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Learn how to take care of your artworks - 13 May 2010

Learn how to take care of your artworks

Did you know that hanging your favourite painting over the fireplace is the worst place for it to be? If you are a serious art collector, or just want to know how best to care for those favourite paintings, conservator Ingrid Ford will be giving a presentation at Tauranga Art Gallery next week.

Ingrid will discuss the role of art conservation and share her knowledge on what you can do to preserve your precious works of art. Caring for Artworks will be at 5pm, Thursday 20 May.

Ingrid is a painting conservator at Auckland Art Gallery. Conservation of art is vital to its preservation. Exposure to harsh lighting, extremes of temperature and humidity, dust and airborne dirt and bacteria all contribute to the deterioration of items.

Preventative conservation is the protection of artworks in a controlled environment where these variables are regulated and paintings such as watercolours for example, are shielded from sunlight that may fade the pigments in the paint. This helps ensure the long-term preservation of paintings in a condition that is as close as possible to its original state. Preventative conservation is considered preferable to art restoration, in which efforts are made to return works of art to what is considered its original state, and may involve making irreversible changes to the original material.

Art conservation dates back to the nineteenth century when the fields of science and art became increasingly intertwined, and scientists began to study the damaging effects of the environment on works of art. Since then it has become accepted practice for galleries and museums to maintain a protective environment for their artworks, or work with a conservator to rectify the deterioration of any pieces.

Ingrid is originally from Australia, where she worked briefly at the National Gallery of Victoria before taking up her current position at the Auckland Art Gallery. She has been there for nine years.

Bookings for Caring for Artworks are essential on 07 578 7933, and entry is $5.