About us

ACT Art Conservation LLC is a studio dedicated to preserving and protecting history through the conservation of art. Whether it's a masterpiece or sentimental keepsake, we believe all art is a piece of history that everyone should have the chance to protect. Situated in the beautiful San Fransisco Bay Area and founded and run by fine art conservator, Alexandra Thrapp, the studio team combines the art of hundreds of years old techniques with innovative modern methods. This balance of tradition and innovation means we have the expertise required to give every piece of art we receive a completely bespoke service based on its individual needs.

Our Studio

Nestled in the San Francisco Bay Area, our studio is where we house, care for and conserve the art. We also invite clients to join us, by appointment, for private consultations to discuss their preservation needs.

Our Studio is temperature controlled at 70 degrees F with Relative humidity levels of 50%-55% consistently, with remote monitoring and adjustment as needed. We have secure strong rooms and safes for art storage, as well as a state of the art security system with extremely sensitive triggers. Our studio is under 24/7 surveillance and monitoring onsite, remotely and by building security guards.

Our beautiful and state of the art studio is lit primatly natural lighting, which is UV filtered for the protection of the artwork we work on. Our HVAC system is new as of 2021 with strong ventilation and filters for the safety of our staff and guests.

We invite you to come and view our studio by appointment.

Our Team

Our team of in-house experts are skilled in cutting edge modern methods as well as traditional techniques. This means we dedicate the highest level of bespoke care to every piece of artwork.

Alongside Principal Conservator Alexandra Thrapp we also have Senior Paper and Painting Conservator - Angela Sinicropi, Senior Book Conservator - Clair Emma Smith, and Mountmaker and fabricator Harvey Newman, as well as conservation technicians to aid in conservation treatments of the highest standard. Our Studio manager - Ben Cressy, helps keep us running smoothly along with our accounting and legal team. We partner with museum and artisan experts in framing, preservation and fabrication, to ensure the highest museum quality standards of care and treatment for each piece we work on.

Each conservator on staff has been practicing in their field of specialization for over 10 years, with masters degrees and higher education certificates in conservation. Our experts in each area also undertake regular training in their specialist field. This is our commitment to making sure we have the best people for the job so we can provide every piece of art we work on with the care it deserves.

Founder Story

ACT Art Conservation LLC’s founder, Alexandra Thrapp, is one of the leaders in her field. Fueled by a dedication and love for conservation, she considers the preservation of art her calling.

She began her pursuit in Florence, Italy where she studied and started her career. A degree in Fine Art Restoration and Conservation Science from the prestigious Scuola Lorenzo de Medici and many notable apprenticeships later, she returned to San Francisco to become a Senior Fine Art Conservator. After over a decade in private practice, she founded her own studio and built a specialist team of experts around her. Working with early renaissance paintings and historical artifacts in Florence ignited a passion within Alex that has grown and evolved throughout her career.

Today, she uses her experience, position and ambition to empower those around her to preserve art. This is evident both in the Angel Projects her studio takes on, and her commitment to helping the next generation become custodians of history.