EDUCATION
1995 M.F.A., State University of New York, New Paltz, NY.
Area of Concentration: Painting.
1989 B.F.A., Boston University, Boston, MA.
Major: Painting Minor: Art History
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1997-2026 Instructor, private studio instruction in drawing, painting, and encaustic painting techniques.
2001-2026 Instructor, Quincy College, Quincy, MA.
Courses: Line, Color & Design, Basic Drawing, Advanced Drawing,
Basic Painting, Advanced Painting, Fundamentals of Visual Art, Survey of
Art History I & II, and Art & Society.
2020-2026 Instructor, Whitney Place & Willows Assisted Living, Westborough, MA.
Painting classes for seniors.
2020-2026 Instructor, Brookdale Cushing Park, Senior Living, Framingham, MA.
Painting classes for seniors.
2009-2014 Instructor, Danforth Museum School, Framingham, MA.
Courses: (Adult) Basic Design, Basic Painting, Intermediate Painting, Basic Drawing, Intermediate Drawing, and Pastels.
(Youth, ages 8-18) Drawing from Observation and various Summer Art Camps.
1997-2012 Instructor, School of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA.
Courses: (offered for Becker College and Quinsigamond College credit)
Life Drawing, Painting I & II, Drawing I & II, Portrait I,
and Drawing for the Adventurous, and various youth classes.
1997-2012 Instructor, DeCordova Museum School, Lincoln, MA.
Courses: (Adult) Encaustic Painting.
(Youth, ages 8-18) Studio Foundations, Painting, Portfolio Preparation, and various summer arts camps.
2006-2007 Instructor, Worcester State College, Worcester, MA.
Courses: Basic Drawing.
2000-2005 Instructor, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.
Courses: (Youth, grades 11&12) Foundation Drawing and Basic Design,
Pre-College Program.
1998-2002 Instructor, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA.
Courses: (Youth, grades 11&12) Oil Painting, Summer Studios Program.
1998-2005 Instructor, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA.
Courses: (Adult) Painting I and Encaustic Painting.
1997-2001 Instructor, Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington, MA.
Courses: (Adult) Oil Painting, Painting Techniques,
and Drawing & Painting the Figure.
1997-2001 Instructor, Creative Arts, Reading, MA.
Courses: (Adult) Drawing I, and Intermediate Drawing
Courses: (Youth, ages 6-12) Art Basics I & II, Advanced Drawing,
Cartooning, Drawing & Painting Studio I, and Theater Arts Camp.
1995 Graduate Instructor, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY.
Courses: Introduction to Drawing and Design.
ENCAUSTIC PAINTING WORKSHOPS: Intensive 1-5 day, hands-on workshops including technical & safety information, demonstration of techniques, and slide presentation showing historical and contemporary examples.
2026 forthcoming 19th International Encaustic Conference,Castle Hill Center for the Arts,Truro, MA.
2024 17th International Encaustic Conference,Castle Hill Center for the Arts,Truro, MA.
2021-2025 2-3 Day Encaustic Workshops, Concord Center for Visual Art, Concord, MA.
2014-2019 Montserrat College of Art, Summer Immersives Program, Beverly, MA.
2017 Providence Art Club, Providence, RI.
2012 6th International Encaustic Conference, Provincetown, MA.
2010 4th International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
2009 3rd International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
2008 2nd International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
1997-2012 The School of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA.
1997-2012 The New Art Center in Newton, Newtonville, MA.
2003-2005 The New Hampshire Institute of Art, Manchester, NH.
2002-2003 Seastone Papers, West Tisbury, MA.
2000-2004 Peter’s Valley Craft Education Center, Layton, NJ.
2001-2005 The Sharon Art Center, Sharon, NH.
1999-2005 The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Cambridge, MA.
1998-2000 Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, CT.
1997-2005 DeCordova Museum School, Lincoln, MA.
1996-2000 R&F Handmade Paints, Inc., Kingston, NY.
1998-2005 South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA.
1997-2003 Women’s Studio Workshop, Rosendale NY.
1999 Art New England Summer Workshops, Bennington, VT.
1997 The Art League of Long Island, Huntington, NY.
LECTURES / DEMONSTRATIONS
2025 18th International Encaustic Conference,Castle Hill Center for the Arts,Truro, MA.
