Inspired by the Omega Workshops, the early 20th-century decorative arts collective founded by the noted English critic Roger Fry, and aware of the numerous creative people living with HIV/AIDS, Wampler began to formulate the idea for The Alpha Workshops. "I knew there were lots of talented people living in supportive housing, many of whom were looking for the chance to focus their talents," he says. "The Alpha Workshops represents an opportunity to build their identities around their work rather than around their illness." He canvassed his contacts in the fields of supportive housing, employment training, and the design industries, and then assembled an advisory board of professionals both inside and outside the design industry.
