I think that Megan has brought up a very interesting point which both
conservators artists should think long and hard about.  Although I am not a
paintings conservator I have several friends who are and this topic has
arisen fairly often.

My friends tell me that many artists are unaware of the stability of the
materials which they employ in their art works, that information just wasn't
passed along in school or during apprenticeship.

I believe that conservators should strive to interact with studio art
programs and to fully inform the next generation of artists about this issue
of permanence and stability.  The artist, I believe, should at least have the
knowledge to make the choice between  creating a work out of stable, fairly
permanent materials, and creating a work which is meant to degrade,
deteriorate, and transform itself rapidly into a work composed of suffering
and damaged materials.

I see both choices as valid, the key is for the artist to be properly
informed and to make it a matter of intent, rather than accident.

Dave

David Harvey
Conservator of Metals & Arms
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA  23187-1776  USA
voice:       804-220-7039
e-mail:    [log in to unmask]