Register for this Event

Preservation in Print: Preventive Conservation for Public Art

Tuesday, June 17th | 12pm - 1pm

Join the California Preservation Foundation for Preservation in Print, a free lunchtime series for anyone interested in historic preservation, architecture, planning, history, and related fields. Each one-hour session features a conversation with the author or a key contributor of a recent preservation-related title. There’s no need to read the book in advance—whether you’ve read every page, browsed the photos, or are simply curious, you’re invited to join. The program includes a brief presentation by the guest speaker, followed by a Q&A with questions from CPF’s Education Committee lead and audience members. Please note, this program will NOT be recorded.

Featured Image: Sea Change by Mark di Suvero, photographed by Lisa Versaci

About the Book: Preventive Conservation for Public Art

This insightful guide, Preventive Conservation for Public Art, is invaluable for anyone in the public art arena: artists, fabricators, public arts policymakers, commissioners and committee members, managers, developers, architects, landscape architects, engineers, contractors, maintenance providers, heritage preservationists, and conservators. The guide synthesizes methodologies from multiple professions and presents them in a coordinated, user-friendly context. From conception through fabrication, installation, maintenance, and repairs, this book offers an array of resources and practical applications for making art last longer and reducing future repair and maintenance costs. The guide has helpful real-life examples and appended tools, including sample specifications and submittals, that are invaluable for helping to guide a broad team of specialists through the preventive preservation processes for public art.

“This book is an invaluable resource for those involved with public art! Whether you're new to public art, commissioning new creations, or seeking guidance for an existing collection, this book is a fantastic starting point, packed with insightful discussions, tips, and real-world examples. Written by an expert in art and architecture conservation, it provides vital information that I found particularly enriching as someone who has managed a diverse collection and continues to consult on policy and procedure development. Dive into this resource to enhance your knowledge and approach in preserving our cultural heritage.” Patricia Walsh, Founder and CEO, PAW Arts, LLC, former Director of Creative Community Advancement and Public Art and Civic Design Senior Program Manager at Americans for the Arts.

© 2025 Katharine Untch. All rights reserved. All images used in this book and any author’s presentations are either the property of the author or used with permission. Unauthorized use of any images is prohibited. For permissions and inquiries regarding image use, please contact the author-publisher. No part of this presentations may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author-publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author-publisher.

Purchase the book here: https://a.co/d/20XluJn

About the Author: Katharine Untch, MA, CAS

Katharine Untch, MA, CAS, is a passionate and highly respected conservator with over 30 years of experience in preserving cultural heritage. As a Principal Conservator and a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), Katharine’s career is marked by her expertise in preservation, management, and funding strategies.

With a strong background in chemistry and materials science, Katharine’s career includes over 15 years as a museum conservator, more than 10 seasons working on archaeological sites, and over 15 years focused on historic sites and architecture. This broad experience allows her to bring a unique perspective to every project, integrating preventive and sustainable approaches to achieve cost efficiencies, while supporting diverse communities in their preservation goals.

Throughout her career, Katharine has held numerous prestigious positions. As Principal and Owner of Conservation Strategies for over 10 years, she has consulted on numerous cultural heritage preservation projects. Her tenure at the Getty Conservation Institute saw her managing the first Director’s Retreats for leaders of national and international graduate conservation training programs and overseeing the Museum Emergency Program in collaboration with international partners. She was the inaugural Director of the Conservation Division at a design-build firm, ARG Conservation Services, expanding business capacities and providing conservation services for historic buildings, sites, and collections. At Architectural Resources Group, she served as a Senior Conservator, focusing on historic architecture. Katharine’s leadership extended to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where she was Head of Objects Conservation, significantly expanding conservation funding and staff through grants and designing and building a new conservation lab and art storage facilities. Her early career included a Mellon Fellowship at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and a Graduate Internship at the Getty Museum.

As a dedicated member of the conservation community, Katharine served as the inaugural Director of Professional Education and Training on the AIC board, where she was instrumental in co-authoring grant proposals and launching the organization’s first national continuing education program for conservators. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC), and other foundations, she has taught international workshops on the conservation of outdoor sculpture and monuments, sharing her knowledge with mid-career conservators, parks staff, and public art administrators.

Posted in: Book Club, Webinars