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The Springfield Art Association Unveils Newly Restored Lincoln “Courting Couch”

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The Springfield Art Association Unveils Newly Restored Lincoln “Courting Couch”

More than 150 esteemed guests filled Springfield Art Association’s M.G. Nelson Family Gallery on February 11—one day before Lincoln’s Birthday—to unveil the Lincoln “Courting Couch,” which was newly restored by The Conservation Center. Erika Holst, Springfield Art Association’s Curator of Collections, gave a lively presentation of the loveseat’s history before guests got up close and personal with the sofa that sparked romance between Abraham and Mary Todd. 
 

Crash the SAA party and view pics >

Uncovering a Signature, Bringing an Artist to Light

Uncovering a Signature, Bringing an Artist to Light

Last spring, a rather enigmatic painting titled Portrait of a Man was brought to The Conservation Center in need of restoration. The owner, Andy Boyden, had purchased the piece from an estate sale while traveling in Liverpool, England. “I was attracted to the painting because it had the feel of an Old Masters painting. I loved the eyes, the sitting, the intense expression of this gentleman, and as an admirer of the works of Rembrandt van Rijn, I wanted to find out more about it.”

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"A Day in the Life" at The Conservation Center

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"A Day in the Life" at The Conservation Center

At The Conservation Center, we're passionate about caring for fine art and artifacts from around the country, right here in Chicago. So we thought what better way to show off what we do best by giving you a close-up look of "a day in the life" at our workspace through a photo essay, shot by two photographers in different styles. There are treasures and intimate moments everywhere to be found. C'mon in!

Staff Art Competition Winner

Staff Art Competition Winner

For a second year, The Conservation Center held an art competition amongst our talented staff--many of them trained or self-taught artists. With "Chiberia" and "Polar Vortex" engrained in our daily vocabularies nowadays, we thought it was only appropriate to incorporate the theme of winter and/or snow into their creations, whether comical or serious. We're delighted to share the winning entry from Alfredo Garcia!

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A Renewed Appreciation for Frank Zappa

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A Renewed Appreciation for Frank Zappa

What happened in 1961? John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president of the United States; “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Shirelles was a #1 hit; and the non-dairy creamer was one of the greatest inventions of the year. It was also the time when a budding young musician named Frank Zappa discovered his artistic creativity and painted Horny. More than five decades later, the painting made its way to The Conservation Center, where we restored the masterpiece to its original glory. More on the “Mother of Invention” and how we conserved his work.

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We Came, We Saw, We EXPOed

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We Came, We Saw, We EXPOed

The Conservation Center team was on call during EXPO CHICAGO weekend (September 19-23) to assist dealers with unexpected art or framing emergencies during the fair. Our educational booth this year--which featured a magnificent Ellsworth Kelly work on paper and an eye-catching James Rosenquist painting, both generously lent to us by private collectors--brought in many of our old friends along with new audiences. See you next year, EXPO CHICAGO!

Highlights from TCC's 30th Anniversary Open House

Highlights from TCC's 30th Anniversary Open House

The Conservation Center's private reception on September 12 welcomed such esteemed guests as Roxanne Decyk, Christie Hefner, Richard Hunt, Tony Karman, Steve Koch, Arlene Semel, and Joan Steel to help celebrate our three decades of achievements. We'd like to thank all who attended and made our event a huge success!

Accolades from TCC's Advisory Board Members and The Center's Founder

Accolades from TCC's Advisory Board Members and The Center's Founder

Three decades of art restoration and preservation for clients and collections around the country is a pretty big deal, so we’ve taken this opportunity to have our distinguished Advisory Board members and founder say a few kind words about The Conservation Center and why they’re proud to be involved with us.

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TCC Restores a Treasured Cliff Dwellers’ Painting

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TCC Restores a Treasured Cliff Dwellers’ Painting

John Warner Norton, a charter member of The Cliff Dwellers, became one of the most accomplished and sought-after muralists in Chicago and across the United States by 1920. Earlier, however, in 1910 as Norton’s career and The Cliff Dwellers were both newly beginning, one of his first commissions titled "Navaho" became one of the private club’s earliest acquisitions of art. "Navaho" was recently conserved by The Conservation Center.

The Occasional Table

The Occasional Table

The owner of this occasional table has always had an eye for unique things. When she recently remodeled her home, she was looking for interesting pieces. She purchased this table last year at auction, and after realizing that areas of inlay were missing, brought it to The Center.

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American Flag from the Fauerbach Brewery

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American Flag from the Fauerbach Brewery

At The Center, we treat items of great worth, historical artistic significance and shared cultural value. But perhaps some the most rewarding work we do is in preserving family heirlooms. These items very greatly from paintings to furniture and can be extremely valuable or purely sentimental, but all hold stories with meaning to the owners. We feel honored to assist families with preserving these items for future generations, and allowing their stories to carry on, and would like to share a recent story from one of our clients.

Shattered Emile Galle Vase of The Glessner House Museum

Shattered Emile Galle Vase of The Glessner House Museum

A delicate glass vase by French artist Emile Galle (1846-1904), owned by the Glessner House Museum was brought to The Center after it was accidentally damaged and shattered. The vase broke into discrete fragments with extensive associated losses along the break edges, including an area of significant loss around the rim. There were also two running cracks as a result of a fracture. 

Conservation of an Antique Gaming Table

Conservation of an Antique Gaming Table

Here at The Center, we have the honor of treating family heirlooms of all shapes and sizes. This beautifully made Gaming table has been with the client’s family for 3 generations, and was bought while the ancestor was a student in Damascus, Syria, in 1935.

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Corporate Collections and The Center

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Corporate Collections and The Center

Whether a corporation’s art collection is a curated investment, a donation from an art-loving CEO, an act of community connection, or a trove of archival material, keeping it in good condition requires the knowledge of experts. The Conservation Center has a long history of caring for corporate art holdings in four categories: disaster response, re-housing, storage, and display.

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A Portrait with a Problem

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A Portrait with a Problem

This portrait was one of a series of artworks brought to The Center after a destructive home fire. The painting showed signs of severe fire-related damage: the 
ordeal left a heavy, dark layer of oily and acidic soot on the surface, obscuring the painted surface completely. Additionally, the stretcher had been charred, and undulations were present throughout the canvas.

Waxing Aesthetic: Historical Considerations in the Restoration of a Napoleonic Dragoon Helmet

Waxing Aesthetic: Historical Considerations in the Restoration of a Napoleonic Dragoon Helmet

The Napoleonic Dragoon Helmet, an example of the Grecian-inspired helmets worn by specific members of Napoleon’s cavalry, was brought to The Center in need of restoration. The leather lining of the helmet was loose with several losses to the leather and the risk of further degradation. The proper right leather strap was loose as well, with both straps having been previously re-attached with blue putty. Furthermore, the skull of the helmet exhibited several shallow dents and the horse hair mane was tangled and messy. The top decoration was missing from the helmet completely. There were some scratches on the surface, as well as evidence of use and wear. The metal and hair elements were both coated with dust and grime. There was also some tarnish on the gilded areas.

The Importance of Conservation Framing: The Basics and The Benefits of Archival Housing

The Importance of Conservation Framing: The Basics and The Benefits of Archival Housing

When owners and caretakers of artwork want to properly house their treasured works, their collection may pass through The Center’s Custom Framing Department. Works on canvas, metal, wood, plastic and everything in-between are treated at The Chicago Conservation Center. Each work is individually assessed in order to determine the most appropriate type of housing, based upon the medium, the stability of the piece, the style and the client’s display concerns. A wide variety of housing options are available: traditional framing, custom mounts, and vitrines are the most common.

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