About the Artist

I am Fairen Stark, an illustrator and art educator currently living in Portland, Maine. My work explores themes of magic, nature, childhood, intimacy, and nostalgia. I grew up in Vermont, where I was raised with a love for the natural world. My work is inspired by a childhood spent in the woods, building fairy houses and getting muddy. My years spent as a seasonal farmhand and my work as a teacher have informed the way I create and see the world. In my free time I can be found frolicking in the woods, trying to befriend bugs, or foraging for edible plants. I spend the winter months curled up at home with my four cats.

In 2024 I graduated from Maine College of Art & Design with a Master of Arts in Teaching. I also hold a BFA in Illustration from MECA&D. I am currently teaching art at an elementary school in southern Maine.