Roy Blankenship's Conservation Portfolio

“Following are a variety of images showing Roy’s conservation talents to bring paintings and other works of art back to life to their near original condition. Roy has worked his professional magic on over 10,000 works of art since 1968 when he began an intense, five-year tutelage apprenticeship under the conservation staff at the Winterthur Museum in Winterthur, DE.

In 1971, he became a professional paintings conservator of the European International Institute for Conservation (IIC), and in 1972 he was voted in as a founding FELLOW of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). Since 1973, Roy has been an active member of Conservators In Private Practice (CIPP).

A color photo library documenting thousands of his restored paintings, and other works of art in all media have been preserved digitally, recording his abilities. He has conserved art work for over 60 years for the American public, private institutions, galleries, and private families.

He has worked on pieces of art in every imaginable condition; from damage by predictable material aging, fire, water, mildew, mold, environmental, accident, vandalism, and even undo an older unprofessional restoration. In his open conservation forums to assess the problem conditions of an art work, he approaches his analysis like a doctor visually and technically observing the paintings condition, then prescribes the needed remedy for him to perform the cure.” ~LASB

N. C. Wyeth Restoration - discolored resin

Gentle chemical cleaning to N.C. Wyeth’s painting “Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me”,  Oil on Canvas, 37 1/2″ x 33 1/2″

1) Removal of old discolored resin & oily layers of grey soot
1) Removal of old discolored resin & oily layers of grey soot
2) Upclose comparison of white after cleansing vs. Soot
2) Upclose comparison of white after cleansing vs. Soot
3) Discolored Resin
3) Discolored Resin
4) In progress
4) In progress
5) Finished
5) Finished
6) Roy with finished restoration
6) Roy with finished restoration

Old Pew by N.C. Wyeth Restoration - excessive old resin

Oil on Canvas, 47″ x 38″, Conservation contracted with Betsy Wyeth and Jim Duff for the Brandywine River Museum in early 1970’s. Excessive old resin applied in numerous coatings in foreground which had darkened.

1) Q-tip chemical cleaning used to remove old darkened resin in order to expose more detail in original color in foreground.
2) Conservation finished

Deer Slayer by N.C. Wyeth Restoration - old varnish, cigarette smoke, staining

Old varnish, some staining, covered in residue of cigarette smoke.

1) Q-tip chemical cleaning of old darkened varnish and cigarette smoke.
2) Cigarette smoke sticking to section of old resin.
3) Staining in foreground from smoke.
4) Conservation finished
5) Conservation finished
6) Conservation finished

Drake by Andrew Wyeth Restoration - acid burn, bleeding glue

Drake by Andrew Wyeth, Restored for Andy & his client.

1) Needing Conservation for bleeding glue and acid burn to support paper
2) Acid filled board glued to verso of painting to be fully scaled off
3) Fumigation and chemical blot to remove surface staining
4) Verso
5) Upclose
6) Signature
7) Conservation finished

European Street Scene Restoration - split-board & massive loss of pigment

19th Century street scene depicted in Oil on cradled wood. Split-board, soot, linseed oil coatings, and massive loss of pigment. Location research and found for reconstruction.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) In progress
2) In progress
3) Conservation Finished. Photo enhanced blue in sky
3) Conservation Finished. Photo enhanced blue in sky

Man & Woman in Boat "The Proposal" Restoration - fire damaged painting

Oil on Canvas, Fire damaged painting, Fire-soot embedded resin.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Finished
2) Finished

Sir Alfred Munnings Restoration- torn canvas & cleaning

Torn canvas repair & cleaning of pigment surface. Oil on Canvas, 54″ x 90″

1) Fully torn canvas
1) Fully torn canvas
2) Finished
2) Finished

Still Life By Edward Loper Sr. - old varnish/resin, chemical cleaning

Still life Oil on Canvas painting by Edward Loper Sr. Required 3 Q-tip chemical cleanings to remove old copal varnish, linseed oil protective coating, dirt, and grime. 

1) 1st cleaning by Q-tip & chemical to remove copal varnish & linseed oil protective coating
1) 1st cleaning by Q-tip & chemical to remove copal varnish & linseed oil protective coating
2) 2nd Q-tip chemical cleaning to remove old poly-v and old resin. Photo shows test area
2) 2nd Q-tip chemical cleaning to remove old poly-v and old resin. Photo shows test area
3) 3rd Q-tip chemical cleaning to remove dirt and grime
3) 3rd Q-tip chemical cleaning to remove dirt and grime
4) Finished
4) Finished

Early Maine Watercolor by Andrew Wyeth Restoration - foxing & staining

Early Maine Watercolor by Andrew Wyeth, Restored for Betsy Wyeth in 1972.

