Debra Keirce

 Debra Keirce Resume Highlights

(I started working as a full time professional artist in 2010, but feel like my last few years are representative of my journey)

 

Top Honors:

 

JUDGED THE LARGEST MINIATURE SHOW IN THE WORLD!

I had the absolute honor of being the judge for the Miniature Art Society of Florida international exhibition. I did the judging in November 2024, and the show opened in January 2025. It was the 50th annual celebration.

 

GUEST PANEL - 2025 SPLASH WEEK, ARTS OF THE ALBERMARLE, ELIZABETH CITY, NC

Splash Elizabeth City 2025 I gave an art talk about my experiences as a U.S. Coast Guard ArtistI was invited to teach, demonstrate, and give an art talk at this annual week of networking and community engagement at the Elizabeth City based arts center. My mission was to share about the U.S. Coast Guard Art Program and the government collection I am proud to have 14 paintings in, to promote the Seaside Art Gallery annual international miniature show, and to demonstrate drawing and painting techniques for creating realistic two dimensional renderings.

 

GUEST SPEAKER - 2024 MARINE COMBAT ART SYMPOSIUM AT QUANTICO

September 2024 I was invited to speak about my Coast Guard Art Program and Salmagundi Club experiences for marines at the maritime art museum in Quantico. 

 

BRIAR WOODS HIGH SCHOOL ART TALK

November 2025 I was a guest speaker at the Briar Woods High School National Honor Society STEAM ceremony in Loudoun County, VA.

 

JURIED U. S. COAST GUARD ARTIST

I am a juried U.S. Coast Guard artist with a total of 17 works in the government collection. In 2021, three of my paintings were juried into the Coast Guard Art Program permanent collection. In 2022 I had two juried into the collection. One of my pieces was awarded the best of show George Gray award in 2022. In 2023, three of my paintings were accepted into the collection. In 2024, 3 paintings were accepted. Three were juried in, in 2025.

 

ARTIST RESIDENCY

Invited to 5 Day Artist Residency - Deployment on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter StoneI am the incredibly fortunate recipient of an invitation to an artist's residency at sea. I was invited to be a guest of the Cutter Stone crew Nov 11 to 15, 2022. We set sail out of N. Charleston, SC, USA. My mission was to witness, document and participate in as many stories of the service men and women at work as possible. Then, I had the honor of taking those experiences and creating compelling paintings that share the stories of our military for generations to come. My expenses were paid for by a retired navy captain who loves art and the Coast Guard Art Program..All of my artwork produced from this residency is created for the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) government collection..2022 Best of Show George Gray Award US Coast Guard Art Program ExhibitionAwarded the best in show for the 2022 COGAP Inaugural Exhibition of 38 juried paintings from 27 artists. These works are now part of the government art collection. They are exhibited in venues such as Salmagundi Club, The Union League Club NYC, The Federal National Memorial, the offices of members of Congress, cabinet secretaries, senior government officials, the State Department overseas, the Art in Embassies program, and many other military services and Coast Guard Locations nationwide.My winning painting is titled "Nurdles and Ghost Nets and Flotsam." The collection facilitators renamed it "Debris cleanup in Hawaii" when they took possession of the painting.

 

2021 NOTABLE COMMISSION - BOSTON LANGHAM HOTEL

Chosen to create 11 original paintings (8 portraits 30"x40" and 3 palm sized still life paintings) for the Langham Hotel in Boston, MA. The Langham Hotel is the former Federal Reserve Bank of Boston building. I was chosen to complete 8 portraits of past Boston Fed presidents, to hang in the hotel's fine dining area. I also was commissioned to paint three miniature pieces for the bar area. This is a great honor. I lived in Boston in the 1990's and this project is a delight on so many levels.It is the largest commission I have ever endeavored.

 

AUTHOR

Invited contributing author - monthly articles on Bold Brush Blog, an art sales and marketing publication through Fine Art Studios Online, with an audience of approximately 100,000 subscribersInvited contributing author

Ani Waichulis Art Academy monthly SmarterMarx Magazine.

 

JUDGE

Invited to judge several local and international art exhibitions. Most recently,

2027 Seaside Art Gallery International Miniature Exhibition, Nags Head, NC

2025 Mena Gallery Small Works National Show, Mena, AR

2025 Miniature Art Society of Florida International Exhibition, Dunedin, FL (largest miniature exhibition in the world with over 700 entries)

2023 Miniature Fine Art Show, an international exhibition at Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, NC

2023 Springfield Art Guild exhibition at Green Spring Gardens in VA.

 

SOLO SHOWS

2024 Smith Galleries in Harrisonburg, VA 

2020 Customs House Art Museum, Clarkesville, TN.

 

CURATED MUSEUM SHOWS 

2026 Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Western Visions Exhibition

