If you’ve ever wondered about bringing in an artwork for conservation, you may find it hard to picture what the process would be like. Conservation can feel a little shrouded in mystery. The before-and-after images are striking, and the process itself can seem almost magical. What follows isn’t the technical side of conservation, but the journey you and your artwork can expect when you come to West Lake.
Every day, quiet journeys unfold in our Owasco laboratories — paintings and paper-based objects arriving with their histories, their wear, and their need for care. Some come to us darkened with old varnish, others marked by water stains or torn supports, and some simply need gentle stabilization to remain safe for the future. Whatever their condition, each begins the same way: with careful looking, listening, and respect for the story it holds.
That work happens here in Owasco, at New York State’s only regional art conservation center. With our recent move, we’ve expanded our space, updated our equipment, and added climate-controlled storage, so we can welcome more projects while caring for them with the same patience and attention we always have.
Here’s what that journey looks like in practice:
Step 1. Welcome & Intake
When you bring an object to West Lake, you’re welcomed by a conservator and our staff. We get to know you and your piece, and decide together whether it’s ready to move forward. If time allows, we’re delighted to give you a quick tour of the lab.
Step 2. Examination & Treatment Proposal
Once your object is left in our care, the first step is close looking. We photograph the work, examine its surface and structure, and write down what we see. This careful examination is the beginning of a conversation with the object itself — a way of listening before we act.
From that point, a plan begins to take shape. What does the object need most urgently? What are the options for treatment? How can we respect both the material and the story it holds? These questions guide our conversations with you. The conservator provides you with a full condition report and assessment, detailed photography, and recommendations for treatment.
Step 3. Conservation
If you choose to move forward with a treatment, the object spends time in the lab — cleaned, mended, stabilized, or retouched as needed. Every stage is carefully documented so that its history is preserved alongside the material work. Most treatments are completed within about four to six months of an object’s arrival. For clients with urgent needs, we also offer expedited service.
Step 4. Return & Care Guidance
When conservation is complete, the object is returned to its owner. Along with the object, we provide updated photographs, a final report, and guidance for future care. Our goal is always to extend the life of the work while honoring the story it carries. Each treatment is a collaboration — between object, client, and conservator — to ensure that the piece can be seen, studied, and cherished for generations to come.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into the journey each artwork takes through our lab. While conservation will always carry an element of mystery — and even a little magic — we believe the process should also feel transparent and welcoming.
As West Lake marks 50 years of service to New York State, we remain committed to the same patient, careful work that has defined us from the beginning. We’re ready to steward many more objects and their stories into the future.
BELOW: Conservator Raphael Shea at work removing overpaint from a recent arrival at our labs. This is just one of the many careful steps your artwork undergoes in treatment at West Lake.
