Education
1981School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Tufts University, B.F.A. Painting
2001University of New Hampshire, Thompson School of Applied Science, A.A.S. Horticultural Technology
Awards and Grants
2022Honorable Mention, One of a Kind, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA Juror: Catherine Kernan
Honorable Mention, Arts Connect, Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury, VT Juror: Katherine French
2020Artist Entrepreneurial Grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts
2019Second Place Award, Press and Release, Chester Gallery, Henniker, NH
2019Juror’s Award, Patterning, Anything But Flat Exhibition, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. Juror: Joanne Mattera
2018Second Place Award, Fifth National Monoprint/Monotype Juried Exhibition, Juror: Judith Brodsky
2011Artist Entrepreneurial Grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts
1996Bank of New Hampshire Award, Ann’s Garden, No. 12, 50th Annual Exhibition, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH
Solo Exhibitions
2023Native Intelligence, Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, Rochester, NH
2021Edges, The Gallery in Readfield, Readfield, ME
2020Syncopated Rhythm, Debra Claffey, AVA Gallery, Lebanon, NH
2019Hidden Lives, Paintings by Debra Claffey, Gateway Gallery, Portsmouth, NH
2016Debra Claffey: Paintings with Drawing , Galletly Gallery, New Hampton, NH
2012Debra Claffey, Hole In The Wall Studioworks, Raymond, ME
2002New Works , Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Boston, MA
2001New Works , Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH
2000New Works , Southern Vermont Arts Center Gallery, Manchester VT
1997Contemplating Still Life, Southern Vermont Art Center, Manchester, VT
1992Improvizations , Arts Alive, Baystate Medical Center Galleries, Springfield, MA
1983Images from Another Medium, Paintings and Monotypes . The Loading Dock Gallery, Boston, MA
Two Person Exhibitions
2020Debra Claffey and Judith Schneider, Hole in the Wall Studioworks, Raymond, ME
2010Biology, Geometry, Morphology, Debra Claffey and Soosen Dunholter, The Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024Abstract, River Arts, Damariscotta, ME. Juror: Alan Crichton
In This Moment, 3S Artspace Gallery, Portsmouth, NH. Juror: Emily Leach
Drawn to Maine: Contemporary Drawing and Printmaking, Maine Art Gallery, Wiscasset, ME. Juror: Michael Olszewski
Making an Impression: The Monotype and Monoprint, Cove St. Arts, Portland, ME. Juror: Elizabeth Jabar
Excavations, Pillar Gallery, Concord, NH. Curators: Michael Howat and Fallon Rae
2023Because It Matters, Grimshaw-Gudewicz Gallery, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA Curator: Kathleen Hancock
Capturing Beauty, The Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin, Laconia, NH. Curator: Suzanne Lee
Pulse, Great Bay Community College, Portsmouth, NH
Flora and Fauna, Brush Gallery invitational, Lowell, MA.
2022Elemental: Art as Advocacy, Mattatuck Art Musuem, Waterbury, CT. Curator: Cecilia Feldman.
86th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA. Juror: Jameson Johnson.
Foraging, Manhattan Arts Center, Manhattan, KS. Curator: Kelly Yarbrough.
Relationships: Hot/Cold/Intricate, Southern Vermont Art Center, Manchester, VT. Curator: Alison Crites.
Lucky Charms, Mojos, Signs, Cyphers and Zodiacs…Castle Hill Gallery, Truro Center for the Arts, Truro MA. Juror: Deborah Dancy.
Arts Connect, Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury, VT Juror: Katherine French
One of a Kind, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA Juror: Catherine Kernan
2021Layering: The Art and Experience of Hot Wax, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit, MA. Juror: Craig Bloodgood
85th Regional Exhibition, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, Mass.
Abstraction Now | Selections from the Yellow Chair Salon, online. Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, Truro, MA Curator: Michael David
SEAChange: Meditations in Sustainability, Highfield Hall and Gardens, Falmouth, Mass.