2026 Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY - Western Spirit Art Show and Sale

2026 3 person show MonDak Heritage Museum in Sidney, MT - Good As Gold

2026 3 person show WaterWorks Art Museum, Miles City, MT - Good As Gold

2025 SCNY Spring Auction, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY

2025 Customs House Museum, Women Artists of the West Homeland Exhibit, Clarksville, TN

2025 WaterWorks Art Museum Biennial Miniature Art Exhibition, Miles City, MT

2025 Women Artists of the West Homeland Exhibition, Customs House Museum, Clarksville, TN

2025 3 person show at Deines Cultural Center Museum, Russell, KS - Good As Gold

2025 3 person show MonDak Heritage Museum in Sidney, MT - Small Wonders

2024 Mountain Oyster Club Art Show, Tucson, AZ

2024 Deines Cultural Center Mystery, Magic & Macabre, Russell, KS

2024 Customs House Museum, Clarksville, TN - Wood, Paper, Paint: 40 Years of Collecting Art - select pieces from the museum's permanent collection of art

2024, 2023 , Howland Museum, Beacon, NY - American Artists Professional League Realism on the Hudson

2024 Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY - Western Spirit Art Show and Sale

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 Bryn Du Annual Juried Exhibition in Granville, OH

2024 WaterWorks Art Museum, Miles City, MT - The  Myth of Beauty Annual Exhibition

2024 , Dunedin Fine Art Center,  Dunedin, FL - Miniature Art Society of Florida2024 3 person show Albrecht Kemper Museum, St. Joseph, MO - Small Wonders

2023 Albrecht-Kemper Museum Annual Membership Exhibition, St. Joseph, MO

2023 MonDak Heritage Museum Miniature Show, Sidney, MT2023 3 person show, Customs House Art Museum, Clarksville, TN - The Big and the Small of It 

2023 3 person show, Deines Cultural Center Museum, Russell, KS - The Big and the Small of It at 

2023 3 person show WaterWorks Art Museum, Miles City, MT - The Big and the Small of It

2023 3 person show, MonDak Heritage Museum in Sidney, MT - The Big and the Small of It

2023 3 person show, Waterworks Museum in Salisbury, NC

2023, 2022, 2021 Mena Art Gallery, Mena, AR - Art of the Heartland Exhibition

2022 3 person show, Mansion at Strathmore, Rockville, MD - The Big and Small of It at the - reviewed by Washington Post art critic!.

 

CURATED GALLERY SHOWS

2026 98th Grand National Exhibition of the American Artists Professional League at Salmagundi Club in NYC

2026 Copley Society of Art National Juried Show, Boston, MA

2026 Bryn Du Mansion Art Show, Granville, OH

2026 Salmagundi Club 149th Annual Black and White Exhibition, New York, NY

2025 American Artists Professional League Timeless Exhibition, Lyme Art Association in CT

2025 Mena Art Gallery Art of the Heartland National, Mena, AR

2025 3 person show at Ashe County Arts Council - WAM Good As Gold, West Jefferson, NC

2025 Parklane Gallery 33rd Annual International Miniature Show, Kirkland, WA

2025 Best of the Region Art Show and Sale at The Virginia Art Factory, Manassas, VA

2025 International Guild of Realism International Exhibition, Sugarman Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2025 Mena Art Gallery Small Works Show, Mena, AR

2024 Hardt Gallery 2nd Annual Miniature Art Show, Best in Show, and also Peoples' Choice Award,  St. Francis, KS

2024 American Artists Professional League 96th Grand National Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, NY, NY

2024 Mountain Mystique, Florence Thomas Art School, West Jefferson, NC

2024 American Artists Professional League 96th Grand National, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY

2024 Salmagundi Fall Auctions, New York, NY

2024 Salmagundi Spring Auctions, New York, NY

2024 Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Art Show, Medicine Lodge, KS

2024 VMRC Exhibition, Harrisonburg, VA

2024 Southwest Artists Small Works National Exhibition, Mena Gallery, Mena, AR

2024 International Guild of Realism Show at T.H. Brennan Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ

2024 Bryn Du Art Show, Granville, OH

2024 International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, NC

2024 Punta Gorda Visual Arts National Biennial, Punta Gorda, FL

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 US Coast Guard permanent government collection - Exhibitions at Salmagundi Club, Federal Hall National Memorial, Union League Club-all in New York, NY

2024, 2023 Copley Society of Art Small Works - Boston, MA2023 Salmagundi Club Thumb Box Exhibition, New York, New York

2023 Bosque Art Classic in Clifton, TX

2023 Mena Art Gallery Art of the Heartland in Mena, AR

2023 National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Best of America Small Works show at Mary Williams Fine Art in Boulder, CO

