Friday  July 11, 2025

Nancy Thorn – Gold Leaf Studio

Nancy Thorn, of Gold Leaf Studio, will be talking about the progression of her work and business over the past 5 decades. Nancy specializes in art and architectural gilding, and was a founding SOG board member, and the inventor of the Thorn Tip. Join us for a Zoom visit with the master gilder from Vancouver, Washington.

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An SOG board member from its beginning, and an AIC  Wooden Artifact conservator, Nancy Thorn has been involved with the gilding community since 1976.

In the late 70’s, materials and knowledge were hard to come by on the U.S. West Coast.  A Portland, Oregon egg tempera artist intrduced Nancy to the craft and history of water gilding. She enjoyed her research on the history of gilding, and “flailing around on my own with what materials and tools I could scrounge.”  Nancy then spent three years working and training with established gilders Nils Johnson in Boston, and Bill Keck in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Gold Leaf Restoration was established as a business in 1980 in Portland OR, servicing clients worldwide. In 2019, Nancy spun off Gold Leaf Studio  in order to focus on architectural work, gilding newly fabricated pieces, fine art, and occasionally working on historical restorations.

Nancy occasionally lectures at  schools, setting up demos and displays of tools and materials, to expose young people to an alternative to the digital age and having the potential of a good living in the crafts. 

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To watch the recording later, login, and go to Education > Gilders on Zoom.