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About the Restoration Artist Mark Kingsley

Originally from Wisconsin, Kingsley came to Greensboro in 1976 to attend UNC-G graduate school in fine arts. While there Kingsley found his way into the Weatherspoon Art Gallery's conservation department as a student assistant. For a young artist this was an exciting time and place, where Bert Carpenter and Jim Tucker were building a significant collection of contemporary American masters. Later he apprenticed with a highly skilled team of craftsmen in a combined gallery and commerical framing operation.

"I knew I liked this kind of work, that it was a natural link with my own artistic aspirations, and something I wanted to continue to do." He started his own business, a partnership called Art Lab, in 1978. Since then he went solo, and moved his operation several times in Greensboro before settling at the semi-rural location where he and his wife live south of Greensboro.

Currently, Kingsley is repairing and cleaning a series of un-attributed French oil paintings depicting the Twelve Stations of the Cross, to be returned to their original wood frames and given by a donor to West Market United Methodist Church in Greensboro, for placement within their sanctuary. He will be soon cleaning and restoring a series of six portraits of Guilford County judges as part of a courtroom renovation. Recently completed were a group of works by former artist Mamie Harmon, now on exhibition at the Center for Creative Leadership. In addition to providing a secure living to insulate him from the vagaries of an artist's financial fortunes, Kingsley has the deep gratification of direct, hands-on cultural preservation.

- Community Arts Cafe