Building community through creativity, learning and connection.
The Workshop started with a simple idea: to create the kind of creative space we’d want to go to. As kids growing up in Rockaway, we were introduced to the arts through the Rockaway Artists Alliance’s children’s afterschool programming and spent our summers as counselors at Camp kidSMART. Those experiences sparked a love of creativity and showed us how art can bring people together to create lifelong friendships and memories like ours.
Our Story
While our careers took us in different directions over the past decade, we always knew we wanted to come back to the arts. We saw an opportunity to create a space where people of all ages could learn new skills, try something different, and connect with others through creativity.
Now, that vision has become The Workshop. Our goal is to build a place where children, adults, and families feel inspired to create, explore, and learn together. We hope The Workshop becomes more than just an art studio. We want it to be a place where community grows alongside creativity.
Tracey mccormick
Founder & Artist InstructorAfter earning her BFA in Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Tracey spent over a decade building a career in startups, leading operations and growth. She is now returning to her passion for the arts, combining her professional experience with her lifelong love of creativity to help build The Workshop. As a lifelong Rockaway resident, Tracey is committed to creating a welcoming space where creativity, learning, and community come together.
Judith is a Rockaway native, where she lives with her family. After receiving her BFA in Visual Communications from the University of Delaware, Judith has worked as a graphic designer, and now creative director in the Learning and Development and Hospitality spaces, currently a Creative Director at EZRA Coaching. Judith is passionate about creating enriching and memorable experiences - ones that are simple, human and fuel creativity.
Founder & Artist InstructorJudith meade
the workshop artists
Artist Instructor
Diana Naccarato is a Rockaway-based artist. Her abstract paintings and drawings are inspired by the colors, shapes and rhythms of our local beaches and parks. Diana has an MFA in Studio Art from The City College of New York, and a BFA in Painting and Drawing from SUNY New Paltz. She teaches Design and Art History at CUNY.
Upcoming experiences with Diana:
Diana Naccarato
Artist Instructor
Nathan has been an artist and educator for the past 25 years, creating programs and collaborating with artists at the Brooklyn Museum and MoMA. He currently teaches Illustration and Visual Communication courses at the Parsons School of Design and the City College of New York. He loves to draw with ink, make things out of wood, and talk about art!
Upcoming experiences with Nate:
Nathan Sensel
Artist Instructor
Shakira Javonni is a multidisciplinary textile artist, designer, and educator based in Queens, New York. Through embroidery, garment reconstruction, and sustainable fashion practices, she transforms everyday textiles into one-of-a-kind works of wearable art. With over 20 years of sewing experience, Shakira combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, teaching hands-on workshops that encourage creativity, self-expression, and confidence. Her work has been featured through collaborations with leading brands and cultural organizations, while her passion for education inspires participants of all skill levels to explore the art of making by hand.
Upcoming experiences with Shakira:
Shakira Jovani
Artist Instructor
Madeline La Rosa is the artist behind Madeline La Rosa Designs, a boutique fine art and stationery studio specializing in custom invitation suites, event branding, and personalized artwork. Her artistic practice is rooted in watercolor painting, complemented by a background in digital design. Prior to launching her business, Madeline worked as an art director for prominent advertising agencies and in-house creative teams in New York City.
Upcoming experiences with Madeline: