The goal of the workshop is to provide an informed foundation for selecting optimal treatment intervention paths, which respect the authenticity of the original. Presented in a think tank approach, all participants are encouraged to contribute to the discussions. The course, tailored for all painting conservators, will be a three day cultural exchange for 18 - 22 participants, taught by Vishwa Raj Mehra, retired and Matteo Rossi Doria, a senior level Italian American conservator working in Rome.
The core curriculum will demonstrate historic Minimalism developments in, conservation treatment techniques and the evolution of new approaches between traditional and modern methods in use today, including, preventive conservation and minimal intervention. Case histories representing different aspects of structural treatments on deteriorated paintings will be examined and various methods compared through honest evaluation of their pros and cons.
Discussion of canvas painting treatment options, canvas lining and relining methods, traditional vs. low pressure/ no heat and minimum treatments without lining.
Treatments including but not limited to: facings & methods to protect paint films, lining reversals, consolidation, tear repair, low pressure lining, stretching and stretchers, will be evaluated. Practical demonstrations of the three stretcher system on model paintings will allow performance to be analyzed in collective discussions including: reflections on concepts such as porosity, change of appearance, solvent retention, consolidant and lining adhesive concentration and drying as they effect the behavior of the painting. Observations will lead to the design of a grid of solutions, useful in comparing optional treatment methodologies in the design of an intervention path.
Course Guides:
Vishwa Raj Mehra has developed an alternative approach to current restoration techniques for paintings on canvas, based on the philosophy of “Minimal Conservation Intervention”. He graduated from the College of Art at the University of Calcutta in India and worked as a Lecturer at the School of Art in Simla, India. He did post-graduate studies in the conservation and restoration of paintings at the Ljubbljana Academy in Slovenia and continued his studies and research from 1962 to 1964 in Vienna, Austria, and in Rome, Italy. He was a consultant for UNESCO in Israel from 1964 to 1966. In 1966 he began his career at the Central Research Laboratory of Art, Object and Science in Amsterdam, where he remained until 1990. He started up the Department of Applied Research for the restoration of paintings on canvas in Amsterdam. Between 1966 and 1990 he has published numerous articles for ICOM. Subsequent to his formal career he has held many Conservation Professional Development courses for Restorers at important Institutes in Italy and other countries on the consolidation and cold low-pressure lining techniques that he has developed.
Matteo Rossi Doria is an Italian/American Conservator with a busy private practice in Rome. Well-known as a specialist in structural treatments (especially oversized canvases) and for his passion with current techniques, he has lectured and taught at several conservation education programs and coordinated two workshops taught by V. Mehra on “Minimum intervention, cold lining and low pressure treatments”. His own course studies with ICCROM began a long-time interest in preventive conservation, minimal intervention and alternative, international conservation practices. This led him to study abroad and integrate the use of late 20th c. techniques and materials (including Beva and Acrylic emulsions) with his Italian treatments. Matteo taught his first workshop in America, "Italian Approaches to the Structural Conservation of Paintings: Past Present and Future", at West Lake Conservators in 2003. In 2006 he presented a paper at the AIC 34th Annual meeting in Providence RI, "Modifications to the Structural Conservation Methodology of Large Format Paintings: Some Case Studies.” He has been privileged to treat a great number of Italian masters’ works from museums, churches, public and private collections in Rome, Perugia, Naples, Turin, Milan, Salerno, Parma, the Constitutional Court, the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs and Treasurer, the Town Council of Rome, the National Library and the National Institute for Graphics. These include works from the 15th c. to 20th c. including paintings of Caravaggio, Dossi Dosso, Iacopo Zucchi, Pontormo, Simon Vouet, Guido Renei, Anthony Van Dyck, etc.
Location:
Skaneateles, New York is located in Central New York’s Finger Lakes region. The charming historic village and pristine lake have been a tourist destination since the 1800’s. The lake is a protected watershed providing drinking water to the city of Syracuse. You may wish to arrive early, or stay to enjoy the area. Labor Day begins with a parade at 11 AM, which kicks off the Fireman’s Field Days held in the park and ends with Fireworks at nightfall. Skaneateles has many fine lodgings and restaurants including a dinner boat the Judge Ben Wiles. Visit the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce web site to learn about more local attractions.
