Claudia Cappelle was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago and received a BS in Medical Illustration from the University of Illinois. She continued her art education after moving to the Washington DC area in 1983 at The Corcoran School of Art and the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2012 she participated in the Fields Project Residency Program in Oregon, Illinois. Her work has been exhibited at various galleries and artist venues in the Washington DC metro area and Virginia; Studio Gallery, The Ralls Collection, Washington DC; The Art League (solo show) and Del Ray Artisans in Alexandria; Workhouse Arts Center Lorton, Virginia; White Canvas Gallery and the General Assembly Building in Richmond; VMRC Multimedia Art Exhibition in Harrisonburg, and the Gleedsville Art Gallery in Leesburg, Virginia.