About
Once poetically described by the artist Charles Prendergast as being like …a half-solidified piece of sunlight, gold leaf is the alluring, elusive, consummate medium of the… Society of Gilders.
Our Mission
The Society of Gilders is a non-profit educational organization devoted to the art and craft of gilding. Our mission is to preserve traditional gilding skills and techniques, and to promote the highest standards in the practice of gilding.
The Society offers…
- A unique resource for technical help for gilders, restorers, conservators and all those interested in the gilding arts. You may search the Directory of Members by location or specialty.
- The Gilders Tip, a bi-annual, full color journal, with articles on gilding and other subjects
- An opportunity to network with other gilders and clients through SOG events and the website.
- Pro bono community gilding projects that provide opportunities to practice and hone their gilding skills.
- Regional classes and workshops where participants learn more about the art of gilding, as well as a biennial conference which includes intensive level classes, social activities, and a community project.
- Access to The Museum of the Gilding Arts, in Pontiac, IL, created by the Society of Gilders with full, continuing support from the City of Pontiac, IL
Membership is open to any interested individual, institution or corporation.
The Society's History
A landmark event in the world of gilding took place at the Newark Museum in New Jersey during the winter of 1986. While attending a week-long gilding course hosted by the museum’s Arts Workshop, gilders met and exchanged gilding recipes, anecdotes, techniques and ethical concerns. The participants expressed a unanimous desire to extend this rewarding collaboration into an organization patterned after the ancient craftsmen’s guilds. Originally called the Guild of Gilders, the group changed their name to the Society of Gilders, welcoming fellow gilders and anyone interested in the art of gilding to join their ranks.
Today the Society of Gilders continues to grow, with a Regional in studio classes and on line events, to teach the art of gilding in many disciplines. Conferences bring members together from around the world, and the hands-on classes, lectures, tours and community projects provide a memorable experience for all in attendance. To date, conferences have been held in Charleston, South Carolina (2000), Washington DC (2001, 2003, 2006 and 2008), New Orleans, LA (2007 – 2013), Chicago, IL (2015), Arlington, TX (2017) St. Paul, MN (2019), Asheville, NC (2022) and returned to Charleston in 2024 and 2026.
Meet Our Board
SOG Officers
Lynne Rutter, CA
President
Lynne Rutter is a fine art muralist and decorative painter based in San Francisco, whose work emphasizes site-specific design and authentic materials and techniques. She has been an active part of the design community for over 35 years and has completed hundreds of installations nationally and internationally. Gilding has played a large role in Lynne’s work whether in restoration, ornamentation, or her large-scale paintings. Teaching is also an important part of Lynne’s practice and she has mentored hundreds of students and assistants throughout her long career. You can see more of her work on her blog “The Ornamentalist” where she writes about the finer points of color and décor, and her adventures while traveling with her camera.
Amy Ouradnik, MN
Board Secretary
Amy is a Minneapolis based gilder and decorative artist/designer. She has a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Fine Art/Printmaking and an AAS in Interior Design from Century College. After extensive travel in Europe and Asia, she worked as an installation technician at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Weisman Art Museum, as well as other local galleries. In 2003, she founded Aurora Decorative Finishes LLC, a decorative painting company working both residential and commercial spaces around the US and Middle East. She studied decorative painting at the NA School of Decorative Art, Chicago, IDAL workshops and for the past 10 years, focused her skills on gilding and verre eglomise; training with instructors such as: Miriam Ellner, Lynne Rutter and Sandra Spannan and is a board member of the Society of Gilders. In 2016, She assisted Jensen Conservation re-gilding the Quadriga sculpture at the Minnesota State Capitol during a major restoration project. She continues to love to travel and can’t wait to gild the next available dome in Abu Dhabi…. or Kansas.
Chris Brooks, IL
Treasurer
Chris Brooks serves as the Assistant Conservator for Frames at the Art Institute of Chicago, a position he was recently promoted to after years of dedication since joining the museum’s Frame Conservation team in 2009. It was here that Chris was first introduced to the art of gilding, which quickly became a treasured aspect of his work. While gilding constitutes a smaller portion of his responsibilities, it remains his favorite activity. Chris is passionate about sharing his expertise, regularly engaging with colleagues and the public through gilding demonstrations and workshops. His foundational training in gilding was under the guidance of Kirk Vuillemot, the former Associate Conservator for Frames at the Art Institute. Chris attended his first Society of Gilders (SOG) conference in 2019 and began contributing as a board volunteer in 2020. He felt deeply aligned with the work that the Society does and its mission, finding it to be an inspiring community for preserving and advancing the art of gilding. He values the opportunities the Society provides to connect with fellow gilding enthusiasts and professionals. Outside of his professional life, Chris resides in Chicago with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Leland. Together, they enjoy exploring the vibrant culture and history of the city.
