Jessie Gifford was born in Omaha Nebraska, daughter of Melvin and Mary Elizabeth (Jonas) Gifford. She received a B.A. from Bennington College in 1961. Gifford has had one woman shows at the Louis K Meisel Gallery, 1975, 55 Mercer Gallery, 1976, U. Nebraska, Omaha, 1977, John Nichols Gallery, New York City, 1986, KUMCGallery, Kansas City, Kansas, 1987, National Print Exhibition, Trenton, New Jersey. She has exhibited in group shows at the Whitney Museum, New York, 1972, American Broadcasting Company Number-Rio, New York, 1980, 81, Harm Boukaert Gallery, New York, 1983, Pratt Institute, New York, 1984, National Organization for Women Gallery, New York, 1984, American Automobile Association Gallery, New York, 1985, Fuji-i Gallery, Tokyo, 1985, Central Park, New York, 1989, Hook Gallery, New York, 1989, Ringling Museum, Florida, 1989, Susan Teller Gallery, New York, 1990, and others.
Gifford is represented in permanent collections, including, New York University, Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, Nebraska, Library of Congress, Owens Corning, Toledo, Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Bennington College, Vermont, Aldrich Museum. She was a MacDowell fellow, Grantee Committee on Visual Arts, 1976 and the recipient of the Benton Spruance award, 1986.
