Services
Painting Conservation
This includes examination of paintings (using visible light, UV light, stereomicroscope, magnification, etc.), photographing paintings, drafting condition assessments, creating treatment plans, submitting proposals for treatment, and treating paintings in a variety of conditions.
Examination may be conducted on-site, but most treatment will occur in the studio — with the exception of large paintings or particularly delicate works. In some cases, condition reports are used by insurance companies and policy holders to determine whether conservation is possible and reasonable.
Treatment can include anything from dry surface cleanings and removal of coatings to paint consolidation and structural care like reweaving torn threads or repairing stretchers. Please consult the Client Resources tab to learn more about what happens in a typical day at the studio or on-site.
Disaster Mitigation
This includes consultations (condition assessments, recommendations for stabilization and for limiting damage from mold, mildew, flood, fire, earthquake, etc.,) triage, and treatment.
In some cases, I will treat pieces (partially) on site if they are too damaged to travel safely or difficult to extract. For example, I have treated paintings that were impaled during an earthquake and those that were cemented to the ground during a mudslide. After stabilizing them, the pieces should come to the studio for further treatment.
Environmental Assessment
This includes taking various measurements (temperature, relative humidity, and visible light), examining the structure of an exhibition or storage space, and more — all of which inform recommendations made towards protecting collections from climate-related damage.
Collections Care & Preventive Conservation
This includes integrated pest management, recommendations for display, storage, and transit of objects, calculation of appropriate annual light exposure for objects, condition reporting for mixed media collections.
It also includes the careful design of crates, backing boards, storage solutions, etc.
Workshops
These include in-person and online instruction focused on various aspects and implementations of preventive conservation. Workshops are designed to assist institutions (museums, galleries, historic homes, etc.) and individuals (artists, preparators, etc.).
Download our info packet to learn about pricing and services.
About
Elizabeth Burton has worked in paintings conservation since 2013. From 2013 through 2021, she worked under Eugena Ordonez at Painting Conservation & Research in Los Angeles.
She has conducted environmental analysis and implemented climate control measures for museums since 2017 — during and after completing her MA in Preventive Conservation.
Elizabeth contributes to the museum studies and preventive conservation fields as an instructor for the Northern States Conservation Center where she teaches the following courses: "Condition Assessments," "Care of Paintings," and "Museum Cleaning Basics" several times each year.
With 11 years of experience in painting conservation, Elizabeth focuses on pre-modern, modern, and contemporary paintings completed between the 1850's and today. She is especially passionate about working on paintings of late 19th and early 20th century California artists as well as heirloom pieces close to the hearts of their owners.
Have questions about painting conservation?
“5 Common Conservation Questions Answered: Contemporary and Modern Paintings”
Let’s chat about your painting or collection.
If your collection is need of care or your painting is in need of treatment, please schedule a complimentary consultation through the calendar app to the right. Specify whether you would like to meet in person (on-site at your home, gallery, etc.) or virtually through Zoom. We will chat about your painting or collection and determine next steps.
Bear in mind that a full examination (either on-site or at our studio) will be needed to determine the full scope of treatment.