Workshop demonstrations and hands on activities will be held at West Lake Conservator’s lab, located just 2 1/4 miles north of the village in the Hamlet of Mottville. Lectures, meals and lodging will be at the Stella Maris Retreat and Conference Center, 2.5 miles away in the Village. There is no local public transportation in Skaneateles, so car-pooling will be initiated between locations and the airport.
Host:
West Lake Conservators (WLC), is a private group preservation practice, providing comprehensive preservation services for paintings, murals, painted objects, frames, paper, photographs and textiles. Established in 1975 by Susan Blakney, the current staff of 10 includes four paintings conservators and operates out of 4000 square feet of space. In 1980 WLC began a special interest in the structural treatment of paintings with research on supports and lining systems, including Negative Pressure Cold Lining, when paintings conservator Diane Falvey, former research assistant with V. R. Mehra, joined us for 3 years. Since then WLC has hosted two Beva workshops with Gustave Berger, one introducing Italian Approaches to Structural Treatments with Matteo Doria Rossi and a Recovery of Wet Art & Artifacts with MJ Davis and Barbara Moore in 2005. Diane re-joined the WLC staff June 06, to revisit this long-term research project. Her paper "To Line or Not to Line", given at the AIC 2007 conference is a logical introduction to this workshop.
Accommodations:
The Stella Maris Retreat & Conference Center, 130 East Genesee Street, Skaneateles, NY 13152. Tel. 315 685 6836
http://www.stellamarisretreat.org/ for an overview of the facilities with photos.
The mansion that is now Stella Maris Retreat and Conference Center was designed by Stanford White, built in New York City and brought to and assembled on Skaneateles Lake in 1879. It was originally the summer home of Frederick Roosevelt, cousin of Theodore Roosevelt. In 1945 it was acquired by Burns Lyman Smith of the Smith Corona Typewriter Company who gave it to his sister, Flora Bernice Smith. She sold it in 1952 to the sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse and after some renovation it was blessed as Stella Maris - "Star of the Sea" by Bishop Walter A. Foery in 1954. It began as a retreat house for Catholic women and over the years has expanded to include men and women of other denominations and to act as a conference center for various groups desiring a peaceful space of meetings, retreats, gatherings, etc. Stella Maris is owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Francis who, along with a dedicated staff and volunteers, serve the needs of all who come here desiring spiritual growth, renewal and peace.
Accommodations include 43 single rooms, including 7 with double beds with shared baths and 4 suites with private baths, many well equipped meeting rooms, library, screened porch, deck, buffet style dining and a sweeping park like grounds to the lake shore with a boat house and swimming at your own risk. TVs with DVD and Video players are found in public spaces for use any time. Rooms are reserved for our workshop (which begins with a reception and dinner at 5 PM September 5th), but are available to participants from Labor Day (with no available dining on the Holiday) through Friday checkout at 10 AM. Luggage may be stored until departure at the conclusion of the workshop. A limited number of rooms may be available Friday night on a first come basis for those unable to depart until Saturday due to difficult flight connections. The incredible tax-free rates of $65 a single room (with shared bathroom) include three meals a day. Participants are responsible for making personal reservations by calling Stella Maris at 315/685-6836 (9 AM - 5PM). They accept MasterCard and Visa.
Alternately if seeking upscale dining or accommodations, nearby restaurants, motels, an historic inn and bed & breakfasts offer a variety of options. Early reservations are necessary to ensure lodging because Skaneateles is a popular tourist destination.
Registration Fees: Three-Day Workshop - $600 payable to West Lake Conservators, does not include the room and board.
Travel: Syracuse’s Hancock Airport and Amtrak station are approximately 1 hour by car from Skaneateles. Public transportation is very limited. Rental cars are available from the airport. Car-pooling with participants is recommended. West Lake Conservators will aid in coordination. The WLC lab is 2.5 miles from Stella Maris in the village of Skaneateles.
Enrollment: A registration fee of 50% of the total is necessary to secure your position. In the event you must cancel, the fee will be refunded minus a $25 processing charge if we refill the position with an alternate. Enrollment is limited to the first 18 registered participants plus the WLC paintings staff. Paintings conservators of all levels are encouraged to attend. A short questionnaire will be included with your acceptance confirmation letter, necessary for the course guide to tailor the workshop.
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