Mr. Shae Avery

Meet the expert behind our company...

Shae Avery began professional art conservation, framing and restoration in 1973 at the White House Galleries in Virginia.  In 1982 he and his wife, Gwenda, opened their gallery in Marietta, GA.  Their present 9,000 square foot space has recently been remodeled and is open to the public.  Mr. Avery completed Paint on Canvas in 1982 and Paper Restoration at the Technical Art Conservation Center in 1983.  He graduated first in his class.  Mr. Avery developed and improved techniques for cleaning and restoring antique chromolithographs on paper in 1984.  Designed and built by Mr. Avery, a large 6' x 10' hot vacuum table is presently used at Avery Gallery for lining oversized paintings.  A member of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works since 1982, he continues to update his technical skills with state of the art information from AIC, SERCA and fellow conservators.

Mr. Avery served in the Air Force from 1964-1968.  He is happily married and business partners with his lovely wife Gwenda and a proud father of two sons.  He likes to fish, hike and camp.  He is an organic gardener, was previously a commercial pilot and flight instructor, is an amateur musician, writer, actor and poetry enthusiast.   His favorite poems are by Stephen Crane, Robert Frost and William Shakespeare.

Mr. Avery has written an art review column and several articles for newspapers and magazines about art and restoration. He lectures on print making, print media, frame design, art appreciation, restoration (both the value of and the techniques and materials) and the poetry of art titles.  Mr. Avery has organized and sponsored several art exhibitions for the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art.

Mr. Avery's collection of over one thousand signed etchings by all three Kasimir artists (Luigi, Tanna and Robert) known for multiple plate color etchings is on display in the Kasimir Museum adjacent to the gallery.  Mr. Avery also presents a lecture on the life and work of Luigi Kasimir.  His collection of restored and framed etchings is available for rent by museums, schools and libraries.  It is believed to be one of the world's largest original Kasimir collections.
 
Mr. Avery has restored works of art and frames from many collections...  Robert P. Coggins Art and Artists of the South, Mr. Fred Bentley, Dr. Noah Meadows, Kennesaw College, Brenau College, Southern Polytechnic State University, Savannah Historic Museum, Coastal Georgia Museum, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta Museum of History, Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Girl Scout National Center in Savannah Georgia, The Methodist Museum at Epworth by the Sea on St. Simons Island, GA, Jekyll Island Museum, Berry College Museum, Atlanta Historical Society, Atlanta History Center, Norfolk-Southern Railway, University of Georgia's College of Law and many others.  Work is also done for other museums, auction houses, galleries, insurance companies, mitigation companies and individual collectors from around the world.
 
Avery Gallery previously had the contract with the City of Atlanta for thirty years to clean, conserve and restore the Atlanta Cyclorama Diorama in Grant Park, which was recently bought by the Atlanta History Center.   Mr. Avery has also lined, cleaned and restored the oil painting portrait and frame of Mr. George Valentine Gress who gave the Atlanta Cyclorama painting to the city.  The gallery conservation lab has restored paintings of old masters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Frederic Sacrider Remington.  Our conservators have restored the painting and frame of Joel Chandler Harris for the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, Georgia. 

Mr. Avery is available for an art restoration, framing, medium information or value consultation by appointment. He has been and is available as an expert witness relating to art mediums, condition, and art restoration.  He also has talks such as The Poetry of Art Titles which may be scheduled for a reasonable fee.  His PowerPoint program on art and frame restoration is available to insurance and mitigation companies, museums and galleries. 

1988 - 72" x 48" oil on canvas portrait of Shae by Clifford Land
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