Historic Albany Foundation

Historic Albany Foundation Presents
Preservation Workshops at St. Joseph’s Church

ALBANY, NY – April 26, 2004 – With the most critical stabilization work at St. Joseph’s Church completed, Historic Albany Foundation will present their Spring Preservation Workshops on site at the former church, a prominent landmark in Albany’s Arbor Hill Historic District.

Historic Albany Foundation has tapped some of the region’s most highly-regarded experts to present workshops addressing the installation and fabrication of ceramic tile, the repair and maintenance of stained glass, the restoration of decorative plaster, and the application of faux paint finishes.

The workshops will run for four consecutive Saturdays and will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon. The cost for each Preservation Workshop is $5 for members of the Foundation, $10 for the general public. Reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Susan Olsen at 518-465-0876.

Painting Techniques – Faux Finishes
Saturday, May 15
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Jan-Marie Spanard will offer a class and demonstration on techniques in faux finishing, which will explore the numerous types of faux graining and marbleizing found in the church. A 1999 commission from the City of Albany led Spanard to develop an apprenticeship program for talented young artists – and resulted in the 7,500 square foot trompe l’oeil Hudson Riverfront mural, and the smaller Excavate in downtown Albany. Since founding AlbanyMural, her work has included the façade of the Albany Public Library and the thirty lamppost obelisks along the Hudson River Way pedestrian bridge.

Repair Techniques for Damaged Stained Glass
Saturday, May 22
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Nigel Johnson will lead a workshop on stained glass restoration using a section of badly damaged stained glass from St. Joseph’s. Unlike most churches, which acquire their stained glass windows one at a time, usually through memorial donations, St. Joseph’s began with a full set in the latest fashion, rumored to be from Germany. Johnson is the President of Cohoes Design Glass Associates, Inc., a full service restoration, conservation, and new commission studio. He has university degrees in both art and cultural history, has worked in the field for 20 years.

Fabrication and Installation of Ceramic Tile
Saturday, May 29
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
While the ornate marble altar has been torn out of St. Joseph’s church, the Minton tiles from England which once complemented it are still in place. Donald Shore, an owner of L’esperance, an Albany business which specializes in custom-made encaustic, geometric, mosaic and other traditional ceramic tiles, will lead the workshop. L’esperance has been making fine ceramic tile since 1979. Installations include five state capitols and numerous historic sites.

Decorative Plaster Restoration
Saturday, June 5
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Michael Ryan of Plasterworks will present a workshop on plaster restoration techniques. The class will offer an overview of the types of highly decorative plaster work that will need to be replicated at St. Joseph’s, including the restoration of a deteriorated plaster capital atop one of the columns in the church. Ryan is the owner of Plasterworks. He works on restorations and renovations, from one wall to complete churches. He holds a degree in Pottery from Skidmore College.