Committee
Laura Stevens
Chair
After gaining a BA (hons) degree in fine art and a period of postgraduate study, I completed a three year indentured signwriting apprenticeship and then went on to start my own painting and decorating business in 1984, specialising in the careful decoration of historic and sensitive buildings. In 2006 I completed my MA in Heritage Management at the Ironbridge Institute (University of Birmingham). I have been a guest lecturer on the Conservation of the Historic Interior MA course at the University of Birmingham and lecture on the Context and Conservation of the Historic Interior MA course at Birmingham City University. I am a founder trustee of the Forest of Dean Buildings Preservation Trust and a trustee of The Friends of the Cathedral of the Forest.
Paul Humphreys
Honorary Treasurer and Vice Chair
After dropping out of art school in the late 60’s tempted by London and all it had to offer I saw an ad in the Evening Standard for a studio assistant at Cambell Smith and Co. What followed was 11 amazing years being trained by and working for one of the finest decorating companies of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1979 I left to become a self employed decorator and gilder carrying on the traditional skills I had aquired and applying them to works on buildings such as The House of Parliament, The National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court and many more as well as large private houses and historic churches. In 1988 I was the co founder of Hare & Humphreys Ltd who to this day carry on the tradition of fine decoration, historic building conservation and restoration in many of the nations most important historic buildings.
Matthew Croxford
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
Following the accepted route of leaving art school to pursue working in the decorative arts, I was employed as a studio assistant to a leading decorative artist of the time. Setting up on my own a few years later I worked extensively in S E Asia, the Middle East and Europe. After many years of prior collaboration, Croxford and Saunders Ltd was formed in 2009 and we have gone on to produce the highest quality decorative arts for an international client base.
Karen Morrissey
Events Secretary
I am a decorative surfaces conservator and historic paint research specialist. I founded Karen Morrissey Paint Research in 2012, building on 15 years of experience as a senior researcher and project manager at a large conservation company. I am an accredited member of the Institute of Conservation (ICON) and proud to be an ICON PACR mentor.
Kimberly Reczek
WEBSITE MANAGER
I’ve been working in the conservation of historic interiors for over 5 years, After 15 years of international aid work, I came to the UK to retrain in arts conservation at City & Guilds Art School. I now specialise in historic decorative surfaces of both objects, and the interiors and exteriors of buildings. Past projects have been in The Palace of Westminster, The National Gallery, Buckingham Place, The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, The Royal Artillery War Memorial, Victoria & Albert Museum, as well as numerous churches, private residences and war memorials all around London. After 5 years of heading the Conservation Division at DBR Limited, I am now freelance with the intention of broadening my UK experience internationally and taking what I have learnt here in conservation abroad, especially to areas affected by conflict.
Georgia Cristea
SOCIAL MEDIA
Trained as an architect with a MArch from Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest (granted in 1995), I now specialise in conservation architecture and interior design in historical buildings. I have a strong interest in historic interiors, traditional crafts and finishing techniques. A MSc in Sustainable Heritage at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, (2014) helped broaden my knowledge in Heritage Management and Conservation, and gave me a new perspective on the balance needed when preserving historic buildings and their period features, as well as the diverse collections contained within. I believe conservation of historic interiors falls at the intersection of these considerations, and historic paint research and interpretation needs the concerted attention of both architects and conservators.
Ayaka Takaki
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Ayaka is an accredited Specialist Conservation Architect (SCA) as well as an Architect Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC), specialising in the repair and conservation of historic and listed buildings. Ayaka is passionate about traditional building techniques and craftsmanship; she particularly enjoys collaborating with skilled specialists in building projects and coordinating a team of experts. Ayaka has worked on a number of Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings as well as World Heritage Sites. She understands the intricacy of working in historic buildings and has experience of managing complex heritage projects. Ayaka is currently working as Associate Director at Donald Insall Associates.
Charlotte Owen
honorary secretary
Initially graduating with an art history degree and hoping to work in museum curatorship (unsuccessfully) Charlotte spent a number of years working outside of the heritage sector. A lightning bolt moment one weekend saw Charlotte apply to study conservation at Lincoln University. Volunteering for the National Trust whilst studying her MA Charlotte secured work at her local property soon after graduating. This was followed by a brief period with English Heritage and then Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Cambridge). In 2015 Charlotte took up her current position as an architectural paint researcher for Hirst Conservation.
Tom Saunders
former traditional Paint Forum Committee member
Tom Saunders is an artist and decorative painter with over 30 years experience working on high end residential and commercial interiors throughout the Middle East,Russia, India and Europe. He specialises in design layout, fine decorative painting, gilding and project management, and is presently director of Croxford & Saunders.
Rosie Shaw
former traditional Paint Forum Committee member
I’ve been working in the conservation of historic interiors for over 5 years, after completing my PGDip in Historic Building Conservation at the Architectural Association in 2009 and before that my BA in Fine Art Printmaking at Brighton University. I specialise in Architectural Paint Research and lead on large, nationwide projects, though I also continue to work on practical site conservation, as my career began. I have a particular interest in historic pigments and have recently completed a course in recreating the medieval palette.
Laura Ferguson
former traditional Paint Forum Committee member
Qualified Architect Laura Ferguson began her conservation experience in the depths of Georgian Edinburgh. After working for 6 years in private practice she made the move to London working within historic institutions such as The Natural History Museum, Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Household running building conservation projects across their estates. Laura particularly enjoys discovering previously concealed historic fabric, preserving and interpreting this to the storytelling of the building. She now resides at The British Museum as Design Manager where she works to keep the Grade I listed building properly maintained and ensure interventions are sensitive, thoughtful and of a high standard.
Saskia Huning
former traditional Paint Forum Committee member
I’ve been working in the conservation of historic interiors for over 5 years, Saskia Huning is an artist and specialist decorator working on the restoration and recreation of historic decorative schemes and murals. Huning Decorations has a reputation for recreating lost areas of murals and decorations from different periods and in the last few years has worked on Victorian, Rococo, late 16th trompe l’oeil and mid-20th century schemes. Saskia works with both traditional and modern materials, using techniques such as graining, marbling, gilding, stenciling, trompe l’oeil, glaze effects and decorative painting. Colour matching and the application of paints in the appropriate way to sit with the handwriting of the original painting being restored or recreated is an important part of Saskia’s work which she has used to great effect in many high-profile projects across the UK. Working for the National Trust, English Heritage, and churches and houses around the country, recent projects include recreating the trompe l’oeil ceiling decoration at the Savile Club in Mayfair, areas of the Arts and Craft decoration at the David Parr House in Cambridge and the polychrome scheme on the decorative iron work at Abbey Mills Pumping Station.