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Larry Shar, President
Larry is head of the oldest and largest fine arts services firm in the country, upholding the tradition of excellence that has come to define this family-owned company for three generations. Larry’s association with Lowy began as a child, when he accompanied his father, Hilly, to work. Under his father’s guidance, he learned all aspects of the business, from cleaning and lining paintings to gilding, burnishing, and finishing frames. Larry joined Lowy professionally, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Brandeis University in 1969. Ten years later, he succeeded his father as president.
His myriad responsibilities include advising museums, galleries and private collectors on conservation and framing issues and traveling worldwide to purchase antique frames for Lowy’s superlative inventory, the largest in the country. He sees himself as a picture doctor and stylist, helping artworks to show their best colors and live into perpetuity. A longtime member of the American Institute of Conservation, the Art and Antique Dealers League of America and the Appraisers Association of America, Larry also advises clients on the quality and value of their artworks and how to prioritize a collection’s needs. He is a highly visible ambassador on the international art scene for the museum-caliber products and services for which Lowy has been widely respected for more than a century.
Brad Shar, Vice President & General Manager
Brad Shar has been working alongside his father in the family business since 1991. He joined Lowy while attending the New School, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in art history in 1996. Brad’s interests in both the arts and technology have proven to be a perfect fit for the firm, allowing him to assume many roles. In addition to managing Lowy’s art conservation and framing workshops, he consults with clients, oversees human resources, and develops and manages Lowy’s computer systems and website.
He also introduced LowyScan, a state-of-the-art digital imaging system used for matching paintings with appropriate frames, establishing Lowy as the first fine art services company to offer virtual framing. Brad sees himself as a bridge between the past and future, as he continues to bring cutting-edge technology to Lowy, while maintaining the uncompromising standards of old-world craftsmanship for which the firm is known. He enjoys the artistic environment at Lowy, which offers hands-on experience with world-famous artworks and the opportunity to work with a close-knit team of veteran conservators and frame makers.
Lisa Wyer, Vice President of Sales
Lisa has been with Lowy since 1988 acting as a consultant to museums, galleries and private collectors. She works closely with clients to accommodate their individual needs, recommending framing and conservation treatments for fine artworks. Lisa also assists with day-to-day operations, functioning as a liaison between Lowy’s departments and ensuring timely, first rate service. Additionally, she has organized traveling exhibitions of antique frames from Lowy’s extensive inventory, and has overseen Lowy’s participation in various antique fairs including New York’s prestigious annual Winter Antiques Show.
Lisa’s arts-related background is ideally suited to her position at Lowy. She graduated from Oberlin College in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in art and music, and received a master’s degree in fine art from Pratt Institute in 1984. Thereafter, she worked as an assistant printer at a lithography atelier in New York and as a sales consultant for archival materials. At Lowy, her keen aesthetic eye and business acumen have helped to forge longstanding client relationships. Lisa enjoys researching the history of frames, knowing that clients not only rely on Lowy’s long established expertise in conservation but in matching frames to various periods and styles of paintings.
Bill Santel, Chief Conservator
Bill has been with Lowy for more than 30 years, having worked with such notable conservators such as Gustav Berger, Margaret Watherston and Marco Grassi early in his career. He oversees Lowy’s conservation department, while continuing to apply his own considerable conservation skills, including cleaning, inpainting and lining, to the many masterpieces that pass through Lowy’s doors. His extensive experience and knowledge of conservation ensure the continued quality and efficiency that the art community has come to expect from Lowy. His responsibilities also include staffing the department with the finest talent available and keeping abreast of ongoing scientific advancements, which have contributed to Lowy’s reputation as a leader in the field.
Bill graduated from City College in New York in 1972 with a bachelor’s in art history, having also taken additional courses in studio art at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts. He worked for two New York conservation firms, one headed by Berger the other by Watherston, before joining Lowy. Bill, a dedicated painter himself, especially enjoys contributing to the transformation a painting undergoes when it is properly and beautifully conserved.
Lauren Rich, Senior Paintings Conservator
Before joining the Lowy team, Lauren aided in the conservation of landmarks across the country such as the Boston Opera House, erected in 1925, and the John Adams Courthouse, erected in 1893 as well as interning in the conservation department at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. While obtaining her conservation degree in Florence Italy, she worked on a multitude of projects including a rare opportunity to travel to Serbia and assist the Center of Preventative Conservation, a division of the National Museum of Belgrade, in their aim to preserve their cultural heritage.
Lauren graduated from New York University in 2001 with a dual major in Fine Arts and Renaissance Literature. In addition to obtaining her Master’s Degree in Conservation, she studied the physical sciences at Harvard University. During her undergraduate years she worked for the distinguished Fischbach Gallery in Manhattan where she attained hands-on experience with collection maintenance. At the early age of seven, she began classical training in the execution of oil painting that has helped to shape her love and consideration for the preservation of fine art.
Michael Tramis, Senior Photographer
Michael has been known to do a lot around the office, but his best work is behind the lens. His background in architectural photography has been an asset when it comes to capturing the 5000+ frames and projects within Lowy and on job sites - galleries to homes. Michael documents the process so Lowy can share the journey with it's customers. His work, along with the photography of Jon Lopez, can be found on our Flickr site.
Juan L. Figueroa, Traffic Manager
Juan started at Lowy as a maintenance worker and moved up very quickly to his current position of Traffic Manager. His thinking, organization and problem-solving skills make him a big asset to the company. He brings in 15+ years of experience working at a law firm supervising and managing the mailroom. His passion for people, working in excellence and his love for sports makes him fit in any work environment.
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