Helen TworkovFree LiteraryArts@SPAC event presented in collaboration with

Skidmore College & The Tang Museum on November 17

Conversation explores Tworkov’s extraordinary journey across art, spirituality and culture in search of truth and belonging

Saratoga Springs, NY (October 22, 2026) – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announces Lotus Girl with Helen Tworkov, a free community program celebrating the new paperback release of Tworkov’s memoir, Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America. Presented as part of SPAC’s LiteraryArts@SPAC initiative in collaboration with Skidmore College and The Tang Teaching Museum, the event will take place Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m. at The Pines at SPAC.

Moderated by Benjamin Bogin, Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Skidmore College with an introduction by SPAC Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Sobol, the conversation will explore Tworkov’s spiritual journey, her upbringing in New York’s vibrant art world as the daughter of acclaimed artist Jack Tworkov, her reflections on Buddhism’s evolution in the West, and the experiences and encounters that inspired her memoir. Set against the cultural backdrop of the Vietnam War and the American counterculture, Lotus Girl traces her search for meaning and truth through Japan, India and Nepal, where she encountered some of the most influential Buddhist teachers of her time. The book will be available for purchase onsite through Northshire Bookstore, with a signing to follow the discussion.

“Helen Tworkov has lived an extraordinary life, moving between worlds as seemingly different as New York’s art scene and the spiritual traditions of the East, always guided by a deep curiosity about the human experience and the nature of reality. I have long been an admirer of the work she has done and the life she has built through this lifelong pursuit. Her memoir is an invitation to discover not only the evolution of Buddhism in America, but the remarkable journey of a woman who has never stopped asking questions,” says Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.”

The daughter of an artist, Tworkov grew up immersed in New York’s Abstract Expressionist art scene, yet from an early age questioned the cultural norms that shaped her world. At 22, after encountering an iconic photograph of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, whose act of protest profoundly challenged her understanding of the human mind and spirit, she set off for Japan and later traveled through Cambodia, India and Nepal in search of a deeper understanding of truth and the self. Tworkov went on to found The Tricycle Foundation in 1990, helping bring Buddhist perspectives and teachings to a wider Western audience through Tricycle: The Buddhist Review.

In Lotus Girl, she reflects on a life shaped by encounters with extraordinary figures across the worlds of art and spirituality, including the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, Charles Mingus and Richard Serra. Blending personal experience with research and reflection, Tworkov offers a distinctive perspective on the intersection of Buddhist wisdom and American values, while exploring the universal search for belonging, meaning and a place to call home.

In conjunction with the program, The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College will feature an important painting by American Abstract Expressionist artist Jack Tworkov, Helen’s father, alongside related drawings, available for viewing from November 16-19. This special presentation offers an additional connection to the artistic influences that shaped Tworkov’s life. Visit tang.skidmore.edu for details.

LiteraryArts@SPAC brings acclaimed authors, journalists and cultural thinkers to Saratoga Springs for conversations that spark curiosity, foster connection and explore the ideas shaping our world. The series reflects SPAC’s evolution as a year-round cultural destination, extending its mission beyond the performing arts to create opportunities for shared discovery and community engagement. Past participants include bestselling authors Geraldine Brooks and Jessica B. Harris; Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco; The New Yorker editor and writer Dorothy Wickenden; The New York Times writers Sarah Maslin Nir, Julie Scelfo, Florence Fabricant and Pamela Paul; and award-winning NPR host and correspondent Jacki Lyden, among others.

Lotus Girl with Helen Tworkov is free to attend, however space is limited. Visit spac.org for details or to register. 

Helen Tworkov

Helen Tworkov is the founding editor of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, the first independent Buddhist magazine, and the author of Zen in America: Profiles of Five Teachers. With Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, she is the co-author of Turning Confusion into Clarity, In Love with the World, and A World of Difference, forthcoming in February 2027. Her memoir, Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America, was a Library Journal best book of the year and received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. It will be published in a new paperback edition in November 2026. She lives in New York City and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters. Its exquisite setting in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs draws lovers of arts, culture and nature for performances by resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation. SPAC also hosts imaginative programming such as Caffe Lena @ SPAC and initiatives in culinary, literary, healing and visual arts.  

SPAC is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations and proceeds from fundraising events benefit the Center’s thriving education program, community outreach efforts, and the vibrancy of its programming. For more information visit spac.org.