2024 Artist talk for “A Legacy of Making: Contemporary Artists Inspired by Their Italian
Heritage”, Curated by Joanne Mattera, The Carney Gallery, Fine Arts Center, Regis College, Weston, MA.
2022 Zoom Demo, Bedford Arts & Crafts Society, Bedford, MA.
2020 Zoom Demo, Franklin Art Association, Franklin, MA.
2019 Chelmsford Art Society, Chelmsford, MA.
2017 Watertown Art Association, Watertown, MA.
2016 Clark University, painting seminar, Worcester, MA.
Hits on Wax, guest artist, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA.
2015 9th International Encaustic Conference, Provincetown, MA.
2012 6th International Encaustic Conference, Provincetown, MA.
Newton Arts Association, Newton, MA.
2011 5th International Encaustic Conference, Provincetown, MA.
Bedford Arts & Crafts Association, Bedford, MA.
Mass Wax, New England chapter of the International Encaustic
Artists, Somerville, MA.
2010 4th International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
2009 3rd International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
Blick Art Store, Boston, MA.
2008 2nd International Encaustic Conference, Beverly, MA.
2007 The Chelmsford Art Association, Chelmsford, MA.
2006 The Needham Art Association, Needham, MA.
Somerville High School, Painting Dept., Somerville, MA.
2004 The New England Art Therapy Assoc., Lesley College, Cambridge, MA.
Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, CT.
Eastern Connecticut State University, Willamantic, CT.
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA.
2003 Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable, MA.
Jerry’s Artarama, West Hartford, CT.
2002 Lexington Arts & Crafts Association, Lexington, MA.
2001 The Groton School, Groton, MA.
1999 The Somerville Museum, Somerville, MA.
Framingham State University, Framingham, MA.
1997-1999 Rhode Island School of Design Bookstore, Providence, RI.
1998 Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA.
Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA.
Gallery Talk, Niagara County Community College, Sanborn, NY.
1997 - 1998 Boston University School for the Arts, Boston, MA.
1997 Pearl Art & Craft, Cambridge, MA.
Charrette Art Supply, Cambridge, MA.
CAA Conference, New York, NY.
1996 CAA Conference, Boston, MA.
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2012-2016 Co-owner, Out of Line Studio for Art & Design, Westborough, MA.
Responsibilities included: Scheduling and teaching art programs for youth, teens, and adults. Advertising / promoting classes, hosting art shows, coordinating visiting artists workshops.
1993-96 Technical Consultant, R&F Handmade Paints, Inc., Kingston, NY.
Responsibilities included: Assisting in the production and packaging of high
quality, handmade, encaustic paint and pigment sticks. Consulting in product
development. Providing technical support to customers. Assisting in the
organization of exhibitions for the Gallery at R&F. Assisting in teaching
encaustic workshops.
1994 Activities Assistant, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY.
Responsibilities included: Assisting Portfolio Review Committee,
coordinating studio models, and giving tours of the visual arts department and
facilities to prospective students.
1991-93 Graphic Designer, Advanced Medical Graphics, Boston, MA.
Responsibilities included: Designing graphs, charts, and technical illustrations
for medical textbooks using Macintosh programs, Illustrator and Photoshop.
1990-93 Staff Photographer, KLM Communications, West Quincy, MA.
Responsibilities included: Photographing monthly assignments for
Campus Calendar, Boston Nurse News, and the Nantucket Travel Guide.
SOLO / TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS (2001 – 2026)
2025-26 “Tracy Spadafora: Whimsical Landscapes and Monuments", solo-exhibition,
Weston Council on Aging at the Community Center, Weston, MA.
2022 “Tracy Spadafora: Left Behind”, Arts Worcester juried solo-exhibition selection,
The Franklin Square Salon at the Hanover Theatre, Worcester, MA.
2021 “Traces of Existence”, Tracy Spadafora & Claudia Ruiz Gustafson, Concord Center
for Visual Art, Concord, MA.
2020 Tracy Spadafora & Michael Seif, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA.
2017 “Tracy Spadafora: Work from the DNA Series”, Aidron Duckworth Museum, Meriden, NH.
