John Canning & Co.'s Leadership

Principals & Company Leaders

David Riccio

David is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). He is also an Association for Preservation Technology (APT) Recognized Professional, an honor he received in 2019.

David is an integral part of the John Canning Co. He has been a visionary leader for the entire Canning team for more than 25 years. He is an industry-recognized expert on historic flat and ornamental plaster as well as decorative painting techniques, gilding, and glazing and has developed multiple innovative solutions for complex restoration conditions.

David established Canning’s on-site, historic preservation painting studio, and expanded the company's specialty contracting capabilities so that the Canning standards could be applied to all preservation disciplines and project management pertinent to the historic restoration projects.

His planning and project management skills keep projects on track and on budget. David has overseen large-scale projects such as the Virginia State Capitol, the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Radio City Music Hall, and the War Memorial Opera in San Francisco. Many of the projects that he has been involved in have received national awards.

John Canning

John Canning

John is an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – the only decorative painter in North America to be so honored. He is also a professional associate of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC).

John is the leading authority in the United States on traditional decorative painting techniques and materials and historic color palettes. He studied in Glasgow, Scotland where he attended the Glasgow Stow College of Building, the Scottish Decorative Trades Institute and the Glasgow School of Art. He earned the prestigious London City & Guilds certificate and served his apprenticeship as a church decorator in U.K.

Restoration architects and preservation leaders rely on John’s experience and often seek his advice on the interpretation of historic, period interiors with complex finish systems such as encaustic and distemper paints, simulated inlaid wood-grain, marbling, trompe l’oeil, architectural grisaille, freehand artwork, and old world gilding and glazing effects.

A champion of education, John continues to share his knowledge of the architectural arts with clients and professionals as a guest lecturer at university graduate preservation programs and by leading decorative finish workshops and professional development presentations.

Dorothy

Dorothea Canning-Hennessey

In addition to making sure everything runs smoothly day-to-day, Dorothea oversees and manages Canning’s safety programs and protocols. Her education in construction management has led to automating the company’s information systems taking advantage of the efficiencies provided by up-to-date technology for managing finances, compliance reporting, and overall customer service.

Because of her experience on large-scale projects, and with multiple federal and state agencies throughout the country, Dorothea has a comprehensive understanding of regulations and reporting requirements, and serves as the company expert in those areas.

Jackie Riccio

Jacqueline Canning Riccio  

Studio Design Director

Over 30 years' experience in the field of historic paint decoration.  Jacqueline uses her expertise to manage all the studio decorative art and design work and is a vital component in making sure we achieve our goal of perfecting preservation.  She formed part of the team responsible for the restoration of the Connecticut State Capitol, Rhode Island State Capitol, Pennsylvania State Capitol, the Michigan State Capitol and many other projects. 

(Learn More about Jacqueline in the Team Spotlight)

Key Team Members

Piotr

Piotr Wirkijowski

Director of Art

Piotr is a fine artist and architectural designer with over twenty years of experience in the United States and Europe.  As the studio’s Director of Art, he leads the design and execution of all murals and other fine art. 

(Learn More about Piotr in the Team Spotlight)

Yvette

Yvette Dudac

Director of Business Development

With over 25 years of experience in the areas of sales management, product management, customer support, design, integration and marketing, Yvette brings a wide range of talents and expertise to her role at John Canning & Co.  She continues to work towards the continuous growth and reach of the company.

Dave G

David Gough

Project Manager          

David has over twenty five years experience as a project manager and craftsman with a proven track record developing, estimating, and executing high quality architectural and restoration projects for public, private, and commercial clients. David has successfully managed historic preservation projects across the U.S.

Patrick M

Patrick Murphy

Director of Projects

Patrick’s love of historic places, eye for detail, and past experience on the proposal team makes him a perfect fit for managing all the ins and outs when it comes to Canning’s restoration, conservation and preservation projects.  He directs all the management of projects and coordination of all phases of preservation work from concept through installation including pre-construction documentation, assessments, and surveys.

Rachel

Rachel Rodrigues Gilberti

Fine Arts Conservator/Project Manager

Rachel has studied in Italy at the Studio Arts Center International and has worked on multi-million dollar projects such as Cathedrals, Theaters, Synagogues, Government Buildings, Museums, and Convents, as well as, smaller chapels, hotels and individuals works. Most of these projects were located in high visibility areas in New York City, New Jersey, Washington D.C. and other locations throughout the United States, Brazil, and Italy.

