Meet the Teachers
Abel Piecry
Abel is an artist and favorite uncle to 6 locally born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska. Abel has studied arts and film at Chapman University in California, and continued his education at University of Alaska Fairbanks with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism. Growing up in Ketchikan, he has participated in various arts programs over the years: from Lou Cacioppo workshops, theater productions with First City Players, and modeling and assistance with the annual Wearable Art Show, Abel is a hometown favorite and has a long history of engaging with the local artists and art scenes.
Abel’s love of creating was initially fostered through the early years of Campfire Boys and Girls, in which his mother was the head coordinator. Abel found himself heavily involved, most particularly with his reign in the annual gingerbread house contest! Through activities with the Campfire kids, at a young age Abel fostered a passion for crafting, creative construction, and the value of the arts for youth in our community. Throughout his own school years, he was frequently in trouble for drawing during class and doodling on his homework. Abel’s own artistic endeavors include film production and puppetry, and brings creativity to all of his gardening experiments.
While working alongside headteacher Loren McCue, Abel has taken his passion further towards a love for teaching and engaging with youth. Abel’s experience and skill with various age groups comes from his time spent teaching at The ARTery, as well as with diverse populations through his time as a Behavioral Health Associate with Residential Youth Care.
For Abel, the arts and creative thinking are valuable tools to instill in youth due to the intrinsic problem solving and therapeutic qualities. Abel whole-heartedly believes that arts and what people create are the highest form of generosity, as any art piece is a gift to be given to others. He feels that self-expression is the foundation to fostering identity, that there’s an art form or material for any person, and that with the power of cooperation, “there’s always a way to build it.”
Loren McCue
Loren is an artist and teacher residing and practicing in Ketchikan, Alaska. She studied visual arts at the University of Colorado, but ultimately got a degree in graphic design in 1989 from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Loren relocated to Ketchikan, Alaska in 1996 and has worked as a graphic designer, artist, and art teacher ever since.
She started teaching art at Valley Park Elementary School in 2000. When Valley Park Elementary School shut it doors and a new charter school focusing on the arts and sciences, The Tongass School of Arts and Sciences opened up in its place, she was asked to join the teaching staff.
While teaching at the Tongass School Loren was involved with all aspects of running a successful art program. She taught Pre-K - 6th grades, she created a budget, ordered supplies and developed her own curriculum based on the themes the school was focusing on.
She also did grant writing to fund her program. With these grants she facilitated public art installations by students at the Discovery Center, the Deer Mountain Hatchery, and the Ketchikan Visitors’ Center.
During her years as an art teacher she worked with other local organizations such as First City Players, where she taught set design and costuming as part of their annual summer camp. She also taught Wearable Art for the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council.
Loren is registered on the Alaska State Council on the Arts statewide teaching roster and has completed several Artist in Residencies both local and statewide.
Loren is passionate about teaching art she believes that art education is invaluable to our children because it teaches them to be creative thinkers and creative problem solvers for life. Art is missing in our classrooms and this imbalance in our school system, has spawned her latest endeavor, theArtery!
“I feel our children are missing out on the value of creativity and free thinking, the very elements that art education embraces, my mission is to expose to as many kids as possible to the Arts!”
- Loren
Karley Lesko
Karley is an artist and educator currently residing in her hometown of Ketchikan, Alaska. She graduated with a Studio Arts degree with an Art History minor from Western Washington University in Bellingham. There she participated in various group gallery showings and was an active member of the arts community. Combined with a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification, she found herself marrying a love of education with a love of the arts.
Karley’s interests, travels, and experience has led her to a wide variety of art education settings. She has worked with foreign students of culture and immigration from across the world. She taught an annual summer arts program in conjunction with the First City Players and Artskool. She has worked as an assistant teacher for Loren while she participated in Artist in Residency programs across the state. She has worked in special education, focusing on arts as an alternative medium of higher learning.
While working with special education students at the Tongass School of Arts and Sciences, she designed and provided an after-school arts program for children of all ages to experience local culture and arts with a hands on approach. Her most recent position was working with early childhood education and creating a developmentally appropriate approach to sensory learning through arts and materials.
Art exists at the center of Karley’s education philosophy. Her experience in education has not been limited to only education of the arts. However, through working with various age groups and cultures, she has found art to be a universal thread in which freedom of expression takes form. She wishes to continue to encourage identity, self-worth, and the power of creativity through experimenting with the arts.