2016 “Systematic Ambiguity”, Tracy Spadafora & Carrie Crane, Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery, Framingham, MA.
2013 “Work from the DNA Series”, Cabot Science Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
2010 “A Natural Affinity”, Tracy Spadafora & Joyce Utting Schutter, two-person exhibition,
Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cotuit, MA.
2009 “Nakayama/Spadafora”, two-person exhibit, 13Forest Gallery, Arlington, MA.
2008 “Tracy Spadafora and Laurel Hughes”, two-person exhibit, New England Bio Labs,
Ipswich, MA.
Tracy Spadafora: Paintings from the Persistence of Nature series, Gallery at James Gate,
Jamaica Plain, MA.
2004 “Tracy Spadafora; Encaustic Paintings”, Perrin Gallery, Brookline, MA.
“Paintings from the Persistence of Nature Series”, Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA.
“Faculty Feature”, paintings by Tracy Spadafora, South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA.
2002 Tracy Spadafora; Paintings from the Persistence of Nature series, Winfisky Gallery,
Salem State College, Salem, MA.
“Landscapes by Cindia Sanford & Theresa Spadafora”, two-person exhibition,
The Peck Gallery, Providence, RI.
2001 “The Persistence of Nature: Recent Paintings by Tracy Spadafora”,
Christopher Brodigan Gallery at the Groton School, Groton, MA.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS (2001 – 2025)
2025 “Information, Overload: School of Visual Arts 2025 Alumni Exhibition”, 808 Gallery, Boston University, Boston, MA.
“Impressions”, juried exhibition, The Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University, Worcester, MA.
“Danforth Art Museum’s Annual Juried Exhibition 2025”, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA.
2024 “A Legacy of Making: Contemporary Artists Inspired by Their Italian Heritage”, Curated by Joanne Mattera, The Carney Gallery, Fine Arts Center, Regis College,
Weston, MA.
“Danforth Art Museum’s Annual Juried Exhibition 2024”, Danforth Museum of Art
Framingham, MA.
“Fitchburg Art Museum’s 88th Regional Juried Exhibition of Art & Craft”, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA.
“View Finder: A Juried Members' Exhibition”, Juried by Sarah Montross, Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
"Feast", a Members' exhibition, in collaboration with the Fitchburg Art Museum,
Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
2023 "Fitchburg Art Museum’s 87th Regional Juried Exhibition of Art & Craft",
Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA.
"Impact", a members' exhibition, in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum,
Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
2022 "Fitchburg Art Museum’s 86th Regional Juried Exhibition of Art & Craft",
Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA.
"Danforth Art Museum's Annual Juried Exhibition 2022", Danforth Museum of Art,
Framingham, MA.
“Grounded: Landscape Explorations in Wax”, three-person invitational exhibition,
Bedford Free Public Library, Bedford, MA.
“Playing Games”, a members' exhibition, Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
MassArt Auction, annual juried sale, Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Boston, MA.
2021 “Inside Voices", a members' exhibition”, in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum,
Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
“Tenacious: Fountain Street Core Alumni Exhibit”, Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery,
Boston, MA.
2019 “The Seventh Annual One”, a members' exhibition, Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
Annual Frances N. Roddy Competition, juried exhibition, Concord Center for the Visual Arts,
Concord, MA.
“Exaggerated: Not How I Remember It”, associate members’ exhibition, Fountain Street
Fine Art Gallery, Boston, MA.
“Thrive”, invitation show, Gallery Twist, Lexington, MA.
National Encaustics Exhibition, juried exhibition, University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT.
2018 “Recreating Nature”, associate members’ exhibition, Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery,
Boston, MA.
2017 “Yellow”, core members’ exhibition, Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery. Framingham, MA.
“Encaustic Art in the Twenty-First Century”, invitation exhibition, Francesca Anderson
Fine Art, Lexington, MA.
“Color and Line: Expressive Traditions in Boston”, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts
at Endicott College, Beverly, MA.
“31 Women”, invitation exhibit, The James Library & Center for the Arts, Norwell, MA.
2015 “A Pattern Language”, three-person invitational exhibition, Lamont Gallery at
Philips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH.
