Curriculum Vitae
Andrea Sargeant Branca
Education:
MA with Distinction in Fashion Design
London St Martin ' s School of Art, UK
BA First Class Honours in Art
Middlesex Art School, UK
Artistic Experience:
Watercolorist - Ettore Maiotti Academy, Milan, Italy (2011-2016)
Professional Experience:
Fashion Designer - Girombelli Group, Italy (1985-1988)
Fashion Designer and Founder - Ghost Ltd Fashion Label, UK (1981-1991)
Fashion Designer and Brand Manager - Andrea Sargeant, Italy (1991-1994)
Designer - Maton Sargeant Home Furnishings, Italy (1993-2000)
Designer - Andrea Sargeant Branca Home Furnishings, Italy (2000-2010)
Andrea Sargeant Branca’ s Exhibitions
Andrea Sargeant Branca' s artistic journey spans numerous prestigious exhibitions and accolades. In 2012, she showcased a watercolor exhibition at Galleria Bolzani in Milan, followed by another in Serravezza, Italy, in 2013. That same year, she attended an engraving course by F. Galli in Milan and was a finalist in the Art Fight competition in Sweden. In 2014, Andrea was a finalist in both the Laguna Concorso in Venice and the Oasis competition in Italy, along with exhibiting at Galleria Bolzani' s "Fiori e Piante in Acquerello " in Milan. In 2015, she exhibited at Mall Gallery Royal Opera Arcade in London and Galleria Interartex Thuillier in Paris. By 2016, she became a finalist at the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolors in London. Notable exhibitions include Galleria Pigna at the Vatican in 2018 and her personal show at Castello Ginori, Querceto, in 2019. In 2021, Andrea won several awards from Art Room Gallery and received the Vittorio Sgarbi Prize. She continued her successful streak with exhibitions at the Royal Society of Painters in 2022, the Biale Biennale in Portugal in 2023, and various shows in Italy, including Fabriano and Bologna. Andrea will be featured at Bagn' art in Le Chable, Switzerland, in December 2024.
IN THE NET
In a divisive world, art still knows how to be a liaison
by Simona Frigerio
Two different moments for equally suggestive spaces in the city of Lucca. After the frenzy of Lucca Comics & Games, the walled city regains its best dimension in two small collective exhibitions hosted at the baroque Church of Santa Caterina and in the city's last bastion, built in 1547, dedicated to Santa Croce. Anima Mundi Pax is the work in progress that has allowed some artists to connect and create a modern-day Barbizon School or Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood—not referring to a particular style but rather to a feeling that has permeated the entire small community. During the period of distancing and forced isolation due to the measures imposed by governments to curb the COVID-19 epidemic, some artists residing in Portugal, Brazil, Georgia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other countries decided to use the internet not only to build artistic paths based on dialogue and confrontation with others but also to encourage each other to pursue their shared creative passion. They offered mutual support and listening, while gifting visitors a glimpse of peace and serenity through the series of works produced.
Press Releases
IN THE NET
The Second Exhibition of the Anima Mundi Pax Project
by Simona Frigerio
The second exhibition organized by the artists participating in the Anima Mundi Pax project, offering the Lucca public a moment of beauty and serenity, was held within the Baluardo Santa Croce. This intimate space, rich in history and with exposed beams, makes the venue particularly warm and welcoming (although the lighting isn ’t the best for appreciating paintings). Andrea Sargeant was featured here with a series of watercolors on brown wrapping paper, glued onto wooden panels. These works were created during the pandemic, a time when the Conte government not only mandated that children stay home but also made it impossible to purchase stationery supplies, effectively hampering distance learning (in addition to the technological limits and resources available to families). Sargeant, however, "turned necessity into a virtue, " echoing Einstein’ s quote: "Creativity is born from difficulty just as day is born from the dark night. " Displaying flexibility, she used brown wrapping paper in place of traditional white paper for her work, and the result, which also makes use of white (a color rarely used by watercolorists), is very compelling. The distinctly autumnal atmospheres are enhanced by the background color, and the reflections of these dormant trees in still waters take on a translucency bordering on the dreamlike.
Galera San Soda, Milano
Manifesto Review: "Anima Mundi Pax"
by Andrea Sargeant branca
There is a palpable calmness that pervades her paintings, evoking the feeling that time has stopped, and we are invited to contemplate the beauty and fragility of these environments. Her works stand out due to her mastery of the en plein air technique, allowing her to convey the raw immediacy of nature’s power and serenity. Her ability to capture the subtle shifts in light and atmosphere speaks to the influence of John Ruskin, who believed in nature as the ultimate source of spiritual and emotional truth. Her watercolor meditations, inspired by Ruskin’s theories, are not merely landscapes; they are metaphysical explorations of the human spirit in dialogue with the natural world. Ultimately, Anima Mundi Pax is not merely an exhibition but a call to action. It encouragesus to re-evaluate our relationship with nature and challenges us to reflect on how art can inspire change, foster harmony, and cultivate a sense of inner peace. Her watercolors offer avisual solace, a meditation on what it means to belong to something greater, and in doing so, they invite us to imagine a more harmonious and peaceful future. This is not just an exhibition of beautiful landscapes; it is an urgent reminder of our shared responsibility to the world we inhabit.
