KTSW Loves: The Canvas of Change– Exploring the World of Shannon Faseler

By Marissa Bruno

Promotions and Community Relations Member

Shannon Faseler, a prominent professor at Texas State University and Austin Community College, is also a visual artist.  Faseler occupies a unique space between the teachings of art history and painting technique, and her art often encapsulates the haunting crisis of global warming. 

As a visual artist, Faseler’s work is less about the beauty of the landscape and more about the “human infliction” upon it. Her paintings serve as a visual analysis of climate change, capturing the tension between the present and the future. By focusing on natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the devastating impact of prolonged droughts, she forces the viewer to confront the fragility of our environment.  

A68a-phase 3 

Currently being shown at the ARTSPACE Gallery in Wimberly, the IN SUSPENSION exhibit holds a beautiful painting depicting the A68a iceberg located in the Antarctic Peninsula. The piece captures the disintegration of the massive iceberg after it split in early 2021. Faseler uses a deceptive palette consisting of soft blues and whites, but the painting is emphasized by a vibrant blood orange. 

This orange is not merely a stylistic choice; it acts as a “warning signal.” It represents the pathogens and oxidation trapped for millennia within the ice, now being exposed to the ecosystems as the glaciers recede. The result is a composition that feels simultaneously beautiful and eerie.  

“I’m making something with an element of surface beauty to lure people in and engage them with wanting to know more about the content,” Faseler said. (Joyce, 2025) 

Underwater 

Faseler’s exploration of human impact continues in her piece “Underwater.” Also shown at ARTSPACE Gallery, this provocative work shifts towards a darker, murkier palette of greens, yellows and deep blues. Inspired by her experience scuba diving in local lakes, the painting reflects the “human disasters” found beneath the surface– discarded objects, remnants of floods and the ghostly echoes of places like Chernobyl.  

Interestingly, Faseler’s work is defined by what is missing: the human figure. By avoiding direct references to people, she emphasizes the scale of our impact without the distraction of a protagonist. We see the consequences–the gas masks, the submerged structures and the “Black Ice” as we are left to reckon with our own responsibility in Earth’s destruction. 

Black Ice 

The piece “Black Ice” proved to be one of her most challenging projects as Faseler claimed that she “thought it would kill her.” Utilizing a strictly monochromatic palette, the painting strips away the distraction of color and focuses on texture and form, forcing a confrontation with the cold, hard reality of a changing climate.  

Despite her success in the galleries, Faseler maintains a clear boundary between her creative life and her role as an educator. She aims to keep those identities separate, viewing them as different intellectual pursuits. However, she admits that teaching often feeds her creativity and thrives on student engagement, though she notes a concerning threat of apathy in the modern classroom. 

“We are evolved to be social creatures who need human contact,” Faseler emphasizes.

Her philosophy on life is deeply rooted in the “analog” world. In an era dominated by digital media, while she enjoys aspects of that world, she advocates for harnessing personal creativity and fostering relationships outside of the screen. This isn’t just a lecture point; it’s a lifestyle. Every morning, Shannon and her husband make it a priority to wake up early to have coffee together away from devices. She encourages students to make time for people without technology to foster their human relationships.  

In her lectures, Faseler doesn’t just want to speak; she wants to converse. She hopes to see a generation of students who are passionate about their academics and willing to ask the difficult questions. Whether she is leading a study abroad group or guiding students through painting techniques, her goal remains the same: to encourage relevancy and a deep, authentic connection to the natural world.  

Shannon Faseler’s work, both in the studio and the classroom, serves as a reminder that while the world is changing, our ability to observe, react and connect remains our most vital tool for survival.  

Cited Works:

Joyce, M. (2025). Vanishing Icescapes. Hillviews Magazine.