Laurie Fader, a distinguished artist with an MFA from Yale School of Art and a BS from New York University, has made significant contributions to the contemporary art scene. Her recent recognition as a fellow at the RAIR Foundation in New Mexico, starting in March 2025, marks another milestone in her illustrious career. Fader’s work is a vibrant tapestry of color, movement, and narrative, reflecting her deep engagement with the world around her.
Fader’s artistic journey is characterized by a unique blend of macabre humor and environmental consciousness. She skillfully weaves cautionary tales into her paintings, using dreamy alternative realities to engage viewers in complex narratives. Her artistic philosophy, encapsulated in the phrase “the forces before the horses,” emphasizes the importance of composition and the interplay of elements in creating a cohesive whole. This approach allows her to explore themes of strength and resilience, often embodied by the female figure, which appears in various forms throughout her work.
Her extensive background includes numerous awards, such as the Pollock-Krasner Grant and the Helen W. Winternitz Award for excellence in painting. Fader has participated in prestigious residencies across the globe, including in France, Haiti, and Italy, where she has spent thousands of hours creating perceptual paintings that reflect her love for the outdoors. These experiences have provided her with the building blocks for her abstract narrative landscape paintings, where prehistoric plants and surreal figures march through unworldly settings, offering both a parallel world and a warning of potential aftermaths.
Fader draws inspiration from a diverse array of cultural narratives, analyzing how stories are structured across different traditions, including Indian, Japanese, Flemish, and early American art. This exploration informs her visual language, allowing her to create works that resonate with viewers on multiple levels. Her paintings often lean into abstraction, inviting interpretation and personal meaning, while still addressing pressing global issues such as climate change and social displacement.
With recent exhibitions at notable galleries such as the Lockwood Gallery and the Susan Eley Gallery, Fader continues to captivate audiences with her thought-provoking work. As she prepares for her upcoming fellowship, her commitment to reflecting on our planet’s challenges through art remains steadfast. Laurie Fader’s journey is a testament to the power of art as a medium for storytelling, reflection, and ultimately, a call to action in the face of environmental crises.
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