ACT Art Conservation LLC

06/08/2026

These three Nathan Oliveira monoprints arrived at our studio after a residential flood with extensive tide lines, staining, discoloration, and distortion caused by prolonged water exposure. What appears to be a simple stain is often much more complex; flood water carries dissolved contaminants deep into the paper fibers, leaving behind discoloration and instability that can continue to worsen over time.

Following extensive testing, each artwork underwent carefully controlled aqueous treatment and flattening in our paper conservation studio. Over the course of treatment, decades of artistic subtlety that had been obscured by flood damage gradually re-emerged.

The transformation is dramatic, but our goal is never to make an artwork look “new.” Our goal is to stabilize, preserve, and recover as much of the artist’s original intent as possible.

Swipe to see the before and afters.

Private Collection
Nathan Oliveira
• Seated Ryan Figure with White Hair (1981)
• Untitled (1992)
• Yucatan Sequence I–2 (1982)

06/02/2026

To say we’re honored would be an understatement.

ACT Art Conservation has been featured in the latest issue of Punch Magazine, highlighting the work our team does every day to preserve and protect cultural heritage throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

When I first walked into a conservation studio as a student in Florence, I had no idea that one day I would have the privilege of building a multidisciplinary conservation practice of my own. What began as a fascination with how objects age has grown into a career dedicated to helping families, collectors, institutions, and communities preserve the pieces that matter most.

This feature shines a light on something we often say in the studio: conservation is not about making something look new. It is about understanding an object’s history, respecting its journey, and ensuring it can continue into the future.

My deepest thanks to Johanna Harlow and the team at Punch Magazine for telling our story, and to every client, colleague, mentor, conservator, collector, curator, and institution that has trusted us with their treasured objects over the years.

Most of all, thank you to our incredible team. This feature reflects the passion, expertise, and care each of you brings to the studio every day.

Here’s to preserving the past, and protecting it for future generations.

-Alexandra Thrapp Pignati, Principal Conservator & Founder of ACT Art Conservation

✨ The full article is available in the newest issue of Punch Magazine.

CulturalHeritage PaintingsConservation ObjectsConservation PaperConservation ConservationStudio Preservation

05/06/2026

La Perruche souris, Pl. 38
Hand-colored engraving on paper

This print arrived with acid discoloration from prior framing, water damage, scattered foxing, and micro-tears throughout the sheet. The pigments were highly fugitive, requiring a controlled and highly specialized approach to treatment on our suction washing table to reduce acid discoloration, foxing and embrittlement. Tears will locally mended and the artwork was flattened in the press. The results speak for themselves!

Acidic materials left in contact with paper don’t just discolor the surface, they actively weaken the structure of the sheet over time, leading to embrittlement, staining, and eventual loss. Addressing that acidity is essential not only for visual clarity, but for the long-term stability of the artwork itself.

Through carefully controlled treatment, discoloration was reduced and the paper stabilized, allowing the depth of tone, subtle color transitions, and fine engraved detail to re-emerge.

This is where conservation lives; at the intersection of preservation and presentation. Protecting the object, while allowing the work to be fully seen again.

03/30/2026

Mel Ramos
Phantom Lady, 1962
Oil on canvas
59 13/16 x 44 1/8 in.

Conserved by Alexandra Thrapp Pignati, Principal Conservator, 2019, (COA)

A focused treatment to stabilize the surface and refine minor areas, restoring clarity while preserving the artist’s original intent.

A particular favorite of mine to have worked on, and especially meaningful to see it now on view in Venice as part of Mel Ramos: Iconography of American Beauty at Palazzo Bragadin Carabba, during the 2026 Biennale in Venice.

For conservators, moments like these carry a quiet significance. Each work we care for continues on, moving through collections, across continents, and into new contexts. To see a painting return to public view in this way is always deeply rewarding, a reminder that conservation is not just preservation, but the ongoing stewardship of an artist’s legacy.

Published with permission of the Mel Ramos Foundation.

…a reminder that conservation is both preservation and the careful carrying forward of an artist’s legacy.

- Alexandra

03/25/2026

Before & After: Varnish Bloom on a Contemporary Oil Painting ✨

Over time, a thin, hazy film can develop across the surface of a painting, often the result of environmental fluctuations interacting with the varnish layer.

This phenomenon, known as varnish bloom, can soften contrast, mute color, and reduce the sense of depth within the brushwork; particularly in darker or heavily painted passages.

While subtle, it can significantly alter how a painting is perceived.

How to recognize it:
A slight cloudiness or veil across the surface, particularly noticeable in darker passages or areas of heavy paint application. An overall cloudiness or chalky appearance of the pigments.

The encouraging part: this condition is often reversible. With appropriate conservation intervention, clarity, saturation, and dimensionality can frequently be brought back into alignment with the artist’s original intent.

A quiet change visually, but a meaningful and dramatic one! ✨

Photo: detail of an Oil on canvas Painting by artist Kelly Reemsten, “I love you too” 2012
Shared with the generous permission of our client

03/11/2026

Not all damage happens dramatically.
Sometimes it happens quietly… in storage.

This painting came into the studio with dark abrasions and pigment transfer along the edge of the canvas. The cause? Another framed painting had been resting against it in storage, and over time the black frame rubbed against the paint surface.

Even very small, repeated contact can gradually abrade paint layers and leave deposits from adjacent materials.

In conservation, we carefully reduce surface deposits and stabilize the affected paint layer so the original surface can be safely preserved. But the best solution is always prevention.

Paintings should never be stacked directly against one another without protective padding or separators. Works should ideally be stored vertically so that frames, glazing, or other objects are not pressing against the paint surface. Even a seemingly stable arrangement can slowly cause abrasion over time.

Paintings may look durable, but the paint surface is often incredibly delicate.

Proper storage and careful handling are some of the most important steps collectors can take to protect their artwork and the history it carries. For more information on collections care and preventative conservation, email us at [email protected] Photo: Detail of a 1970s Roland Petersen painting in conservation, private collection via ACT Art Conservation LLC

ACT Art Conservation
San Francisco Bay Area | Worldwide

12/19/2025

12/16/2025

What a wonderful gathering of Conservators & students for a fun evening of Bookbinding, letterpress and conservation! Loved having the ladies of Act Art Conservation out together! Our latest BAACG (Bay Area Art Conservation Guild) meeting was held at the San Francisco Center for the Book 📖 than you to for hosting us!!

12/01/2025

I’m honored to share that I’ve been inducted as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Art Conservation Guild (BAACG).

My connection to this Guild began when I was 19—attending potlucks, workshops, and events with the conservators who became my mentors, friends, and eventually colleagues. Stepping into this role feels like a meaningful full-circle moment.

BAACG plays an important role in supporting conservation professionals, upholding ethical standards, and fostering collaboration across the Bay Area’s museums, studios, and cultural institutions. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this community and to continue advocating for the preservation of our region’s cultural heritage.

Thank you to my fellow board members for the warm welcome. I’m excited to serve and support the Guild’s mission.

Warmly,
Alexandra Thrapp
Principal Conservator, ACT Art Conservation

Learn more at baacg.org

11/13/2025

Thank you for the coverage on our Angel Project !!