Each year, our team takes a moment to reflect on the projects that truly stayed with us, the ones that stretched our skills, deepened our appreciation of art and history and reminded us why professional art restoration and conservation matter so much.
At Fine Art Restoration Company, we’re fortunate to work across a wide range of conservation services, caring for paintings, decorative objects, antique furniture, sculptures and family heirlooms from every era and style imaginable. From centuries-old portraits and Victorian sketches to church architecture, historic artifacts, and wonderfully unexpected collectibles, every piece carries a story worth protecting and passing on.
Our 2025 highlights showcase not only the incredible variety of objects entrusted to our fine art restorers and conservators, but also the strong emotional connections our clients have with their artwork — and the pride we feel in helping preserve these meaningful pieces for the future.
Above: our studio team and directors
Joanne – Key Accounts Executive
Some of the most moving projects this year involved paintings and heirlooms damaged in house fires. Fire and smoke damage can dramatically alter artworks, and carefully removing smoke residue while restoring lost color and clarity was a powerful reminder of how important professional restoration can be during moments of crisis.
Helping families recover and reclaim cherished pieces after such traumatic events is one of the most rewarding parts of our work. It’s about more than restoration, it’s about continuity, memory and comfort.
Jenny – Client Care Manager
Two remarkable historic maps stood out for me this year. Their impressive scale and extremely delicate details required specialist paper conservation techniques and close collaboration across our team.
I’ve always loved maps, the hand-lettering, decorative flourishes, and sense of exploration they hold. Seeing these beautiful works revived, reframed, and ready to be displayed again was incredibly satisfying, especially knowing how much personal and historical meaning they carried for their owners.
Wiktor – Conservator
Three projects made this year especially memorable for me, all of them a little out of the ordinary. One involved transforming a carved antique fireplace surround into a mirror frame, which required creative problem-solving while staying true to the original craftsmanship and materials.
I also worked on custom frames and washline mounts for a highly prestigious private client (who must remain unnamed). Projects like this demand museum-quality standards and carry an added sense of responsibility and pride in getting every detail exactly right.
Ed – Art Handler
One of my highlights was assisting with the handling of a Louise Bourgeois spider sculpture at Winfield House, the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador in London. Having previously seen a monumental version of Bourgeois’s spider at Tate Modern, it was a real honor to work with one up close.
Transporting and installing large-scale contemporary sculpture requires specialist art handling expertise, and collaborating with Amy on such an iconic artwork in a historically and diplomatically significant setting was an unforgettable experience.
Amy – Conservator
A standout project for me was restoring an alabaster Cupid and Psyche sculpture that had become heavily discolored and suffered a shattered wing. Sculpture conservation requires patience, technical skill, and a deep understanding of materials and returning its delicacy and brightness was incredibly fulfilling.
I also loved working on several sculptures at Winfield House, particularly a figure of Barbara Hutton, the American heiress who built the house in the 1930s. Learning about her fascinating life, including her marriage to actor Cary Grant and her later decision to donate the property to the U.S. government, added an extra layer of meaning to the conservation work.
Mat – Art Handler
My favorite projects this year were easily the most unexpected. One was a taxidermy big cat head with an unforgettable family story: it had been shot by the client’s grandmother during her honeymoon in India, shortly after it ate her “second-favorite” dog.
Then there was a statue of C-3PO a piece of Star Wars memorabilia that brought a completely different kind of excitement into the studio. Working on objects that range from natural history to iconic movie props and pop-culture collectibles is exactly what makes this job so endlessly surprising and enjoyable.
Chris – Director
Working at St Mary’s Church in Wreay has been one of the most inspiring projects of my career. Wreay is a small village in Cumbria, in the north of England near the Lake District, and despite its size, the church has long drawn the attention of artists, architects, and architectural historians.
We are currently conserving its remarkable alabaster windows, designed in the 19th century by Sarah Losh. This specialist architectural conservation project combines historic preservation with skilled craftsmanship.
As both a resident of Wreay and a member of the Twelve Men of Wreay, helping to preserve this extraordinary historic building for future generations is deeply personal. The project continues into 2026 and is a constant reminder of the importance of craftsmanship, cultural heritage, and community-led conservation.
Danielle – Lead Art Historian
This year, I was particularly drawn to two 17th-century Dutch portraits: Louis Wolters and Cornelia Quina. These works, copies after originals by Caspar Netscher, depict influential Amsterdam families whose stories are closely tied to the city’s civic, mercantile, and cultural history.
In contrast, a charming painting of kittens sheltering beneath a parasol by Agnes Augusta Talboys required sensitive treatment following moisture damage — highlighting the importance of preventive conservation and careful environmental control.
Janine – Key Accounts Executive
A peaceful beach scene became one of my most memorable projects, not only for its color and vibrancy but because a member of the client’s family appears within it — a man leaning against a boat, his back turned to the viewer.
That personal detail transformed the painting from a simple coastal view into a living family story. Understanding the human connections behind an artwork completely changes how we relate to it, drawing us closer to the real lives preserved through fine art conservation.
Frank – Conservator
Some of my most rewarding work this year involved restoring fire-damaged antique furniture for a family. Many pieces arrived severely compromised — charred surfaces, missing decorative details, lifted veneers, and discoloration caused by smoke and heat.
Each item required careful assessment before rebuilding could begin. One table, in particular, presented multiple challenges, including woodworm infestation, mold growth, missing veneer, and extensive warping caused by water damage. Furniture restoration at this level requires structural stabilization, precise veneer repair, and expert color-matching.
Seeing a piece move from structural instability to a beautifully restored finish is incredibly satisfying — especially when it holds deep sentimental value for the family.
Sabrina – Conservator
One of my favorite projects was restoring a portrait of Nathaniel Wheatcroft, the client’s great-great-great-grandfather. The painting had been discovered in storage in Alabama and, through careful provenance research on an online forum, was traced back to the Wheatcroft family.
The custodians in the United States generously shipped it across the Atlantic for professional treatment. In our studio, the transformation was dramatic, lifting the portrait from a dull, damaged condition to a vivid and expressive image of an important figure from the Industrial Revolution.
Knowing that the restored work may soon be displayed at Masson Mills Museum — connecting private family heritage with public regional history — made the project especially meaningful.
Anna – Conservator
This year, I particularly enjoyed working on two very different projects: a landscape painting with a dramatic tear across the sky and a portrait inspired by Renaissance traditions. Each required a thoughtful conservation approach, and it was deeply rewarding to stabilize the damage and restore clarity to works that mean so much to their owners.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at our art restoration and conservation work and the stories behind the objects we care for. We’re looking forward to many more inspiring projects in 2026.
From all of us at Fine Art Restoration Company, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
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Fine Art Restoration Company proudly serves clients throughout the U.S. offering professional painting restoration services for museums, collectors and homeowners.
Email our expert team via info@fineart-restoration.com or fill out the form below for our recommended treatments and a free quotation.
