Artist Biography
Debra Cook Shapiro is a San Francisco painter of figures and landscapes who has been pursuing her passion for art since she moved to California in 1984 from St. Louis, Mo. She studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute and Academy of Art College, the Istituto Lorenzo de Medici (Florence, Italy), Istituto per l'Arte e il Ristauro (Florence, Italy), the University of California, Berkeley Post-Baccalaureate in Painting (San Francisco, CA). Shapiro had solo exhibitions at the French Consul Residence, (San Francisco, CA), Ice House Gallery, (Petaluma, CA), and Summerhouse, (Mill Valley, CA). Her work has been selected in San Francisco group shows at Arc gallery, Palette gallery, Office of the California State Senator, Scott Weiner, Mirus Gallery and 111 Minna Gallery. Teravarna Gallery , Irvine , CA, exhibited Debra’s work in Superfine Art Fair, San Francisco, 2023, and THe LA Art Show 2024. Her work is in domestic and international collections.
She had a residency in Healdsburg, CA at Chalk Hill Artist’s residency and in 2023 was awarded a scholarship for a residency in Venice, Italy, at the European Cultural Academy.
Teaching private lessons and workshops in her home studio, Debra continues the thread to her original career as a certified K-8 classroom instructor. She also coaches individual students online and accepts commissioned work. Shapiro has completed bespoke pieces for clients in the US, the UK and France.
She was included in the "Artists of the Bay Area" book published by Jen Tough Gallery in 2021. Her paintings have also been featured in the online exhibition, "Alchemy", by "Create Magazine” in April of 2023. Her artwork has been shortlisted for the “Emerging Artists Women Award” by Arts to Hearts Project and will be showcased in their upcoming Women Art Prize Virtual Exhibition following her interview for issue 2 of "Art to Hearts" magazine, and has her work featured in Studio Book #2. Her work appeared in a feature in “New Visionary Magazine”, Issue 7, 2023, and in “I Like Your Work” fall catalogue 2023. Women United Art Magazine, 2024.
Artist Statement
My oil paintings and collages explore the joyful chaos of human connections, often inspired by events and milestones. Using vibrant colors and playful brushstrokes, I capture moments in lush gardens, by pools, or on sun-drenched beaches, inviting viewers to embrace life’s spontaneity and beauty. My work also reflects the range of emotions during festive occasions and the quiet reflection that follows, as all good things come to an end.
I often feature groupings of three women, a nod to the mythological Three Graces, inspired by Botticelli, Raphael, and Rubens. This motif holds personal significance, possibly it is subconscious because I am one of three sisters. I draw from historical painters like Boucher and Goya for their expressive storytelling and sensuality, and from modern artists like Hockney, Fischl, and Brown for their exploration of human relationships and vivid use of color.
My recent collages bring a sense of abstraction and certainty of design, which inform my paintings with fractured forms. My grown children, family, and friends are central to my artistic process, providing inspiration for my vibrant, expressionistic style. Through my work, I aim to share the celebration and reflection that these relationships bring to my life.
Solo Exhibitions
2016 “Between Thoughts”, Residence of the Consul General of France, San Francisco, CA
2014 “Figures in the Landscape”, The Icehouse Gallery, Petaluma, CA
2013 Sundance Kabuki Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2012 Summerhouse, Mill Valley, CA
2009 “At the Top”, Mill Valley, CA
2008 “Reminiscence”, Residence of the Consul General of France, San Francisco, CA
2008 French-American Cultural Society, Mondavi Vineyard, Napa, CA
2007 Lycee Francais La Perouse, Corte Madera, CA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 LA Art Show, Los Angeles Convention Center - West Hall, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Super Fine Spring Art Show, Fort Mason, San Fransisco, CA
2020 “The Artist as Curator”, Office of Scott Weiner, California State Senator, San Francisco, CA
2019-20 “Resolution”, Palette Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019 “Time”, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2018 “Diptychs”, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 “Resistance”, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2016 “Identity”, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Awards and Residencies
2015 Artist in Residence, Chalk Hill Artist Residency, Healdsburg, CA
2023 European Cultural Academy, Scholarship for Contemporary Art residency
2023 Shortlist for Emerging Artist Women Award, Art to Hearts Project