Elizabeth LeBlanc is a painter and muralist who earned her BFA degree in illustration and design at the Rhode Island School of Design. Prior to moving to the Harvard area, Elizabeth pursued a career in graphic design in Boston. She spent four years designing and marketing her own illustrative silkscreen textile product line. Her initial interest in historic restoration in the realm of painting conservation provided a segue into conservation and restoration of glided surfaces.
“I find restoring and conserving a period frame back to its original beauty very satisfying,” says Elizabeth. “Uncovering gold beneath layers of paint and previous repairs is like opening a present.”
Allison Jackson is an artist who has studied internationally at the Studio Art Center International in Florence, Italy and graduated from University of Vermont with a degree in Studio Art. She worked in the Boston area in furniture and gilding conservation before moving to Hawaii. In Hawaii, she spent two years as apprentice to a master woodworker building furniture and restoring antique furniture. Now back in New England, Allison continues to focus on furniture and gilding conservation and hones her skills at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Strauss Center for Conservation, Harvard University and other conservation studios needing her expertise.
“Having literally grown up in a gilding studio,” Allison recalls, “my interest in this field was sparked early on. As my experience diversified to different areas of art, including furniture and photography, I was able to incorporate my training in Fine Arts into many aspects of conservation.”
Wenda Kochinowski ihas over 12 years' experience in the field of conservation as a furniture conservator, specializing in finishes and coatings. She has treated American and European furniture and wood objects from the 17th to the 20th century for both museums and private collectors and has had the privilege of working with a number of well-respected conservators in the Boston area.
“I like that every object has a history and a life that it has lived from maker to its owners. It is very satisfying to preserve the fine craftsmanship of these pieces, maintain their history and extend their life.”
Sally Carrona contributes administrative and photographic services to Harvard Art drawing on a variety of skills honed during her career in advertising and media planning. Her formal education was in Communication, she holds a B.S. from Boston University's College of Communication with a concentration in History.
“I enjoy the photographic challenges each frame brings to the studio, they are all unique and interesting in their size, shape, sheen, color, ornate details or none. I appreciate the history and the craftsmanship in each frame, and I strive to document with photos the incredible transformation that takes place in the studio.”