Who We Are

What is Art-Care?

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 the art service providers in private practice  who have been designated as professionals by their National Associations by providing a means for these 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.

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.

About Edward H. Able

Edward H. Able, the former President and CEO of the American Association of Museums (AAM), has joined Art-Care as Senior Director and Advisor.

Judith Watkins Tartt, founder of Art-Care, in a statement for the press noted that Ed Able’s enormous knowledge, universal respect, and superb experience will bring a new level of effectiveness as Art-care seeks to better serve individuals who hold art and other material culture under private ownership. She noted that, “Ed is one of the most widely known and respected professionals in the cultural and non-profit fields and his values and commitment to preserving society’s material culture is totally aligned with the mission of Art-Care.”

In commenting on his new association with Art-Care, Able provided his views: “For more than twenty years, my job and my passion were the stewardship of the material culture held in trust for the public by America’s museums. However, I have always been very mindful of the greater amount of cultural material that is held in private hands. Protection and stewardship are extremely important in both domains. Art-Care is the first comprehensive effort to assist the broadest array of private owners in fulfilling their responsibility of preserving our cultural heritage and it is with great enthusiasm and excitement that I begin my role in this enterprise.”

For almost 40 years, Able was CEO of non-profit organizations and associations. Most recently he served for 20 years as the President and CEO of the American Association of Museums from 1986 to 2006 where he led the organization to become the most influential and largest cultural association in the world. He has been recognized for many years as a major leader in the wider non-profit community and was named by the “Non-profit Times” as one of its Top 50 Most Powerful and Influential leaders in the non-profit field for nine years. He has served on the boards of The National Center for Non-profit Boards (BoardSource) where he was a founder of the organization and served for 13 years as a board member, the American Society of Association Executives(ASAE), the National Humanities Alliance, the National Cultural Alliance and Independent Sector (The national association representing the largest charitable and philanthropic organizations in the country.) He is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and was awarded the Society’s highest award, the Key Award, for outstanding performance and contribution to the field of association management. In addition, he has been presented with life-time achievement awards by several associations of museums, The Chairman’s Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous other awards. He was appointed by the Secretary of State to serve as a member of the US Commission on the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Mr. Able is a frequent speaker and media source on museums and non-profits and has been a leader in the areas of governance, ethics and public accountability for non-profits. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and an MBA from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He now pursues a career in consulting with museums, associations, foundations and philanthropic organizations.

About Judith Watkins Tartt, AIC PA

"The Three Graces" Mandarin Hotel, Hong Kong

Judith Watkins Tartt has been a private conservator of paintings practicing in Washington, DC since 1975. After receiving a BA in Art History at The George Washington University Ms. Tartt began a five-year work/study apprentice program with H. Stewart Treviranus. Mr. Treviranus painting conservator, AIC Fellow, IIC Fellow received his training from Sheldon Keck NYU and in Washington DC under Russell Quant at the Corcoron Gallery of Art.

Ms. Tartt has been awarded contracts from The GSA, US Department of State Art and Embassy Program and the US Treasury. She was contract conservator for the Hong Kong Museum in 1984- l985 and again in 1992 -1993 she was Contract Conservator in Asia for Sotheby’s l992- l995. In 2004 Ms. Tartt was one of two painting conservators awarded the contract to restore the collection at the Turkish Embassy, Washington, DC. She has been the Painting Conservator for the Kreeger Museum, Washington, DC since l980. She has collaborated on projects with several Washington D.C. conservators.

Ms. Tartt is the Founder of ART-CARE and now Chief Operating Officer.

Our Mission

Support the stewardship, preservation and protection of art and other material culture under private ownership by connecting owners with highly qualified service providers.

Our Goals & Objectives

Support public institutions by providing an objective and unbiased source to which they can refer private owners for a variety of art service professionals and companies. Support individual citizens in good stewardship, preservation and conservation of material culture held under private ownership by providing a centralized source for an array of highly qualified service-providers.

Support highly qualified private service professionals and companies in connecting with private owners of art and other material culture.

Serve as a comprehensive educational source to assist the general public in making sound decisions and taking appropriate actions in the preservation and stewardship of privately held art and material culture.

Art-Care.com is dedicated to the memory of David Everett Pickford

Our History

In 2000 paintings conservator Judith Watkins 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 Art-Care.com was displayed, was also featured at the CIPP Business Dinner and was 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 Watkins Tartt, AIC PA and Susan Blakney, AIC, IIC Fellow together to envision a program that would provide recovery for items damaged by the hurricane. This team effort developed feasible plans, with many options dependent upon sponsorship. It was clear that the use of Art-Care.com provided a giant foundation stone which was already in place. The AIC Board considered this proposal, expressed appreciation for the effort but decided that during the aftermath of this crisis the use of Art-Care was an idea too big to implement.

April Art-Care 2006 Art-Care hosted the Curator’s Committee Reception at the AAM – American Association of Museums Annual Convention. Judith Watkins Tartt spoke to the Committee’s membership describing Art-Care as a destination point for museums response to public inquiries. The committee applauded Art-Care, agreeing that Art-Care was a vehicle that would continually help owners of damaged items select a conservator, appraiser, curator etc.

In August 2009, Ed Able, national museum leader, joined Art-Care and became Director. For almost 40 years, Able was CEO of non-profit organizations and associations. Most recently he served for 20 years as the President and CEO of the American Association of Museums from 1986 to 2006 where he led the organization to become the most influential and largest cultural association in the world. He has been recognized for many years as a major leader in the wider non-profit community and was named by the “Non-profit Times” as one of its Top 50 Most Powerful and Influential leaders in the non-profit field for nine years. He has served on the boards of The National Center for Non-profit Boards (BoardSource) where he was a founder of the organization and served for 13 years as a board member, the American Society of Association Executives(ASAE), the National Humanities Alliance, the National Cultural Alliance and Independent Sector (The national association representing the largest charitable and philanthropic organizations in the country.) He is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and was awarded the Society’s highest award, the Key Award, for outstanding performance and contribution to the field of association management. In addition, he has been presented with life-time achievement awards by several associations of museums, The Chairman’s Medal from the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous other awards. He was appointed by the Secretary of State to serve as a member of the US Commission on the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Mr. Able is a frequent speaker and media source on museums and non-profits and has been a leader in the areas of governance, ethics and public accountability for non-profits. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and an MBA from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He now pursues a career in consulting with museums, associations, foundations and philanthropic organizations.

Original Fees

Founding members enrolled for a fee @ $12.00 a month. Today Art-Care’ subscription is free. Providers on Art-care are entitled to promote their services in detail beyond a simple contact information listing.

The Art-Care Membership Demographics

1. Conservators recognized by their national association:

2. Appraisers certified by their national associations:

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