MOBIUS: art conservation inc. - Santa Cruz, California

BarryTheCello

I had an excellent and enlightening meeting with Chris at Mobius today about what to do to conserve two old paintings I have. Chris is very friendly and very knowledgable and able to provide the options and advice that I was seeking for my paintings. I have total confidence in his approach and knowledge.
He make a fine cup of tea as well!

I really like having conversations with, and getting advice from people that are super expert in their field and dedicated to the highest standard of care in their work. Chris is such a person. Highly recommended!

J R.

I have known Chris Kenney of Möbius Art Conservation Inc. for more than 3 decades. As a professional artist, there are times when I’ve consulted with Chris on technical matters, such as wood panel preparation, varnishing, and recommendations on shipping. He has always been very generous in sharing his expertise, and clearly explains complex technical details. His experience is vast, and his clients are of the highest calibre. He is a person of utmost integrity and I couldn’t recommend him more highly.
-Jeanne Rosen Sofen

Adil D.

We are lucky to have found Chris Kenney and Mobius Art Conversation & Restoration! He restored a painting that has been in our family for decades and holds great emotional significance. Chris is a true expert and his work is meticulous. There were multiple steps involved in the restoration and Chris diligently updated us on our painting’s progress with detailed emails and pictures. Chris used museum quality bars to stretch the canvas – even our framer commented on the amazing quality of his restoration and the stretch bars that he used. We are thrilled with the result and highly recommend Chris – his expertise is worth the drive to his studio in Santa Cruz (California).

Barbara M. I.

Chris recently completed an exquisite restoration of a beautiful impressionist painting by an artist from Spain, which I inherited from my mother. Prior to beginning the project, he thoroughly explained the process which he would use to clean and then do touch-up painting. He e-mailed several updates and pictures as the project progressed. During the process, he discovered that the painting had been previously restored, but was able to remove some areas of paint from the earlier restoration, in order to allow the intent of the artist emerge. The painting is now hanging in a room where we spend a lot of time, so we can just sit and stare at it! Chris literally brought it back to life.

Even though I have worked in an art gallery, and frequented many of them, I feel like my "art education" expanded greatly during this process. Chris is fun to work with, his fees are reasonable, and I look forward to working with him on a future restoration project. We are very fortunate to have him in Santa Cruz. He is a true professional.

Cynthia M.

We contacted Chris for advice about an old oil painting that's been in our family for a long time. We like it, but it was dark with evidence of cracking paint, and we didn't know what kind of cleaning or restoration would be appropriate, if any. We were impressed with Chris's experience and examples of his work. He provided honest, understandable information on the process and decision points for considering restoration. No pressure, no inflated promises; we felt we got a good introduction to the options, and will come back for future consultations as needed.

Laura S.

My siblings and I inherited some fine art pieces (paintings, sculpture, etc) and contacted Chris Kenny for a consultation on topics ranging from restoration to sale or donation. Chris was excellent. He answered all of our questions and gave us a throughout overview of various approaches we might take to sell or donate pieces including the roles of people involved, appraisal and research resources, ways to market, and what we could expect. We came away with a far better understanding of the most appropriate steps to take in our case and a good framework for taking action. Chris is ethical, experienced, well-informed and communicates clearly. We were very pleased and would definitely return to Chris again for restoration work or additional guidance regarding our art.

Bruce H.

My appraiser, Kathleen Greenaway, recommended Mobius. I am grateful to her, because the proprietor, Chris J. Kenney, did a terrific job of renovating my 115-year-old landscape painting. Chris is a committed, careful, long-experienced art conservator. He encourages clients to observe the initial stages, of testing cleaning agents on the normally-hidden edges, and estimating the work involved. Chris was an excellent communicator, responding promptly to all my concerns. He completed the work when promised, below the estimated cost. I am extremely pleased with the result. I unreservedly recommend him for all your art restoration needs.​

Robert G.

We recently had the great pleasure of using Chris's art conservation services. My wife had been gifted an oil landscape painting that clearly needed some TLC. The years had obscured and dulled the Yosemite scene with a brown glaze and water stains. Chris systematically tested various cleaning solvents and enzymes on the edge of the painting during our consultation session while he enthusiastically explained his plan of attack. The final result was a revelation. Chris had restored the vibrant colors and brush effects the painter intended. We found the entire conservation process rewarding both because of the great result and because working with someone who loves what they're doing and is really, really good at it is such fun. Further plusses were Chris's frank and transparent business approach, the perfect frame he was able to provide us, and the fact that he bent over backwards to get the whole project finished in time so we could show it off to family visiting from out of state.