Meet Sheffield's Expert Painting Restorers
Many historic paintings across the county are kept in remarkably good condition - but how do they stay looking so vibrant and new?
Critchlow & Kukkonen offer museum-standard conservation and restoration of paintings for museums and art galleries, historic houses, churches, universities and private clients across Yorkshire and beyond, and paintings conservator Lucy is part of the small team who pride themselves on this intricate craft.
‘I always enjoyed science, history and art at school, so painting conservation was the perfect career,’ she says. ‘I studied a BA in art history and went on to study the Conservation of Fine Art (Easel Paintings) masters at Northumbria University. Then I did a paid internship in the Netherlands, followed by freelance work around the UK, and finally settled in Sheffield.’
Lucy worked for a number of private practices, including Gillian MH Walker's Conservation & Restoration of Easel Paintings in Sheffield, and undertook a variety of projects for museums and art galleries across the UK. After nearly five years, Gillian retired, and Lucy and paintings conservator Eeva Kukkonen set up their own studio to continue the work.
‘We offer a range of conservation and restoration treatments,’ explains Lucy. ‘We carry out full photography and report writing and some technical analysis and help with exhibition work, give lectures and presentations, and also contribute to filming and interviews.’
The process can vary for each individual piece, but the team often carry out treatments such as surface cleaning (removing dust and dirt from the surface of a painting) and varnish removal which involves removing yellowed and discoloured varnish layers and discoloured paint from previous restorations. ‘We consolidate flaking paint layers and carry out structural work to canvas paintings such as tear repairs and relining if the canvas support is degraded,’ says Lucy. ‘We fill and retouch any losses and damage, varnish the painting, and then carry out conservation framing to make sure the paintings are secure in their frames.’
The key part of any project is making sure the paintings are protected, without altering the original. Lucy was awarded the Institute of Conservation (ICON) Professional Accreditation for Conservator Restorers in 2014, and as an accredited conservator, she adheres to their ethical guidance. ‘Everything we carry out must be reversible, and easily distinguishable from the original,’ she says. ‘For example, we don't overpaint over original paint layers, we carefully in-paint any damage, and when removing varnish and overpaint layers we carry out a series of tests and use a range of examination methods. We find a bespoke solvent mixture to carefully lift away the yellow varnish layers without affecting the original paint.’
The team have worked on many interesting projects which require real precision, including one recently at Sizergh near Kendal. ‘They had a leak which severely damaged some 18th-century and family portraits,’ says Lucy. ‘The varnish layers were broken down, so we had dramatic cleaning results and it was really rewarding to return them to their original condition.’
Another example is the large-scale Mallory Family Portrait of 1649 at Fountains Abbey, near Ripon. ‘We carried out full conservation and restoration, and after our studio treatment we had to roll the painting around a specially made cylinder so that it could be manoeuvred up narrow staircases and through doorways into the first floor great chamber of Fountain's Hall,’ Lucy says. ‘Once there, we unrolled the canvas, assembled a stretcher, tensioned the canvas onto the stretcher and fitted it into its frame for display. You can see it now at Fountain's Hall.’
They have also worked on projects for Hull Maritime Museum (the 19th-century Whalers in the Arctic by John Ward and The Dock Master's Wife by Unknown Artist) as well as Tobias Healing the Blind Tobit by Valerio Castello (1650) from the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull, restoring a painting of Kirkstall Abbey for Leeds Museums and Galleries, Bridge Houses and White Rails at Bridgehouses from Sheffield Museums, and paintings from Nostell Priory.
Most projects, especially those that are large scale, present unique challenges and each painting is different, so has its own set of challenges. ‘We just think the stages through methodically before we begin anything, and we carry out a series of tests and analyse those,’ says Lucy. ‘We use problem solving skills and also draw on our experience.’
‘The team are proud to be based in Yorkshire and recognise the county’s connections to art’
Critchlow & Kukkonen is based in Sheffield’s Sheaf Bank Business Park, and Lucy says the studio’s inconspicuous location often surprises visitors. The spacious studio and its specialist equipment allow the team to treat large-scale paintings and carry out structural treatments including linings.
The team are proud to be based in Yorkshire and recognise the county’s connections to art. ‘It's fantastic working in Sheffield,’ Lucy says. ‘There are stunning galleries, museums and houses across Yorkshire, and it's a privilege to be involved in the conservation and restoration for these amazing collections, and work in such beautiful surroundings.’
The team are currently preparing a selection of paintings from Leeds Art Gallery which are going on loan to the Tate St Ives, and Lucy hopes these projects continue. ‘We’ve got a great team at the studio,’ she says, ‘and we're always getting new and challenging projects to work on.’
