When Rachel-Ray Cleveland sits down to read the morning paper she may notice a bit more than the average reader. While most people simply see words on paper, Ms. Cleveland recognizes types of ink, quality of paper and much, much more. Ms. Cleveland has been an art conservator for over 15 years, and on May 17she shared some of her knowledge in a free seminar at the Catonsville Room in the Catonsville Library.

The Friends of the Catonsville Library were happy to sponsor this event.

Cleveland has performed conservation on a number of rare
paper artifacts, including a parchment document signed by George Washington and letters of Albert Einstein. She has worked contractually with many prestigious museums, including the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Cleveland has also been hired to work with institutions as ostensibly unlikely as the CIA.

Her extensive knowledge in the field of art conservation, drawn from three art-related degrees including a degree in Art Conservation, was evident in the talk given May 17. Attendees at this free event learned of the many scientific techniques used in conservation efforts to remove mold, acids, watermarks and other stains from rare paper artifacts.

Cleveland also informed the audience of the damaging effects that adhesives have on works of art. 'Tape- Just Say No is a motto Cleveland advises for anyone trying to restore or preserve precious works of art.

Her favorite aspect of this field of work is the challenge to choose optimal treatment methods for each individual object.

“I started out as an artist, but didn’t know how I would fit in the world,”  Cleveland said, when asked about her start in the business. “I discovered art conservation, which allows me to balance art history, science and studied art.”

In addition to working with public and private institutions, Ms. Cleveland accepts pieces from private collectors. She is also happy to work with personal history and heirloom items. Her prices depend upon the scale of
the work.

To learn more about Cleveland Conservation of Art on Paper, please visit their website at http://www.conservationofpaper.com/movie.html.