Canning Studios' Blog
Waterbury City Hall Restoration Project
Posted on August 1st, 2011John Canning Studios was recently interviewed regarding the Waterbury City Hall Restoration Project completed this past year . A Point of Interest – The building was notably designed by architect Cass Gilbert. PLease find the interview at the link below:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/CTCQ0211/index.php#/0
Restoring Ornamental Plaster
Posted on April 28th, 2011
Canning Studios is currently restoring ornamental plaster in the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. The Wadsworth is the United States’ oldest public art museum, opening in 1844 with a Gothic Revival “castle” building and expanding into four additions through the twentieth century. The museum complex is currently undergoing a major building envelope restoration. Here you can see our plaster craftsmen restoring the classical ornamentation of a ceiling rib. After the new piece is cast from a rubber mold, it is carefully cut to fit, set into place, and the edges are filled to recreate a seamless appearance.
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Re-gilding the Dome of a Simsbury Landmark
Posted on January 20th, 2011
Built in 1932, Eno Memorial Hall has served the town of Simsbury, Connecticut with an auditorium and a variety of civic services. It is a beloved local landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For the recent restoration of the Eno Memorial Hall cupola, Canning Studios removed all coatings down to the substrate of the dome and the weathervane and prepared, sized and applied new 23.75 karat gold leaf. Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to the John Canning Studios new blog
Posted on August 24th, 2010Here we will bring you the latest news about our studio and our projects. We recently completed a major restoration project at the Academy of Music Ballroom in Philadelphia, completed in 1857. Our studio was the consultant for historic finish exposures and paint analysis for John Trosino of KlingStubbins, the project architect. Taken together with a ca. 1860 photograph, the study revealed the original paint colors and patterns, helping to guide the architects during the design phase. We went on to restore the Ballroom’s ornamental plaster and all decorative painting, trompe l’oeil, and gilding. For a peek into the design and restoration process, watch this 10 minute project documentary, where you will see the artists at work!
