Suzanne Smeaton
Gallery Director

Suzanne Smeaton has been a framer of fine art for over 30 years and has worked for Eli Wilner & Company since 1986. She has worked extensively in the field of American period frames: written articles for publications such as The Magazine Antiques and American Art, the journal of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, lectured to museum groups across the country, researched and written videos, presented at numerous symposiums, worked with curators of the frame exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Parrish Museum, and has curated many other museum frame exhibitions in her work for Eli Wilner & Company. Suzanne has lectured for Christie's, Sotheby's American Arts Course, the Appraiser's Association of America, the American Society of Appraisers, and continues to lecture frequently to museum audiences on the subject of American picture frames; she was an adjunct professor for the NYU Appraisal Studies Program for 10 years and has been a member of Art Table since 2000.

Suzanne contributed an essay on artist-designed frames and coordinated the compilation of The Gilded Edge the Eli Wilner & Company book on American frames published by Chronicle Books in October of 2000. Suzanne has been focusing on American frame research projects and comprehensive frame surveys for public, private and corporate art collections.

Recent projects include essays on American frames for two museum exhibition catalogs: Life’s Pleasures: The Ashcan School’s Brush With Leisure 1895–1925 organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts and Auspicious Vision: Edwin Wales Root and American Modernism an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Edwin Root Bequest to the Munson-Williams Proctor Art Institute.

Kevin Flaherty
Gallery Director

Kevin Flaherty has been at Eli Wilner & Company since 1986. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from St. John's University, New York and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Queens College, City University of New York.

He is a Gallery Director and is responsible for helping to select appropriate period frames for clients as well as fitting the artwork using archivally correct materials and procedures.

Kevin contributed an essay on picture frames and the glossary and line drawing illustrations for The Gilded Edge, the Eli Wilner book published by Chronicle Books in 2000. He also contributed drawings for Antique American Frames Identification and Price Guide published by Avon Books in 1995.

Sean Morello
Gallery Manager

Sean Morello has been at Eli Wilner & Company since 2005. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Brigham Young University, and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Sean is the Gallery Manager and works with Eli Wilner, overseeing many aspects of the gallery. He helps to ensure that our clients’ needs are met, and acts as liaison with many of our clients including galleries, auction houses, and private collections.

Jennifer Badran-Grycan
Chief Financial Officer

Jennifer Badran-Grycan has been with Eli Wilner & Company since 2005, where she currently manages the gallery's finances, including financial planning, analysis, and human resources. Previously, Jennifer managed the gallery's HR, communications, and operations functions. Prior to joining Eli Wilner & Company, she served as a registrar and operations assistant at one of the world's leading contemporary art galleries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Villanova University.

Cherie Werner
Gallery Manager

Cherie Werner received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Photojournalism degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She has worked in the custom framing business since 2000. Cherie is the Gallery Manager and works with Eli Wilner, overseeing many aspects of the gallery and studio. She helps to ensure that our clients’ needs are met, and acts as a liaison with many of our clients including galleries, auction houses, and private collections. She works one on one with Eli, organizing the Gallery’s day to day events calendar and scheduling client appointments. She also works closely with the gallery’s studio location to coordinate the production and restoration of all of our clients’ projects.

Julie Simpkins

Julie Simpkins has been at Eli Wilner & Company since December 2009. She is a skilled visual artist and she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, Massachusetts. She is an art handler and fulfills a variety of responsibilities for the gallery including fitting artworks using archivally correct materials and procedures, packing and shipping, installation, and digital imaging. She has been involved in the picture framing business since 1995.

Ryan Roth

Ryan Roth joined the staff in 2007 with a background as an artist and educator. After receiving a Master's degree in Drawing and Painting from the University of Georgia, Ryan went on to teach at The Ohio State University, Denison University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania before moving to New York City. Ryan’s knowledge of frame history, extensive art handling experience, and digital graphic skills make him a key member of the staff. As an exhibiting artist, Ryan enjoys the artistic environment at Eli Wilner and Company, which offers hands-on experience with world famous artworks and the opportunity to work with a team of veteran framers and craftsmen.

Emma Cotter

Emma Cotter is a consultant to Eli Wilner & Company, specializing in the framing of works of art on paper. She has over twenty years of framing experience, including eight years in a Manhattan art conservation studio. She began working with Eli Wilner & Company in 2007 and since then has overseen many delicate and complicated framing projects, as well as handling some of the most valuable artworks to ever come to auction. Emma received a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan and often applies her choreographic skills to art handling. She is also a visual artist.