Christine Sitwell ACR FIIC
Paintings and Painted Surfaces Consultant
“You have been the calmest, most supportive person through thick and thin: always positive and turning a challenge into a solution”.
Oil painting during varnish removal
Experience
I am an accredited paintings conservator with many years’ experience working for the National Trust as the Paintings Conservation Adviser; organising surveys, advising on treatment options, budgets, technical analysis, picture hanging and working on exhibitions. I also advise on the technical investigation of painted surfaces in historic interiors to understand the decorative history and recommend their conservation or restoration.
Removing a painting for conservation treatment
Partially cleaned painted wall surface
Collaborate
I enjoy working collaboratively with conservation colleagues, curators and paint analysts to further our understanding of artists’ materials and techniques, the changes an artist makes during the development of a painting and the physical and chemical changes to pigments which occur over time. Collaborations with digital media teams can help us use this information to raise public awareness of your paintings and collections.
Examining a complex decorative surface
Infrared photograph showing underdrawing
Advice
I offer a variety of advisory services for paintings and painted surfaces in historic interiors to help you develop a programme and budget for your collections. I can help you decide which analytical procedures are most appropriate and which individual or organisation could provide the service. I also advise on grants and other funding opportunities as well as collaborating with conservation training programmes on paintings projects.
Supervising a challenging delivery of an exhibition
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“A fabulous consultant and adviser with great experience and deep knowledge of paintings, their history and artist’s materials and techniques”.
