Lorena Fiske
Lorena Fiske is a Creative Director and Exhibits Manager at Seismique in Houston, Texas, where she leads the design, installation, and ongoing development of large-scale immersive exhibits. She oversees multidisciplinary teams responsible for exhibit fabrication, maintenance, and guest experience, ensuring each installation is both technically sound and visually engaging. Her work bridges creative vision and operational execution, with a focus on building interactive environments that captivate audiences and encourage exploration. From an early age, Lorena developed a deep curiosity for how things work, often taking apart toys to understand their mechanics. This natural inclination toward problem-solving evolved alongside a strong interest in art, mathematics, and science—eventually drawing her into the museum field, where she found a unique intersection of all three. Her experience at the Houston Museum of Natural Science allowed her to bring scientific concepts to life through interactive and educational exhibits, particularly those designed to engage children through hands-on learning and dynamic displays. When immersive art and technology began to merge in new ways, Lorena was immediately drawn to the field for its innovative potential. This led her to Seismique, where she was hired on the spot and played a key role in installing exhibits and refining final creative details. Over time, she advanced into managing the “back of house,” supporting artists and technicians in maintaining and enhancing installations. Known for her out-of-the-box thinking and ability to solve complex technical challenges, she excels at guiding teams through practical solutions, even in fast-paced environments that require both creativity and adaptability.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
With the current economy, many people are being more cautious about spending on entertainment, which means experiences like this can feel out of reach for some families. That also makes it more challenging for us to invest in upgrades and new projects with a limited budget. What motivates me, though, is the belief that immersive art and creative experiences should be accessible to everyone. Seeing the excitement on kids’ faces, their reactions when they press a button, step into a room, and become completely immersed in the environment, makes the work incredibly rewarding.
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing those ambitions with limited resources, while also managing the wide range of technical and creative skills required in a department like ours. It often means our team is stretched thin, but it also highlights how much passion goes into creating these experiences.