About Judith Watkins Tartt, Art-Care Founder

I. Description

Art-care is an interactive web site designed as a tool to aid art and artifact owners in making informed decisions when selecting a qualified conservator, appraiser, or any other necessary art related service provider.

It is also designed to aid conservators in private practice and augment the AIC membership directory and referral service, by providing a means for recognized professionals to market their services, advertising individually and as a group with a national presence.

Three Professional Directories; Conservation, Appraisal, and Art-related services appear as listings and have a layered structure for clients to sort by specialty, geographic location and study members individual promotional brochures. This “one stop shopping” allows owners and custodians to easily find a variety of specialists and service providers, often difficult to find and study by comparison.

A Posting Board to “Ask a Professional a Preservation Question” may be answered privately by any professional member.

Member Brochures for marketing services are encouraged to enhance individual on line listings. They are easily created by logging in and submitting descriptive text with images illustrating their services, ethics, and background with a link to their own web page.

Member’s Articles or on line essays are encouraged to educate the public by addressing preservation issues and answer client questions found on the “Posting Board”.

The Examination Room is a virtual meeting place where the treasure in question may be studied from digital images sent from the client’s portfolio.

II. Mission

To provide collectors one web site promoting comprehensive preservation services by recognized specialists in the Art field and preservation knowledge useful for sound collection management and informed decisions.

To provide recognized conservators, preservation specialists and art related services an on line marketing tool with a national presence, to easily advertise their services individually and as a group, encouraging professional conservation.

III. Process

Art owners review Art-Care member profiles and brochures to select up to two professional members at a time, to begin on line free consultations designed to lead to business negotiations for requested services.

Owners fill in an “Artifact Request for Services Form”, providing required descriptive information and upload representative digital images into the Virtual “Examination Room”, detailing the specific problems.

Programmed navigation, sequentially leads the client to the appropriate member referral lists, which may be sorted by specialty and geographic location. They select one or two professional members by sending them a secure password to view their collectible in the “Examination Room” to begin consultations for possible services. The examination room obviously has limitations and does not replace the need for the artifact to receive full hands on exam before a conservation treatment.

IV. History

In 2000 paintings conservator Judith Tartt, AIC PA, conceived Art-Care.

In Dallas 2001 it was introduced as a demo at the AIC Conference, to explore interest in the concept and gather suggestions.

In 2002 it was introduced as a conference demo to IIC in Miami and AIC in Baltimore.

By 2003 Art-Care was fine tuned from a concept to a reality, built with positive input, a new developer and considerable personal funding. The Web site was finally introduced live at AIC Convention in Alexandria. Members began subscribing.

At the 2004 Seattle AIC Conference it was displayed and also featured at the CIPP Business Dinner and in an article in the AAM Museum News.

In 2005 Art Care was featured on the PBS Antique Road Show and members reported immediate success as new clients surfaced as a result from the show, promoting the site.

August 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Art-Care brought Judith Tartt and Susan Blakney, AIC, IIC Fellow together to envision a program that would provide recovery for items damaged by the hurricanes. Since then, team effort continues to develop feasible plans, with many options dependent upon sponsorship. The use of Art-Care provides a giant foundation stone already in place.

April Art-Care 2006 Art-Care will host the Curator’s Committee Reception at the AAM – American Association of Museums Annual Convention. Judith Tartt and Susan Blakney will speak to the Committee’s membership describing Art-Care as a resource for museums response to public inquiries.

Art-Care is a vehicle that continually helps owners of damaged items select a conservator, appraiser, curator etc., view their collectible in the virtual examination room. The site is a necessary compliment to the AIC referral list. Art-Care provides members and clients information through its online “The Posting Board” and background information and service details that are found in a member’s online brochure.

V. Original Fees

Founding members enrolled for a fee @ $12.00 a month. Today Art-Care’s minimum subscription is still $12. This paid membership entitles you to promote your services in detail beyond a listing, with a descriptive illustrated brochure, secure access to answer questions on the Posting Board, and a virtual examination room.

VI. The Art-Care Membership Demographics

1. Conservators recognized by their national association:

• The American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
• AIC Professional Associates (PA)
• AIC Fellows

2. Appraisers certified by their national associations:

• American Society of Appraisers (ASA)
• Appraisers Association of America (AAA)
• International Society of Appraisers (ISA)

3. Art Related Services & Professional Art Consultants:

• Archival / preservation framing, fine art insurance carriers, auction houses
• Firms providing collection management, exhibition design and installation
• Independent curators & registrars, legal consultation
• Companies specializing in lighting, fine art transportation and storage