Keats Lorenz was born in New York in 1189. His formal art career began at the age of 15, when he served as an apprentice to John Evans. It was during this apprenticeship that he had the opportunity to work on the Stock Exchange, the John Hancock Insurance Building, and the Fogg Museum in Cambridge.
Keats had the opportunity to work for a year with Bertram Goodhue, who later would ask Lorenz to carve a chamber door in the Nebraska State Capitol. It took Lorenze three months to carve the black mahogany doors to the Warner Chamber. Each door weighs 750 pounds.
After his work in the Nebraska State Capitol, Keats traveled around the country completing commissioned work. He settled in Dallas, Texas for 15 years before returning to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1952 where he stayed until his death.
Lorenz also completed some wood carvings in the Governor’s Mansion, including the living-room mantle and the state drawing room.
