William H. Calfee (b. 1909, Washington, DC; d. 1995, Chevy Chase, MD) studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris for a year, and briefly studied architecture at Catholic University, before focusing on the fine arts at Cranbrook Academy. When he returned to DC he taught in the Resettlement Administration under the New Deal, and was commissioned to paint murals in post offices in Maryland, West Virginia, and Delaware.

In the early 1940s, he briefly took classes from C. Law Watkins at the Philips Memorial Gallery. Watkins recognized Calfee’s talent and asked him to assist him with courses. In 1945 he helped Watkins form the art department at American University, and became chair of the department after Watkins’ death in 1946. Calfee retired from the department in 1954 and moved to Vermont to concentrate on painting and sculpture. However, he missed his colleagues, and returned to Washington, DC in 1957. The return coincided with the founding of the Jefferson Place Gallery by his colleagues, Robert Gates, Ben Summerford, and Helene McKinsey, and he asked to become a founding member. He also returned to teaching at American University, where he remained a member of the faculty until 1977.

Solo Exhibitions
1958—Recent Sculpture, March 17—April 5
1959—Drawings and Sculpture (with Lothar Brabanski), Nov. 3—21
1960—Sculpture, March 8—26
1962—Process, March 1—April 8
1963—Sculptures, Oct. 1—19
1965—Sculptures, Dec. 6—31

Group Exhibitions
1957—First Group Show, Oct. 10—Nov. 9
1957—Christmas Show, Dec. 9—Jan4, 1958
1958—The Group +2, May 20—June 17
1958—12 Washington Artists, University of Kentucky, Oct. 19—Nov. 16
1958—Christmas Show, Nov. 25—Dec. 31
1959—Member’s Show, April 21—May 2
1960—End of Year Review, May 17—June 11
1960—Art from America’s Cities, Sept 20—Oct. 15
1960—Christmas Show, Dec. 13—Jan 7, 1961
1961—Winter ’61, Twentieth Century Gallery, Williamsburg, VA, Jan 9—Feb. 17
1961—Review and Preview, May 22—June 4
1961—The Year Ahead, Oct. 3—Nov. 4
1961—Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, PA, October 27—Jan 7, 1962
1961—Paper Show, Dec. 5—Jan. 5, 1962
1962—Small Paintings and Sculpture, Jan. 7–27
1962—Group Show, Oct. 2—20
1965—Grand Opening, Jan. 25—Feb. 13
1968—Jefferson Place Ten Years, July 16–Aug. 7

http://williamhcalfee.org/

Portrait of artist William Calfee with his sculpture, Summer, 1963
Courtesy William H. Calfee Foundation [ #125 ]

connected archival press clips

Jefferson Gallery
Jefferson Gallery
March 29, 2024
The Washington Star
The new Jefferson Place Gallery, 1216 Connecticut avenue NW, is a beautiful place to display work to the best advantage.
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
March 29, 2024
The Washington Post
First on the artistic hit parade this week is certainly Bill Calfee’s one-man show of sculpture, which just opened at the Jefferson Place Gallery to continue through April 5.
Jefferson Gallery
Jefferson Gallery
March 29, 2024
The Washington Star
The inaugural group show remains through this week, to be followed by one-artist shows by each of the 11 painters and sculptors to whom the gallery is dedicated.
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
March 29, 2024
The Washington Post
Flawless or not, there is a more creativeness [sic] and excitement in Calfee’s work than in many a more consistent and controlled statement.
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
Four New Shows, All Refreshing
March 29, 2024
The Washington Post
Calfee was always a painter’s painter, and it is obvious that he is also a sculptor’s sculptor.