1) Treatment for foxing spots and staining
2) Conservation finished

Post Magazine Cover by John Falter Restoration - old & discolored shellac

Old, heavy & discolored shellac, New application of acid-free clear resin in satin finish

1) Old heavy shellac coatings that have discolored to remove by Q-tip with the proper professionally mixed chemicals.
2) Certain areas of the painting had 2-4 layers of shellac applied in grids.
3) In progress
4) Conservation finished with new application of acid-free clear resin in satin finish.

Woodland Subject in Watercolor by Andrew Wyeth Restoration - mold/mildew, foxing

Woodland Subject in Watercolor by Andrew Wyeth – Restored for Betsy Wyeth in 1972.

1) Received unframed for Conservation
2) Showing mildew and mold spots
3) Close-up of mold spots before treatment
4) Chemically fumigated for mildew and mold; foxing spots removed
5) Conservation completed

Anton Otto Fischer Restoration - discolored resin & tobacco smoke

Chemical cleaning to remove old discolored resin and years of tobacco smoke. Cleaning of pigment surface. Removal of discolored resin.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Conservation in progress
2) Conservation in progress
3) Finished
3) Finished

European Harbor Restoration - discolored copal damar varnish

19th Century European Harbor Ship depicted in Oil on Canvas painting. Chemical cleaning to remove old discolored copal damar varnish.

Comparison of Q-tip cleaning with proper chemicals in progress
Comparison of Q-tip cleaning with proper chemicals in progress

Sailing Ship at sea Restoration - discolored varnish

Discolored varnish on Sailing Ship at Sea depicted in Oil on Canvas painting (19th Century).

1) Q-tip cleaning with proper chemicals in progress
1) Q-tip cleaning with proper chemicals in progress
2) Finished
2) Finished

George Morland Restoration - soot film cleaning & holes in canvas

Winter ice skating scene by English artist George Morland, Oil on Canvas. Q-tip chemical cleaning of soot film & holes to fill on surface.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Q-tip cleaning test area on dog
2) Q-tip cleaning test area on dog
3) Large holes to conserve in sky area
3) Large holes to conserve in sky area
4) Finished
4) Finished

Pensive Female Portrait Restoration - Blanching & Discolored Resin

Oil on Wood Panel. Q-tip chemically remove old discolored resin mixed with linseed oil. Blanching to pigment to correct color. Frame to repair and reguild.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Start of Q-tip cleaning
2) Start of Q-tip cleaning
3) In progress
3) In progress
4) Finished
4) Finished

Walter Baum Restoration - old aged resin, airborne dirt, & cigarette smoke

Winter landscape by Walter Baum. Oil on Canvas board.Q-tip cleaning of pigment surface to remove old aged resin, airborne dirt, and years of cigarette smoke residue.

1) Q-tip cleaning of pigment surface to remove old aged resin, airborne dirt, and cigarette smoke
1) Q-tip cleaning of pigment surface to remove old aged resin, airborne dirt, and cigarette smoke
2) In progress
2) In progress
3) Finished
3) Finished

Anthony Theime Restoration - lost pigment fill & retouch + cleaning

Over-cleaning by an older restoration. Pigment is very dry and brittle. Missing pigment fill and retouch, cleaning after pigment fully sealed.

1) Light pigment to Q-tip clean after pigment sealed, losses filled and retouched
1) Light pigment to Q-tip clean after pigment sealed, losses filled and retouched
2) Finished
2) Finished

Santa Claus Restoration - torn painting, relining, light pigment cleaning

Torn painting of Santa Claus, Oil on Canvas. To be Relined onto a linen support, to flatten, light Q-tip pigment cleaning.

1) Painting as received for conservation
1) Painting as received for conservation
2) Finished
2) Finished

Woman Reading Red Book Restoration - serious water damage, mold/mildew, loss of pigment

Oil on Canvas painting with serious water damage and loss of pigment. Mildew and mold conditions to treat.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Upclose look at pigment loss
2) Upclose look at pigment loss
3) Finished
3) Finished

Italian Painting of Four Musical Monks Restoration - uv damage, frame repair

Old & discolored resin, covered in oily residue of air-borne smoke caused by furnace back-fire.

1) Serious UV damage causing blanching conditions to the pigment surface. Chemical treatment to bring back pigment colors. Frame to repair.
2) Conservation finished

Still Life with Fruit - water damage, loss of pigment, mildew/mold

Oil on Canvas painting with water damage and loss of pigment. Mildew and mold conditions to treat by blanching to eradicate.

Two Monks at Table Restoration - old resin, cigarette smoke residue, holes, mildew

Oil on Canvas painting with water damage and loss of pigment. Mildew and mold conditions to treat for blanching and mold eradication.

