Mary McGinn
Mary McGinn graduated summa cum laude with a
B.F.A. in painting and drawing from The Pennsylvania
State University in 1978. She is a 1994
graduate of the University of Delaware/Winterthur
Art Conservation Masters program. Mary interned
for two years in the Conservation Department at
the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and worked
as an Advanced NEA Intern in paintings conservation
at the Baltimore Museum of Art for one year.
Mary McGinn has been in private practice in the
Philadelphia area since 1997. She has experience
with the assessment and treatment of a broad range
of paintings, from 16 th century German and Italian
oil on panel paintings to contemporary acrylic
on canvas paintings. She also has
extensive experience in the treatment of gilded
frames and painted furniture.
Her institutional clients include: Brandywine
River Museum, Eastern University, Grey Towers National
Historic Landmark (USDA Forest Service), Lancaster
County Historical Society, Maplewood Township (NJ),
Masonic Lodge & Temple (Philadelphia), Morven
Museum & Garden, Naomi Wood Trust (Woodford),
Nemours Mansion & Gardens, Pennsylvania State
Museum, Palmer Museum of Art (Pennsylvania State
University), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Schwenkfelder
Library & Heritage Center, Smyrna Board of
Education, University of Delaware, Winterthur Museum,
and Woodmere Art Museum.
Mary is a guest lecturer for the University of
Delaware/Winterthur Graduate Program in Art Conservation.
Topics include examination & documentation
of works of art and the structural treatment of
paintings.
Thomas Heller
After completing a Batchelor of
Science degree in Accounting, Tom had other plans.
Several years as a cabinetmaker specializing in
period furniture reproductions led to a position
at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in their Furniture
Conservation Studio. Three years later Tom relocated
to Nashville, Tennessee to take a position with
James L. Horne Antiquary. A one-year position at
Winterthur Museum, in their Furniture Conservation
Studio, brought Tom back to the Philadelphia area.
Tom went into private practice upon completion
of the contract with Winterthur. While developing
his private practice, a four-month contract at
the Philadelphia Museum of Art was offered to treat
furniture for the "Worldly Goods" exhibit. The
opportunity to work on early Pennsylvania furniture,
some of which had never been publicly exhibited,
presented a rare chance to study and learn from
some of the best pieces ever produced locally.
Since that time Tom has devoted his time to his
private practice.
Over the course of the past fifteen years, Tom
has treated a variety of frames, furniture and
wooden objects including American, English and
Continental examples. Tom has co-authored two "how
to" furniture making books published by Schiffer
Publications in Atglen, PA. In addition, an article
on the treatment of a John and Hugh Finley cornice
box for Art and Antiques Magazine was co-authored
with Mary McGinn and Alexandra Kirtley. A paper
on the fabrication of bent laminated auditorium
seats, for the Wagner Free Institute of Science
was presented by Tom in June of 2000, to the American
Institute for Conservation's (AIC) Objects Specialty
group and subsequently published in the AIC Objects
Group Postprints.
Being intrigued by the Renaissance workshop of
Verrocchio where different crafts were practiced
and combining this idea with the Museum conservation
department model, Tom helped to establish Belmont
Hills Art Conservation Studios in 2003. When treating
fine or decorative arts, the insights and skills
of various disciplines can often be combined to
enhance and ultimately improve the overall treatment.
As a co-operative of several conservators practicing
various disciplines, consultation among the group
members is an important part of our daily approach
to the treatment of fine and decorative arts.
Membership in professional organizations like
the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and
the Institute for Conservation (ICON) allows Tom
to remain up to date with the latest techniques
and approaches to the treatment of fine and decorative
art. He is a professional associate of the AIC
and serves on the AIC membership committee.
