Debra Ruddeforth’s formal art education began in 1965 at Vesper George School of Art in Boston where she studied under a talented faculty that included some of New England’s foremost artists. After art school she continued to study privately with many acclaimed watercolorists and oil painters.

Since 1970 Debra has been selling her work at juried art shows and galleries throughout New England. In 1986 she moved to Cape Cod and in 1987 she founded the Ruddeforth Gallery at 3753 Main  St., Brewster. Debra was a member of the Artisan’s Guild of Cape Cod for many years and in 1989 she was elected president of the Guild. In 1993 she became a signature member of the Copley Society, America’s oldest art society, when she satisfied the requirement for acceptance to five shows with acceptances to the first five shows she entered. Debra teaches “Watercolor - for the Fun of It” classes at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham.  She has been a judge for exhibits at the Creative Arts Center and at the Cape Cod Art Association.

During her 20 years on Cape Cod, Debra has generously donated her time and works to worthy causes such as Lower Cape Outreach, Hospice of Cape Cod, Wild Care and the American Cancer Society, among others. She is most proud of her affiliation with the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands where  she served on the advisory board for the very successful art auction in 1998. A painting donated by Debra decorates a wall in the Eileen M. Ward Rehabilitation Center for Children at the hospital.

Debra’s paintings are in private and corporate collections worldwide. A partial list of corporate collectors includes Ford Motor Co., McCormick Spice Co., Baystate Medical Center, Mercy Hospital, Cape Cod Hospital, the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and Islands and Oasis Systems.

Debra’s works are shown at the Ruddeforth Gallery, 3753 Main St., Brewster, MA, the Chatham Art Gallery, 464 Main St., Chatham, MA and Jan Collins Selman Fine Art, 317 Main St., Falmouth, MA.