Our Team

Chiara Kuhns, Senior Paintings Conservator, Head of Paintings Lab, MAC, PAIC
Chiara is an artist, an art historian, and a paintings and fresco conservator. She is an ardent advocate of the arts and believes in the importance of exposing, educating and preserving the primary sources of our world’s history. Born in Florence, Italy, Chiara has taken advantage of the resources that this mecca of the art world has to offer. In Florence, she received a BA in Art History and completed a dual masters degree in Museology and Conservation of Paintings and Frescoes.

In 2002 Chiara taught a course on “The History and Art History of Florence” at Gonzaga University in Florence. Chiara has served on conservation teams in Florence, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. In 1999 she joined the team at West Lake Conservators in Skaneateles. She has been a dynamic member of West Lake Conservators, assisting with the organization and hosting of workshops. She is a liaison to our colleagues in Italy and our resident expert on Italian Renaissance and European paintings. Chiara is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation. She has been with West Lake for almost 26 years.

Geneva Iklé, Paper Conservator
Geneva earned a Master of Art Conservation (MAC 2016) degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a specialization in Works on Paper. Geneva has long been interested in photographs, so while at Queen’s she was able to get hands-on experience with photograph conservation in addition to conservation of works on paper. During her studies, she completed internships at the National Archives and Records Administration and at the Library of Congress.

After graduating from Queen’s, Geneva briefly started her own private practice in Wilmington, North Carolina, before being hired at ECS Conservation in Greensboro, North  Carolina, as a paper conservator.

Geneva has experience treating a wide variety of objects including documents, art on paper, maps, posters, and photographic materials. She is also an Associate Member of the American Institute for Conservation. Geneva joined West Lake Conservators in Fall 2022.

 

Nathan Sutton, Paintings Conservator
Nathan holds an MA and CAS in Art Conservation from SUNY Buffalo State University, specializing in Paintings Conservation. His interests include the care and treatment of easel paintings, murals, and frames, with particular expertise in late 19th- and early 20th-century American and European painting traditions.

Nathan began as an apprentice in painting conservation with West Lake Conservators from 2002 to 2005 where he was initially mentored by his mother, father and aunt, who comprised the original leadership of West Lake Conservators. He then completed undergraduate degrees at the University at Buffalo in Studio Art and Art History from late 2005 until 2007, while also working as a preparator at the Buffalo AKG Art Gallery.

At Buffalo State, Nathan completed internships with Whitten and Proctor Fine Arts and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and for six years following his graduate studies, Nathan operated and co-owned Sutton Greene Art Conservation, providing painting conservation to museums, universities, religious institutions, and private collectors. This diverse range directly informs his current work.

Raphael Shea, Paintings Conservator
Raphael rejoined West Lake Conservators not long after completing his Master of Art Conservation (MAC 2019) degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a specialization in Paintings. Before graduate school, Raphael spent two years pre-program working at West Lake with focused training in both paper and paintings conservation. While at Queen’s, Raphael studied under Assistant Professor and current Program Director Patricia Smithen (Queen’s MAC 1993), formally the Head of Conservation at Tate Modern in London, England. As part of his studies, Raphael interned at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, in 2018, and in 2019, he completed concurrent internships at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and at the Gianfranco Pocobene Studio, both in Boston. Post-graduation, Raphael worked for Hartmann Fine Arts Conservations Services, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a private conservation lab specializing in paintings of all types – from easel paintings, to murals, to painted artifacts – before returning to West Lake.

Raphael brings a varied and unique skill set to West Lake, informed through a prior career in toy design, book illustration, and hand-crafted carpentry. Part of what excites Raphael about the conservation field is meeting the complex problem-solving challenges so many treatments demand, with no two quite alike. Raphael enjoys applying the insights, hand skills, and strategic planning gained through his conservation training with his prior professional experiences to more carefully conserve historic and contemporary paintings, thus safely preserving these painted artifacts and better allowing the original artist’s intent to be more fully showcased.

Martha Dickey, Operations Manager
Martha holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Mathematics from SUNY Plattsburgh and brings decades of practical experience across small business, healthcare, tech, and nonprofit roles to her position at WLACC. A native to the Fingerlakes, she has managed everything from chiropractic offices to library systems and church finances, always with a focus on streamlining operations and building supportive work environments. In 2017–2018, she worked with the original West Lake Conservators, where she first connected with the mission of cultural preservation.

She is known for her flexibility, collaborative spirit, and the heart she brings to mission-driven work. Martha helps keep WLACC’s daily operations running smoothly, with a steady presence and a practical mindset. She values balance, connection, and contributing to something meaningful—especially in a place that honors community and care.

 

 

Marietta Bolster, Account Executive and Partner Development
Marietta supports Westlake Art Conservation Center’s nonprofit mission through partnership development, strategic outreach, and community engagement. Appointed by the board, she helps advance Westlake’s vision of serving the region as a premier, state-of-the-art conservation facility offering expert treatments, secure storage, and—through future growth—exhibition opportunities. She also works to expand educational collaborations with schools, universities, and cultural institutions to strengthen regional art preservation.

In addition to her work at Westlake, Marietta is the Creative Director and Founder of Art Camp, a community-focused program that blends art and nature to inspire creativity across generations .Rooted in a long line of artists, Marietta studied at George Washington University and earned her Graphic Design degree in Southern California. With a professional background in product development and marketing, she is committed to building meaningful relationships that support and enrich the local art community.