First Aid for Art -- PUP is the largest restoration company in the nation!
Some might Consider an oil painting with a cracked or torn canvas, smoke damage or excessive dirt beyond repair.
But with the solutions and specialized techniques developed by John D. Foster of Newport Beach, fine art can be restored to its original luster.
Foster- an inventor, chemist, and artist- carved his niche in the art world by combining his love for art with chemistry. He started a business under the name Foster Art Restoration 50 years ago. The company, now known as Pick Up the Pieces, has become the largest art restoration company in the nation.
"This is an emergency room for treasured items; you never know what's going to come through the door," said Chris Carter, PUP manager.
While the company has been recognized for its repair of sculptures and other objects crafted from porcelain, crystal, china, and marble, it can also perform the same magic on damaged oil paintings.
Four professors of art on staff advise art collectors, museum curators, retailers, and insurance companies on the beset treatment plan for paintings in need of cleaning or repair.
Damage can come from everyday disasters, such as house fires, or unexpected accidents in transit. When a forklift punctures art shipped in a container, "WE get the task of bringing it back to life," Carter said.
Each painting is evaluated individually upon arrival. The condition of pigment is first tested for its integrity. Then the painting is cleaned in stages using solutions created by Foster.
The passage of time alone can be damaging to fine art.
"After a period of time, crazing can occur where the pigment starts to crack and it eventually starts to fall," Carter said. Such situations require the skill of artisans on staff, who actually repaint missing sections.
In severe cases, when large segments are gone, a piece of a new canvas can be inserted and repainted. A fragile painting might first require relining the entire back with canvas.
"People place an enormous amount of trust and fait in us," Carter said.
The company recently finished restoring a collection of works by California artist Edgar Payne worth $750,000.
"We get such a variety of objects from different cultures all over the world," said Angela Foster, wife of the founder. She oversees the company along with her son, John C. Foster.
"So much original art is going to be extinct," she said. Perpetuating art for future generations is the overall goal of the family-owned business, she said.
In addition to paintings, the company restores photographs and historical documents such as Civil War certificates in which the ink has disappeared over time.
"We're able to arrest the aging process and re-create missing areas," Carter explained.
A Customer recently brought in a letter which had turned completely gray after nearly a century. It took a microscope to see the indentations of the letter, which divulged that it had been written by Theodore Roosevelt in 1911. The letter; along with a badly decomposed newspaper clipping dating from the same period, were meticulously restored and placed in an archival frame for the customer.
The reception area of the shop can become emotional at times. "A lot of people burst into tears when they get their things back," Carter said.
Written by Jennifer Bush
jbush@ocresgister.com
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