V. Schearer Painting Restoration

In September of 1935, the five members of the Boyertown School District Board of Directors used their personal funds to purchase a large framed oil painting for the Boyertown High School.  The gift was to celebrate the recently completed $185,000 addition to the high school which more than doubled the size of the original building.  The painting is a woodland scene painted by Berks County artist, Victor Schearer, in 1919. 
Painting in library in 1944

The painting and gold-colored frame, which measured 88” by 65”, originally hung in the high school library.  It remained there until the library was relocated in 1978.  The painting remained there for 16 years until the library moved again, because of the large 1994 addition to the building. 
Painting hanging in new library in 2017

The painting remained at this location until it was removed in the summer of 2017 due to the recent renovations to the high school.  The condition of the painting was determined to be poor and could no longer be displayed.  The painting was detached from its frame and both were put into storage in the basement of the school.
Painting in new library during 2017 renovations

BASH telecommunications teacher, Bill Cherkasky, discovered the painting and frame in the basement and asked administration about the possibility of restoring the painting so that it could be put on display again.  He was informed that the district does not have the funds to restore the painting, but if he could come up with a way to restore the painting, it would be proudly hung in the 1935 auditorium.  And so, the mission to restore the oldest painting in the high school began.

After getting two quotes from reputable restoration companies, it was determined that proper cleaning and restoration of the painting would be very costly.  Reducing the cupped appearance of the age cracks would require removing the canvas from the stretcher, humidifying, flattening on a hot table, lining the painting to a new canvas on a hot table, and remounting on a stretcher. Varnish & grime removal, filling of paint losses and inpainting of paint losses and at least some of the contraction cracking would also need to be completed.  The original frame would also need restoration to fix several pieces that have been chipped away over the years.  In total, the frame would cost $500 to repair, and the painting would cost $5600 to restore.
Cupping and cracking of oil paint

Damage to plaster/wood frame

To raise the $6100 needed to restore this piece of Boyertown history, this GoFundMe account was created so that the community could come together to return this painting to its former glory.  It has decorated the walls of the school for over 80 years, and we would like to see it return to the 1935 building for many years to come.  Please help us in realizing this goal in time to display the painting on its 100th birthday in 2019.