| Education |
| 1981 | School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Tufts University, B.F.A. Painting |
| 2001 | University of New Hampshire, Thompson School of Applied Science, A.A.S. Horticultural Technology |
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| Awards and Grants |
| 2022 | Honorable 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
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| 2020 | Artist Entrepreneurial Grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts |
| 2019 | Second Place Award, Press and Release, Chester Gallery, Henniker, NH |
| 2019 | Juror’s Award, Patterning, Anything But Flat Exhibition, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. Juror: Joanne Mattera |
| 2018 | Second Place Award, Fifth National Monoprint/Monotype Juried Exhibition, Juror: Judith Brodsky |
| 2011 | Artist Entrepreneurial Grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts |
| 1996 | Bank of New Hampshire Award, Ann’s Garden, No. 12, 50th Annual Exhibition, The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH |
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| Solo Exhibitions |
| 2023 | Native Intelligence, Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, Rochester, NH |
| 2021 | Edges, The Gallery in Readfield, Readfield, ME |
| 2020 | Syncopated Rhythm, Debra Claffey, AVA Gallery, Lebanon, NH |
| 2019 | Hidden Lives, Paintings by Debra Claffey, Gateway Gallery, Portsmouth, NH |
| 2016 | Debra Claffey: Paintings with Drawing , Galletly Gallery, New Hampton, NH |
| 2012 | Debra Claffey, Hole In The Wall Studioworks, Raymond, ME |
| 2002 | New Works , Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Boston, MA |
| 2001 | New Works , Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH |
| 2000 | New Works , Southern Vermont Arts Center Gallery, Manchester VT |
| 1997 | Contemplating Still Life, Southern Vermont Art Center, Manchester, VT |
| 1992 | Improvizations , Arts Alive, Baystate Medical Center Galleries, Springfield, MA |
| 1983 | Images from Another Medium, Paintings and Monotypes . The Loading Dock Gallery, Boston, MA |
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| Two Person Exhibitions |
| 2020 | Debra Claffey and Judith Schneider, Hole in the Wall Studioworks, Raymond, ME |
| 2010 | Biology, Geometry, Morphology, Debra Claffey and Soosen Dunholter, The Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH |
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| Selected Group Exhibitions |
| 2023 | Capturing Beauty, The Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin, Laconia, NH. Suzanne Lee, curator |
| Flora and Fauna, Brush Gallery invitational, Lowell, MA. |
| 2022 | Elemental: 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 |
| 2021 | Layering: 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 |
| 2020 | Tree & Twig, Inspired by the Forest, Twigg Gallery Boscawen, NH |
| 2019 | Crossroads: 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 |
| 2018 | Elemental: 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 |
| 2017 | Shifts , 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 |
| 2016 | Square 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 |
| 2015 | Chaos 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 |
| 2014 | Transformations, 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 |
| 2013 | Material 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 |
| 2012 | National 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 |
| 2011 | Wax-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 |
| 2010 | New 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 |
| 2009 | The 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 |
| 2008 | In 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 |
| 2007 | New 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. |
| 2003 | 55th Annual Exhibition , Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH. Juror: Joanna Soltan |
| 2000 | Sanctuary , WCA Boston and Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Cambridge, MA |
| Here and Now: New Hampshire Women Artists , Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH |
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| Curatorial Projects |
| 2017 | The Space Between Shadow and Light , Gallery 10, Truro, MA |
| 2016 | Balancing Acts, Twiggs Gallery, Boscawen, NH |
| 2015 | The Incisive Line , Gallery 10, Truro, MA. |
| 2013 | Natura Viva: Flora, Fauna & Us , ArtCurrent Gallery, Provincetown, MA |
| 2012 | Natura Viva online exhibition, http://debraclaffey.blogspot.com/2012/11/natura-viva.html |
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| 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 |
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| Collections |
| Laventhol & Horwath, Boston, MA |
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| Selected Bibliography |
| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Professional Service |
| 2014-2018 | Senior Editor, ProWaxJournal |
| 2013-2015 | President, New England Wax |
| 2013-2015 | President, Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter |
| 2008, 2017 | Board of Directors, Women's Caucus for Art/NH |
| 2009 | Board of Directors, National Women's Caucus for Art |
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| Professional Affiliations |
| Monotype Guild of New England |
| New England Wax |
| Women's Caucus for Art, NH Chapter |
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