)
2024 Gallery B, four exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
2023 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London UK (invitational)
Marywood University, The Russell Collection, Scranton, PA (collected artist)
Gallery B, four exhibitions, Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Parsonage Gallery, Summer Exhibition, Searsport, ME (invitational)
Maine Jewish Museum: Play Date, Portland, ME (solo)
2022 Thrown Contemporary: Winter Exhibition, London UK (invitational)
Carver Hill Gallery: Winterlude, Camden, ME (invitational)
Gallery B: three exhibitions,Castine, ME (gallery artist)
Penobscot Marine Museum: Penobscot Bay as Muse, Searsport, ME (invitational)
2021 Cove Street Arts: Eaux the Water, Portland, ME (3 person show)
Clifford Gallery: Photographing Belfast's Waterfront Belfast, ME (invitational)
2020 Zillman Art Museum: Being Here, Bangor, ME (solo)
2018 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Biennial, Rockland, ME (juried)
2017 The Annex Art Center, Castine, ME (invitational)
2014 Photographic Resource Center: Flash Forward Festival, Boston, MA (invitational)
Slocumb Gallery: Positive/Negative: Pages, Johnson City,TN (juried)
2013 New England Photography Biennial, Framingham, MA (invitational)
Aarhus Gallery: Infinite Horizons, Belfast, ME (invitational)
2012 Parallax, Women’s Photography Exhibition, Notre Dame U, MD (invitational)
2009 ME Museum of Photographic Art: 50 Artists, Falmouth, ME
2007 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Altered Nature, Rockport, ME (invitational)
Elan Fine Arts: gallery artist, Rockport, ME
2006 Photomedia Center: Illuminating the Negative, Erie, PA (solo)
2005 Elan Fine Arts: gallery artist, Rockport, ME
Blum Gallery, College of Atlantic: Portrait/Self Portrait, Bar Harbor, ME (juried)
Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Winter in Maine, Rockport, ME (juried)
2002 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Plugged In, Rockport, ME (juried)
2002 Elements Gallery: gallery artist, Rockland, ME
2001 LSU: Works On Paper 2001, Prize Winner Baton Rouge, LA (juried)
1999 Elements Gallery: The Doll Series & Dogs in Cars Rockland, ME (two solos)
Maine Coast Artists: After Dark, Rockport, ME (invitational)
The Frankfurt Airport: First Designer’s Ave, Frankfurt, Germany (invitational)
1997 Creative Photographic Arts Ctr: Photographs 1992-1997, Lewiston, ME (solo)
A.I.R. Gallery Invitational: Generations, New York, NY (invitational)
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, Hamilton: Emerging Artists, New York, NY (2 person)
1996 Sylvia White Gallery: The Horse Show, Los Angeles, CA (juried)
Danforth Gallery: Visions of the Mind, Portland, ME (juried)
1995 Gallery 2/20: Work in Progress, New York, NY (invitational)
1994 Casa Italiana/NYU : The Italian Series, New York, NY (solo)
Galleria Il Diaframma/ Kodak Cultura, Foto Colorate, Milan, Italy (5 person)
1993 Nuova Libreria Galileo & Studio Poletto, Mestre, Italy (solo)
1992 Artemare 1992: L’uomo e il Mare, Riposto, Italy (juried)
1990 Michael Thompson Gallery, San Francisco, CA (invitational)
UC Medical Center, San Francisco, CA (solo)
1987 Hampshire College, Amherst, MA (solo)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2026 Down East Magazine
2025 Maine Home & Design, featured artist
2023 Play Date . ceramics and watercolor: Exhibition Catalog
2021 Portland Press Herald: exhibition review, Portland, ME
Working Waterfront, Island Institute: feature article, Rockport, ME
Maine Arts Journal: feature essay and paintings, online
2020 Being Here: Marcie Jan Bronstein, catalog Zillman Art Museum
2019 ArtMaze Contemporary Art: featured artist, Issue 13, online
2018 Decor Maine: featured artist, Portland, ME
Your Impossible Voice Literary Journal: cover
2017 Portland Press Herald: feature article, Portland, ME
Yale University, Perch Arts & Literary Journal, New Haven, CT
New England Review: cover painting, Middlebury, VT
Maine Home and Design: Maine Artists To Watch, Portland, ME
Princeton Art Brushes: Artist Spotlight
2016 Art Revealed Magazine: portfolio and interview, London, UK
2015 After The Pause Poetry Journal: featured portfolio
2008 The Maine Sunday Telegram: featured author, Portland, ME
2004 Exploring Color Photography: feature • McGraw Hill, New York, NY
2003 Non Satis Scire: Hampshire College: cover + portfolio, Amherst, MA
2001 Object Lessons: Beauty and Meaning in Art, Madison, WI
1998 The Free Press: Two Artists in a Barn, feature, Rockland, ME
1997 The Maine Sunday Telegram: review of solo exhibition, Portland, ME
1994 Creativity: And then there was NON., New York, NY
ZOOM: Al Diaframma, Milan, Italy
1993 Il Gazzetino: Un’americana che dipinge le foto (review), Venice, Italy
Il Gazzetino: Musica & fotografia (review), Mestre, Italy
Progresso Fotografico (portfolio), Milan, Italy
1992 La Nazione, Florence, Italy
RESIDENCIES
2023, 24, 25 Momento Ceramics, Locarno, Switzerland
2022 Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, ME
2018 Millay Colony, (Full Fellowship), Austerlitz, NY
1986 Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
1985 Vermont Studio School, Johnson, VT
PUBLIC ART / COMMISSIONS / GRANTS/ etc
2025 Gardens & Open Studio Tours, July & August
Waterfall Arts: Artist’s Studio Presentation, Belfast, ME
2024 Center for Maine Contemporary Art: Presentation, Rockland, ME
Maine Craft Tour: Open Studio, Belfast, ME
2023 Pecha Kucha Presentation, Strand Theater, Rockland, ME
2021 Maine Community Foundation: Crosswalk Design, Belfast, ME
2005 Maine Arts Commission: Good Idea Grant, Augusta, Maine
2004 Public Percent-for-Art Program: 30’ x 15’ installation, Belfast, ME
2002 Public Percent-for-Art Program: 24 works, Denver, CO
1994 Saks Fifth Avenue: art in Fifth Avenue windows, New York, NY
1990 Neiman Marcus: art in windows, San Francisco, CA
EDUCATION
1992 Lorenzo de Medici: Diploma Magister Linguae: Italian, Florence, Italy
1988 Hampshire College: BFA, Amherst, MA
1986 Fashion Institute of Technology: AAS, Magna Cum Laude, New York, NY
Since 1996, living and working on the coast of Maine in this converted barn with the studio on the ground floor.
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