Honoring longtime and dedicated Preservation professionals.
The Jainschigg award commemorates Janet G. Jainschigg, a founder and benefactor of Preservation Connecticut as well as a regional leader in historic preservation. Although a volunteer herself, she always insisted on the highest Standards of professionalism. For the quality and sheer beauty of its work, for its championing of traditional techniques, for its dedication to knowledge sharing and development, and for its contributions to countless landmarks in Connecticut and across the nation, John Canning & Company exemplifies the professional excellence that the Janet Jainschigg Award celebrates.
From the dazzling Connecticut State Capitol to the star-spangled ceiling of Grand Central Station, historic places gain color, excitement, and meaning from decorative finishes. John Canning & Company has built a nationwide reputation for excellence in conserving, restoring, or re-creating painting, stenciling, gilding, and plasterwork at historic buildings in Connecticut and around the country. Founded by John Canning, a Scottish immigrant trained in art history and the decorative trades, the company is nationally known for its dedication to exemplary craftsmanship, to historic preservation, and to disseminating knowledge to produce capable professionals and educated clients. An early project, and one of John Canning’s favorites, was the Restoration of the Connecticut State Capitol in the 1980s. The original painted decoration was laid out by a single artist, William James McPherson, giving the Building an unusual consistency of design and palette. The restoration work was a combination of conservation of what survived and replication of what had been lost.
John understands that modern technology can achieve impressive results, but he encourages clients to employ historic materials and techniques wherever possible. On one recent job, he used “black lead” to refinish an iron fireplace surround that others wanted to sandblast. Not lead but rather an historic polish made of graphite and wax, the compound was a traditionally used on cast-iron stoves and fireboxes. In fact, John himself as a child used black lead on his mother’s grate. “Everyone wants to reinvent the wheel,” he says, “when there are perfectly good techniques that have been forgotten.”
Yet John Canning & Company does more than painting. David Riccio, a firm principal, points out that the company has evolved from painting and decoration to broader preservation work. One example is the restoration of the Council Chambers at New London’s City Hall. There, the firm conserved and repaired deteriorated plaster before restoring the historic painted decoration. At the First Congregational Church of West Haven, where Canning and Company re-attached a collapsing historic plaster ceiling, the work was not just decorative, but a life safety issue.
Another way the firm expanded was by establishing its liturgical division in 2015, which provides congregations with a broad range of design services. John’s original training was in church decoration, and the firm had always worked on churches, but they were not a principal focus. David explains that one inspiration for the division was a discussion with a priest about creating some furniture for an historic church. The priest asked, “People can still do this?” He didn’t realize the craftsmanship still existed. So, a goal became to show that, yes, people can still do this kind of work. For David, liturgical work serves a higher purpose. “People find the renewed spaces inspirational,” he says. “When we finish the work, we often find that attendance increases.”
One project, the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, shows John Canning & Company’s approach on several levels. The 19th-century church had largely been stripped of ornament in the 1950s, and the firm initially was asked to create a new decorative scheme for it. However, physical investigation and archival research showed that it was possible to restore or recreate the building’s historic stenciling and murals.
One new design needed was a focal point in place of the historic altarpiece, ripped out in the ‘50s. Adding a stained-glass window wasn’t feasible, so the firm created a false window instead, using translucent stains over aluminum leaf, which even reflects light as glass would. And, as John Canning adds, it’s a technique that has been around since the 1880s. Most important, perhaps, was engaging the imagination of the client. The project received a merit award in 2014.
In addition to the hands-on preservation work, the company generously shares its expertise. Apprentices work on many projects and go on to found their own companies. Dorothea Canning Hennessey, another firm principal, speaks of the satisfaction of collaborating with them on projects around the country. Company leaders teach educational sessions—through university preservation programs, conferences and workshops, and professional continuing education programs. And, the company’s website features articles and resource guides to all aspects of their work, from paint analysis to writing specifications for plaster repair.