Canning Liturgical Arts was founded and remains rooted in ecclesiastical design and decoration.
We have a long history with the restoration of historic churches, as well as the design of new churches and chapels that seek a traditional interior.
Our services include:
• Painted Decoration
• Commissioned Artwork
• Faux Finishes
• Metallic Leaf Gilding
• Plaster Work
• Furnishings
• Pre-Planning & Construction
Paired with a singular understanding of and training in religious iconography and the historically significant symbols, our designs and decoration elevate a religious space to show devotion and the importance of faith in a timeless way.
Historic Restoration & Beautification
New Haven, CT
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
St. Mary’s, the home of the Knights of Columbus, had undergone several renovations over the centuries. Canning was asked to brighten the space and fill it with symbols, icons, and colors representing Mary, Christ, and various saints.
Though it features a wide palette of colors and metallic leaf, we made sure each one elevated the existing architecture and embodied the strength of faith in the community.
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
Norwalk, CT
(Top) Before restoration. (Bottom) Watercolor rendering by Duncan Stroik Architecture. (Right) After restoration.
From an idea to a completed project, our speciality is transforming entire churches from what may appear secular to distinctly sacred spaces.
Side altar, before restoration.
St. John the Evangelist Clinton, MA
Respecting the original integrity of the design, we make our work seem as though it was always there and complete every church interior with timeless beauty.
Side altar, after restoration.
The First Church of Christ
Woodbridge, CT
Careful choice of color and methodical layouts of trompe l’oeil elements elevates the existing structure and layout of the room.
Paint investigations to determine the original colors and designs were completed and guided our design choices.
The result is a light, cohesive, yet rich interior that honors the original 1860 design intent.
St. Mary Church Willimantic, CT
In this historic church, an electrical fire burned down the entire ceiling, leaving little more than support beams and soot. Canning restored the plaster ceiling to its former glory and, within a year, a barrel vault soared above us with no traces of a fire and beautiful period artwork and decoration.
Cathedral of St. Patrick
Norwich, CT
This white-washed cathedral once featured beautiful stencil work and murals. The columns, arches, and ceiling all had paint and decoration and once featured a towering reredos in the apse.
By conducting a historic paint analysis, we were able to uncover this lost art and replicate it within the church’s budget. Instead of restoring the reredos, the church opted for a one-of-a-kind simulated stained-glass window in the apse, completing the Gothic interior. This and every design choice restored the church to its joyful color scheme.
Belmont Chapel Newport, RI
This abandoned mortuary chapel once featured designs inspired by Notre Dame in Paris. With the help of paint exposures and extensive research on the chapel’s history, we were able to restore many of the original colors and designs.
Basilica of St. John the Evangelist
Stamford, CT
After a series of renovations to the interior structure, the church was left with more blank wall space than originally intended, leaving voids in the art and decoration.
To complement the existing windows, Canning designed trompe l’oeil niches on canvas to house figures painted in grisaille style.
We also utilized elements from the stained-glass windows to create a variety of patterns for the interior sacred space.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Conewago, PA
Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel
Thomas Aquinas College Greenfield, MA
Modern Design & Beautification
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Bethel, CT
Owen Jones’s first proposition in the Grammar of Ornament has been our guiding philosophy, “the Decorative Arts arise from, and should properly be attendant upon, Architecture.”
Working with an existing building, it may seem as though classical designs are out of reach. But, the possibilities for decorative work in modern churches are surprisingly endless.
We are passionate about putting those ideas on paper to conceptualize the project and transform the church from nearly secular to distinctly sacred.
Basilica of St. Mary - Alexandria, VA
St. Paul Catholic Student Center
Bloomington, IN
In a modern space, it can be difficult to imagine Classical or Gothic elements, but it is possible to achieve antique beauty in these spaces. Working with the architecture and design principles, we create pencil and watercolor renderings to help envision all that is possible.
Archdiocese of the Military Chapel
Washington, DC
A proper design process is vital to the correct execution of our philosophy.
We worked with Archbishop Broglio through the design phase to create color schemes, designs and artwork fitting to the architecture of the church.
From one small idea on a Post-It note to a fully realized project of this scale, Canning replaced the drop ceiling with Baswaphon acoustical plaster, introduced architectural details, like a Gothic boss, and transformed the entire space into a structured and centered chapel by using lines like those of a military uniform.
This, and many of our projects, attest that the beauty is in the details.
Our Lady of Fatima Chapel Trumbull, CT
St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church
Darien, CT
This clam-shell shaped church proved to be dark, tight, and difficult to navigate comfortably. Can lights and white walls were meant to make the space feel larger but created a cold atmosphere that did not suit the liturgy.
Canning completed: the finishes, reredos, triumphal arch, flooring, marble selection, and liturgical design scheme. Enlarging the apse, painting the walls with warm neutrals, and decorating the walls made the interior brighter and more inviting. By using simulated mosaic and marbleizing, we made the materials appear more precious while remaining cost effective.
