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This page is for internal use and limited sharing with our discussion partners. We are working through our ideas by way of drafting these webpages.
The [ .?. ] Conservation Studio for Paintings
Specializing in 19th-Century and earlier paintings
A veneration for art that transcends time and cultures
There are deeply emotional reasons why artists dedicate so much of their lives to creating works of art. Imagined within the cultural setting at the time of their creation, works of art serve as portals through which one can envisage the lives of artists and their relationships with others, all within a regional and indeed a global context during an interlude in history.
Works of art transcend time and cultures, in the sense that a veneration for them is passed down from generation to generation, both in private collections and public museums, with a constant adventitious flow, as works of art change ownerships and migrate to new locations and new cultural settings. This assumes that works of art will survive the vagaries of fate while they are being cared for.
A team of experts
Conservators of works of art have their own deeply emotional reasons why they dedicate so much of their lives to conserving them. Through the benefit of the passage of time they have a veneration for works of art and their historical context that runs in parallel with that of artists, collectors, patrons, art historians, and curators. In a very real sense, they understand how intimately they are "partnered" with artists of bygone eras by faithfully conserving their paintings.
Early efforts of the conservation studio at Eagle Hill will focus on conserving paintings that have relatively modest issues, e.g., a darkened varnish layer, losses of paint, or a modest structural tear or puncture in their canvas. With stepped acquisition of equipment, the capabilities of the studio will grow over time, as needs and opportunities present themselves.
List of experts ... Link
Conservators
Art historians
Analytical chemists with interests in paintings
The time-honored tradition of internships
The studio is committed to a partnered teaching and internship mission. The conservation of paintings is a skill that is best slowly mastered over time under the patient guidance of master conservators. Our goal is thus to develop a traditional conservation studio in the globally-favored travel destination of eastern Maine that will serve the needs of collectors who are year-round residents, seasonal residents, and transient visitors.
Getting started - Residencies for conservators
At this time we have opportunities for master conservators with private commissions who would welcome a change of venue by retreating to the coast of eastern Maine on a residency basis to conserve paintings of their choice. The time period for residencies is flexible, as are the arrangements for having access to the conservation studio. Conservators are welcome to consider the following commitments as a way to help foment an interest in the studio while we seek grants to help fund its growth.
- mentoring interns who seek opportunities to learn from a master.
- offering a short duration master class on a specialized topic during their residency.
- asking a colleague to join them to collaborate on a project.
- offering a public lecture on some aspects of painting conservation or art history.
The studio is envisaged as an integral part of the planned cultural and events center on the western slope of the summit of the only inhabited peninsula on the eastern Maine coast. It will be located within a 150-acre nature reserve with 2.5 miles of trails, and a quarter mile of deep-water frontage on Dyer Bay looking east over Dyer Bay towards the forever-wild shore of Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge.
The museum setting
A conservation studio in the museum setting of an academically-focused organization that accepts outside commissions is logical. Clients can enjoy the institute’s fine art collection of 17th through 19th century paintings, come for lectures on aspects of art, stay for a sunset dinner on the western precipice, and even stay overnight, all of which contribute to leisurely discreet relationship-building moments among guests who enjoy sharing their passion for art.
Advisory Board
We are seeking mentoring from experts in painting conservation, art history, paint chemistry, and academia who share interests in eastern Maine. We are cordially inviting them to join our Advisory Board to play an active role of their choice. We need their help to mentor the evolution of the painting conservation studio. It is not anticipated that members will not play a direct role in conserving paintings, but will rather play a discreet relationship-bulding role. More specifically, we need help from our advisors, as follows.
- to advise about focusing the overall mission of the conservation studio
- to introduce us to conservators interested in a residency
- to help us reach out to philanthropists and foundations with interests in painting conservation
- to ease us into developing partnered programs with universities teaching conservation
- to introduce us to guest lecturers
- to provide guidance about the stepped acquisition of equipment
List of Advisors ... Link