SERVICES

Dickinson Fine Art Conservation & Restoration offers museum quality art restoration, conservation and consultation services that adhere to a strict code of ethics as outlined by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works—whether the work is for a single family heirloom, or a large museum collection.

Debra Dickinson treats traditional easel paintings, murals and polychrome, or painted objects, and maintains long-term relationships with museums, historical societies, galleries, collectors, art disaster response companies, and private clients who rely on Debra Dickinson to preserve the aesthetic and historical integrity of a single work or collection.

Dickinson Fine Art Conservation & Restoration also provides a curated collection of museum quality reproduction frames in natural hardwood and gold leaf representing American, English, European and China Trade Designs.

 

Fine Art CONSULTATION

• Examination and documentation of artwork for individuals, public and private institutions and insurance companies.

• Consultation on the condition, treatment, handling and storage of artwork.

• Collection Surveys to determine conservation priorities.

• Preventive Conservation recommendations.

• Condition analysis prior to the purchase or sale of artwork.

• Storage recommendations, long and short term.

• Custom Framing with an emphasis on historically accurate frames.

• Disaster Response.  Immediate on-site response due to damage from fire, flood, heating system malfunction, hurricane disasters and other accidental damage.

• Insurance Claims and Evaluations for insurance companies, adjusters, homeowners and institutions.

• Courier services for the handling of paintings for domestic and international travel.

Conservation & Restoration

• Condition Report and Treatment Proposal

• Cleaning of painting surface, back and support.

• Mold, mildew, soot and smoke removal.

• Removal of discolored varnish.

• Removal of former restoration, if required.

• Humidification treatment.

• Stabilization and reconsolidation of craquelure, flaking paint and ground.

• Vacuum table lining insuring complete stabilization to paint and ground layers

• Correction to the painting support as needed.  This may include the stretcher, canvas, paper-board, metal or wood panel.

• Correction to punctures or tears in the canvas.

• Compensation of loss in paint and ground layers with inpainting (retouch) to areas of missing paint.

• Application of isolating and protective varnishes.

 

Art Disaster response

• Dickinson Fine Art Conservation responds immediately to art related disasters. Quick response is essential to recover art and prevent further damage, and expense, after a disaster has occurred.

• To properly restore damaged art, and to maintain its historic and monetary value, it is crucial treatment be executed by a trained professional in the field of art conservation to avoid further damage.

• Debra Dickinson has extensive experience working with homeowners, institutions, insurance companies, adjusters and disaster related contractors to rescue and restore damaged art. She provides timely on-site collection assessment of claim related damages and will submit detailed documentation, including pre–and post disaster condition reports, as well as a plan of treatment for your insurance purposes.

• Please call Debra for immediate disaster response to properly recover and restore your art collection.

 

Picture framing

• Period antique frames are offered.

• French Mats are custom made to order.

• Complete restoration services are available for antique gold leaf frames.  Services include structural repair, casting, gilding in metal leaf, cleaning, refinishing and patination.

• Master framemaker, Rob DuToit, offers exquisite, custom designed hardwood and gold leaf frames.  Each frame is hand-crafted, perfectly complimenting the artwork they surround. For more than 30 years, Rob has created frames for 20th century works of art as well as earlier, traditional pieces.  Using genuine gold leaf, Rob employs the process of water-gilding, a technique that has remained unchanged since the 14th century.