This dark and uninviting church kitchen had enormous potential above the drop ceilings. With some creative vision, it was transformed into a beautiful adoration chapel.
Forestville, CT
St. Matthew’s Chapel
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe LaCrosse, WI
In this Shrine, we were responisble for constructing the interior walls, ceiling, and moldings as well as designing the interior finishes. The constellation design in the dome (shown below) is an accurate representation of the night sky from Mexico City on December 9th, 1531. The colors derive from the original mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe, making the interior a united piece of art dedicated to her.
Christ Chapel
Hillsdale, MI
Completed in 2019 for Hillsdale College, this chapel features acoustic and decorative plaster, faux finishes on the capitals, and gilded letters.
The capitals were painted to match the Indiana limestone elsewhere in the chapel, making the coffered ceiling and towering columns feel monumental.
Artistic Services
Canning Liturgical Arts can assist you see a project through from start to finish.
Our full services include:
• Historic Structures Reports
• Historic Paint Studies
• Project Management & Consulting
• Restoration Consultation
• Plaster Assessment & Surveys
• Ornamental, Flat, & Acoustic Plaster
• Plaster Consolidation & Stabilization
• Restoration of Scagliola
• Exterior & Interior Architectural Gilding
• Decorative Painting
• Marbleizing and Woodgraining
• Stone Cleaning & Restoration
• Woodwork Restoration & Conservation
• Fine Art Conservation
• Commissioned Artwork
• New Sacred Interior Design
• Fundraising & Budget Development
St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church Lowell, MA
The organ loft was woodgrained to simulate quarter sawn oak and the surrounding historic wood. Beneath it, a cry room was designed and built to match the historic finishes, and include new commissioned murals.
St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Norwich, CT
Stations of the Cross
Joselito Chapel
Norwalk, CT
San
Commissioned Art & Decorative Painting
Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception
Waterbury, CT
Fine Art Conservation
The church’s murals had suffered years of grime buildup and overpainting. Over time, they accumulated so much dirt and incorrect paint colors that the original colors were totally hidden.
By carefully removing the top layers, Canning revealed the beautiful color scheme below and, through conservation, brought the artwork back to life.
St.
Rose of Lima Roman
Catholic Church
Newtown, CT
Commissioned Mosaic
At St. Rose of Lima, a beautiful mosaic of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stood on the wall but, alone, it felt incomplete.
Artists at Canning created a complementary mosaic to match the style, materials, and colors depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary. A perfect match makes the pair seem as though they were always together.
The two mosaics complete the church interior and each other, leaving nothing more to be desired: the definition of true beauty.
Holy Trinity Pomfret, CT
Beautification Mockup
Mockups provide a great tool for visualization and fundraising as they provide a glimpse into the finished decorative scheme.
Below:
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Lacrosse, WI
Marbleizing
Canning simulated up to 25 types of marble in the Shrine. Each type has a hand in creating a rich and glowing interior within a limited budget.
St. Panteleimon
Hartford, CT
Exterior Gilding
At St. Panteleimon, the onion domes appeared to need regilding after years of wear and tear but, after scaffolding was erected to the summit, Canning craftsmen found lichen growth on the exterior onion domes that was deteriorating the gold and diminishing the dome’s radiance.
Removal of the lichen and regilding ensured the domes would retain their beauty for decades to come.
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Lacrosse, WI
Interior Gilding
From angels to acanthus leaf, interior gilding is one of our specialties as it transforms a church into a 3-dimensional icon celebrating the glory of God.
University of Virginia Chapel
Charlottesville, VA
Organ Pipe Restoration
For many churches and chapels, the music makes the interior complete. The UVA Chapel’s organ is both a functional and beautifying piece.
Restored to the original colors, the organ pipes harmonize with the interior design and complete the sacred space.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Canning Liturgical Arts and the services we offer.
It is our mission from the beginning to make your church as unique, beautiful, and as sacred as you envision.
Our firm has been collaborating with clergy, church committees, architects, and contractors nationwide, from modest neighborhood churches to monumental cathedrals, for fifty years. We have worked extensively in historic churches seeking to restore their original interiors, as well as modern churches seeking ecclesiastical design and artwork. In either aspect, Canning Liturgical Arts always delivers quality results, on time and on budget.
Historic Structures Reports
Historic Paint Studies
Fundraising & Consulting
Restoration Consultation
Plaster Assessment & Surveys
Ornamental & Flat Plaster
Plaster Consolidation
Acoustical Plaster
Decorative Painting
Scagliola & Faux Marbres
Stone Cleaning & Restoration
Woodwork Restoration
Fine Art Conservation
Commissioned Artwork
We invite you to visit our website or contact us today for additional information. CanningLiturgicalArts.com | 203-272-9868 | info@canningliturgicalarts.com
