Grant County Courthouse Before & After Historic Paint Restoration |
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As experts in architectural arts restoration, we always seek new and innovative ways to preserve the historical significance and aesthetic value of our nation's most treasured landmarks. One of our most cherished specialties is historic paint restoration. At John Canning & Co., we understand the importance of historical paint restoration in maintaining the integrity and beauty of historic structures. By utilizing traditional techniques and materials, we can carefully restore historic buildings' original color schemes and decorative finishes, returning them to their former glory and honoring the original craftsmanship by understanding their original method of execution.
Our highly skilled artisans and conservators have worked on numerous projects over our 45+ years in business, including some of the most iconic and historically significant sites in the United States. Our portfolio includes historic buildings such as the Grant County Courthouse, Stadium Theatre, St. Mary’s Church, and the Manuscripts and Archives Library at Yale University. Our team restored and conserved the decorative finishes throughout these historic buildings, adding to our extensive experience in the restoration of civic, educational, entertainment, and sacred spaces.
Our project at the Grant County Courthouse, featured above, began with a historic paint study to determine the original decorative campaign, including the historical paint scheme and original stenciling. Microscopy analysis and on-site exposures revealed areas of historic design and original marbleizing that had been painted over. The original decoration was replicated, restoring the courthouse to its historic appearance. A mural on the courtroom ceiling and four murals in the rotunda were also conservation cleaned and restored.
As a leading architectural arts restoration contractor, we take great pride in our expertise in historic paint restoration. Our team is passionate about preserving our nation's cultural heritage, and our work is guided by a deep appreciation for the history and artistry of the structures we restore. We are committed to using the highest quality materials and methods to ensure the longevity and authenticity of our restoration projects. To learn more about the process and importance of historic paint restoration, check out the links below.
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Latest Articles & Announcements |
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| How to Write an Effective Historic Architectural Woodwork Specification
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Historic architectural woodwork is an essential part of our cultural heritage, and it is critical to preserve it through proper maintenance and restoration. Writing an effective specification for historic architectural woodwork is a crucial step in ensuring the success of any restoration project. A well-crafted specification provides clear guidance to contractors, ensuring that the project meets the client's requirements, conforms to historic preservation standards, and preserves the unique character of the architectural woodwork. This blog covers these key points necessary to writing a clear, confident, and effective historic architectural woodwork specification.
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How to Uncover Your Historic Church's Original Beauty with a Historic Paint Study |
In any building, decoration enhances and magnifies the architecture, which together serves the structure’s purpose. Theatres are grand and elaborate; residential buildings are simple and pleasing; civil buildings are sturdy and dignified – all are built and decorated according to their purpose. In the same way, churches are built and decorated to serve their purpose: to elevate hearts and minds to contemplate divine things. Sometimes, these decorative schemes can get damaged or lost beneath years of overpainting. Our recent blog discusses how historic paint studies can be used to uncover and identify the original design schemes and help to restore these sacred spaces to their historical appearance.
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Our project at New London City Hall was recently awarded an Award of Merit by Preservation Connecticut as a part of their annual Connecticut Preservation Awards. These awards are given to architectural firms, preservation project teams, property owners, local governments, or individuals for their efforts that have protected and preserved the archaeological and architectural heritage of Connecticut. Our project at New London City Hall involved plaster and decorative paint restoration. Our efforts included conducting a historic paint investigation to uncover and determine the historical color scheme and palette, then reinstating the 1914 color scheme to restore the space's historic appearance. We are honored to receive yet another award from Preservation Connecticut, and look forward to congratulating the other winners and kicking off preservation month at the award ceremony on May 4th.
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Our historic Washington Union Station restoration project was recently featured in an article by Traditional Building. Our project included the restoration of the Legionnaire Statues and historic masonry throughout the station. Designed by Louis Saint-Gaudens in 1906 and installed in 1914, the Legionnaires are modeled after ancient Roman soldiers and serve as a protective force for all traveling through the station. This section of the project included an initial assessment followed by repairs to the Keen cement and plaster statues, developing a conservation cleaning agent, and inpainting areas of repair and loss. Our team then continued on to restore the stone surfaces throughout the station. We are honored to have been featured by Traditional Building and are proud of our hardworking team for producing such beautiful conservation work. Check out the article "Restoring Statuary" to learn all the behind-the-scenes restoration details.
