Vincenzo Iacobucci, a third generation Italian from Federal Hill was the first college graduate of his family which owned and operated Leo’s, a tobacco/newspaper shop, on Atwells Avenue. Susan Kelly came from a large hard-working Irish/French Canadian family in North Kingston. Vincenzo and Susan met while simultaneously working for Fleet National Bank in Providence in the early 1970s.

They married and purchased a home in the Elmhurst area of the city where Debralee Elizabeth Marianna Iacobucci (DEMI) and her older brother Vincenzo Junior would be raised.
By the age of seven, Debralee was identified as a gifted child, and she eventually attended Nathanael Greene Middle School as part of a special program joining other gifted students in their academic studies. Debralee excelled at problem solving and foreign language studies. In 1993, The United States Achievement Academy granted Debralee with their International Foreign Language Award. That same year, she created an egg-drop design that the Science Olympiad team would take to the National Championships. She was also part of a small team of four students that would carry on to The Future Problem Solvers of RI competition at RIC after creating an island called Dolfina and all of its sub governmental maps and structures. Her CYO basketball team from St. Pius made it to the New England Championships also that same year. Debralee’s artistic talents were recognized and she joined the after school Art Club, and she had her first piece hanging in the Gallery of One Citizens Plaza in Spring of 1993.
Her high school years were no different. She played varsity basketball, softball and soccer at Classical High School. Received honors, and traveled with the RI Breakers AAU team every weekend during basketball season. Her first paying job was for St. Pius Church Rectory as a secretary. She later worked for local businesses, Shaw’s Supermarket and Taco Bell. She was President of her high school class junior year and resigned to the Vice President seat senior year to lighten her work load in preparation for the college application process.
In 1998, Parsons School of Design accepted Debralee as an early admission after an interview in New York City. There she majored in Illustration, with a focus on children’s book illustrating. She worked as Assistant Illustrator to Paulette Bogan, and again, was elected to class President – this time without even running for office.
Affected by the historical event of “9/11”, Debralee developed the Peace Pen Pal Project to unite children in the USA with children abroad in foreign countries using art as a means of communication avoiding communication gaps, or language barriers.
After graduating in 2002, Debralee became involved in the food and beverage industry to support her cost of living.Her colleagues were all artists from different genres. And every one of them enjoyed traveling as much as art itself. Needless to say, the flexible schedule and consistent income led to many wonderful traveling experiences – usually to places that don’t necessarily attract many tourists. However, the long hours did not allow for much production time, and Debralee’s art was falling by the waist side.
She has taught at The East Side Art Center and RISD’s Free For All Saturdays. She has privately taught students in both NYC and Rhode Island.
In 2009, Debralee opened her own gallery, Gallery DEMI. And closed the doors only one year later to pursue her own art again.
After making a trip to Ladakh, India in 2014, Debralee has produced the most amount of work within her career as an artist. She has finally committed herself to her trade. She has stopped working in the food and beverage industry. However, you may see her from time to time making a guest appearance and helping her dear friend, Sylvia Moubayed by serving at CAV Restaurant in Providence.
She currently works for Charlie Hall’s Traveling Art Party, Drink and Dabble, coordinating events and teaching on occasion. She has many kettles in the fire, and she is one-by-one rekindling relationships in the art world. Ask her at the opening about her children’s books, coloring books, T-shirts, sculpted butterflies, travel plans, and so much more…

