Mark Leonard, chief conservator, Dallas Museum of Art. Photo: Jerome Weeks

Art conservation. Sounds like it’s all about watching paint dry, right? Actually, art conservation can be a lot more interesting than that.

That’s because art conservation is where forensic science meets history meets art. Think of it as CSI for culture. Or sort of archaeology mixed with interior decorating touch-ups and tips.

In any case, this means host Jeff Whittington should have a fair amount of stuff to talk about when he chats with Mark Leonard, chief conservator of the Dallas Museum of Art, and Jodie Utter, conservator of works on paper for the Amon Carter. That’s Thursday at the DMA’s Horchow Auditorium as part of KERA’s State of the Arts series.

You can prep for the occasion with our profile of Leonard here, which also details the DMA’s major hopes for its new, stylin’ conservation studio.