Who Is Behind All This?

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Worked of the Michigan State Capital  in October 2023 until January 2024. Worked on the Rotunda restoration/conservation project.

May 3, 2024

To Whom it may concern,

Julie Cravens and I have known each other for about 17 years.

In 2017, Julie came to work with Building Arts & Conservation on a project at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wyandotte, MI. She has her own studio and was able to accommodate work on ten paintings of the saints and medallions on canvas (6ft x 3ft). She recreated the medallions from photographic images and matched colors from samples of original painting colors. The saints were cleaned, restored, re-touched and varnished before being reinstalled on the ceiling of the church.

In 2021, I walked Julie through the Rackham Graduate Studies building on the University of Michigan campus and subsequently hired her to do 28 fire depressor covers that needed to match the colors and textures of each room they were in. Some of the rooms were wood and the depressors needed to be wood grained. Julie completed this work independently and with strong Skills.

While working on the ceiling restoration project at the U of M Rackham Theatre in 2022, I came

down with COVID and relied on Julie to oversee the project progress and crew while I recovered. She gained valuable experience in managing projects through previous employment and as a

small business owner. She also helped train new people to use tools, clean tools, match colors, and perform the tasks required by the theater project.

Julie is a very talented and experienced decorative painter, conservation technician, project manager, and color matching. She has attended meetings with superintendents, architects, building managers, and is OSHA certified.

Other projects with Building Arts&Conservation include (2021) an historic apartment in Ann Arbor, MI where water damage to the ceiling caused missing sections of decorative and flat

plaster. She created a mold and then cast the missing elements in resin. (2021) U of M Ruthven Rotunda Restoration, (2022) U of M Triton Fountain cleaning, (2022) Norman Towers ceiling restoration in Monroe MI, (2022) Papermill Schoolhouse restoration in Monroe MI, (2022) fabrication of light fixtures for Edsel Ford Home Pool restoration, (2022) The Detroit Athletic Club main dining room repair and restoration, and (2023) U of M President's Residence library paneling refinishing.

Building Arts & Conservation has also referred projects to Julie to work independently such as

creating a faux patina on a religious sculpture at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Saline. In 2023, a former client of ours, Sarah McClure, had damage to a wall in her home that required

color matching/repair and two outdoor bronze fountain sculptures that needed cleaning and waxing.

I trust Julie to work on projects independently. She is passionate about the work she does and

has an incredible work ethic, often going above and beyond to make the jobs and projects go as best as they can. She has been an incredible asset to our company and is always welcome to

join us on projects in the future. She is an independent contractor that is organized, always on time and committed to the work she does. With 30 years experience in decorative painting,

conservation, restoration, mold making, color matching, training, and managing labor, she is definitely a "Jill of all trades" that loves to learn.

Anyone seeking Julie's talent and time would gain a huge advantage in having her as a part of any project. She is very talented, outgoing, a skilled communicator on all levels and works well under pressure.

Sincerely,

Ron Koenig

Architectural Conservator

206 S. Ann Arbor St. Saline MI 48176 • 734.368.0838 • www.bldgconservation.com

August 14th, 2020.

To whom it may concern,

Julie Cravens has worked as a freelance conservation technician at the Art Conservation Laboratory of Michigan since 2018. During all this time, she has participated in numerous and diverse conservation projects involving the conservation of paper, ceramics, and paintings among others. Through these years I have learned to know Julie from a professional and a personal level and I can speak highly of her.

Throughout these years, Ms. Craves has demonstrated a strict work ethic as well as great ability to complete the treatments that she has been assigned to. While collaborating with us, she has consolidated paintings and artifacts. She has also performed cleaning treatments and retouching processes with great success. When given the description and specifications of a treatment, she is able carry the process all the way to completion. During her work as a freelance conservation technician, she has proved an exceptional manual dexterity and visual ability which she has used to perform and complete treatments that have been assigned to her. She has the ability to work independently and is a positive collaborator.

