Clara Fasano


Clara Fasano was an Italian born American sculptor known for her terra cotta pieces.

Early years

Fasano was born in Castellaneta, Italy, where she came from a long line of sculptors and carvers; her family immigrated to the United States when she was three. Her father, Pasquale Fasano earned a living in New York City carving architectural ornamentation., By 1940 she had gained US citizenship. She studied at the Cooper Union Art School, the Art Student's League and Adelphi College in New York City, the Académie Colarossi and Academie Julian in Paris. She also studied with Arturo Dazzi in Rome. She taught art at the Dalton School in New York City and at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York.
During the Great Depression US President Franklin Deleno Roosevelt initiated the New Deal. One of its programs was the Federal Art Projects under which the federal government hired artists, mostly painters and sculptors to create art for a variety of public places, often post offices. Fasano created a plaster relief, ""The Family" for the post office in Middleport, Ohio in 1939.
Fasano was a member of the Sculptors Guild and exhibited at its 1940 and 1941 exhibitions.
Fasano was one of the sculptors who exhibited at the 3rd Sculpture International in Philadelphia in 1949. She was a member of the National Sculpture Society, the National Academy of Design, Audubon Artists and the National Association of Women Artists.
Fasano's papers can be found at the Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University.

Personal life

Fasano was married to sculptor Jean de Marco, with whom she lived in Greenwich Village. Late in life she and her husband split their time between New York City and Cervaro, Italy.

Work

Significant works include: