Funded through the generous support of Elizabeth Alexander, this studio was built in memory of her late husband, the renowned portrait painter John White Alexander (1856-1915). Originally designed as a visual art gallery, Marian MacDowell persuaded Elizabeth that the space would better serve the arts if commissioned as a visual art studio.
Alexander Studio mirrors the massing and form of a small chapel in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, a village visited by the MacDowells and Alexanders in the 1880s while touring the Alps. Arden Studios of New York used photos of the chapel as inspiration for the 14th new studio constructed in as many years. The double height interior is lit from the north by full-height windows and a large stone arch at the western end separates the studio volume from a raised alcove with fireplace.
In 1993, Ruth and James Ewing funded a renovation of Alexander, in loving memory of Blanche Dombek, who had worked in the studio during a 1969 Fellowship. With support from the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, the newest renovation will be complete in July of 2025 and includes improvements to insulation and lighting as well as replacement of the fuel-oil boiler to an electric heat pump.