Meet Our Team
Full Trustees
Micki Cavanah, TN
Reed’s Gold Leaf Studios, a Nashville institution established in 1972 by Lou Reed, continues to flourish under the leadership of Micki Cavanah, the founder’s daughter. Micki and her husband, Mitchell, uphold the legacy of providing exceptional services in antique frame restoration and conservation, gilding (including object, signage, glass, and architectural), and more. Their work graces galleries, museums, historic homes, commercial spaces, and private collections throughout the Southern United States. Notable projects include the renowned Athena Parthenos sculpture at The Parthenon and the prestigious Schermerhorn Symphony Center, both iconic Nashville landmarks. Micki and Mitchell generously share their expertise through personalized instruction and select group classes, guiding aspiring artists in the art of restoration and gilding.
B. Corey Johnson, FL
B. Corey Johnson is a South Florida artist specializing in gold and metal leaf. Through his gilding studio, he has restored and produced countless hand-made gilded frames. He has also completed gilding projects for the Norton Museum of Art and The Society of The Four Arts in Palm Beach, as well as St. Alphonsus Cathedral in New Orleans. As an artist, Johnson has taken over 20 years of gilding experience through multiple disciplines and created his own unique medium. Using only layers of gold and metal leaf with chemical patinas (no paints or pigments), he has redefined gilding as an artform unto itself.
Richard Walker, United Kingdom
Richard Walker is the owner of Watergild Studios, situated on the south coast of England. After studying restoration and decorative studies at the University of Portsmouth, he went on to develop further in the field of gilding. He has been providing gilding services for twenty years in which he has developed a global reputation to top artists, framers, furniture designers, interior designers, and museums, where he is renowned for creating new and interesting ways of gilding surfaces in traditional and modern methods, including the Instacol system.
Richard is also very passionate about sharing his passion and knowledge of gilding, and achieves this through lecturing and teaching at various colleges, universities and organizations around the world presenting a wide range of gilding disciplines.
Dr. Francis Lestingi, NY
Honorary Trustee
Francis is a calligrapher, fontographer, sign artist, and professor emeritus of physics and history of science at the State University College at Buffalo, NY. Awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s and President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Founded Signs of Gold, Inc. in 1994 to create the finest, most elegant, unrivaled, entirely hand crafted, gold leafed, wood signage that are works of art, not just signs. He has won ten national first place awards from the United States Sign Council Design competition, as well as the International Sign Association contests. Author of 21 articles on gilding and hand carved sign artistry in SignCraft magazine, SignBusiness, Signs of the Times, and WoodCarvers Illustrated. Francis is the recipient of the “Innovators & Influencers Award” presented by Sign & Digital Graphics trade journal in recognition of those “who have changed for the better the way our industry conducts business. “Francis’s lifelong fascination with calligraphy and lettering as artform has led him to design five original digital typeface fonts which are commercially available on the Web.
Rachel Dominie, TN
Executive Secretary
Rachel Dominie serves as the Executive Secretary for the Society of Gilders, where she oversees membership services, communications, and daily operations in support of the Society’s mission to preserve and promote the art of gilding. With a background in finance, Rachel brings strong organizational and administrative experience to her role. She enjoys working with the Society’s diverse community of artists, craftspeople, and conservators, helping members stay connected while supporting educational programs, conferences, and the continued growth of the organization. Rachel lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.