2014 “Multiplicity” core members’ exhibition, Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery, Framingham, MA.
“Off the Wall”, national juried exhibition, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA.
2013 “This to That”, invitational exhibition, Alpers Fine Art, Andover, MA.
“Off the Wall”, national juried exhibition, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA.
“Red”, juried exhibition, A Gallery, Provincetown, MA.
2012 The Future of the Past: Encaustic Art in the 21st Century, national juried exhibition,
The Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA.
Three-person invitational exhibition, NKG Gallery, Boston, MA.
Gallery A, invitational encaustic exhibition, Provincetown, MA.
School House Gallery, invitational exhibition, Provincetown, MA.
2011 “Beyond the Surface: Biological Explorations in Wax”, invitation exhibition, Fountain Street
Fine Art Gallery, Framingham, MA.
“The Luminous Landscape”, group exhibition at McGladrey, Boston, MA.
2010 “The Luminous Landscape”, group exhibition at the Kensington-Stobart Gallery, Salem, MA.
“Preserve”, three-person exhibit, 13Forest Gallery, Arlington, MA.
2009 “The Luminous Landscape”, group exhibition at Three Graces Gallery, Portsmouth, NH.
“The Luminous Landscape”, group exhibition at the Montserrat College of Art, Beverly MA.
2008 “The Luminous Landscape”, group exhibition at the Dickinson Art Gallery, Weymouth MA.
2007 Arthouse Fall 2007, group exhibition, 230 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA.
2006 “Lucky Seven” - Somerville Arts Council 2006 Visual Arts Fellowship Award Winners,
Washington Street Arts Center, Somerville, MA.
2005 “Wax: Encaustic Techniques in Contemporary Art”, group exhibition, The Brush Art Gallery, Lowell, MA.
2004 “Wax: An Exhibition Exploring Wax as a Medium”, group exhibition, The Space at Alice, Providence, RI.
Arthouse Fall 2004, group exhibition, 230 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA.
“Wax Works”, group exhibit, Somerville City Hall, Somerville, MA.
“Prints & Drawings”, annual invitation exhibition, MPG Gallery, Boston, MA.
2003 “Surface, Matter, & Artifice - Contemporary Works by Encaustic Artists”,
College Art Gallery, Dutchess County Community College, NY.
“The Way of Wax”, group exhibition, The Winfisky Gallery, Salem State College, Salem, MA.
“Women & Wax”, group exhibit, The Higgins Art Gallery, Cape Cod Community College,
West Barnstable, MA.
2002 “Nature’s Way”, group exhibition, The Melanie Cooper Gallery, Chicago, IL.
“Pigment & Wax”, group exhibition, The Sharon Art Center, Sharon, NH.
2001 “Encaustic Now”, group exhibition, Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta, GA.
“Images in Wax: Contemporary Encaustic”, group exhibition,
The Karl Drerup Art Gallery, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH.
“Word, Text, Language”, juried exhibition, Claypool-Young Gallery, Morehead State University,
Morehead, KY.
“Prints & Drawings”, annual invitation exhibition, MPG Gallery, Boston, MA.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2025 Cover Art, Sortal Quality: Pleasure, Desire and Moral Worth, by David Hunter, Oxford University Press, 2025.
2024 Featured Artist, Encaustic Arts Magazine, Winter Issue, Dec. 1, 2024. Online interview, CanvasRebel Magazine, Stories & Insights, April 11, 2024.
2023 Italianita: Contemporary Art Inspired by the Italian Immigrant Experience, (printed book), Joanne Mattera, Book Baby, 2023. 2022 Italianita: Contemporary Art Inspired by the Italian Immigrant Experience, invitational online art exhibit & project, Joanne Mattera, Jan. 2022. Website: https://www.italianita-art.com/new-- tracy-spadafora
Stuart Foster, Community Advocate Summer Guide, May 27, 2022.
2021 Meredith Cutler, 10 Years. 11 Artists. 2 Galleries. Fountain Street Checks in with its Roots,
Artscope Magazine, March / April 2021.
2018 Art & Life with Tracy Spadafora, Thought-Provokers Series, Boston Voyager Magazine,
Aug. 2018.
