Our Experts & Services

We follow a strict process to ensure that your artwork is restored to its original condition. Our process includes a thorough assessment of the artwork, cleaning, restoration, and final inspection. We keep you informed throughout the process to ensure that you are satisfied with the results. Our services can be used separately or used together to make a holistic 4-part conservation cycle that includes: 

The first step to determining whether a piece needs to be repaired or restored is to establish its condition. This is done through careful examination of the project in a process known as condition assessment. In order to ensure that all potential problems are detected and to prevent issues from reoccurring, art condition assessments should be done by a qualified conservator. This will go a long way in helping to maintain the integrity of the structure for many years. When assessing the condition of a piece or a collection, there are several factors we focus on. These include the age of the object, the materials from which it is made, the presence of visible scratches, breaks, weakness, or lost parts, among many other possible issues. Once this is done, we will document our findings, and recommend the best ways to address outstanding issues. Depending on the condition of the object, recommendations will relate to either upkeep or treatments. Our experts can complete condition assessment for individual pieces, full collections for museums and historical societies, and public art collections. We will provide a customer initial for comic art on photo submission and a final quote upon physical assessment.

Once we have examined the object and identified any defects, we will recommend treatments to help in its conservation. Generally, preservation treatments depend on the condition and needs of the object in question. We also utilize different treatments for sculptures, paintings, and artifacts.  For sculptures made from a variety of materials, there are several steps we can take to restore them. We will fill in cracks and minor breaks, apply wax coatings to restore luster, clean dirty or dusty pieces, install replacement pieces for those with areas of loss, and remove mold, foxing or soot caused by water or smoke damage. Oil paintings, and paintings in other mediums, may also need to be restored. After careful assessment, some of the measures that we can take include carefully cleaning the surface, repainting areas of paint loss, and removing any mold or soot caused by water damage and fire damage, respectively. Depending on the circumstances, we also repair canvas damage and offer frame repair. Artifacts such as military objects, furniture, historic vehicles, and cultural heritage pieces have great cultural and historical value. We will assess these objects before we begin replacing parts in areas of loss, cleaning any dirt off the pieces, or applying decorative painting over areas of loss.

Just like any other asset, pieces have to be maintained if they are to look great at all times. Scheduled and regular maintenance will help to prevent common issues that could compromise the integrity of the structure. However, proper art preservation upkeep will be possible only after the pieces and collections have been assessed. A conservator will examine the objects to determine the nature and frequency of maintenance services that would be required. Conservation maintenance is central to ensuring that the object remains stable for many years. Examples of the maintenance schedules and plans that we can recommend are regular cleaning after a given period of time, application of new wax coating after a specified period, as well as storage requirements and display instructions. In the event that the piece had to be repaired, we will carry out the appropriate treatment before advising on further upkeep. Indeed, regular maintenance is just as important as the treatments meant to repair defects.

Art Conservation: Art conservation focuses on preserving and protecting an artwork from further deterioration while maintaining as much of the original material as possible.

Key characteristics:

• Prevents future damage.
• Stabilizes fragile or deteriorating areas.
• Uses minimal intervention.
• Emphasizes documentation and reversibility whenever possible.
• Retains evidence of the artwork's age and history.

Examples:

• Removing harmful surface dirt.
• Stabilizing flaking paint.
• Controlling environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and light exposure.
• Repairing tears in a canvas to prevent them from growing.
• Primary goal: Preserve the artwork's authenticity and physical integrity.

Art Restoration: Art restoration aims to return an artwork closer to its original appearance by repairing or reconstructing damaged or missing elements.

• Key characteristics:
• More interventionist than conservation.
• May involve replacing or recreating lost areas.
• Focuses on visual appearance and aesthetic unity.
• Requires extensive research to ensure accuracy.
• Examples:
• Retouching paint losses in a damaged painting.
• Reconstructing missing decorative elements on a sculpture.
• Removing discolored varnish and applying a new coating.
• Filling losses in a fresco so the image appears complete.
• Primary goal: Improve the artwork's appearance and legibility.

Simple Comparison Example: Imagine a 300-year-old oil painting with cracked paint and faded colors: A conservator would stabilize the cracking paint, clean the surface, and ensure the painting can survive for future generations. A restorer might also fill paint losses and carefully retouch damaged areas so the painting looks closer to how it appeared when first created. Today, many museum professionals view conservation and restoration as complementary practices. Restoration is often performed as part of a broader conservation treatment, with careful attention to preserving the artwork's authenticity and historical value. Art conservation focuses on preserving and protecting an artwork from further deterioration while maintaining as much of the original material as possible.