Waxing, Now Waning Pandemic: A Juried Encaustic Show, online. Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, Truro, MA. Juror Kaveh Mojtabai
Layering: The Art and Experience of Hot Wax, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit, Mass
2020Tree & Twig, Inspired by the Forest, Twigg Gallery Boscawen, NH
2019Crossroads: Four Perspectives, Dolphin Gallery, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA. Curator: Catherine Wilcox-Titus
A Sense of Place in Contemporary Encaustic, Monmouth University, West Branch, NJ. Juror: Lisa Pressman. Curators: Karen Bright and Kathleen Curtis Cosgrove
Schools of Thought, New Art Center, Newton, MA
84th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA. Juror: Aynel David Guerra
2019 Biennial Regional Jurors’ Choice Exhibition, Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene State University, Keene, NH. Jurors: Karina Kelley and Bill Stelling
New Hampshire: An Asian Sensibility. Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin, Laconia, NH Curator: Suzanne Lee
Anything But Flat, 13th International Encaustic Conference, Truro, MA. Juror: Joanne Mattera
Wax Paper, The Commons, Provincetown, MA. Curator: Kelly Austin-Rolo
12th Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition, The Center for Contemporary Printmaking. Norwalk, CT. Juror: Tomas Vu-Daniel
Monotype Guild of New England Members’ Juried Exhibition, Rhode Island Watercolor Society Gallery, Pawtucket, RI. Juror: Megan Foster
Impressions, Gallery Twist, Lexington, MA. Curator: Gillian Ross
Fusion: Encaustic Works, Higgins Gallery, Cape Cod Community College, Barnstable, MA. Curator: Nathalie Ferrier
2018Elemental: Contemporary Encaustic , Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA
Tipping Points, Elemental, Thayer Art Gallery, Thayer Academy, Braintree, MA
Fifth National Monotype/Monoprint Juried Exhibition, Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA. Juror: Judith Brodsky
Organic to Geometric , Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA. Curator: Carol Pelletier
NHIA Members' Exhibition , Sharon Arts Gallery, Peterborough, NH. Juror Theresa Choi.
Secret Gardens, Nave Gallery, Somerville, MA. Juror: Tori Costa
Text and Textiles, A Touring Exhibition of Poets and Artists , Hancock Public Library, Hancock, NH
2017Shifts , The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA. Juror: Ben Shattuck
Down East , Saco Museum, Saco ME. Jurors: Catherine Kernan, Josephine Graf
Regional Exhibition 82 , Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA. Juror: Erin Becker
Buzz , Gallery Blink, Lexington, MA Curator: Gillian Ross
Alternative Wax, Kobalt Gallery, Provincetown, MA
Black Tie (Optional) , A Gallery, Provincetown, MA
Impressions , Gallery Blink, Lexington, MA
Chaos & Order , Hilles Gallery, New Haven, CT. Juror: Jennifer Gross
At Large , Great Bay College Art Gallery, Portsmouth NH. Juror: Annette Cohen
2016Square Foot Art Basel Miami 4 , Projects Gallery, Miami, FL
A Small Show of Large Works, Great Bay College Art Gallery, Portsmouth, NH. Juror: Annette Cohen
Mark of the Brush , Castle Hill Gallery, Truro, MA. Juror: Christine McCarthy
Nº 10 Invitational, Adam Peck Gallery, Provincetown, MA
Vision and Verse , University of New England Art Gallery, Portland, ME. Juror: Anne Zill
Beneath the Surface , Saco Museum, Saco, ME. Juror: Ron Crusan
Selections: Winners from the 2015 Library Arts Center Juried Regional Exhibition , Newport, NH
Square Foot Art Basel Miami 3, Winwood Gallery, Miami, FL
2015Chaos and Order: Contemporary Encaustic by New England Wax , River Tree Center for the Arts, Kennebunk, ME. Juror: Anne Zill
Force of Nature: Exploring the Power of the Feminine , Silver Center for the Arts, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH. Juror: Judith Brodsky
One + One , A Gallery Art, Provincetown, MA
Library Arts Center Juried Regional Exhibition, Newport, NH
Mapping: Finding a Way, http://evansencaustics.blogspot.com. Curator: Hylla Evans
2014Transformations, Sharon Arts, Peterborough, NH. Juror: Kaveh Motjabai
Breaking Boundaries, Fountain Street Gallery, Framingham, MA. Jurors: Sara Zela and Lauren O’Neal
The New England Wax/FUSEDChicago Diptych Project II, The Engine, Biddeford, ME
I Believe, Galletly Gallery, New Hampton, NH. Juror: Amy Wilson
2013Material Matters, Lewis Gallery, Portland, ME
Red, A Gallery, Provincetown, MA. Juror: Marian Peck
Seven, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill Gallery, Truro, MA. Juror: Shawn Hill
