Houston, Texas · Est. 1999
Paintings conserved
to the museum standard
Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation is a paintings conservation studio in Houston, Texas. Our conservators trained and served at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, and have cared for paintings for museums, institutions, and private collectors across Texas and the United States for more than twenty-five years.
Services
The care of paintings, from examination to treatment
The studio treats oil and acrylic paintings on canvas and panel — from Old Masters to contemporary works. Every treatment begins with examination and a written proposal, and every step is documented. If your project involves works on paper, objects, or textiles, we are glad to refer you to trusted colleagues in those specialties.
- Examination & Condition Reports
- Documented examination of paintings for purchase, loan, exhibition, or insurance — in our studio or on site.
- Cleaning & Varnish Removal
- Removal of discolored varnish, grime, and overpaint to recover the original character of a painting.
- Structural Treatment & Tear Repair
- Stabilization of flaking paint, treatment of tears and punctures — including thread-by-thread reweaving.
- Retouching & Inpainting
- Reversible compensation for losses, carried out to the standards of the profession’s code of ethics.
- Technical Analysis
- Examination under ultraviolet light, magnification, and analytical imaging in support of research and treatment.
- Collection Surveys
- Condition surveys, storage and exhibition recommendations, and preservation planning for collections.
- Disaster Remediation
- Assessment and treatment of paintings damaged by water, fire, smoke, and storm events. Emergency inquiries are prioritized.
Museum Appointments
Trained in the world’s leading conservation departments
- J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Saint Louis Art Museum
- Bayerisches National Museum, Munich
- Indianapolis Museum of Art
- New York Bureau of Historic Sites
Clients
Institutions and collectors who trust the studio
- Rothko Chapel
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Sotheby’s
- Christie’s
- Blanton Museum of Art
- Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
- Gilcrease Museum
- Oklahoma City Museum of Art
- The Houston Museum of Natural Science
- Blaffer Art Museum
- Rice University
- University of Houston
- Bank of America
- Schlumberger
- … and private collectors throughout the region
Artists Treated
Paintings conserved in the studio include works by
Frida Kahlo · Georgia O’Keeffe · Diego Rivera · René Magritte · Anthony van Dyck · Mary Cassatt · Frederic Remington · Max Ernst · Robert Rauschenberg · Cy Twombly · Frank Stella · Hans Hofmann · Louise Nevelson · Julian Onderdonk · André Derain · Maxfield Parrish · among many others
Begin
Send us a few photographs to begin
Collectors and institutions across Texas and the United States visit our Houston studio and ship works to us for treatment. A preliminary review starts with photographs — we respond to inquiries within one business day, and emergency inquiries are prioritized the same business day.
Request an Assessment