Education

1996-2000 The University of the Arts
Philadelphia College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA
BFA Crafts, concentration in Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Experience

2002-present Studio Assistant for Gabriella Kiss, Bangall, NY

2007 Juror, SIE 61, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH

2006 Visiting Artist, Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA

2005 Lecturer, Emerging Talent 2005, SOFA Chicago

        Visiting Artist, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI

2004 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Jewelry, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

2000-2002 Metalsmithing Shop Technician, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

2000 Instructor, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA

        Visiting Artist, Millersville University, Millersville, PA

Exhibitions

2007 WomanGirl Sienna Gallery, Lenox, MA

2006-2007 Challenging the Chatelaine Designmuseo , Helsinki, Finland

2006 Hair, Lisa Sette Gallery , Scottsdale, AZ

2006 Life Insight: The Human Experience Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft , Louisville, KY

2006 Metalisms: Signature Works in Jewelry & Metalsmithing Center for Visual Art, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver, CO

2005-2006 100 Brooches Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA East Carolina University School of Art and Design, Greenville, NC Bellagio Gallery, Ashville, NC Pacini Lubel Gallery, Seattle, WA

2004-2005 200 Rings Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco, CA, Obsidian Gallery, Tucson, AZ, Gallery M, Cleveland, OH, Sam Shaw Gallery, Northeast Harbor, ME, Facere Jewelry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA

2004 Minutes, Emerging Artist Exhibition Sienna Gallery, Lenox, MA

2003 Evocative Objects Bannister Gallery, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI

2002 Metals Invitational Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

2002 Featured Emerging Artist Asher Gallery, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX

2000 Attitude and Action: North American Figurative Jewelry The Atrium Gallery, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, Birmingham, England The Jewellery Gallery at DESIGNyard, Dublin, Ireland


Awards and Honors

2007 Finalist, Pew Fellowship in the Arts

2007 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship

2003 Sienna Gallery Emerging Artist Award, Grant and Solo Exhibition

2000 Addie Grossman Annual Memorial Award in Jewelry Design and Creation



Publications

2007 Ambiguous Intimacy: The Jewelry of Melanie Bilenker

2006 New Directions in Jewellery Two, Black Dog Publishing

2006 Philadelphia Style, "Tress Work," January/February

2005 American Craft, "Portfolio," April/May

2005 500 Brooches, Lark Books

2004 Metalsmith Magazine , "Exhibition in Print"

2004 1000 Rings, Lark Books

2004 Philadelphia Weekly, "My Hair Lady," August 11th-17th