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                                          Restored! Art Care Tips and Restoration

Last summer, my husband and I decided to restore a nearly fifty year old oil painting that he had inherited from family. The piece, painted by a Michigan based artist, looked dirty.  Even the frame looked to be in need of a scrub!

We took the piece to Melinda Flatsker at Flatsker Fine Art Restoration in Burbank, (www.flatsker.com) who completely transformed it. See the before and after shots above.

Note that this kind of restoration is difficult if not impossible for watercolors, so I want to share with you some framing and care tips for watercolors:
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  1. Frame watercolors behind glass, preferably UV glass.  Why? Flies, bugs, etc. can land on the art and mark it up. In addition, if exposed to direct sunlight, watercolors will fade. UV glass will help to preserve the colors and vibrancy of the piece.

  2. Do not hang watercolors in direct sunlight, even if put behind UV glass. Fading may still occur over time.

  3. Use rag mat. Why rag mat and conservation framing? Rag mat won't disintegrate as fast and harm your art or the paper it is created on.

  4. Use a neutral colored mat. This is not a hard and fast rule, but a strong color against the piece can distract from the work itself.

  5. Do not spray water directly onto the glass. The water can seep down between the glass and the frame and then run "up hill" onto the mat behind the glass and damage your artwork. A better idea is to use a dry micro fiber dust cloth to clean the glass and frame. ​


                                                     
                               
                                        RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESOURCES
 
Books:   The Art of Art Collecting by Alan Bamberger and  Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton

Film:  HERB & DOROTHY  tells the extraordinary story of Herbert Vogel, a postal worker, and Dorothy Vogel, a librarian, who managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means. They lived off of Dorothy’s salary and used Herb’s to collect art. They only had two requirements when purchasing art: the piece had to be affordable, and it had to be small enough to fit in their one-bedroom Manhattan apartment.   

     The L.A. Art Show – Presented by the Fine Art Dealers Association every January  http://www.laartshow.com/ 
      American Art Collector Magazine  https://www.americanartcollector.com/
     John Moran Auctioneers  – www.johnmoran.com
     The Norton Simon Museum - Excellent information about the Norton Simon collection and full provenance listings of collected works http://nortonsimon.org/


​Endorsements from Art Collectors:

     "Danielak Fine Art, as represented by its talented owner Margaret Danielak, provides options not typically available in traditional venues including galleries, art festivals and online purchases.  With Danielak Fine Art at your side, a serious buyer is able to evaluate and appreciate more than one work of art in the target environment of the residence or  office and make a selection of the art piece that resonates most strongly. 

     Danielak Fine Art represents nationally and internationally recognized artists with representational and non-representational art work. A buyer is not tied to an impulsive choice, but can consider more than one work of art before making a selection.  Danielak Fine Art has created a secure and comfortable environment for me to purchase over 10 new and original art works from four artists over the last 15 years.  I am currently considering adding a third work, from a now favorite artist, introduced to me by Margaret Danielak. " - Jackie M.