All shots Nat and Maria on the last day

For the last six days we have had Dr. Maria Kubik, senior conservator at the Art Gallery of Western Australia with us assisting us with our condition reporting on paintings traveling in the China tour. Maria's secondment is part of a commitment by the Art Gallery and the WAP to a partnership over the next several years as we move to the next level with the care and management of the painting collection. This has been a wonderful time for us and we have learned a great deal about the work and also the steps we need to take in proper conservation.

We greatly appreciate the generosity of AGWA in helping us work towards our goals in best practice, in creating the conditions for these paintings to be around in 100 years and beyond for Ngaanyatjarra people.

There are currently 88 paintings shortlisted for the China Tour, and a final selection of roughly 70 works will be made towards the end of September. In her work with us Maria reviewed a selection of paintings which were chosen for variations in the ways they were made, the things that happened to them over time and the differences in materials and supports.

Natalie and Maria looking differently at Myra Cooke's Wintjarra, 2005, a seven sister story.

Natalie checks for indentations, cracking, flaking, scratches and abrasions, discolouration, uneven gloss, marks and stains, loss, accretions, blanching, tacky surfaces, damaged impasto and dust.

Ever generous, Maria concisely shared so much knowledge over this time, greatly enhancing the scope and precision in the way we talk and describe the condition the work now. Besides this Maria also had some input into the design of the data base and its functionality in generating condition reports, venue check lists and so on. A whole new nomenclature has become part of the way we can think about each painting now, together with the rigour to really strive for excellence in looking after the collection. It will take time and practice for us, but we could not have had a better introduction to this essential area in our work, which is quite simply the care of the collection in all its states whether at rest or on tour. Warburton Community, the arts project, Natalie and I all thank Maria very much for coming.

Myra Cooke, Wintjarra, 2005 - the overlay.