Laura Faeo, an Alaskan Potter
Yet More about the Artist
I have always loved art: as far back as I can remember, I have enjoyed drawing and painting. As a child, I learned to draw by copying pictures from comic books and childrens' stories. I even painted a wall in my family's kitchen with an assortment of these cartoony animals. For better or worse, this early masterpiece was probably painted over many years ago when the house was sold.
I grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania and graduated from William Allen High School there in 1976. I moved to Alaska soon after graduation with my soon-to-be-husband Larry Faeo.
Alaska - what a fantastic place for an artist!
If Nature is the master artist, Alaska is surely one of Her greatest masterpieces. I found many wonderful subjects to paint, as you can tell from my Home page.
I have traveled widely in Alaska, almost everywhere within the state's road system, and to some areas beyond the roads. Larry and I lived in Anchorage until 1990, when we moved to the Kenai Peninsula. I have lived there ever since, now in Nikiski, near the north-west coast of the Kenai peninsula.
The forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, and wildlife of this beautiful region continue to be an inspiration for my artwork, as well as its vibrant Native culture. There is a spiritual magic and mystery in this land that feeds an artist's creative force.
In Kenai, I discovered the Kenai Potters Guild, a unique co-op pottery studio, founded in 1973 in the Kenai Fine Arts Center. I had dabbled in ceramics in high school, but hadn't any opportunity to do more than make a few little animals.
The Potter's Guild changed that.
I took two classes under master potters John Rovin and Ahna Iredale, then continued on my own to master throwing, sculpting, glazing and firing.
Today, over 20 years later, I have become a master potter myself. I am also president of the Guild. I teach classes there, helping to pass on the joys of pottery to others.
I became interested in welding after taking a course under Fritz Miller, at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldatna. I have a welding certificate from there, and later worked as a professional welder at the Pacific Star Seafoods cannery in Kenai. This was a wonderful job in which I mastered aluminum and steel welding.
I've recently completed construction of a pottery and welding shop, near my home. This has been a long and frustrating project. But the building is nearly completed. It will house a welding area and electric kilns. It is the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream.
And yes, that's a moose near my shop.
I've suffered frtom asthmatic and respiratory ailments all my life. This has kept me from holding a regular job. As a result, I have become more dependent on my artwork for an income.
From this disease, I have had two near-death experiences where I saw the after-life and felt the presence of God. I feel I have been given a gift of psychic ability as a result. Through this gift, my dear deceased daughter Heather has been able to communicate with me, mainly through dreams, but in other ways as well. She continues to inspire my artwork, and my intuitive drawings in particular.
My other interests include reading, creative writing, and disk jockey. I have a music show on KDLL, Jazz On Ice, Mondays at 7 pm. Try KDLL.org for a streaming radio experience.
Life is a spiritual journey. Please join me on my journey for a few minutes and peruse my artwork in these virtual galleries.