Before After
The St Joseph Symphony has this portrait of Maestro Richard Cormier, the first conductor of the Symphony from 1959-1964. The portrait was painted in 1962 by Eleanor Lee Jones Starnes and since had been stored in a basement, theatre, and then the furnace room of the Symphony office where it remained until 2019.
The surface of the painting was in poor condition. Scratches and losses were present throughout, as well as airborne grime, soot, and yellowed varnish.
Water damage was evident on the back of the painting.
An official unveiling of the restored portrait was held on September 13, 2023 at The Benton Club in St. Joseph, MO. A presentation of the restoration process by Peggy Van Witt followed the unveiling.