27
November 2025

The Arts Society Liskeard Discovery Day

South West Area
Thursday, November 27, 2025 - 10:00 to 15:30
Liskeard Public Hall
3-5 West Street Liskeard PL14 6BW

The Paintings Conservation Roadshow. 

The nature of painting materials from the Middle Ages to the present day including their common problems.

We discuss the nature of oil painting materials from the Middle Ages to the present day and common problems associated with the ageing and deterioration of, and damage to, easel paintings. These can be on canvas, panel, board or paper in a range of mediums: oil, acrylic, egg tempera or mixed media. Problems can involve natural deterioration and neglect, accidental damage, vandalism and even war.

Modern museum standard approaches to conservation and restoration are illustrated with detailed slides ranging from early Italian religious paintings in egg tempera, via rapid oil sketches on paper by John Constable, to 20th century British portraits and modern abstract works. Hints and advice on the proper care of paintings in homes is given in liberal doses throughout!

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Ms Sarah Cove

Sarah Cove is an accredited paintings conservator-restorer, technical art historian and lecturer with more than 35 years’ experience working on paintings for the heritage and private sectors. She is based in London and Falmouth and is a specialist in British portraits, 19th-20th century British landscapes and oil sketches on paper and board. In 1986 she founded the Constable Research Project and she is now the leading authority on Constable’s materials and techniques. She has appeared in several TV programmes for the BBC notably Constable in Love with Andrew Graham-Dixon and twice on Fake or Fortune? where she was instrumental in the discovery of 3 ‘lost’ Constables. Other research interests include Tudor and Jacobean Portraiture, the 19th century Newlyn and St Ives schools and early-to-mid 20th century British painting generally. She has been a lecturer for The Arts Society since 2003 and is an experienced international speaker having lectured independently at major public and gallery venues across the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. Her presentations are lively and enthusiastic as she speaks without notes with an inimitable passion that comes from presenting her own work and research with wonderful images.