Our ICON accredited paper conservator is able to restore pieces that have become damaged or disturbed by mould or foxing, including the safe removal of contamination and staining. 

Foxing restoration

Appearing as brown spots on watercolours, prints and other paper documents, foxing may visually impact paper artworks, becoming worse over time. Foxing occurs due to the composition of the paper itself – eventually creating darkened areas. This unsightly issue is usually caused by age and can be made worse due to high humidity levels. 

Foxing can be removed with professional methods, this includes the gentle cleansing of paper in a tailored solution – one that does not disturb the artwork itself but sensitively takes away the foxing and staining, as much as it is safe and possible to do so. The solutions used by our conservator also help in the prevention of foxing returning to the paper. 

Mould restoration

The porous nature of paper makes it a perfect location for mould to grow, this is especially compelled by a humid environment or the aftermath of water damage such as floods and leaks. Mould spores can spread over time, often quite rapidly, becoming a danger to the artwork and your health. 

Our studio is able to safely store mould-affected artworks by using special technology to kill active spores. This stops the continuous spread of mould and ensures that any embedded spores will not emerge. 

Once the mould has been eliminated, the restoration can begin. This includes the gentle removal of discolouration and physical mould growth, using a tailored solution that lifts the contamination but does not affect the original artwork or text. Once the paper is free of visual disturbance, it can be flattened if the paper has become warped or cockled. Most pieces are lined onto a strong Japanese tissue paper to add further protection and stability.