Deborah L. Friedman, CPSA

Artist Statement

“Whether it's finding the wings of a luna moth in my garden, growing vegetables in my community garden, or observing catbirds and great blue herons at the pond near my house, I am constantly amazed by the natural world and strive to pass on some of this beauty and joy in my artwork.”

My subject matter has evolved over the years, with realism the one common tie among many different themes: still lifes, large greenhouse interiors, miniature landscapes in oil, bird drawings, and most recently exploring stones as a subject matter.  Since 2024, I have been exploring an interest in still lifes that utilize childhood memory, fables and myths, using them to convey reactions to current events.

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  • BFA in Printmaking, cum laude, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Massachusetts, 1978

    • 2024  Danforth Museum Annual Juried Exhibition, Honorable Mention

    • 2023  Pauline Law Memorial Award for Graphics, Allied Artists of America 110th Exhibition

    • 2022  Gold Medal of Honor for Graphics, Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 125th Exhibition

    • 2019  Graphics Memorial Award, Allied Artists of America 106th Exhibition

    • 2019  Honorable Mention, Art as the Messenger, Cato Institute National Juried Exhibition

    • 2019  Dorothy Berberis Memorial Award, Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 122nd Exhibition

    • 2018  Award for Exceptional Merit, Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) International Exhibition. Chicago, IL

    • 2017  “Water, Rain, Fog” Invitational Exhibition, Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art, Midland Center for the Arts, Michigan

    • 2017  Award, “Line” Attleboro Arts Museum National Juried Exhibition

    • 2017  Second Place, Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 106th Annual

    • 2016  First Place, Wellesley Society of Artists Fall Show

    • 2015  Art Times Award, Allied Artists of America 102nd Exhibition

    • 2015  Lillian Ciaravino Memorial Award for a drawing, CLWAC 119th Exhibition

    • 2014  Bronze Medal, Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club (CLWAC) 118th  Exhibition

    • 2014  Award for Graphics, Academic Artists Association 64th National Exhibition

    • 2013  Second Place, CPSA Chapter 112 Group Exhibition, Spring Bull Gallery, Newport, RI

    • 2013  Award for Exceptional Achievement,  CPSA “Explore This!” Year 9

    • 2013  Honorable Mention, Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 102nd Exhibition

    • 2012  First Place, Works in Colored Pencil, Sharon Arts Center, Peterborough NH

    • 2011  Outstanding Achievement Award, CPSA 19th International Exhibition, Dallas, TX

    • 2011  Ken Day Coes Memorial Award, Allied Artists of America 98th Exhibition

    • 2011  Art Times Award, CLWAC 11th Exhibition

    • 2010. First Place in Graphite, Charcoal and Colored Pencil, The Artists Magazine’s On-Line

    • Media Competition

    • 2010  Best in Show, Wellesley Society of Artists 75th Anniversary Exhibition

    • 2007  Semi-Finalist, American Artist Magazine’s 70th Anniversary Competition

    • 2005  Drawing Competition Winner,  American Artist Drawing Magazine

    • 1981  Finalist, Massachusetts Artists Foundation Fellowship Program

    • 1980  Finalist, Massachusetts Artists Foundation Fellowship Program

    • 2025 “Layered: Contemporary Works on Paper” four-person show, Bedford Free Library, MA

    • 2014 “Drawing from Nature” one-person show, Helen Bumpus Gallery, Duxbury Library, MA

    • 2011 “Impressions of New England,” Bennington Center for the Arts, VT

    • 2011 “Rock/Candy”, Colored Pencil Drawings, two-person Show, Wellesley Free Library, MA

    • 2006 “An Eye for Detail” two-person Show, Wellesley Free Library, MA

    • “Animal Paintings,” Bacon Free Library, Natick, MA

    • 2024/2025  Practique des Arts French magazine, four-page article/interview Dec/Jan Issue

    • 2023  Cover and six-page article, Colored Pencil Magazine, October issue

    • 2019  Cover and eight-page article, International Artist Magazine, April/May issue

    • 2018  International Artist Magazine, October/November Issue

    • 2013 Wellesley Weston Magazine, artists profile column, Fall issue

    • 2013  Winners announced in Colored Pencil Competition, American Artist Drawing, Spring

    • 2012  Pratique des Arts, “Transparence Minerale au Crayon du Coleur,” April/May Issue

    • 2011  Pratique des Arts, “Le Crayon de Couleur dans tous ses Etats,” April/May Issue

    • 2010  The Artist’s Magazine, All-Media Competition Winners, July/August Issue

    • 2007  American Artist Magazine 70th Anniversary Competition, semi-finalist, December Issue

    • 2006  American Artist Drawing, “What’s Happening in Colored Pencil,” Winter Issue

