A proven history of
preserving history
Established in 2008, Works on Paper LLC is a private practice conservation studio offering a wide range of conservation and preservation services for paper-based objects. Our mission is to work with each client to provide the highest level of conservation treatment for their collection. We specialize in treating works of art on paper, prints, maps, architectural drawings, photographs, historical documents, posters, paper ephemera, historic wallpaper, parchment, and three-dimensional objects such as globes, fans, paper mache sculptures, and bandboxes.
Works on Paper is celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2024! The studio was established when Carolyn Frisa relocated to Vermont from Boston in 2008. We were fortunate to find a perfect studio all those years ago, which was large enough to grow along with our practice. At times, our staff has included a full-time head conservator, a part-time assistant conservator, a graduate student intern, and a studio manager.
We have been fortunate to work on a wide range of incredible objects for museums, archives, libraries, historical societies, galleries, collectors, and general members of the public over the last 15 years. Recent projects include the conservation of an 1830s hand-drawn atlas of Vermont, original double elephant prints from John J. Audubon’s Birds of America series, original artwork by Vera Molnar, the pioneer of computer and generative art, and historic wallpapers installed at the Marsh Billings Rockefeller Mansion NHP and The Evergreens at the Emily Dickinson Museum.
Our Team
Carolyn Frisa, Founder and Head Conservator
Carolyn received an undergraduate degree in art history from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She completed her master's degree in paper conservation at Camberwell College of Arts in London, England, in 2000. After receiving her degree, she worked the following year as an assistant paper conservator at the Tate Britain Museum. Before establishing Works on Paper, Carolyn was an associate paper conservator at the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts.
Carolyn has been a peer-reviewed Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) since 2007 and currently serves as an officer of AIC’s Conservators in Private Practice Specialty Group. She is a founding member of the Collections Care and Conservation Alliance. Carolyn is on the Advisory Committee of the Vermont Arts & Culture Disaster Resilience Network (VACDaRN) and has been a member of AIC’s National Heritage Responders since 2011. She is also a member of the Institute of Conservation, the New England Conservation Association, and the New England Museum Association. Carolyn is part of the team of multi-discipline conservators dedicated to documenting and preserving historic stage scenery, Curtains without Borders.
Carolyn presents workshops and lectures to professional and public audiences on various topics, including the identification and conservation of historic wallpaper and the preservation and conservation of art and archival collections on paper.
Ada Brown, Studio Manager
Ada Brown joined Works on Paper in the fall of 2022. She is an avid art lover and traveler with a degree in Graphic Design. Ada owns Sola Flora Design and, along with her work at Works on Paper currently manages the nonprofit Broad Brook Community Center in Guilford, Vermont. She is also on the board of the River Artisans Cooperative, a cooperative gallery featuring the work of local potters, quilters, printmakers, woodworkers, silversmiths, basket makers, and other arts.