Finding
the Right Conservator
Art-Care
can introduce you to many professional conservators that you would
not be able to find on your own. But that still leaves you with
the challenge of determining which of those conservators is the
right one to restore your treasured work of art. Here are some tips
to help you as you narrow it down.
Professional
Affiliation
Most Art-Care member conservators have been elected to
membership in one of the two major professional associations, The
American Institute for Conservation and the International
Institute for Conservation. As you review conservators, look
for these memberships, they are significant. These organizations
each have a code governing professional practice that their members
have committed to following. For example, you can review the AIC’s
Code of Ethics
and Guidelines for Practice, and you will see that it lays out
a set of practices designed to make the AIC’s members very trustworthy.
There
are a number of other steps you can take as you narrow down your
list. The steps listed here are very thorough, and you may find
you don’t need to take them all to be comfortable with your final
choice.
Steps
to Take / Questions to Ask
- Review
their work history. Are they experienced in the kind of conservation
you are seeking? Who have they worked for in the past? Get names
and contact information of former clients and call them up to
ask questions about their working relationship with the conservator.
- Review
their educational experience. Did he or she attend graduate school
in conservation? Did he or she apprentice with an experienced
conservator? Get the specialty, name, and contact information
of this conservator and contact that person to ask questions.
- How
long has he or she been practicing? As with any profession, a
long history in the field generally correlates to greater knowledge
and experience. But talented practitioners with less experience
may do an excellent job at a lower price.
- Does
the conservator have assistants, and if so, will your project
be delegated to those assistants? Will the conservator supervise
the project, or do the work personally?
- Will
the work be completed in the conservator’s studio?
QUESTIONS
ABOUT COMMON CONSERVATION PRACTICES
As you review conservators you can ask whether they follow these
common conservation practices:
- Will
they submit a written estimate and a recommended treatment plan
after receiving and examining your object?
- Will
they provide photographic documentation of the treatment?
- Will
they provide a written treatment report when the project is completed?
- Are
they fully insured and can they provide proof of that coverage?
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