Volunteers’ Week: Spotlight on Painting Conservation

As part of our Volunteers’ Week celebrations, we were delighted to welcome Sarah Bayliss, an experienced painting conservator, to Kidderminster Town Hall to meet with some of our dedicated research volunteers.

Sarah delivered an engaging presentation, walking us through the various processes involved in the cleaning, restoration, and conservation of historical paintings. The volunteers were particularly interested in her ongoing work on the King Charles I portrait, which is currently being restored as part of our National Lottery Heritage Fund project.

Her talk was brought to life with striking before-and-after images that showcased the transformation and skill involved in conserving such an important piece of the Town Hall’s history.

We are all looking forward to the re-hanging of the restored portrait in the King Charles I Room, and to sharing the remarkable story of how this painting came to reside at Kidderminster Town Hall.