Vincenzo Iacobucci, a third generation Italian from Federal Hill was the first college graduate of his family which owned and operated Leo’s, a tobacco/newspaper shop, on Atwells Avenue. Susan Kelly came from a large hard-working Irish/French Canadian family in North Kingston. Vincenzo and Susan met while simultaneously working for Fleet National Bank in Providence in the early 1970s.
They married and purchased a home in the Elmhurst area of the city where Debralee Elizabeth Marianna Iacobucci (DEMI) and her older brother Vincenzo Junior would be raised.
By the age of seven, Debralee was identified as a gifted child, and she eventually attended Nathanael Greene Middle School as part of a special program joining other gifted students in their academic studies. Debralee excelled at problem solving and foreign language studies. In 1993, The United States Achievement Academy granted Debralee with their International Foreign Language Award. That same year, she created an egg-drop design that the Science Olympiad team would take to the National Championships. She was also part of a small team of four students that would carry on to The Future Problem Solvers of RI competition at RIC after creating an island called Dolfina and all of its sub governmental maps and structures. Her CYO basketball team from St. Pius made it to the New England Championships also that same year. Debralee’s artistic talents were recognized and she joined the after school Art Club, and she had her first piece hanging in the Gallery of One Citizens Plaza in Spring of 1993.
Her high school years were no different. She played varsity basketball, softball and soccer at Classical High School. Received honors, and traveled with the RI Breakers AAU team every weekend during basketball season. Her first paying job was for St. Pius Church Rectory as a secretary. She later worked for local businesses, Shaw’s Supermarket and Taco Bell. She was President of her high school class junior year and resigned to the Vice President seat senior year to lighten her work load in preparation for the college application process.
In 1998, Parsons School of Design accepted Debralee as an early admission after an interview in New York City. There she majored in Illustration, with a focus on children’s book illustrating. She worked as Assistant Illustrator to Paulette Bogan, and again, was elected to class President – this time without even running for office.
Affected by the historical event of “9/11”, Debralee developed the Peace Pen Pal Project to unite children in the USA with children abroad in foreign countries using art as a means of communication avoiding communication gaps, or language barriers.
After graduating in 2002, Debralee became involved in the food and beverage industry to support her cost of living.Her colleagues were all artists from different genres. And every one of them enjoyed traveling as much as art itself. Needless to say, the flexible schedule and consistent income led to many wonderful traveling experiences – usually to places that don’t necessarily attract many tourists. However, the long hours did not allow for much production time, and Debralee’s art was falling by the waist side.
She has taught at The East Side Art Center and RISD’s Free For All Saturdays. She has privately taught students in both NYC and Rhode Island.
In 2009, Debralee opened her own gallery, Gallery DEMI. And closed the doors only one year later to pursue her own art again.
After making a trip to Ladakh, India in 2014, Debralee has produced the most amount of work within her career as an artist. She has finally committed herself to her trade. She has stopped working in the food and beverage industry. However, you may see her from time to time making a guest appearance and helping her dear friend, Sylvia Moubayed by serving at CAV Restaurant in Providence.
She currently works for Charlie Hall’s Traveling Art Party, Drink and Dabble, coordinating events and teaching on occasion. She has many kettles in the fire, and she is one-by-one rekindling relationships in the art world. Ask her at the opening about her children’s books, coloring books, T-shirts, sculpted butterflies, travel plans, and so much more…

Vincenzo Iacobucci, a third generation Italian from Federal Hill was the first college graduate of his family which owned and operated Leo’s, a tobacco/newspaper shop, on Atwells Avenue. Susan Kelly came from a large hard-working Irish/French Canadian family in North Kingston. Vincenzo and Susan met while simultaneously working for Fleet National Bank in Providence in the early 1970s.
They married and purchased a home in the Elmhurst area of the city where Debralee Elizabeth Marianna Iacobucci (DEMI) and her older brother Vincenzo Junior would be raised.
By the age of seven, Debralee was identified as a gifted child, and she eventually attended Nathanael Greene Middle School as part of a special program joining other gifted students in their academic studies. Debralee excelled at problem solving and foreign language studies. In 1993, The United States Achievement Academy granted Debralee with their International Foreign Language Award. That same year, she created an egg-drop design that the Science Olympiad team would take to the National Championships. She was also part of a small team of four students that would carry on to The Future Problem Solvers of RI competition at RIC after creating an island called Dolfina and all of its sub governmental maps and structures. Her CYO basketball team from St. Pius made it to the New England Championships also that same year. Debralee’s artistic talents were recognized and she joined the after school Art Club, and she had her first piece hanging in the Gallery of One Citizens Plaza in Spring of 1993.
Her high school years were no different. She played varsity basketball, softball and soccer at Classical High School. Received honors, and traveled with the RI Breakers AAU team every weekend during basketball season. Her first paying job was for St. Pius Church Rectory as a secretary. She later worked for local businesses, Shaw’s Supermarket and Taco Bell. She was President of her high school class junior year and resigned to the Vice President seat senior year to lighten her work load in preparation for the college application process.
In 1998, Parsons School of Design accepted Debralee as an early admission after an interview in New York City. There she majored in Illustration, with a focus on children’s book illustrating. She worked as Assistant Illustrator to Paulette Bogan, and again, was elected to class President – this time without even running for office.
Affected by the historical event of “9/11”, Debralee developed the Peace Pen Pal Project to unite children in the USA with children abroad in foreign countries using art as a means of communication avoiding communication gaps, or language barriers.
After graduating in 2002, Debralee became involved in the food and beverage industry to support her cost of living.Her colleagues were all artists from different genres. And every one of them enjoyed traveling as much as art itself. Needless to say, the flexible schedule and consistent income led to many wonderful traveling experiences – usually to places that don’t necessarily attract many tourists. However, the long hours did not allow for much production time, and Debralee’s art was falling by the waist side.
She has taught at The East Side Art Center and RISD’s Free For All Saturdays. She has privately taught students in both NYC and Rhode Island.
In 2009, Debralee opened her own gallery, Gallery DEMI. And closed the doors only one year later to pursue her own art again.
After making a trip to Ladakh, India in 2014, Debralee has produced the most amount of work within her career as an artist. She has finally committed herself to her trade. She has stopped working in the food and beverage industry. However, you may see her from time to time making a guest appearance and helping her dear friend, Sylvia Moubayed by serving at CAV Restaurant in Providence.
She currently works for Charlie Hall’s Traveling Art Party, Drink and Dabble, coordinating events and teaching on occasion. She has many kettles in the fire, and she is one-by-one rekindling relationships in the art world. Ask her at the opening about her children’s books, coloring books, T-shirts, sculpted butterflies, travel plans, and so much more…