My mother, a graduate of Pratt Art School, nurtured my creativity and instilled in me an appreciation for art. Art and horses were my two loves, so I attended the University of Kentucky, majoring in art and minoring in horsemanship. By chance, while touring Europe after graduation, I met a painting conservator who introduced me to this rare profession. It has become a life long passion and he became a life long friend as I apprenticed with him for six years in London at the England Restoration Studio. Our mentor was IIC Fellow, William Fraser Lowe. I was exposed to a broad range of European paintings with a concentration in 17th century old master paintings and occasionally earlier works. The paintings we serviced were from London's West End, Old Master Galleries. During those six years I developed the ability to clean and inpaint complex, previously restored, distressed surfaces. Many paintings were oversized, requiring weeks of inpainting and reconstruction of lost passages. Mr. Lowe also had an Old Master Gallery and he developed my eye for picking good paintings at auction previews. Because I was taught tricks of the trade that some employed to unethically improve a lesser painting, I can typically spot these areas of reconstruction during examination.

One exciting painting I discovered in London while cleaning a 19th century sporting scene was "Christ Driving the Traitor from the Temple", by Jacopo Bassano. I successfully removed all of the gross overpaint, uncovering the original painting, presumably over painted for clandestine export reasons. As senior assistant for the last three years of my apprenticeship in London, I concentrated my work on the most important paintings, including works by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Sir Peter Lily, Van Dyck, Canalleto, George Stubbs, Abraham Mignon, Jacopo Bassano, Philip Wouverman, Jan Molenar, Melchoir Hondecoter, Adrien Van de Velde, David Teniere, Theador Rombouti, Isac, van Ostade, Jan Breughel the Younger, and others. Because I had to work hands on, day in and day out, my experience was unequaled to anything I would have attained in America.

Upon returning to America in 1975, I started my own business, West Lake Studio. At the time I was know as Mrs. Susan Fairbairn, my married name, and my sister Margaret Blakney Sutton began apprenticing with me. I reverted to my maiden name, Blakney, and Margaret's husband John began apprenticing with me as well. Today, the three of us are partners in managing this busy group practice, each bringing important and individual skills to the table. Over the last 30 years of business, we have steadily grown in size and professionalism. I have attended every AIC and as many IIC conferences as possible. I have augmented my initial apprenticeship with workshops every year, filling the gaps and keeping abreast of new developments. I became nationally recognized by our colleagues in AIC through professional presentations, participation as a board member (six years) of the national sub group Conservators in Private Practice, and the introduction of several new support materials. West Lake has also organized and hosted three international mid-career workshops. Due to these activities, I applied and was awarded Fellow status in both the AIC and IIC.

Today, due to my experience, I manage the firm's largest projects such as surveys, mural treatments, important European old masters, disaster recovery and educational outreach. I am known as a mural specialist with experience in treating oversized paintings, often considered public art. I have hosted many apprentices, conservation interns and visiting colleagues for information exchanges. As a senior level conservator, I love to research and solve difficult problems. I love teaching, consulting, undertaking on-site surveys, and lecturing to the public. As third generation natives of Central New York, my partners and I are planning West Lake Conservators' successive growth. We hope to provide preservation services for generations to come.