Opinions Wanted Cleaning/Removing mold from art

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Worbeye

Worbeye

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Joined
Nov 17, 2022
Posts
18
Location
Marble Falls, TX
Business
Broadway Showroom
Recently had a customer drop of some water damaged artwork that has some mold, they are sentimental to her and wanting them reframed if possible. So I'm looking for some advice on if there is a way to salvage these and get them reframed or if they are lost.

Obviously the matting and frame will be tossed but just from the front it looks like the artwork itself has been affected.
 

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There are ways to salvage moldy paper artwork, but probably not by you. A paper conservator is the person to contact. Check with the museum closest to you. They will most likely have a name for you.
 
What everyone else said. You break it, you buy it. Unless you are a qualified conservator don't assume the liability.
 
The only person who should touch them is a paper conservator, but it's likely the bill would be much more than the prints are worth.
If they're still in your shop, I hope they're in sealed plastic sacks. And that they go back, without being opened.
 
Nope,nope,nope.
Repairing damage like that is beyond the average framers skill set.
Don't touch it if you don't know what to do with it.

I just offer to get the info. of a conservator to treat the art as best as can be done.
In 12 years I have offered to do that a handful of times, only one time did a person seriously consider it.
 
It would probably be easier and less expensive to replace them. It looks like they are offset lithographs (photographically reproduced from the original watercolors) and conservation treatment is very limited by the nature of the printing. Google can be your friend in finding replacement. If the artist is local/regional, maybe an inquiry to any local historian would help reveal the identity of the artist.
If they are the original watercolors, they probably can be treated, and may be worth the cost.
This is a link to the AIC web site where members who practice conservation and preservation of art are listed by specialties.

American Institute for Conservation & Foundation for Advancement in Conservation

Website of AIC and FAIC, the association of conservation professionals that focus on cultural heritage objects and materials and its foundation.
www.culturalheritage.org
First thing to do is determine just what they are. Original watercolors or prints. Best way to do that is get them out of the frames, and get rid of the mats and mounts. Do this outside so you don't release the fungal spore into your shop environment.
Good luck.
 
These are limited edition prints. The artist signed dark on the original, then light and with a number, on the print.

shayla grumble detail moldy art.jpg
 
Then they are almost certainly offset lithography, and the inks are fugitive in treatment.
Best to look for replacements.
 
Thanks everyone, I did end up referring them to a few different conservation places when they came back in for another piece that needed framing. They left the shop just as they came in lmao didn't want to touch those at all
 
Sometimes it isn't necessary to let the customer go. I suggest you contact conservators - especially in your vicinity. Introduce yourself and see if they're interested in setting up mutual referrals or an occasional business relationship.

In my own framing business, when I decided to decline a risky cleaning, mounting, or restoration job, I usually knew a conservator willing to cooperate with me. In most cases, that involved directing the consumer to the conservator with a formal "referral" from me. In return, the conservator would send the consumer back to me for the framing. The customer negotiated and paid the conservator and me separately.

In some cases, I served as a contractor & sub-contracted the conservation work to the conservator. That is, rather than just sending the customer to the conservator, I handled the packing & shipping, and received the finished work for the customer. I also handled the whole transaction, paying the conservator myself and collecting from the customer.
 
Being in Florida, we've been getting some water damaged artwork in the shop that's moldy. If the artwork itself is moldy I refer the customer to a conservator (luckily he's a few doors down from us). I asked him about sealing moldy pieces to prevent the mold from getting in the workshop. He said he doesn't bother, that the air is full of mold, he has a dehumidifier and gets the humidity below 50% so mold can't grow.
 
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