the alpha workshops x nancy lorenz

In celebration of The Alpha Workshops’ 30th Anniversary

All artwork © Nancy Lorenz

Since its founding on February 14, 1995, The Alpha Workshops has been creating beauty and changing lives through its focus on the decorative arts as a path to strength, personal growth, and as a professional practice.   

To mark this special occasion, Alpha and Powerhouse Arts (PHA) will present the first-ever New York exhibition of four monumental paintings by artist Nancy Lorenz, which will be on view in our Grand Hall Feb 14–16.

Alpha is currently producing a limited edition to commemorate Lorenz’s works, only ever seen before in their original site-specific 2023 installation in Rome, Italy.

This collaboration marks a new chapter as The Alpha Workshops applies its skill with textiles, color, and gilding into fine arts fabrication at its new location in PHA. 

Open Hours
Fri, Feb 14, 11am-7pm
Sat, Feb 15, 11am-6pm
Sun, Feb 16, 11am-6pm

Visits by appointment only:
Tues, Feb 18
Wed, Feb 19
Thurs, Feb 20

Grand Hall

Donate to The Alpha Workshops’ 30th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign!

About Nancy Lorenz

Nancy Lorenz (b. 1962) is a visual artist whose work is characterized by the combined use of luxurious and everyday materials. She lived in Tokyo for five years in high school, where she absorbed the idea that decorative materials, such as mother-of-pearl inlay, lacquer and gold leaf, can be used in a painterly, sublime way. Lorenz received a BFA from the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art. The large paintings created for the 2023 installation at “The Church of the Artists” in Rome are made of jute, which places the work within the tradition of Arte Povera, a movement that Lorenz became interested in during her time as a student in Italy. Lorenz is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow who lives and works  in New York City. Her work is in numerous public collections, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design, Portland Art Museum, and the New York Public Library. A frequent collaborator with architects and designers, her work can also be seen in public spaces around the world such as Chanel, Dior, and Tiffany’s stores.

About The Alpha Workshops

The Alpha Workshops is an award-winning design and decorative arts studio founded in 1995 as a proactive response to the AIDS crisis in New York City. Modeled on the historic artisan guilds of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the studios seek to preserve traditional handcraft and provide a new model of economic development for at-risk individuals living with disabilities or other vulnerabilities. With nearly 30 years of expertise in art fabrication and interior product production, The Alpha Workshops continues to pioneer unique ways of working, teaching, creating, and collaborating that benefit the community. To learn more about The Alpha Workshops, please email Edward Farrell (ed@alphaworkshops.org) or click this link.

About Powerhouse Arts
Powerhouse Arts (PHA) is a not-for-profit organization committed to creative expression. Located in a purpose-built facility in Brooklyn, the organization hosts an extended network of art and fabrication professionals and educators who work together to co-create and share artistic practices vital to the wellbeing of artists and the communities to which they belong. The project builds on Brooklyn’s 200-year history as a center for industry, creates a needs-responsive platform, and offers a critical new resource for artists in the heart of the borough.

The organization offers art fabrication programs for ceramics, print and public art, as well as space for communal education and events. The facility is also home to MGC Community Print Studio, nonprofit decorative arts fabrication shop The Alpha Workshops, and architectural metal design fabrication firm Workspace11. The building also houses multi-use facilities for education, events, and public engagement. Click here to lean more.