GUSTAVO PEREZ

With great sadness and deep regret I note the passing this past year of the great art restorer Gustavo Perez. 

A master of all mediums, from the most humble of beginnings Gustavo reached heights in the restoration of paper and lithographs never achieved before. As the leading restorer of Andy Warhol artwork in the world he performed work that was incomparable. 

The master of more mediums than any other restorer it would be impossible to quantify his achievements.  It has been said that only eagles cam inhabit the summit of mountains but with the passing of  this master they must share that honor.   

The work at Restoration by Heart will be carried on by those restorers that were taught by Gustavo and had the honorof sharing in his work in his lifetime.

GUSTAVO PEREZ was a unique and talented restorer from Puebla, Mexico. He attended the Escuela de Artes Visuales in Guadalajara where he studied the techniques of fine art conservation. After many years of insight into this very specific field, he graduated and worked locally to gain “hands on” experience. Gustavo Perez was a master among conservators.

In his words, how he combined his skills to find the path of restoration, he said, “I have always had a passion for the arts and in my country there are many artworks in need of conservation and very few who can provide the service.”

He combined his natural gifts with painting and applied his talents to rescuing images in neighboring churches, visuals that would be ”lost forever.”

Gustavo Perez was an artist, an art enthusiast, extraordinary conservator and a family man. He has managed to create an environment that fulfills who he is, provided a wonderful service to the Los Angeles community that is now available to people from all over the world, thanks to the internet.

From the very beginning of providing quality restoration in Los Angeles, in 1986, he developed his career locally by apprenticing at the Kato Art Studio where he impressed many collectors and gallery owners. He worked at several studios before building his own work space on the gated property.

The concept of an art conservator having representation has never before existed. There must be trust, confidence and a good working relationship between the restorer and the representative and communication between the two has to be flawless.

Gustavo Perez has worked on many significant artworks by Chagall, Picasso, Warhol, Miro, Dali, Earle, Rivera, Tamayo, Hockney, Yberra, Dawson, to name only a few.

Gustavo Perez had been represented by Heart Studios - operated by Rod Hewitt, who says, “When I tell people about Gustavo’s abilities, the words come from my heart, he was a brilliant and wonderful person.”