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Finished
2) Finished

Woman Riding Horse Restoration - pigment cleaning, frame restoration

English Artist, 42″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, pigment cleaning & frame retoration.

1) Q-tip conservation cleaning in progress
1) Q-tip conservation cleaning in progress
2) Finished
2) Finished

Charcoal & Pastel Portrait Restoration - vandalism

Charcoal and pastel, 18″ x 16″, Vandalism restoration

1) As received for conservation
1) As received for conservation
2) Finished
2) Finished

Painting on Wood Palette Restoration - repair & cleaning

Painting on Wooden Paint Palette, 10″ x 16″

1) Showing older repair
1) Showing older repair
2) Q-tip cleaning in progress
2) Q-tip cleaning in progress
3) Finished
3) Finished

Winter Landscape with Church by Albert Insley Restoration - old varnish, pigment correction

Winter Landscape with Church by Albert Insley (1842 – 1937).

1) Extremely dry conditions and blanching of pigment to correct
2) Old discolored copal damar varnish to remove (right side removed as comparison)

House of Melancholy by Harry Leith-Ross Restoration - fireplace soot

House of Melancholy by Harry Leith-Ross, Oil on Canvas, 30″ x 40″

1) Q-tip chemical cleaning of heavy stove and fireplace soot
2) Finished

Portrait of Young Boy Restoration - insect infestation, furnace soot

Old & discolored resin, covered in oily residue of air-borne smoke caused by furnace back-fire.

1) Q-tip chemical used to remove layers of old resin covered by an oily residue of air-borne smoke caused by a furnace back-fire.
2) A few spots need stain removal
3) Insect infestation to eradicate
4) Conservation finished

Peter Hurd Playing his Guitar by Andrew Wyeth Restoration - removal of glued backing

Original watercolor was glued to a mat, removed and reframed.

1) Original watercolor glued to mat
2) To remove by scaling: old acid filled cardboard glued down to verso side of watercolor paper backing support. No grid glue lines are visible from front.
3) Conservation finished

U.S. E. Pluribus Unum Document Restoration - full restoration

Rare & important United States document:
E. PLURIBUS UNUM (dated to late 1770’s). Provenance: NEHGS, Boston, MA.
Original watercolor with traditional motto of the United States appearing on the Great Seal and New Order Seal appearing on opposite side.
Click here for the history about this seal

1) As received for Conservation
2) Severely stained from acid burn
3) Old parchment paper was glued to acid paper, which was then glued to old acid filled slat-wood boards. Had to be sealed off before chemical treatment.
4) After fixing colors, support board was reconditioned and stains completely removed. Stabilized and encased.

English Fox Hunting Painting on Metal Tray Restoration - blanched pigment, old varnish, paint loss

English Fox Hunting Painting on 20″ Oval Metal Tray, blanched pigment, old varnish, & paint loss.

1) Pigment blanched, loss of paint, very darkened by old varnish.
2) Q-tip chemical cleaning in progress.
3) Pitted metal flaking pigment, heavy loss of image, scratches, holes, et al.
4) Q-tip chemical cleaning in progress.
5) Beginning of in-painting and matching colors.
6) Conservation finished

Dog Pen By Barn Restoration - mounted on old acid filled gray board

Dog Pen By Barn by Andrew Wyeth, Watercolor on paper mounted to old acid filled gray board.

1) Careful operation to scale off old cardboard and glue residue.
2) Treatment for foxing spots and staining.
3) Conservation finished

Male Figure Resting by Andrew Wyeth Restoration - mounted on old cardboard

Male Figure Resting by Andrew Wyeth Restoration, Watercolor on paper mounted on old cardboard

2) To scale off and treat foxing spots and staining.
3) Conservation finished

Seascape, Crashing Waves Restoration - relining, serious pigment cracking

Seascape, Crashing Waves, removal of old linseed oil, serious cracking of pigment, needs to be relined onto new linen support.

1) Coatings of old linseed oil to chemically remove serious cracking of pigment.
2) Conservation finished

Early Graphic Drawing Restoration - very brittle condition, heavy stains, fumigation

Early graphic drawing on Paper, very brittle condition, older restoration glue mounted to acid-filled porous board.

1) Very brittle condition, older restoration glue mounted to acid-filled porous board.
2) Heavily stained on right side, needs fumigation and dipping in chemical solution.
3) Backboard to scale off.
4) Conservation finished

Expansive Landscape Restoration - old resin, seal & stabilize

Expansive Landscape by Miln Ramsey, Oil on Canvas, mounted to board, old discolored resin, seal and stabilize.

1) Old discolored resin to remove by Q-tip.
2) Seal and stabilize loose pigment.
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