Annalysa Fakir
Graduate School Student
Education:
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art with a concentration in Illustration; Minor in Dance, UNC Charlotte (2023)
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
Lysa Fakir comes from an artistic family.
“I was introduced to drawing by my older brother, who was in art school at the time,” she says. “Me, my brother, and my little sister would sit at our dining table and sketch to various genres of music, influencing what it was that we were creating.”
Later, Leslie Hung’s illustrations for the comic book series “Snot Girl” became a big inspiration.
“I was about 14 or 15, and I fell in love with the color and art style at the time. I bought all the hard copies and thought, ‘Hopefully that will be me some day,’” she says.
As a student at UNC Charlotte, Lysa took full advantage of the opportunities of the College, earning a Minor in Dance along with her art degree and taking leadership roles with student organizations like the Illustration Club, United Creative Visions, and the Young Women of Excellence. She also served as a student office assistant in the College’s Office of the Dean.
“From sharing stories with my professors with tears in my eyes, to enjoying refreshments for an annual celebration by the CoA+A faculty, my experience at UNC Charlotte is something I hold very dearly to my heart,” she says.
Lecturer Lorraine Turi chose Lysa to exhibit work in the Generations exhibition in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Department of Art & Art History. See her submission here.
“Her work is authentic and provides a glimpse into the personal while at the same time remaining universally relevant,” Turi told Associate Professor of Art History Jim Frakes in an interview for his history of the department.
Lysa says that completing the piece for the Generations show “has allowed me to explore my creativity in a way that I was unsure of before. I’ve enjoyed creating personal art pieces that speak to my expression, especially now that there is no rubric!”
Lysa is passionate about teaching the next generation of artists. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in art education at UNC Wilmington. She also works at Durham Academy as an extended-day teacher.
“I am committed to fostering an environment that encourages students to pursue their artistic aspirations,” she told Frakes in an interview. “Furthermore, I am dedicated to dispelling the myth of the ‘starving artist’ and advocating for the profound impact of art in our society.”