2023 International Guild of Realism show at Sugarman Peterson Gallery in Santa Fe, NM

2023 3 Person show at River Valley Arts Center

2023 Two 3 Person shows at Deines Cultural Center in Russell, KS

2023 Two 3 Person shows at Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury, NC

2023 3 Person show at Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL

2023 Women Artists of the West National Exhibition and Sale, Carriage Factory Art Gallery in Newton, KS.

 

ONLINE JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2026 American Artists Professional League 1st Annual Online Exhibit

2026 Plein Air Salon

2024 Art Renewal Center finalist in figurative and another in still life

2024 National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society Fall Online

2024 American Artists Professional League

2023 American Women Artists Annual.

 

OVERSEAS EXHIBITIONS

2024 a drawing and a painting went to the moon on a codex through Art Renewal Center Salon Exhibition

2022 International Society of Experimental Artists Exhibition, St., Albert Gallery in Alberta, Canada.

 

RECENT AWARDS

2026 Merit Award, Mountainside Miniatures at Lakewood Arts Gallery in Lakewood, CO

2026 Chosen to paint the official portrait of fallen USCG hero Tyler Jaggers

2026 Award of Merit Copley Society of Art In Tandem Small Works Show

2026 Copley Society of Art National Juried Show - 3rd Place

2026 American Plains Artists Juried Exhibition - Award of Excellence

2026 Award of Merit, Spanish Moss Miniature Show at Innova Arts Gallery in Mobile, AL

2026 Several FAV 15% awards in the FASO Bold Brush monthly contest

2026 - Best in Show, Southwest Artists National Small Works, Mena AR

2026 Finalist - Plein Air Magazine 15th Annual PleinAir Salon

2026 Talent Prize, Teravana Portrait contest - https://youtu.be/_2xD7trqxq4?si=5mogH682AcIeL-QA

2025 1st Place, Small Works Show at Charles H Taylor Visual Arts Center, Hampton, VA

2025 Honorable Mention - MonDak Museum Miniature Show, Sidney, MT

2025 Award of Excellence - Ridge Art Association, Winter Haven, FL

2025 2nd Place - Gateway to the Rockies Miniature Exhibition, Aurora, CO

2025 Honorable Mention for portraiture - Miniature Painters Sculptors Gravers Society of Washington D.C., Rockville, MD

2025 Merit Award The Hardt Gallery 3rd Annual Miniature Exhibition 

2025 Best in Show - Mountainside Miniatures, Lakewood Arts Gallery, Lakewood, CO

2025 Award of Merit - Copley Society of Art "In Tandem" Small Works, Boston, MA

2025 Honorable Mention, Heartland Art Guild Annual Miniature Art Show, Paola, KS

2025 Several FAV 15% Bold Brush Contest recognitions!

2025 Best in Show - WaterWorks Art Museum International Biennial Miniature Art Exhibition, Miles City, MT

2025 Best in Show - WaterWorks Art Museum National Exhibition, Nostalgia, Miles City, MT

2024 1st Place - Gateway to the Rockies Miniature Exhibition, Aurora, CO

2024 Best in Show  and also People's Choice - 2nd Annual Miniature Exhibition at The Hardt Gallery, St. Francis, KS

2024 American Artist Professional League 96th Grand National Exhibition, Outstanding Drawing

2024 National Oil and Acrylic Painters Award of Excellence - Online International Exhibition

2024 American Women Artists Outstanding Achievement Award in figurative- Spring Online show

2024 - Honorable Mention Mena Art Gallery Small Works Show, Mena AR

2024 - one of 15 honorable mention awards - 3rd Annual Best of Show | Pets Art Competition - The Artists Network

2024 3rd place and honorable mention in the Miniatures in Mariposa exhibition, Mariposa, CA

2023 1st Place, Gateway to the Rockies Miniature Show, Aurora, CO

2023 3rd Place in Art of the Heartland Show, Mena Art Gallery, Mena, AR

2023 2nd Place in the Mountainside Art Guild's 19th Annual Miniature Show in Lakewood Arts Gallery, Lakewood, CO

2023 Finalist in the favorite subject competition, International Artist Magazine

2023 Presidents' Award and also the Western Art Collector Magazine Editor's Choice Award, Women Artists of the West National Exhibition.