Meet Our Team
Alternate Trustees
Gregory Dixon, CA
In the early 1980s I began my gilding career in conjunction with painting Victorian exteriors in San Francisco. Special details were highlighted with 23 karat gold leaf. In the mid 1990s I received some finer training from Stanley Robinson, a founding member of the SOG. I commenced and continued interior architectural gilding in the early 2000s, working with pure silver leaf on mouldings, niches, ceilings and furniture. I concurrently did and continue to do various decorative finishes, and restoration, repair and touch up of decorative finishes. I also work on restoring / repairing damaged gilded projects: for example, solder Art Deco gilded finishes, some more contemporary gilded finishes in compo, silver, and gold leaf. I continue to do interior projects primarily in pure silver leaf and composition silver leaf. Education: B. A. Hons. in English literature and Classical civilization from University College Dublin. Diploma in Art History, a joint program from University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin.
Peter Miller, VA
Peter came to gilding and frame making through early exposure to wood-working through his father, and later, through clients at his frame shop asking for samples of hand made frames. After meeting members of the Society of Gilders, Peter took on with full commitment the process of learning everything possible (an ongoing endeavor) about water gilding. Frame making and water gilding were parallel paths. After studying with several SOG gilders during the 90’s, Peter tailored his business to offer only frames of his own design, inspired by history, tradition, and fine craftsmanship. Peter has designed and made frames and gilded objects for private clients, antique dealers, interior designers and institutions. Publicly, Peter’s frames are in the collections of the Brandywine Museum, George W. Bush Presidential Library, Mattatuck Museum, Two Red Roses Foundation, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Arlington House, and White House Historical Association. Peter’s affiliation with the Society of Gilders includes serving on the Board of Trustees for more than 25 years and serving as the Society’s President for 7 years.
Natalie E. Tackett, TN
A decorative finisher and restoration artist, Natalie was introduced to gilding through a conservator she assisted when she was still attending Florida State University. Though she didn’t know at the time, gilding, along with the decorative finishes and toning she was learning to apply to restored frames and furnishings, would become her future career. Natalie originally joined the SOG and attended her first conference to become more proficient with specific aspects of gilding and have a better understanding of the beautiful craftsmanship of this trade. Natalie was invited to become a member of the board in 2019 and then accepted the Education Chair position in 2021. Natalie’s work is focused on creating highly specialized designs and restoration for her clients’ spaces that focuses on life and legacy. She also provides these services to antique dealers, builders, interior designers, churches, and commercial institutions. Natalie has been doing this work for more than 30 years and proudly owns a decorative finishing and restoration business in Bristol, TN called BRUSHED. She also travels throughout North America for special projects and commissions.
Lisa Ingram, NY
Lisa Ingram has worked in the decorative arts for about 15 years and launched Gilded City Creations based in Manhattan with co-founder, Kristin Thorgersen.
Lisa’s gilding experience includes verre églomisé, gilded signage, and interior and exterior architectural gilding. She also creates artistic surfaces in plaster, cement, steel, rust, wood, metal, brick, glazed finishes, faux stone and faux bois surfaces. She earned her BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York. Her first profession was in fine arts as an abstract oil painter, which she continues to pursue through painting and exhibiting her work. This background has been an asset to her decorative arts work. Lisa is passionate about gilding and participating in the Society of Gilders. She lives in Manhattan with her family.
Michael Gilbert, MD
Michael Gilbert is a gilder, carver, and frame maker with over forty years of experience. The American frame designs of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century are the inspiration for most of his work. He has been a teacher since the late 1970’s, with sixteen years at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and with the Society of Gilders since 2001.
Leah Beth Fishman, NY
Leah Beth Fishman is a New York based artist and gilder with over 20 years experience in a wide range of gilding applications. Trained by master gilders of world renown, her work can be seen on the tops of skyscrapers and state capitol buildings, multiple covers of Architectural Digest, Rockefeller Plaza, the Apollo Theater, and much more. Leah’s passion for water gilding and verre elgomise keeps her busy bringing a modern aesthetic to traditional techniques in new and creative ways, balanced with a wide portfolio of large scale architectural gilding and restoration. Leah works out of her studio in upstate NY as well as on site just about anywhere and everywhere.
Leia Scotton, ME
Leia started working as a custom framer in 2005, toward the end of college, but only very gradually stopped trying not to be an artist. In and out of framing for the next decade, she took a chance and opened her own shop in 2016. She took her first gilding class in 2017 in an effort to further an interest in restoring antique frames. During that class, she got the first in a series of ideas that would lead to the creation of Wicked Tacky Frames, which are decidedly not antique, though they do incorporate some traditional techniques adapted for modern and off-label materials. She has a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Maine.
