Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2003 09:33:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Carolyn Roark <roarkcd-AT-yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: PUPT: Archival puppets?


I did quite a bit of cataloguing work with the puppet archive at UT-Austin, and handled a number of figures that were papier mache or had a pm component. Yes, eventually they do start to crumble a bit...but most of the figures I catalogued were more than 50 years old. They were still in pretty good shape--it was primarily small bits like fingers and noses that looked compromised. Oh, and the paint and hair started to get a bit grotty on a number of the figures. Some of them looked like they'd been chewed a little by rodents, which would not surprise me. 
 
But the basic integrity of the figures was still pretty sound. Most of them could still have been used, though they weren't as pretty as I'm sure they must have been in younger days.
 
Carolyn

Mathieu <uubald-AT-magma.ca> wrote:
(or maybe a "best before" sticker?)

Hi all.

Back again with existential questions.
I am a technical maniac. Always trying to solve things. And I love it.

I prefer to use acid free papers and glues when I can. To avoid
complication over years (or maybe centuries) but I see everybody everywhere
use cheap kraft paper (full of acid) and glues with uknown Ph and
reactivities.

I have been taking these precautions after seeing a painting with mildew in
it. I even pushed the envelope a little further at some point by using
distilled water in my acrylic paintings.

My question is: has anyone here ever seen a paper mache object, a very old
one, with mold or mildew? Or some that dried so much it falls appart on its
own?

That is my fear. I feel it is my responsibility to provide my customers
with durable puppets that will serve for generations if necessary. But I
find out that none of these acid free precautions are necessary, I will
certainly enjoy saving money to buy more new materials to try and learn
from!

Some fellow artist once told me that he thought once you properly dry, then
seal and paint your object, it is protected against the aging enemies
(oxygen moisture and light), even if it's newspaper and flour based.

What do you people think?


----------------------------------------------
Mathieu RENE
CREATURISTE
Marionnettes, masques, ateliers créatifs pour tous, etc.
Puppets, Masks, creative workshops for all, etc.

Toujours à l'affut de nouvelles opportunités!
Always seeking new opportunities!
http://www.magma.ca/~uubald
http://www.magma.ca/~uubald/ilo.html (+recent contrat)
uubald-AT-magma.ca
Montreal, Canada
(514) 725 - 5821
----------------------------------------------




--- Personal replies to: Mathieu 
--- List replies to: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
--- Admin commands to: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
--- Archives at: http://lists.village.virginia.edu/~spoons

---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software

--- StripMime Warning --  MIME attachments removed --- 
This message may have contained attachments which were removed.

Sorry, we do not allow attachments on this list.

--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts --- 
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
---


  --- Personal replies to: Carolyn Roark <roarkcd-AT-yahoo.com>
  --- List replies to:     puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
  --- Admin commands to:   majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
  --- Archives at:         http://lists.village.virginia.edu/~spoons