| By Andrea Yomtob 03.07.2024|
WHAT IS ART RESTORATION? The work of repairing damage to artworks, bringing them back to their original condition. Unlike art conservation, this can admit the addition of elements which were not pieces of the original, but which are known to look just like them. In painting a portion of a painting that is damaged or missing, for instance. [www.freeartdictionary.com]
My Experience and How I came to restore his work?
During our long weekly afternoon painting sessions together, over 25 years, I learned Omar d’León’s unique oil & wax painting techniques. He entrusted me with the special mix of solutions used in all his work. I use the same technique in my paintings which you can view HERE.
After Omar’s passing in 2022, I was approached by one of his collectors about restoring two paintings he’d purchased from Omar d’León titled The Bathers (Bañistas) -1987 and Peeping Tom – 2001.
These paintings were in various needs of restoration that ranged from chipped paint, cracked varnish, scratches, and uneven varnish. It was my honor to restore Omar’s paintings. You can see examples of the before and after below.
The restoration took months to complete, but I worked on both paintings simultaneously which saved time. The amount of time necessary varied because it was dependent on the extent of the repairs, and the amount of layers needed to bring it back to its former condition.
The Bathers (Bañistas) -1987 :
Omar d’León completed The Bathers in 1987, but this collector purchased it in the 2010s directly from Omar. It had been framed in a way that the entire front edge of the painting was chipped and scratched. There were also areas of paint that were missing and attempts were made to paint over these areas using acrylic paint by someone other than Omar d’León. The detailed areas shown below are just a handful of the areas restored in this painting. Hopefully, these examples at least give you an idea of the type of restoration work done and the types of issues that can arise.
The Bathers (Bañistas)
by Omar d’León, 1987
oil and wax on canvas.
After restoration by Andrea Yomtob in 2023
Detail of The Bathers
A small detail of the painting shows the before and after restoration. In the BEFORE, you can see the damage caused along the edge from where the frame pressed on the front of the canvas and also the cracking of the varnish.
• Restored in 2023 by Andrea Yomtob
Omar d’León was a remarkable painter, and it was a gift to work on his paintings. The most surprising experience was finding myself learning new approaches and ideas by studying and reverse-engineering his work after his passing. It felt like I’d been whisked back to his studio and we were sitting together as he imparted new lessons. It was wonderful!
Detail of The Bathers
A small detail of the painting shows the before and after restoration. In the BEFORE, you can see where part of the paint had chipped off and someone’s attempt at dabbing paint over it to fix it.
• Restored in 2023 by Andrea Yomtob
I’d like to point out it’s always better to leave the damage as-is and take it straight to a restorer. Attempts to paint over, or cover up a damaged area can cause further damage to the painting and more work for the restorer. The hardest part about the restoration above and below was removing acrylic paint that was used by someone trying to cover up the damage. Note: Oil paint can go on top of acrylic, but not the other way around.
Detail of The Bathers
A small detail of the painting shows the leg area before and after restoration. In the BEFORE, you can see the peeling away of the paint and wax and just below it, chipping. It appears someone tried touching up these areas with acrylic paint.
• Restored in 2023 by Andrea Yomtob
Peeping Tom –2001:
Peeping Tom
by Omar d’León, 2001
oil and wax on canvas.
After restoration by Andrea Yomtob in 2023
Omar d’León completed Peeping Tom in 2001, but this collector purchased it directly from Omar some years after. Because this was a later painting, the condition of the piece was much better and the varnish was pretty even. There were two main areas to address on this painting.
Detail of Peeping Tom
A small detail of the painting shows the torso before and after restoration. In the BEFORE, you can see someone tried touching up a scratched area using acrylic paint.
• Restored in 2023 by Andrea Yomtob
There are many layers of paint used to build up the color and texture in Omar d’León’s paintings. So, once I removed the acrylic paint, I had to reverse-engineer the colors Omar used and match up the scratch marks made by Omar so it blended back in.
Detail of Peeping Tom
A small detail of the painting shows the checkered area before and after restoration. In the BEFORE, you can see someone tried touching up a scratched area using acrylic paint.
• Restored in 2023 by Andrea Yomtob
Once I removed the acrylic paint, I had to once again match the color layers and scratch marks so everything looked cohesive. There were at least four layers of paint used, and each layer must dry before the next one is applied.
Once the painting is dry, which can take a few months depending on the weather, I give it two coats of varnish. Omar used Damar Varnish, so that is what I used. I applied very thin coats to avoid puddling, unevenness, and too high of a gloss finish.
