baumgartnerrestoration

My Cup Runneth Over Part 2 of 2 AD FREE

Big projects command an investment; of time, mental capital, physical effort and most of all, emotional currency. But with these monumental tasks comes the potential for great reward. This untitled painting by an unknown artist of Bacchus will require just a bit of everything we do in the studio, and while perhaps not the most complicated project we've encountered, it will demand, and demand,...

My Cup Runneth Over

Big projects command an investment; of time, mental capital, physical effort and most of all, emotional currency.  But with these monumental tasks comes the potential for great reward.  This untitled painting by an unknown artist of Bacchus will require just a bit of everything we do in the studio, and while perhaps not the most complicated project we've encountered, it will demand, a...

From The Shadows AD FREE

A mystery painting of a man peering out of the darkness.  Evidence of past work. As we peel back the layers and reveal elements of this painting, will we find what we're looking for or be confronted with an ugly truth as this piece comes from the shadows.

Coming into Bloom AD FREE

Though a relatively simple and straight forward conservation, the results on this lovely painting of peonies truly exemplifies the effect the right kind of treatment can have on a painting.  From dull and lifeless to vibrant and electric, this painting, and the flowers are now coming into bloom.

Behind The Canvas S1E8 Bonus - Stretching

Behind The Canvas S1E1 Bonus - Mirror Silvering

Behind The Canvas S1E7 Bonus - Old Stables

Behind The Canvas S1E1 - Armand Lee Framing

For over three decades the artisans at Armand Lee Framing in Chicago have been dedicated to producing the finest frames available.  Whether sleek and modern, opulent, rustic or everything between, their commitment to elevating artwork through framing in unwavering.  And while their work graces the walls of homes, galleries and museums around the world, few people ever make it past the...

Behind The Canvas S1E6 - Guardian Fine Art Services

When priceless works of art need to move from one place to another, it requires more than a a set of hands and a truck.  Guardian Fine Art Services is at the forefront of handling, moving and storing these most precious of objects.  And when the Pabst Mansion on Milwaukee, a historic landmark museum requires assistance its Guardian they call.   In this episode we travel with...

Behind The Canvas S1E5 - Thomas McCormick Gallery

An artist without a gallery is a chef without a restaurant or a musician without a theatre. But what exactly does a gallerist do all day and where do they find artists, and how do they find clients, and moving artwort, and writing about art, and visiting artists' studios, and phew!... it's a delicate juggling act all in the service of artwork and its power to reach us.  In this episode we ...

Behind The Canvas S1E6 Bonus - Box Building

Behind The Canvas S1E4 - Gamblin Artist Colors

Every day at Gamblin Artist Colors sees the birth of magic contained inside a small aluminum tube.  Transforming raw materials into luscious buttery paint, this small family of paint makers takes their craft seriously for their passion and work will eventually evolve into the next great painting, one that will have the power to affect within each of us the most powerful emotions in the way...

Behind The Canvas S1E3 - Graphic Conservation Company

For thousands of years the primary method of recording our history, expressing our emotions and telling our stories depended upon paper.  But this enduring material is also fragile and delicate and often damaged.  The master paper conservators at Graphic Conservation Company are world renowned for their expertise in the conservation and restoration of works of art on paper.  &nbs...

Behind The Canvas S1E7 - Libeco Linen

While an artist may choose to paint on wood, or another fabric, the most discerning painters choose linen.  And the finest line in the world comes form the fertile hills of Flanders in Belgium.  But transforming the raw plant to a masterpiece-worthy canvas requires skill and craft honed through generations.  At Libeco, the world's foremost producer of linen the family tradition r...

Behind The Canvas S1E5 Bonus - Rug Salesman

Behind The Canvas S1E2 Bonus - Auction Photography

Behind The Canvas S1E2 - Hindman Auctions

Auctions have become commonplace and we can buy and sell from our phones but for more discerning clients and objects a proper auction house is  required.  At Hindman Auctions they can employ their team of researches handlers, photographers and expertise within the world of art, antiquities, collectibles, and more to help buyers and seller find the right object and relationship.  ...

