Alicia Bay Laurel

Alicia Bay Laurel (born Alicia Kaufman on 14 May 1949 in Hollywood, California) is an American artist, author, and musician. Laurel is best known for her 1970 book "Living On The Earth", a notable guide for participants in the American back-to-the-land movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Alicia grew up exposed to the arts, intellectual ideas, and political activism. Her mother, Verna Lebow, was a sculptor and her father, Paul Kaufman, was a doctor.

Alicia grew up exposed to the arts, intellectual ideas, and political activism. Her mother, Verna Lebow, was a sculptor and her father, Paul Kaufman, was a doctor. She briefly attended the Otis Art Institute, San Francisco State University, and San Francisco Fashion Institute before seeking her own course driven by these influences. She studied music as well, and learned open-tuned guitar improvisation from John Fahey, who at the time was married to her cousin Janet Lebow.

Laurel lived on Wheeler Ranch near Occidental, California in Sonoma County in the early 1970s, where she wrote her book, "Living on the Earth". Designed to be a guide for others at the commune, the book was first published by The Bookworks in Berkeley, California in 1970 and sold out the first printing. It was picked up by Random House in 1971 and sold more than 350,000 copies. It appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.[1]

Moving to Maui in 1974, she had many professions, including photographer, teacher, musician, and businesswoman. She updated "Living on the Earth" in 2000, travelled around the U.S., and returned to Hawaii.

Laurel still makes art and music, and is currently working on several book projects.