Biennial, Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, Rochester, NH. Juror: A.B. Miner
Growl , Karl Drerup Gallery, Plymouth, NH. Juror: Saisha M. Grayson
Natura Viva: Flora Fauna & Us , ArtCurrent Gallery, Provincetown, MA
2012National Juried Encaustic Exhibition , Encaustic Art Institute, Cerrillos, NM. Juror: Ellen Koment
Pattern In Painting, Online exhibition , Curator: Hylla Evans, www.evansencaustics.blogspot.com
Looking Closely, Artists in the Arboretum , The Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, MA
Confluence: Water and Light, Kobalt Gallery, Provincetown, MA. Juror: Francine D'Olimpio
Wax, A Gallery , Provincetown, MA. Juror: Adam Peck
2011Wax-Inc. National Exhibition, Cohasset, MA. Juror: Brian T. Allen
NH Institute of Art 2011 Biennial, Manchester NH. Juror: Anthony Apesos
New England Collective II, Galatea Fine Art, Boston, MA. Juror: Joanne Mattera
Hot Wax, Cold Metal, Art at 12 Gallery, Boston, MA. Juror: Zola Solamente
2010New England Wax at the Fairfield Arts Council, Fairfield, CT. Curator: Laura Einstein
Contemporary Women Artists XV, Foundry Art Centre, St. Charles, MO. Juror: Yolanda Lopez
2009The Luminous Landscape Invitational , Montserrat Gallery of Art, Beverly, MA
Ancient Medium, N.E.W. Terrain, Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA. Juror: Craig Bloodgood
Heat Stroke , Saco Museum, Saco ME. Juror: Katherine French
61st Annual Currier Museum of Art NHAA Juried Exhibition Juror: Trevor Smith
2008In Flat Fields, River Tree Center for the Arts, Kennebunk, ME. Juror: Shawn Hill
The Diptych Project: a Collaboration in Wax, Whitney Art Works, Portland ME
The Diptych Project: a Collaboration in Wax, Steamboat Springs Arts Council, Steamboat
Springs, CO
2007New England Wax: Encaustic II, The Galletly Gallery, New Hampton, NH
Biennial Regional Jurors’ Choice , Thorne-Sagendorf Art Gallery, Keene, NH. Jurors: Catherine French, Gerry Bergstein, and Mary Minifie.
200355th Annual Exhibition , Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH. Juror: Joanna Soltan
2000Sanctuary , WCA Boston and Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Cambridge, MA
Here and Now: New Hampshire Women Artists , Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH
Curatorial Projects
2017The Space Between Shadow and Light , Gallery 10, Truro, MA
2016Balancing Acts, Twiggs Gallery, Boscawen, NH
2015The Incisive Line , Gallery 10, Truro, MA.
2013Natura Viva: Flora, Fauna & Us , ArtCurrent Gallery, Provincetown, MA
2012Natura Viva online exhibition, http://debraclaffey.blogspot.com/2012/11/natura-viva.html
Commissions
Painting, Ann's Garden , James and Ann Lawson, Cambridge, MA
Painting, Turner's Turners , The Baltimore Plaza Hotel, Baltimore, MD
Monotype illustrations, The Christian Science Monitor , "The Home Forum", Boston, MA
Collections
Laventhol & Horwath, Boston, MA
Selected Bibliography
Joanne Mattera, Italianità: Contemporary Art Inspired by the Italian Immigrant Experience, 2023
Brian Goslow, “Encaustic Crissroads”, Artscope, November /December 2019
Marcia Santore, “It’s Only Natural, Debra Claffey Waxes Poetic”, Artscope, May 2016
Linda Chestney, “Transformations, Encaustic Artists Challenge Boundaries”, Artscope, September 2014
“Top Artists Featured in Annual NHAA Exhibit at Currier Museum of Art”, NH Sunday News , January 26, 2003
Laura Pope, “Colorful, Lush Still Lifes Mark Claffey Exhibition”, NH Weekend, The Union Leader , June 2001
Donald Rosenthal, The Currier Gallery of Art, NHAA 50 th Annual Exhibition, Art New England, May 1997
New American Paintings , Open Studios Press, Needham, MA, 1993
Publications as Author/Designer
2019"Elemental: Contemporary Encaustic", exhibition catalog
2017“The Space Between Shadow and Light”, exhibition catalog
2016“Paintings with Drawing”, exhibition catalog
“Compelling Progressions”, exhibition catalog
“Beneath The Surface”, exhibition catalog
2015“The Incisive Line”, exhibition catalog
“Transformations”, exhibition catalog
2013“Natura Viva: Flora, Fauna, and Us”, exhibition catalog
Professional Service
2014-2018Senior Editor, ProWaxJournal
2013-2015President, New England Wax
2013-2015President, Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter
2008, 2017Board of Directors, Women's Caucus for Art/NH
2009Board of Directors, National Women's Caucus for Art
Professional Affiliations
Monotype Guild of New England
New England Wax
Women's Caucus for Art, NH Chapter
C2C Art Projects