Ms. Cravens has high standards and will always do whatever is needed to accomplish the utmost results. In addition to her technical abilities, she is also a very reliable, punctual and hardworking person. Julie is extremely resourceful and organized. She is also a great team player. She will certainly be a great asset to any team. We have enjoyed working with her and are going to miss her. Shall she interested in participating with our laboratory in the future, we would be delighted to have her in the team. On the other hand, we support her in her new endeavors and we are sure she will succeed in any field she chooses to pursue.

Shall you have further questions about Ms. Cravens, please feel free to call our offices at (734) 882-8116 or email me at cberenfeld@artconlab.com.

Sincerely,

Celina Contreras Berenfeld
Senior Paintings Conservator and Head Conservator The Art Conservation Laboratory, LLC.

3947 Steamboat Ct. Ann Arbor, MI 48108 www.artconlab.com (734) 882-8116

 Julie worked with Evergreene Architectural Arts, contributing to the restoration efforts of the Robert E. Lee house at Arlington Cemetery. Her involvement in this high-profile project showcased her ability to work on historically significant structures with precision and expertise. 

As the lead production manager at The Valley Craftsmen LTD for many years, Julie played a pivotal role in overseeing and managing various aspects of the production process. Her leadership skills were instrumental in ensuring the successful execution of projects undertaken by the company. 

 Julie's journey in the restoration field began at Pavo Real Gallery, where she not only fixed broken artworks but also demonstrated a keen ability to match colors seamlessly. Her roles expanded to include sales, management, and buying responsibilities. Julie's dedication and skills saw her relocate with the company, contributing to its success in Florida, Boston, New York, and Washington DC.

 Julie's recent endeavors have included significant transformations within her own living spaces. During the Covid period, she undertook ambitious projects such as completely revamping her daughter and son's room, engaging in furniture restoration, renovating her living room, and adding a bathroom to her art studio. These projects involved a wide range of skills, including welding, woodworking, and painting. She also delved into the realm of drawings and portrait paintings, showcasing her multifaceted artistic talents. 

We specialize in the restoration of paintings, from cleaning and repairing to retouching and varnishing. Our skilled technicians have years of experience in bringing your precious artwork back to life.

From: T o :

Lanny Littlejohn, MD Prospective Clients

SUBJ:

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED JULIE KAUFMAN-CRAVENS To whom it may concern,

This letter of recommendation is written to highlight the outstanding work of an incredibly talented restoration artist, par-excellence.

In the spring of 2022 our family had a significant challenge on hand. We were renting a furnished apartment in Encinitas, CA and a rambunctious 4 year old boy (our son)was left alone in a room with a four foot tall, hand-crafted, large scale terra cotta vase that we had heard was valued at over $10K. This was during a time when we were planning to move (as a US Navy family frequently does) to a duty station clear across the continental United States. We didn't have any options other than confessing the tragedy and doing nothing, or reaching out to Julie to seewhat magic could be done. Unfortunately Julie lives over 2,300 miles away.

After my wife decided it was best to attempt a repair, Julie did not hesitateand with single-minded determination made it to our home that same week. She spent a couple of days with us slowly reconstructing the vase with the patience and care of an artisan saint. The finished product looked as if it were freshly made. Although our landlord couldn't tell that the vase had been broken into over twenty pieces, integrity pressed me to confess the accident and, believe it or not, no repercussion followed. Only a grateful owner happy to know that we had done all we could to right the situation.

With her fine craftsmanship and attention to detail Julie reminded us through her actions that all is for the best in this the best of all possible worlds. If you ever have the need she will easily remind you of that as well. She has my strongest recommendation for any work in the field of art, not just restoration.

With Sincere Gratitude,

Lanny F Littlejohn, MD, MBA, MA Captain, Medical Corps, US Navy

Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians Certified Physician Executive

Asst Professor of Emergency Medicine Uniformed Services University

Our team of experts can expertly restore and conserve your valuable sculptures, no matter the size or material. We employ a range of techniques to restore sculptures to their original glory and ensure their longevity.