(Learn More about Rachel in the Team Spotlight)

Mike

Michael Nelson

Lead Decorative Painter

Michael has more than a decade’s experience in the field of construction with emphasis on historic restoration, and is proficient in all techniques of the decorative painting. Michael’s project experience includes daily onsite supervision of large scale restoration projects. 

Scott

Scott Campbell

Master Plasterer/Supervisor

With over thirty years of experience in the field of plaster, Scott has been an integral part of the restorations of historic buildings across the county.  His expertise covers a wide range of ornamental plaster skills including restoration, recreation and the molding and carving of plaster. Besides being proficient with all things historic plaster, Scott often takes on the managing, scheduling and coordinating all elements involved with the successful completion of the restoration projects in the supervisory role for some projects.

Renato

Renato Tavecchio

Master Craftsman

Renato has over 30 years’ experience in the conservation and restoration of architectural woodwork and furniture from various time periods that include Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Empire styles.  He is highly skilled with elaborate inlays and carved pieces and has worked with many types of wood, including oak, mahogany, and redwood.His expertise has been an essential part for the successful restoration of many of Canning’s significant historic projects including the Lockwood Mathews Mansion, Boston Public Library and the Cosmos Club in DC.  

(Learn More about Renato in the Team Spotlight)

Josh

Joshua Kaminski

Conservation Technician

Joshua is a proficient and dedicated conservation technician who first became interesting in the conservation of fine art while studying for his undergraduate degree in history. His background in history provides him with a unique perspective on preserving artwork for future generations as well as the significance and ethics of the conservation process.  His skills covers a wide variety of areas including paint sampling, historic paint investigations, decorative painting, gilding, plaster repair, historic paint and metal cleaning as well as conservation of architectural woodwork and stone.

Sadie

Sadie Rose Heisler

Conservation Technician

Sadie, as a conservation technician brings a proficiency and dedication to the work she performs. With her strong educational background that includes a architecture major, sculpture/ceramics minor and an associates degree in building preservation/restoration, she brings a passion for preserving artwork and a great understanding for the conservation process.  Her skills cover a wide variety of areas including decorative painting, gilding, and historic paint as well as conservation of other finishes.

christine

Christine Barnette

Project Manager

Christine’s love for history and art, brings a passion for perfecting preservation that fits perfectly with Canning. Her decades of experience and high quality of work in fine art, decorative painting, gilding, plastering and other decorative finishes has allowed her to be an integral part of many key projects.

Ethan

Ethan Minkema

Conservation Technician

Ethan has been part of the John Canning team restoring and conserving historic properties. Ethan is an experienced carpenter who is familiar with every aspect of fabrication & assembly to include metal, wood, and acrylic. Ethan is also an experienced sculptor, with great experience in steel and metal preparation.

Zoey

Zoe Riccio

Studio Production

Zoe following in the family footsteps has been assisting in various aspects of the ins and outs of the studio production at John Canning & Co.  While she is assisting in the studio production, she continues to gain knowledge of the decorative arts and expand her talents.

elizabeth

Elizabeth Laboy

Project Administrator

Elizabeth brings a background of business administration and management to her role in helping make all our projects run smoothly. Her administration experience and organization management are a great asset to Canning, as the company continues to grow, taking on bigger and more complex projects.

 

Will

William Harmelink

Estimator

William has a Bachelor’s in Building and Construction Technology and is a great addition to the Canning team. His vast knowledge in architectural drawings, specifications, drafting, and cost estimating helps in meeting the hectic deadlines for bids, budgets and proposals as the demand for the Canning expertise and services continues to grows.

 

amy

Amy Zucca, Ph.D.

Art Historian

Dr. Zucca joins Canning. as its resident Art Historian with a doctorate in Art History, specialization in the Italian Renaissance period. Zucca will bring her expertise to bear, as sacred and historic sites are evaluated and provide context for the architectural styles and symbolism that these spaces reveal.  Through the collaboration with clients and in-house artists on commissioned work, she will also be writing featured blogs and articles on the current day connections between art and architecture performed by Canning., delving into the historical designs, techniques, and imagery inspired by the Old Masters

Read More about Amy

 

natalie

Natalie Turner

Liturgical Designer

Natalie brings her talents and passions of the arts to her role in on the Liturgical design team. Her studies in Architectural Art & Design and strong interest in architecture and the beauty it brings make her a great addition to the design team.  Having attended The Catholic University of America makes her a perfect fit to work on our Liturgical projects. She works on various phases of the design process from initial sketches, renderings through to the final design of decorative schemes and art work to help transform and beautify spaces.