They Still Make Art in Soho

Reformed wild man” artist John Alexander and ceramicist Fiona Waterstreet’s loft life together.

- WENDY GOODMAN

EVEN AFTER 44 YEARS of living in New York City-43 of them in this Soho loftartist John Alexander still sounds, to this New Yorker anyway, as Texas as can be. His wife, British-born ceramicist Fiona Waterstreet, has similarly retained her accent, and sitting with the two of them discussing their life together is like listening to music.

Alexander was born in Texas and started teaching at the University of Houston shortly after earning his M.F.A. from Southern Methodist University. But by his early 30s, he was getting restless and, wanting to "expand the playing field," as he puts it, decided to move to Manhattan. Within a year, he found this 3,500-square-foot loft in an 1874 cast-iron building.