conservation & restoration of 3D objects
Our Team
Irena Calinescu
Chief Conservator Irena Calinescu founded Fine Arts Conservation LLC in 1998. She holds a BA in Art History from Indiana University and an MA and Certificate of Advanced Studies in Art Conservation from SUNY Buffalo State College with a specialization in objects conservation. After an advanced internship in Antiquities Conservation at the J. Paul Getty Museum, she completed a three-year NEA/Mellon Fellowship in Objects Conservation at the LA County Museum of Art. Irena has 30 years of experience with a wide variety of sculptural materials from ancient to contemporary and has conducted numerous collections surveys and risk assessments for institutions. She is a Professional Associate of American Institute for Conservation.
In her spare time, Irena enjoys practicing Tai Chi and pilates. She is also a great ceramicist.
Abby Duckor
Abby Duckor is our Objects Conservator, joining Fine Arts Conservation in 2021. She received her M.A. in Principles of Conservation in 2014 and M.Sc. in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums in 2016 from University College London. She previously worked at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for five years as a Mellon Fellow, Assistant and then Associate Objects Conservator. When she is not at the studio, you can find her surfing Southern California’s beautiful coast or throwing on her pottery wheel.
Stefani Cavazos
Stefani Cavazos is our Associate Objects Conservator, joining Fine Arts Conservation in 2019. She received her M.A. in Principles of Conservation in 2016 and M.Sc. in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums in 2018 from University College London. Before joining our team, Stefani spent some time working at the Petersen Automotive Museum, assisting their education department. When not at the studio you can find Stefani hanging out with her dog Pesto and practicing the drums.
Mayra Villegas
Mayra is our second Associate Objects Conservator, working at Fine Arts Conservation since 2016. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she received her BA in Art History and a minor in Classical Civilization in 2011. She received her MFA in Fine Arts from Claremont Graduate University in 2016.
Mayra primarily focuses on objects, but has had the opportunity to assist painting and paper conservators in the Los Angeles area. Aside from conservation, Mayra is an active artist and has exhibited her work in the LA County area. In her free time, Mayra enjoys running and cycling. Her post-workout recovery routine involves watching movies and snuggling with her precious cat, Hammie.
current intern
Agata Gravante
Agata Gravante is our newest intern, having joined our team in 2024. She attended the International University Uninettuno and received her BA in Cultural Heritage in 2024. In 2017, Agata had the privilege of working alongside artist Mark Bradford and his team, serving as a creative director. As a creative director, Agata was responsible for creating strategic plans for new programs. In 2018, she was a conservation intern for Curatorial and assisted in preserving and restoring Emile Otto Hoppe's historic images.
Agata is a keen photographer, having been featured in Vogue magazine. She is an animal lover and enjoys traveling the world.
emotional support department
PESTO
Pesto is our Drama Queen specialist. She is always looking for problems where there aren't any. Occasionally, Pesto will set aside her DQ role and patrol the studio grounds. Her greatest skill is barking at an intruder after they have broken into the premises. Once the barking starts, they know they are not wanted! Beware!
peanut & Butter
Peanut is a fine tuned alarm clock! Sound asleep at 3am? Peanut can take care of this problem. No appointments necessary, Peanut senses when you are in your deepest REM sleep and will disturb you at this hour.
On the other hand, Butter is our designated insect trapper/exotic cuisine specialist. With her inner ninja skills and impeccable t
Peanut is a fine tuned alarm clock! Sound asleep at 3am? Peanut can take care of this problem. No appointments necessary, Peanut senses when you are in your deepest REM sleep and will disturb you at this hour.
On the other hand, Butter is our designated insect trapper/exotic cuisine specialist. With her inner ninja skills and impeccable taste palette, she will transform all captured critters into a delicacy. Better act fast, she may devour it all before you get a taste!
hammie
Hammie vets all employees and questionable animals roaming the grounds. Her top notch snobbery will sniff out the baddest seed. Feral cats, do not cross Hammie, she knows you have been through the trash and yes, she knows you have eaten the 5 day old chicken leg.
May
May is a force that should not be reckoned with. She is highly vocal and demands to be seen at all times because according to May, you should never overlook greatness.
As our Human Resources cat, she encourages us to meow when we are hungry and make grand entrances to all things.
Leone
Leone
Leone is Pesto's "Drama Princess" in training. He is successfully following Pesto's footsteps by barking at everyone and anyone with no provocation whatsoever! A true rebel without a cause.