    • 2005  American Artist Drawing 2005 Drawing Competition Winners, Spring Issue

    • 2024  Cover art, Lithuanian edition, Una Hija Unica, Guadalupe Nettel

    • 2020  Cover art, original Spanish edition, Una Hija Unica, Guadalupe Nettel

    • 2018  Gateways to Drawing: A Complete Guide, Steven C.P. Gardner, Thames Hudson Books

    • 2018  DRAW Reflections in Colored Pencil: The Ultimate Step by Step Guide, Ann Kullberg

    • 2017  CP Treasures Vol. 5, Colored Pencil Masterworks from Around the Globe, Ann Kullberg 

    • 2016  Encyclopedia of Coloured Pencil Techniques, Judy Martin, Search Press Classics

    • 2016  The Complete Guide to Art Materials and Techniques (101), Caroline West, Chartwell Books

    • 2015  Strokes of Genius 7: Depth, Dimension & Space, (Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing series), Rachel Rubin Wolf (editor), North Light Books

    • 2014  Strokes of Genius 6: Lights & Darks (Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing series), Rachel Rubin Wolf (editor), North Light Books

    • 2014  CP Treasures IV: Colored Pencil Masterworks from Around the Globe, Ann Kullberg

    • 2013  CP Treasures II Colored Pencil Masterworks from Around the Globe, Ann Kullberg

    • 1984  MacDowell Colony, Peterborough NH

    • 1983  Edna St. Vincent Millay Colony, Steepletop NY

    • 1981  Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar VA

    • 1980  Recipient, Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Canada

    • 1980  Ossabaw Island Project, Ossabaw Island GA

    • 1978  Recipient, Ford Foundation Grant, Printmaking

    • Berkshire Art Museum, Pittsfield, MA

    • Derwent Pencil Company, Commission and Corporate Collection

    • Wellesley Free Library, Wellesley, MA

    • Numerous Private Collections

    • Allied Artists of America, Elected Member

    • Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, Elected Member

    • Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts

    • Colored Pencil Society of America, 10 Year Signature Member

    • Wellesley Society of Artists

I love this video because my son, a computer programming major, helped me edit it a while ago when he was home from college. He added music and tweaked the timing a little so the images and music aligned in a fun way. — Deborah Friedman

Beyond the Gallery:

My Art Has Been Seen Here

Gateways to Drawing textbook featuring Deborah Friedman techniques

Gateways to Drawing: A Complete Guide by Stephen C. P. Gardner, published in 2018 by Thames & Hudson, is a comprehensive college-level drawing textbook with a modular design.


“Balancing Act” is studied as an example of irregular forms using commonplace objects to make a creative and unexpected arrangement.

The text reads, “Deborah L. Friedman often uses irregular forms in her drawings. She thoughtfully arranges natural objects and then renders them in immense detail.”

Gateways to Drawing textbook featuring Deborah Friedman techniques
  • Deborah Friedman cover on International Artist Magazine April May 2019

    International Artist Magazine—April/May 2019 Issue

    International Artist Magazine spotlighted my artwork on the cover and wrote an eight-page article titled “Studying the Color Field” about my cairn drawings.

    Purchase a Copy
  • Deborah Friedman artwork on cover of Colored Pencil Magazine

    Colored Pencil Magazine—October 2023 Issue

    Colored Pencil Magazine spotlighted “Leaves with Raindrops” on the cover and wrote a six-page article about my use of colored pencils in my artwork.

    Purchase a Copy
  • Deborah Friedman artwork in Pratique des Arts magazine

    Pratique des Arts Magazine—December 2024/January 2025

    Pratique des Arts published a four-page article about my realism approach with the use of colored pencils.

    View article PDF
  • Deborah Friedman endorsement on Koh I Noor products website

    Koh-I-Noor Product Ambassador

    Koh-I-Noor created a gallery page for me as an endorsement of their Polycolor Pencils.

    View the Web Page
  • Deborah Friedman with her IKEA wall art

    IKEA Wall Art

    Here I’m standing in an IKEA store with my framed artwork in their wall art section.

  • Deborah Friedman art cards at IKEA

    Art Cards at IKEA

    My work was included in an IKEA 4×6” set of greeting cards with the theme of calmness.

  • Deborah Friedman artwork on Derwent pencil tin

    Derwent Pencil Tin

    My artwork was featured on the tin for Derwent #12 Graphic Soft pencils and in this print ad.

  • Deborah Friedman artwork on Guadelupe Nettel covers

    Book Covers for Author Guadalupe Nettel

    “Bird’s Nest.” was the cover artwork for the Spanish and Lithuanian editions of La hija unica by Guadalupe Nettel, published in 2020.