About us

ACT Art Conservation is dedicated to the care and conservation of both historic and contemporary artworks, combining traditional techniques with modern conservation science.

Led by principal conservator Alexandra Thrapp, our team provides museum-quality treatments and collection care for private collectors, estates, galleries, cities and counties, historical groups, appraisers, insurance companies, museums, designers and public agencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

We adhere to the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and ICON ethical guidelines and maintain active memberships in regional and international conservation organizations. Each project is approached collaboratively, with careful testing, clear documentation, and treatment plans tailored to the specific needs of the artwork and the goals of its stewards.

Our Studio

Nestled in the San Francisco Bay Area, our 4100sf 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 65 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 have conservators, assistants, technicians, contractors and interns in the following departments:

Principal Conservator of Paintings & Paper, Owner - Alexandra Thrapp

Senior Paper and Painting Conservator - Angela Sinicropi

Senior Book and Paper Conservator - Clair Emma Smith

Senior Objects & Outdoor sculpture conservator - Emily Rezes

Mount maker and installation fabricator - Harvey Newman

Studio Manager - Ben Cressy

Conservation Intern - Byron Hosfelt

Historian and Archivist - Nicole Meldahl

Our support team of Assistant conservators and conservation technicians to aid in conservation treatments of the highest standard.

Our wonderful interns keep us excited about training the world's future conservators.

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

For over 18 years, ACT Art Conservation LLC’s founder, Alexandra Thrapp, has been 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.

A proud Board member, MAL Bay Area Art Conservation Guild