Collection Surveys & Maintenance

I often work with private clients between Los Angeles and Monterey who want their entire collections surveyed every few years. These surveys give a clear picture of each painting’s condition, the overall health of the collection, and what steps are needed to keep everything stable for the long term.

What’s Involved in a Collection Survey

During a survey, I take a close look at every painting or painted object and…

• Examine its condition and note changes since the last survey or recent moves/travel.

• Measure light exposure (both natural and artificial), focusing on calculating annual safe exposure hours at specific lux levels. I also determine which lux levels are actually safe for each medium: pastel, watercolor, oil (well-bound vs. overbound), acrylic, painted/glazed ceramics, mixed media, etc.

• Make display and preventive care recommendations, like placing a vitrine around delicate works that are too close to the ground or adjusting placement in high-traffic areas.

• Assess the environment, including relative humidity (RH%), and make recommendations to reduce climate-related risks.

• Identify which paintings are stable, which show emerging or more significant issues, and which require further studio examination (e.g., oversized works, stairwell installations, or paintings with complex condition concerns).

Light Professional Cleaning

As part of the survey, I also perform light preventive care: dusting or sponge-cleaning stable works and removing distracting or damaging surface accretions like fly specks or spider drips.

Housekeeping staff and homeowners should refrain from dusting paintings themselves (particularly with feather dusters) as they may not be aware of cracking, delicate areas of paint that could detach upon impact, or how to properly handle the works. Fingerprints, burnishing, feathers caught in impasto or lifted paint, and cracks or bumps from handling are very common and easily avoided.

Surveys for Collections that Span Multiple Properties

I am happy to examine collections that span multiple properties (primary residence, vacation home, and/or office) to provide continuity of care across different environments.

Post-Event Collection Surveys

I also occasionally perform post-event surveys for collectors who host parties, fundraisers, or other gatherings to check for accidental damage, vandalism, or new condition concerns. While many clients host guests without incident,

Condition Reports and Recommended Conservation Treatment

Afterward, I deliver a written report that describes the condition and needs of each painting as well as the collection as a whole. This helps clients gauge the overall wellbeing of their collections while determining next steps for their collections and individual pieces: which pieces need no attention, which should be monitored, and which would benefit from treatment in the near term.