 

LATEST PODCASTS

Guest on May 21, 2026 Fine Art Studios Online Webinar - Things Artists Don't Talk About Guest on March 21,

2024 American Artists Professional League Instagram Live with host Jon BandishGuest on May 11,

2023 Fine Art Studios Art Sales and Marketing Circle Live Session with Clint WatsonGuest on May

2023 Bold Brush Show with Laura Angelo Baier

 

RECENT FEATURES IN PUBLICATIONS

2026 Homiens Promoted Artist Feature

2026 Feature in Bold Journey Magazine

2026 Featured in April American Art Collector Magazine

2026 Astonish Magazine Issue 66 finalist, page 82 https://issuu.com/biafarinart/docs/artistonish_-_january_2026_discover_the_artist?fr=sZGRmYzkwNDU5ODg

2025 October 19 issue of The Daily Advance ran a feature article about my art talk at Elizabeth City Splash Week https://www.dailyadvance.com/news/local/splash-week-keirce-recalls-artists-deployment/article_d4d3c0bd-2c4d-41a0-91da-ffbabd6628be.html2025

June issue of The New Criterion, https://newcriterion.com/dispatch/coast-guard-on-paint/

2024 November issue American Art Collector, for the Salmagundi Club auction

2024 September feature article for Coast Guard Art Program wins - Art of the West Magazine

2024 mention in the Forbes Travel Guide for my paintings in the Boston Langham Hotel https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/

2024/05/01/8-hotels-with-gallery-worthy-art-collections/?sh=718e1d7f45e3

2024 September/October issue Artists Magazine, for Honorable Mention in Contest

2024 feature in April Beautiful Bizarre Magazine - https://beautifulbizarre.net/2024/03/28/artist-directory-debra-keirce/

2024 September/October 2024 issue of Artists Magazine

2024 April issue of online magazine - Artists Network

2024 Feature in June issue Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

2023 Full page feature in International Artist Magazine Oct/Nov issue

2023 Full page Artist in Focus feature in Western Art Collector Magazine Oct issue.

 

SIGNATURE AND JURIED MEMBERSHIPS I HAVE EARNED

Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master

United States Coast Guard Artist

Copley Society of Art signature member, Boston, MA, also juried member of the Copley Portrait Registry

American Women Artists 

National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, and also a mentor for NOAPS

International Guild of Realism

SouthWest Artists, Inc. at Mena Gallery

Miniature Artists of America, the highest recognition a miniature artist exhibiting in the USA can attain. There are just over 60 active members in the world today.

Hilliaard Society of Miniaturists, Wells, England

Salmagundi Club juried member, New York, NY

Women Artists of the West Elected Member American Artists Professional League Elected Member

Miniature Painters, Sculptors, Gravers Society of Washington, D.C.Member of Distinction

Association of Miniature Artists

Elected member Fine Art Professionals of Northern VirginiaFeatured

Member International Community of Miniature Art

Hilliard Society of Miniaturists, Wells, England

 

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

The Langham Hotel in Boston has 3 of my miniature oil paintings in their bar area, The Fed. They have 8 of my narrative 40”x30” portraits in their restaurant, The Grana. Here is a link to the full story with all the titles and descriptions of the works:

https://www.debkart.com/blog/166091/my-story-of-my-langham-hotel-boston-commission.

 

The US Coast Guard Art Program has accepted 17 of my oil paintings into their permanent government collection. Here is a link to all 17, plus one they rejected because they thought it was a collage, even though I explained it was oil paint, made to look 3D like a collage:

https://www.debkart.com/collections/199724.

 

CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

2023 ”FTAS” is an oil painting and is part of the Florence Thomas Art School permanent collection in West Jefferson, NC

2022 "Groovy" is a miniature oil painting at Eaton Goldsmith's in Surrey, England 

2018 "Landscape" is an oil painting hanging in the Perigord Retreats collection in Gourdon, France

2015 Two 20”x20” acrylic paintings of coffee shop decor grace the walls of The Blend, in Ashburn, VA

2014 "Best Friends" is in the collection of the Church of the Nazarene in Orange Walk District, Belize

2011 "Ethanaol" is an acrylic painting that is part of the Amazon Web Services permanent collection in  Herndon, VA

 

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

“Hot Topics” an oil lpainting, was acquired by the Yellowstone Art Museum Collection in Billings, MT

“All About the Hat” an oil painting, is in the WaterWorks Art Museum Permanent Collection in Miles City, MT

“Red, White and Blue” a miniature oil painting, is in Customs House Museum’s permanent collection in Clarksville, TN

"Big Fish, Little Tank” an oil painting, is part of the permanent collection in MonDak Heritage Center Museum in Sidney, MT

"Little Black Box” a miniature oil painting, is in the permanent collection at Deines Cultural Center in Russell, KS.

 

PAINTING AND DRAWING DEMONSTRATIONS:

Twice each year, Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, NC

Feb 2025, Tuckahoe Artists in Richmond, VA

July 2024 at Smith House Galleries in Harrisonburg, VA

June 2024 at Customs House Museum in Clarksville, TN.

 

EDUCATION

Most recently, completed the 4 year Ani Art Academies curriculum

Classically trained, instruction from many contemporary traditional realists

Formal education -bachelor of science in biochemical engineering, 1983, Univ. of MI in Ann Arbor, MI, USA. and a successful career designing pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities across the world., during the 1980's and 1990's