David Irving Weiner

founder; chief conservator

Serving as David Irving Studio’s premier restoration artist, head conservator and C.E.O, Weiner has built a reputation for precision craftsmanship and unparalleled results. He offers clients a singular approach of discretion, sensitivity and conservative rates.

Coming from a lineage of inventors, artists and chemists, Weiner is a hybrid of all these and more.  Weiner’s great grandfather was an inventor and mechanical wizard; his grandfather was a sculptor, and his father a chemist.  Upon completing his undergraduate studies in sculpture and psychology, Weiner continued on the artists’ path, apprenticing with world-renowned sculptor Boaz Vaadia and multimedia artist Mihai “Nova” Poppa of “Nova’s Ark”.  Afterwards, Weiner attained a position within the prestigious Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in 2006, whereby he was trained by the finest artisans in the world.  Over this three year span, he developed a mastery of metal patination, restoration, fabrication and finishing.  

Post Polich Tallix, Weiner travelled throughout Europe to deepen his craft.  Making this “pilgrimage” to the foundry mecca, Pietrasanta, Italy, he expanded his breadth of knowledge to include the sculptural traditions of contemporary Italian masters.  Afterwards, Weiner went on to earn an MFA from Stony Brook University in Visual Arts to further develop his oeuvre and technical skill sets. 

Weiner uniquely marries his technical foundry expertise with an artist’s eye. In this spirit, he founded David Irving Studio Inc. in 2011 and has been working with the foremost galleries, collectors, and artists ever since.   

For an in-depth representation of Weiner’s artistic corpus, please visit his artist URL: davidirvingweiner.com

FELIPE GUEVARA-VAZQEUZ

DEPARTMENTAL LEAD OF FABRICATION AND RESTORATION

Formally trained as an artisan at Polich Tallix fine art foundry, Felipe Guevara Vazquez is a master craftsman working across all mediums and materials.  Highly skilled in every aspect of metal fabrication, casting, finishing and patination, the quality of Guevara’s workmanship is second to none.  A proud Mexican-American, Guevara’s deep ancestral connection to his rich Mexican lineage of craftspeople (tracing back to the Aztecs) intuitively informs his understanding and relationship to the earth and it’s elemental forces.  This innate knowledge gives Guevarra a unique advantage in the ancient art of metal patination.  Additionally, Guevara is an amazing self-taught artist; his work can be viewed here: Felipe Guevara Vazquez: artwork

Carolanne LEslie

Departmental lead of painting and mixed media restoration.

Formally educated as an artist, Carolanne Leslie earned her BFA from Adelphi University with a full scholarship. Highly skilled in illustration, textile design and sculpture, both the caliber and versatility of Leslie’s skillset reigns supreme. Bred from a lineage of Southern Italian craftsmen, Leslie’s father and grandfather worked as master engravers. A competitive gymnast throughout her childhood and teens, Leslie’s rigid and painful training at a Pre-Olympic level led to her interests in the aesthetics of the body. With numerous athletic awards and a BA in psychology to her credit, Leslie chose to focus her energies on the visual arts. Trained in the art of painting conservation, Leslie is equally comfortable restoring objects in all mediums from composites, to fiber and glass. In addition to her position at David Irving Studio, Leslie also creates her own artwork which is primarily rooted in performance. Leslie’s incredible artistic creations can be viewed on her artist URL: carolanneleslie.com

REBECCA ANTSIS

OPERATIONS; PROJECT MANAGER.

Born to two dissident Ukrainian artists, Antsis grew up immersed in the pedagogy, craft, and culture of the European Fine Arts tradition.  She is a seasoned production maven and team manager with over 15 years of experience.  At David Irving Studio, she oversees all stages of art handling, on-site coordination, timelines & execution, and administration. Multi-lingual, she speaks Russian, Spanish & French.  In her spare time, you can catch find her globally throwing pop-up herbal elixir bars and teaching classes in the herbalism-meets-hospitality sector. 

Ilon Efron

Archiving; Photography and new technologies

At David Irving Studio, Ilon Efon is our chief archivist. Creating our unique media database from scratch, Efron specializes in photography and new technologies. Her skills in organization are unparalleled. In addition to her important work with David Irving Studio, Efron is also an independent archivist, gallerist, curator, editor and software designer. Starting in the early 1990’s as a black and white printer and archivist for Annie Leibovitz, Efron realized the need for archival services for photographers. Efron opened Ilon and Company and began working with the industry’s top photographers and artists. Efron’s first client after Annie, was David LaChapelle and soon she began working with Steven Klein, Joel Meyerowitz and The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. As time progressed, Efron continued working with the highest caliber of artists such as the Starn Brothers, Richard Gere, Alfred Wertheimer, Gilles Peress, Michel Comte, and Philippe Halsman. For a more in-depth read of Ilon Efron’s amazing story, please visit her website: ilon.com.