We are all going through a very challenging time on many levels: the health threat of COVID-19, the financial security of our families, the future of our jobs, and more. This has caused me to pause, reflect upon the history of The Conservation Center, and consider how we might use our past to inform our future as a team and company during this difficult time.

Much like the gentry of centuries ago, we were enthralled when a set of miniature profiles were brought to The Center.

Anna Heyward Taylor (1879 – 1956) was a celebrated printmaker and one of the principal artists of the Charleston Renaissance. Her lush, vibrant prints frequently feature floral and avian motifs. We were thrilled when a client brought in an unusual Anna Heyward Taylor piece – with all the hallmarks of her work; however, there was one key difference: instead of a print, this work was the actual linoleum she used to make the prints themselves which she then painted to take on a life of its own. The client was concerned as the paint was peeling from the linoleum, due to an inherent vice in the work.

This stunning interior scene arrived at The Center in poor condition – damaged by fire, water, and then impact. It could no longer be displayed in its current state. Rebecca, one of our painting’s conservators, certainly had her work cut out for her.  

This football down marker came to us from the Cushing Memorial Library and Archives at Texas A & M University Libraries.  Well worn from its days on the field, this football marker’s paint layer was badly flaking, the metal was corroding, and the wood topper was splitting. 

This incredibly intricate frame also came from The Cushing Memorial Library and Archives at Texas A & M University Library. The frame is composed of wood, gesso, plaster, and an original combination of metal and gold leaf. Unusually so, the frieze is composed of large pebbles, and gilded, a non-traditional move away from most frames, which choose a fine grain of sand.

A few of our conservators weigh in on their favorite treatments of 2020!

With holiday travel impending, we wanted to share with you an amazing treatment our paper conservators just completed!

Although conservation is the foundation of our business, we also do a lot of shipping, installation, and art handling for our clients.

After comprehensive treatment, the Imperial Screen of Emperor Qianlong we treated for the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art has been reinstalled!

A Bugatti plant stand was recently brought to The Center, showing severe damage from its years of functionality. Comprised of ebonized and inlaid wood, hammered copper designs, and painted vellum, the surprisingly large object was in desperate need of treatment.

Verve magazine was a glossy, slippery publication, put in boxes for purchase. We were ecstatic to be able to treat two of these boxes at The Center. Brought to us darkened and embrittled with age, they exhibited minor distortion, with scattered handling dents, skinning, abrasions, and tears throughout, sometimes resulting in severe losses. The boxes were both covered in a heavy layer of surface grime and inherent age-related discoloration.

Our paper conservators carefully treated a serene nautical watercolor from the esteemed painter.

When Chicago's beloved Kobra mural was vandalized, our conservators were called in to help clean the work up.

The Chazen Museum brought one of their newest acquisitions to The Center for treatment.

Almost 1,300 people visited The Center during Open House Chicago.

Jeanne Gang’s sketchbooks were brought to The Center for treatment, and two particularly significant sketches were digitally reproduced and archivally framed.

Kerry James Marshall, renown American artist, brought several of his early works to The Center for treatment, including these beautiful figure sketches.

This year at EXPO Chicago, we’re excited to feature a series of works by Robert Mallary, an integral figure in the Neo-Dadaist movement whose work was previously stored in a barn.