John Canning
John Canning is one of the great masters of the decorative painting tradition. A pivotal force in the preservation of historic American architecture, he and his talented team of artisans at John Canning & Co. have restored many of our nation’s most important historic buildings. “I look at myself as being a link between the past, the present, and the future,” he says of his restoration work.
Canning learned his trade in his hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, where he served a five-year apprenticeship as a church decorator, while also attending the Scottish Decorative Trade Institute, Stow College of Building, and night classes at the Glasgow School of Art, earning the prestigious London City & Guilds certificate. “I worked with tradesmen who were around at the turn of the century, or at least the 1920s, so it could perhaps be said that I have the accumulated experience of about a hundred years,” he says. “I always remember that period as being a very happy period of being part of a family, with the elder tradesmen looking after the apprentice, almost like a father, uncle, son or nephew relationship.”
Like most new apprentices, he started out doing “all the most menial tasks,” learning by watching and getting a feel for the work, gaining knowledge of terminology, paint pigments, tools, and techniques. An early experience as a young “slab boy” delivering supplies with a wheelbarrow to various job sites throughout the city cemented his desire to learn and practice the craft. He recounts how at first he felt deeply discouraged with the trade after dropping off paint supplies at an old, dilapidated church that seemed beyond all hope of repair. How could this ever be a rewarding profession? When he returned to the site several months later, he was astonished at the amazing transformation wrought by the hands of experienced tradesmen. “This church, it was a revelation to me,” he says with excitement. “It was so beautiful!” Canning never looked back; the work of a decorative painter restoring beauty and life to old buildings was the career for him.
In the early 1970s, Canning immigrated with his family to the United States, bringing his old-world decorative skills and knowledge with him. He founded his own company in 1976, John Canning Ornamental Painters and Church Decorators (now John Canning & Co.), a family-run business that is nearly fifty years old. One of his first restoration jobs involved uncovering and reinstating the beautiful original 1870s decorations for Battell Chapel at Yale University, followed by a major restoration of the Connecticut State Capitol. Over the years, he and the skilled artisans at John Canning & Co. have helped to preserve some of the country’s most significant historic buildings, including Grand Central Terminal, the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Treasury Building, Boston Public Library, the National Building Museum, Radio City Music Hall, and Trinity Church Boston, among many others.
A dedicated teacher and proud tradesman, Canning has passed his craft knowledge on to his daughters, Jacqueline Canning Riccio and Dorothea Canning-Hennessey, son-in-law David Riccio, and two of his granddaughters, Isabella and Zoe Riccio, all of whom are integrally involved in the family business. He developed an apprenticeship program for the state of Connecticut, has taught many young journeymen the trade, and continues to generously share his knowledge through numerous workshops and presentations for students and professionals in the field.
One of things that Canning loves most about his work is conducting research on the historic buildings that he and his family are restoring, seeking to discover and faithfully replicate the style, techniques, brushstrokes, materials, colors, and character of the original decoration. “It’s so important to understand the original methods of execution. It’s important to be able to recognize and respect them, and also the materials. It’s important to understand all of these things before we start to even put our hands on it,” he emphasizes.
While he excels in all aspects of the trade from stenciling, striping, and gold leafing, to trompe l’oeil and mural painting, it is woodgraining—a painting technique that mimics the texture of wood—that holds a special place in his heart. Using a wondrous variety of brushes and other specialty tools—badger brushes, stippling brushes, floggers, mottlers, overgrainers, steel combs—plus the all-important traditional binding ingredient—beer—he masterfully imitates the grain and color of different woods, whether mahogany, oak, or maple.
No matter what the project, large or small, restoration or new work, Canning strives above all for excellence. “What gives us the most pride and satisfaction is the old adage, ‘a job well done,’” he says.