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We would like to congratulate Robert A.M. Stern Architects on their well-deserved Palladio Award for their restoration & renovation project at Yale University’s Schwarzman Center. The annual Palladio Awards are given by Traditional Building to firms for outstanding work in traditional design, commercial, institutional, and public architecture, and residential work. Canning was honored to provide architectural conservation treatment services for ornamental plaster, masonry, metal, and wood at the Schwarzman Center. The project was a true transformation of the previously neglected Schwarzman Center that brought the space back to life for students and visitors to enjoy. It was a pleasure to work with and be part of such a talented project team, and we look forward to continuing to do even more amazing work together.
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The American Institute for Conservation (AIC) will be holding its 51st annual meeting in Jacksonville, Florida this year from May 16th-20th. This year’s theme is “Conservation in the Age of Environmental, Social, and Economic Climate Change” and will cover how preservationists and conservationists can make the field more sustainable, discuss protection methods for sites and collections during times of climate change, and explore how the field can support transformative social movements. The conference will include workshops, tours, and seminars, and is a wonderful way to learn about the growing field of preservation and expand your network of conservation professionals. To register, visit the AIC website, linked here.
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The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is hosting their 2023 Conference on Architecture on June 7th-10th in San Francisco, California. The conference will cover a wide variety of topics related to architecture, including climate action, equity, diversity, and inclusion, firm prosperity and profitability, innovation, global and local perspectives on architecture, and career enhancement for future leaders. Opportunities for learning will be available through seminars, keynotes, and practicums. There will also be chances to get to know your fellow members through events, parties, and the architecture expo, which will run from the 8th-9th. As a sponsor of the AIA Historic Resources Committee, we highly recommend attending AIA events to learn and connect with other preservation professionals. To learn more about this conference, including how to register, visit the website liked here.
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This month we are celebrating historic architect Alfred B. Mullett’s birthday. Alfred B. Mullett was born on April 7th, 1834 in Taunton, United Kingdom. Mullett was well known for his contributions to government architecture, having served as the supervising architect from 1866-1874 for the United States Treasury Department. During his time designing government buildings, Mullett designed the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Although disliked in its time for its grand Second Empire style, it is now a landmark of Washington D.C. Our team has performed a decorative finishes analysis and consulting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, uncovering historical paint schemes and later reinstating the decorative painting and free-hand artwork on the ceiling, cove, and cornice, as pictured here. Experiencing the interior of this magnificent room has been described by our founder, John Canning, as stepping inside a Fabergé egg - its beauty and grandeur are truly unmatched, and we are fortunate to have been a part of its restoration. To read more about this incredible project, check out our website here.
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Interested in seeing more of our work? Follow us on TikTok! |
Have you followed our TikTok yet? Come see our work in motion on our TikTok account. We post new videos every week and feature several of our different trades in action. Follow along at the link below. |
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We understand the importance in sharing our expertise and knowledge in our field. Besides the monthly newsletter and blogs we post, we also develop and share downloadable resources to help guide you in your conservation, preservation and restoration projects. Check out the Resources page and see if any of the resources can help answer some of your questions and provide a better understanding of some of the intricacies in the preservation field.
Check out our Featured Downloadable Resource below.
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As discussed above, restoring historic buildings and structures is a principal aspect of preserving our cultural heritage. One crucial component of historic preservation is the restoration of painted surfaces. When it comes to historical paint restoration, hiring a professional contractor with the expertise and experience necessary to undertake this specialized work is essential. Our guide to hiring a paint restoration contractor will take you through the things you should look for in a qualified contractor, and the key steps of a paint restoration project.
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APT 2023 Annual Conference October 9-14th Seattle, WA |
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As a national nonprofit preservation organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America's historic places and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more or get involved. |
| LHAT National Conference July, 16-19th Kansas City, MO |
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The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. |
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION #PerfectingPreservation #jcanningcrew |
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