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All Monumenta staff have completed OSHA 10 training and a Qualified Rigger Course
ABIGail mack
Sculpture Conservator and Co-Owner of Monumenta
Abigail has a Master of Arts and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Art Conservation from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has continued her education in Coatings and Polymer Science at North Dakota State University. Half of her professional career has been as an Objects Conservator in museums, notably the National Gallery of Art and the Brooklyn Museum of Art and half in private practice. She is a Professional Associate of AIC.
Abigail’s practice includes the treatment and preservation of fine art sculpture and historical objects from museums and private collections with a focus on modern and outdoor sculpture. Of particular interest to her is striking a balance between the preservation of the physical object and the artists’ intent for appearance. To this end, Abigail is actively involved in efforts to develop more durable coatings for painted outdoor sculpture. She works closely with artists’ foundations such as the Calder Foundation, Louise Nevelson Foundation, and Tony Smith Estate to balance the aesthetic intent of sculpture with conservation and long-term preservation. Currently Abigail acts as a Feild Conservator for the Getty Conservation Institute’s Outdoor Painted Sculpture Project and co-teaches a GCI international workshop on the same topic.
Abigail has published and lectured at national and international venues on specific conservation research, conservation treatment, and general preservation issues.
For more information on Abigail, visit her website here.
Ellen rand
Conservation Specialist and Co-Owner of Monumenta
Ellen Rand is a metalsmith and master patineur, and has worked concurrently in the fields of sculpture casting, fabrication, and care since 1987. With her 30 years of experience working directly with artists, artists’ estates, art foundries and fabricators, she has a unique understanding of how historical and modern artworks and patinas are produced. This experience is invaluable in the context of preservation. Over the last two decades Ellen’s focus has been preservation of existing works.
Ellen combines profound sensitivity to an artist’s intent with the technical knowledge to create it; skills include welding, chasing, patination, gilding. She has taught patination at fine art fabrication firms in Italy, China, and Thailand and consults on projects in the U.S. Past foundry experience includes directing the Restoration, Maintenance, & Conservation Department at Tallix, Inc.
Project management is a core competency of Ellen’s; since 2006 her company has undertaken significant projects for public and private clients and can handle all aspects of a job from design through final installation.
Ellen prides herself on her ability to communicate effectively with everyone from senior administrators through ‘on-the-ground’ personnel, essential to accomplishing the best work on time and on budget. Owners and stewards of artworks trust her assiduous oversight of every detail.
Chris DiFrancesco
Production Manager & Conservation Specialist
Chris has worked as a conservation technician since 2004 for Rand Atelier. As its first employee, he has been intimately involved with all aspects of the business and its development. For Monumenta, his wide-ranging experience in the arts and management is a key element behind the scenes - from project management, operations, and logistics to financial management, tax, and compliance matters.
Chris is an honors graduate of the University of California (BA, Music) and is a professional musician who tours the USA and Europe several times a year.
Peter Kirkiles
Senior Conservation Technician
Peter Kirkiles is a sculptor and printmaker whose background in drawing, metal finishing, and sculpture fabrication is an invaluable asset for the vast number of artworks treated by Monumenta Art Conservation & Finishing. During his undergraduate work, Peter learned traditional techniques of fabrication, and his aesthetic was informed by working with influential artists. Shortly after receiving his MFA in metalsmithing and sculpture at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Peter went on to help masterfully fabricate works of art.
At Monumenta, Peter applies his extensive expertise and sensitivity to fabricating structural interventions, assessing metal conditions, performing surface treatments, and assisting with complex chemical patination processes. In addition to metal finishing work, Peter supports treatment planning by producing precise technical drawings, a key component in ensuring accuracy and documentation in our conservation, and a process mirrored in his own practice.
Peter’s art is included in public and private collections and is represented by Morrison Gallery in Kent, CT. He maintains his own studio practice at www.peterkirkiles.com
Frank Ingrao
Senior Conservation Technician
Frank is Monumenta’s lead painter. With over 45 years of experience he is a master of his craft and has built a reputation for precision, consistency, and an uncompromising commitment to quality. His award winning custom show car design, fabrication, and finishing for classic cars has been documented in numerous publications, including Hot Rod Magazine, Car Culture Deluxe, and Rod & Custom Magazine.
Frankie’s deep knowledge of surface preparation, custom finishes, and contemporary high performance coating systems makes him an invaluable asset on any project. His skills have addressed the surfaces and finishings of works by Louise Nevelson, Alexander Calder, George Sugarman, James Rosati, and Karel Appel - to name a few.
Known for his eye for detail and dedication to craftsmanship, Frankie continues to set the standard in the industry while passing on his skills and work ethic to the next generation of painters.
Fabienne Powell
Studio Manager and Conservation Technician
Before Joining the Monumenta team, Fabienne received her MA at John’s Hopkins and went on to become Chief Curator for NYS OGS where she was a key figure in facilitating the onset of generational treatments for public art collections. At Monumenta, her research ensures that an artist’s original intent remains intact. Fabienne is in interested in novel ways to safeguard cultural heritage in public settings.
She has a small herd of sheep and goats.
Annual maintenance of Claus Oldenburg’s Geometric Mouse
Bennett Knoop
Sculpture Conservation Technician
Bennett is a recent graduate of Rhinebeck High School with a strong passion for metal fabrication and art conservation. Always eager to learn and contribute, he first joined the Monumenta team as an intern while studying welding at the Dutchess Career Technical Institute program. With a keen eye for detail and a growing understanding of materials and techniques, Bennett brings curiosity, dedication, and a fresh perspective to the field. Outside of work, Bennett explores the intersection of art and science via music production and modifying imported cars.
Louise Dewhirst
Studio Manager & Conservation Technician
Louise recently retired from 38 years of practice as a General Dentist. Her BS is in Psychobiology from the University of Southern California and her DDS is from the University of California, San Francisco. Louise’s lifelong love of art and her dental skills with metals, resins, mimicry and color matching brought Abigail to hire her as a part time conservation technician starting in 2008. She also worked with Rand Atelier on maintenance of the sculpture collection at NY’s Empire State Plaza.
Louise is pleased to be a part of the Monumenta team. She knits, has an Airbnb guesthouse, and is working on hiking all 35 of the Catskill peaks over 3500 feet.
During treatment of Robert Indiana’s LOVE WALL
Rafi DiFrancesco
Sculpture Conservation Technician
Rafi splits his time between Monumenta and SUNY Purchase where he is working on a Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration. He takes after his father and is a talented musician with proficiency in percussion and keyboards