Utah Painting Restoration and Art Conservation

Elizabeth Provost

Elizabeth is the owner and master conservator of Utah Painting Restoration located at 1007 East 900 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 (801)521-7902.
She has 35 years experience, restoring oil paintings and murals since 1969. Offering complete restoration services for Murals, Oil Paintintings, Acrylics, Watercolors, Preliminary Estimates, Damage Reports, Documentation, and Frame restoration.

You can view some of her work in various locations including the Salt Lake City School District which is currently honoring several pieces at the Alta Club through August 2004, Salt Lake County, the Springville Museum of Fine Art, the Utah State Capitol, the LDS Church Museum, and the Governors Mansion, there are currently paintings on display at Williams Fine Art. You can also read about her and her restoration in several publications including; Artists of Utah, Utah Art, Hidden Treasures, Utah Painting and Sculpture, Soviet Impressions, Utah Preservation, and Magazine of Mountain West Salt Lake.

Art Restoration and Conservation involves careful examination with full photographic and written examination before and after the treatment. When necessary, component materials are analyzed using raking or direct light, microscopic examination, and ultraviolet light, which reveals changes in the surface, repairs, fills, the presence of a varnish film, recent retouches, and the presence of certain pigments, resins, waxes, and minerals. Microscopic examination reveals brushworks, cracks, damage and corrosion. Infrared radiation sometimes will clarify obscure inscriptions. Stereoscopic magnification is used during the examination and repair processes.

Art works are cared for and treated according to the nature of their materials, stabilizing and repair the artwork restoring it to its original appearance.

Art work is restored with the theory that each piece has its own unique characteristics, careful consideration is taken to maintain as much of the original as possible, and the materials used to restore the artwork are removable.

Environment can cause artwork to react. Damage can continue on such as sagging canvas, cracking, or splitting pigments, canvas and varnish, moisture damage, warping of wood, all these things plus many more conditions can degenerate your treasured pieces. For this she recommends an environmental condition of 50% humidity, and a temperature of 70 degrees F. ( 21 degrees C.)

She is a member of, and follows all the recommendations set forth by:

• The National Trust for Historic Preservation

We are bound by a Code of Ethics set forth for Conservators