Clare Belfrage was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1966. Her mother introduced her to craft work at an early age, knitting and sewing much of her childhood clothing. Although Belfrage at first resisted the patience needed for these activities, by high school, she had developed an interest in working in the visual arts. She earned her BFA in ceramic design with a hot glass major from Monash University, Melbourne, in 1988. After receiving her degree, Belfrage participated in several fellowships and residencies. In addition to working as a teaching assistant for Richard Marquis at the Pilchuck Glass School shortly after graduating, Belfrage was also the resident designer at Jam Factory Craft and Design Center in Adelaide from 1991-92. Belfrage continues to regularly work at Jam Factory today and considers the Australian glass community one of the most rewarding parts of her practice. She writes, “The [glass] industry in nature, its rhythm and energy, dramatic and delicate, still holds my fascination as does the language and processes of glass.”

Belfrage has received many solo exhibitions, including a 2020 show, Deep Skin, at Sabbia Gallery, Sydney. She has also shown in exhibits highlighting women in glass, including the 2016 Fired Up: Contemporary Glass by Women Artists from the Toledo Museum of Art at the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC. Her work is held in several public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; the National Art Glass Collection, Wagga Wagga; the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY; the Tacoma Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA; Museo do Vidro, Marinha Grande, Portugal; and the Niijima Glass Museum, Japan.