Services

Painting conservation is preserving and treating paintings to stabilize their condition, enhance their appearance, and protect them for future generations. It is distinct from painting restoration, which is more focused on cosmetics. Paintings conservation prioritizes reversibility, appropriate materials, and minimal intervention in addition to aesthetics. Painting conservators adhere to the American Institute for Conservation Ethics Standards.

I treat oil, acrylic, and mixed-media paintings on canvas, metal, and wooden panel substrates. Less commonly, I will treat other historic and artistic works (painted objects and paintings on paper). I do not typically treat mural paintings but will work on those mounted indoors. I prefer to treat paintings created between 1850 and today (modern and contemporary).

I address a variety of condition issues, including:

• Surface dirt, grime, or discoloration

• Aged, blotchy, blooming, or discolored varnish removal

• Flaking or lifting paint layers

• Tears, punctures, or distortions in the canvas

• Mold, mildew, or pest damage

• Water, fire, smoke, or soot damage

• Overpaint or improper prior restorations

• Structural issues with the stretcher or frame

• Cracking, tenting, or other form of delamination of paint layers

• Paint loss or abrasion

If your painting has a unique issue, I can evaluate it during the condition assessment and determine an appropriate course of action. All works of art are different and require an individual approach to treatment.

While I treat paintings primarily in my Paso Robles studio, I will examine paintings on-site anywhere along the Central Coast, in the Central Valley, and in SoCal. I will examine paintings in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles County. I will also stabilize paintings in these areas after disasters or other major damage if they cannot immediately be treated comprehensively due to budgetary constraints, fragility, or other reasons—halting the proliferation of mold after a flood or fire, for example. Paintings anywhere in California (and across the U.S.) can be shipped to my studio, though I may recommend working with a conservator closer to you if located on the East Coast. I will examine paintings on-site (with appointments) in any of the following cities/towns (and some others):

• San Luis Obispo

• Paso Robles (El Paso de Robles)

• Atascadero

• Arroyo Grande

• Pismo Beach

• Morro Bay

• Grover Beach

• Cambria

• Los Osos

• Cayucos

• Templeton

• Nipomo

• Avila Beach

• Santa Margarita

• Creston

• Shandon

• San Miguel

• Harmony

• Santa Barbara

• Santa Maria

• Goleta

• Lompoc

• Carpinteria

• Solvang

• Buellton

• Guadalupe

• Los Alamos

• Los Olivos

• Santa Ynez

• Ballard

• Orcutt

• Vandenberg Village

• Mission Hills

• Summerland

• Montecito

• Isla Vista

• Monterey

• Salinas

• Carmel-by-the-Sea (Carmel)

• Pacific Grove

• Seaside

• Marina

• Del Rey Oaks

• Sand City

• Carmel Valley Village

• Big Sur

• Capitola

• Scotts Valley

• Watsonville

• Aptos

• Soquel

• Felton

• Ben Lomond

• Boulder Creek

• La Selva Beach

• Davenport

• King City

• Gonzales

• Greenfield

• Soledad

• Chualar

• Spreckels

• Castroville

• Moss Landing

• Pebble Beach

• San Lucas

• San Ardo

• Bakersfield

• Sacramento

• Elk Grove

• Folsom

• Rancho Cordova

• Galt

• Citrus Heights

• Fair Oaks

• Carmichael

• Antelope

• Orangevale

• Arden-Arcade

• North Highlands

• Rio Linda

• Wilton

• Gold River

• Vineyard

• Isleton

• Walnut Grove

• Herald

• Hood

• Los Angeles

• Malibu

• Santa Monica

• Long Beach

• Beverly Hills

• Glendale

• Santa Clarita

• Lancaster

• Palmdale

• Pasadena

• El Monte

• Downey

• Inglewood

• West Covina

• Norwalk

• Burbank

• Carson

• Pomona

• Torrance

• South Gate

• Whittier

• Alhambra

• Montebello

• Hawthorne

• Monterey Park

• Arcadia

• Covina

• Oxnard

• Thousand Oaks

• Simi Valley

• Ventura (San Buenaventura)

• Camarillo

• Moorpark

• Santa Paula

• Fillmore

• Ojai

I also offer on-site treatment post-disaster to stabilize paintings in any of the above cities/towns. If you are located outside of the above jurisdictions, I recommend using AIC’s “Find a Conservator” directory, or searching “painting restoration” / “painting conservation near me” online.

The cost of painting conservation or restoration varies depending on factors like the painting's size, condition, and the complexity of the treatment required. Conservators usually charge between $75 and $250/hour, depending on their location, expenses, education, experience, expertise, and skill. For example, a conservator in New York City or Los Angeles will charge more than a conservator in Fresno because rental rates are higher. Similarly, a conservator who works from a home studio will typically charge less than a conservator who works in a commercial building. As a conservator in Paso Robles, I charge between $105 and $125/hour, depending on the type of treatment.

Learn more about pricing by downloading our info packet here.

After an initial assessment, I provide a detailed treatment proposal with a cost estimate. Typical costs can range from a few hundred dollars for a specific treatment (like a light surface cleaning or addressing a small bump in the canvas) to several thousand dollars for extensive treatments (like those that include repairing tears, stabilizing paint layers, and removing multiple layers of varnish or overpaint). Extremely complex or time-consuming treatments (like those for particularly large or severely damaged paintings) could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Feel free to contact me to schedule an assessment and receive an accurate estimate for your painting.

Yes. I have been asked to examine paintings before clients bid at auctions, purchase from galleries, or make acquisitions (museums, foundations, universities, etc.). I am happy to examine paintings on-site and will communicate with gallery staff, auction houses, and donors if requested.