Hi Colleagues, Have you wished you could help some way in the recovery of Katrina storm damaged treasures? I am an AIC & IIC Fellow, senior level paintings conservator, with a mixed specialty firm in private practice, since 1975. As soon as the Katrina disaster struck I began devising national plans to assist in the recovery of the multitude of art, artifacts and family heirlooms we know are seriously damaged and possibly all that remains of the owners collectible possessions. These treasures whether sentimental, a collectible asset, archival documents, or inventory from a public or museum collection are in danger of total loss and neglect due to the hopeless reality owners lack preservation knowledge, lack treatment funds, have a multitude of eminent pressing needs, no knowledge of how to find and select a professional art-care provider and no solution to these problems.

I was also a volunteer on the fourth AASLH team, conducting field surveys of cultural damage along the Mississippi coast. It was a memorable experience, which reinforced my plans for action. When the call for volunteers came I know many of you would have loved to help but lacked disaster recovery training and due to personal commitments couldn't take a week off work, or travel far from home. Now there is a way every capable conservator can contribute to the recovery effort from the comfort of your own lab, or home, for months and years to come.

The attachment below is a benevolent proposal developed by myself and Judith Tartt, AIC PA, owner of the WEB site Art-Care.com that depends upon you, our colleagues, to implement and contribute in any way, individually one may help.

Judith has generously donated the use of her web site as the established Internet tool for this volunteer effort. Art-Care.com is a comprehensive directory of art care providers (conservators, appraisers, fine art insurance agents, art handlers and transportation, contract registrars and curators, fine art legal council etc.), that clients (owners of treasures) may search and sort by specialty and geographic location. All member subscribers must be professionally recognized to ensure a high level of skill and conduct. Listed conservators must be an elected PA or Fellow status. The directory augments the AIC referral service listings by providing members the opportunity to easily market their services by creating a personal on line, illustrated brochure with descriptive text and a path to their own web site if in existence. Clients may study the listings and select up to 2 members to begin private consultations with.

Art-Care.com is being modified by the addition of a new free program, for owners/clients of storm-damaged treasures, to seek conservation advice, donated and subsidized treatments and increase their knowledge of conservation through:

1 - a posting board to ask a conservator a question

2 - virtual examination rooms for owners to display digital images of the item in question.

3 - an illustrated glossary of conservation terms, to aid in understanding the damage

4 - a gallery of completed treatments to increase their knowledge of what's possible

5 - instructions on how to digitally document their treasure

6 - preservation suppliers to provide archival storage and packing materials

7 - a lottery to possibly win a donated or subsidized treatment by one of us.

Owners of donated or subsidized treatments must agree to allow treatment documentation to be viewed, in the Treatment Gallery as a model of success and educational purposes.

This Katrina Art & Artifact Recovery program is open to all levels of un recognized conservators, interns, technicians and conservation students, if mentored by an elected PA or Fellow colleague, who must personally fill out the application form, co sign the proposed treatment and supervise the complete treatment. This will also encourage more conservators to apply for PA status.

A capital fund must be raised and established to manage operating costs, tax deductible monetary gifts and donated treatments which will be distributed by lottery to eligible owners of treasures seeking treatment. Using the umbrella of an existing not for profit organization may be possible but fundraising must be done to targeted individual and corporate sponsors by individual conservators or supporting organizations.

The program will be advertised by radio, newspaper with hopeful TV coverage on Good Morning America, The Antique Road Show, Opraha, CNN etc. Depending upon funding and the number of volunteers Field hospitals may possibly be set up in the disaster area to provide free consultations and assistance digitally documenting, and emergency treating for transportation.

Let us know if you support this plan and would be interested in contributing treatments, images for the conservation glossary, fundraising, advertising etc. providing digital images for the illustrated conservation glossaries and or helping. Positive criticism and suggestions for improvement are welcome. This is an opportunity to promote conservation nationally and contribute to storm damaged treasures in a direct way. Visit the Art-Care Web site and check out the possibilities.