Behind The Canvas S1E4 Bonus - Pigmented Wax

Behind The Canvas S1E3 Bonus - Paper Repair

Behind The Canvas S1E8 - Claessens Artist Canvas

For over 150 years a small factory in the Belgium countryside has been producing the finest artists linen in the world.  Claessens has innovated, modernized and honed their craft over three generations but never lost the personal touch that results in a product worthy of a masterpiece.  In this episode we visit Claessens Artist Canvas to see how raw linen is meticulously prepared for ...

Goodbye, BFAR

After nearly 5 years of making videos in my studio it's time to say goodbye.  

For the next several months, I’ll be leaving my studio and visiting the galleries, workshops and factories of people who make the world art possible, sharing their dedication, craft and expertise as we take a look Behind The Canvas.  

This new 8-part series will explore a side of the art world...

Compromise-d? AD FREE

One-hundred percent, one-hundred percent of the time; that's the goal.  Except when it's not.  There are times and circumstances where a client approaches us with seemingly conflicting desires; conserve the artwork, but not too much, use the best materials but not if they're expensive, etc...  And it's in this space of compromise that we must decide if these restrictions or conce...

A small update.

Hey friends,

You may have noticed that I’ve been really quiet lately, both on instagram and Patreon and that I’m just a wee bit behind on the epilogues.

I haven’t forgotten and have a list of questions ready to go; I’m just hunting for the time to record them.

The past few weeks/months have been difficut, trying, heartbreaking, inspiring, exciting, and hopeful, someti...

In The Thick Of IT - AD FREE

We often tend to only tackle projects of problems to which we have a rote solution for fear of the unknown and possible defeat.  Yet taking on projects that are challenging and force us to be creative is how we grow.  These solutions to novel problems make the work worthwhile, yet sometimes we don't actually know the issues that we'll face until we're in the thick of it.

Grand Canal Grand Reveal - Epilogue

00:26 - Why don’t you ever retouch the edges of the canvas? 02:03 - are you ever tempted to make editorial adjustments to make the painting better? 03:08 - When using a scalpel to remove fill in material how do you know where to start and stop? 05:17 - Logistical questions about examination, shipping, taxes and imports, insurance, etc… 08:41 - Is there any risk of the PET film aging or dete...

From Ruff to Refined - Part 2 AD FREE

Hiding beneath an old and heavily discolored natural resin varnish exists a stunning Elizabethan portrait of a woman telegraphing her wealth and status.  But to truly see her as she wished to be seen, we must first transform her from Ruff to Refined.

From Ruff to Refined - Part 1 AD FREE

Hiding beneath an old and heavily discolored natural resin varnish exists a stunning Elizabethan portrait of a woman telegraphing her wealth and status.  But to truly see her as she wished to be seen, we must first transform her from Ruff to Refined.

Radical Nuance - Conserving A Moroccan Portrait AD FREE

Often we marvel at the dramatic, the extravagant and the radical changes for those capture our attention and seem most impressive.  Yet the sum of a series of changes on the margins can also force a shift in how we approach something, even if those changes are small and seemingly insignificant alone.  Sometimes, that nuance can in fact be radical.

About Face - Epilogue

00:25 - Why didn’t you use the Zack Rack or humidity tent to make the canvas pliable to close the tear. 

03:00 - Explain what happened with the retouching timeline; the face and scarf… 

03:53 - Was the original painted during her life, were there lots of copies? 

05:10 - Do you ever use the UV light to see what you have already cleaned? 

05:54 - W...

Preserve and Protect - A Southwestern Legacy

As one of the Taos Six, a band of intrepid artists who traveled to, fell in love with and painted the American Southwest, Oscar E. Berninghaus captured scenes of Native People's lives with sensitivity and grace.  In preserving and conserving his painting it too will finally receive that same sensitivity and grace on the way to it's former glory.

P.S. sorry this one is a bit late toda...