2016 Cate McQuiad, Developing Ideas, The Boston Globe, June 14, 2016.
2015 Anne Lee & E. Ashley Rooney, Encaustic Art in the Twenty-First Century, Schiffer Publishing, 2015.
Raymond, David, Review: New Hampshire, A Pattern Language, Art New England,
September / October, 2015.
2014 McHugh, Christine, Some Like it Hot: Three contemporary artists push the limits of
the sizzling medium of encaustic, The Artist’s Magazine, May, 2014.
2013 Guest artist, Spirituality & Health Magazine, March / April 2013, page 27.
Nash, Catherine, Authentic Visual Voices: Contemporary Paper and Encaustic, ebook, 2013.
Womack, Linda, Embracing Encaustic: Learning to Paint with Beeswax, Third edition,
eBook version, Hive Publishing, 2013.
2009 The Worcester Review, Worcester, MA, 2009 (Volume XXX, Numbers 1 & 2).
Artscope Magazine, Centerfold Contest Winner, March / April 2009.
2008 Womack, Linda & William. Embracing Encaustic, Hive Publishing, 2008.
2007 Harrison, Holly. Multi-Media Collage, Beverly, MA; Quarry Publishers, 2007.
2004 “Encaustic Artists Wax Enthusiastic”, Arts Media Magazine, Boston, MA, March 2004).
“New City Hall works sealed in Wax..,” Somerville Journal, Somerville, MA, (Feb. 26, 2004).
2003 Holly Harrison & Paula Grasdal. Collage for the Soul, Rockport, MA;
Rockport Publishers, 2003.
2002 “Two Looks at the Land”, The Providence Journal, Providence, MA, (Jan. 31, 2002).
2001 Mattera, Joanne. The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in
the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax. New York, NY; Watson-Guptill, 2001.
2000 “Building Art in Somerville and the South End”, Boston Phoenix, Boston, MA, (Dec. 1).
1999 “Somerville Gets Eclectic”, Somerville Journal, Somerville, MA, (July 8).
1998 “Artists Step into New World with Ancient Medium”, Niagara Gazette, Niagara, NY,
(March 13).
1996 “New Paltz Regional Show..,” Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY, (July 12).
1996 “Making Tracks”, Woodstock Times, Woodstock, NY, (June 13).
GRANTS / AWARDS / HONORS
2025 Juror's Award, by Dina Vazquez, The Thirteenth Annual One Members' Exhibition, Arts Worcester, Worcester, MA.
2013 Quincy College, Faculty / Staff Professional Development Grant, Quincy, MA.
2011 Guest Curator for exhibition “Beyond the Surface: Biological Explorations in Wax”.
Exhibited at Fountain Street Fine Art, Framingham, MA.
2006 Somerville Arts Council Lottery Grant in Visual Art, Somerville, MA.
2003 Frances A. Kinnicutt Award 2003, Worcester, MA.
2003 Co-curator, “Women & Wax”, The Higgins Art Gallery, Cape CodCommunity College,
West Barnstable, MA.
2001 Blanche E. Colman Foundation Award, Boston, MA.
Somerville Arts Council Lottery Grant in Visual Art, Somerville, MA.
2000 Massachusetts Cultural Council Professional Development Grant, Boston, MA.
1999 St. Botolph Foundation, Grant-in-Aid, Boston, MA.
1999 Somerville Arts Council Lottery Grant in Visual Art, Somerville, MA.
1998 Guest Curator for exhibition “Contemporary Encaustic Painting: Exploring New Boundaries
in an Ancient Medium”. Exhibited at Niagara County Community College, Sanborn, NY,
and Gibbs Gallery, Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington, MA.
COLLECTIONS
UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA.
Bank of America, Boston, MA.
Harvard University Law School, Cambridge, MA.
Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA.
Meditech, Inc., Westwood, MA.
Various Private Collections.
COMMUNITY GROUPS
2025 – Present Member of the Westborough Public Art Committee, Westborough, MA.
2019 – Present Member of the Westborough Cultural Council, Westborough, MA.
2018 – 2024 Member of the Arts in Common Festival Committee, Westborough, MA.
