It's what every art museum worries about, takes precautions to prevent and hopes will never happen. Someone is so curious about a work of art that they just have to touch it. And it a split second, they've damaged it.

It was a very active day at Coos Art Museum. School groups had come in to see the exhibit My Stories Have Come To Be and meet with the artist Philip Charette, a Native American from the Yup'ik tribe in Alaska. Charette's masks, created out clay and ceramic, are contemporary interpretations of traditional wooden Yup'ik masks. The masks have hands and faces, and the faces contain numerous life-like porcelain teeth.

It was after the students had left while Charette was giving a personal tour to a museum patron that he noticed one of the larger masks had two broken teeth. Snapped right off at the 'gum line' - only the gum in this case is clay.

Luckily, CAM members and accomplished glass artists Jim Shaw and Karen Hammer were in the Art Education classroom when Charette came in to ask if anyone had seen someone touching the masks. Hammer, Shaw, Charette, along with Executive Director MJ Koreiva examined the mask, scratched their heads and went into 'how do we fix this' mode. Drilling out the remaining porcelain in order to replace the broken teeth was the conclusion but what kind of drill. Shaw said, "well it would have to be a high speed, diamond point drill with a constant water wash to keep the clay from cracking under the pressure." And Hammer said, "Dr. Lori Lemire is a dentist, her office is 4 blocks away and she's a Member of the Art Museum."

A quick call to Dr. Lemire and Charette, Hammer and the 'patient' were in the dentist's office within 10 minutes. Dr. Lemire used all the precautions she would use on any patient. She adjusted the chair, lowered the light, put on her protective mask, glasses and started to drill out the broken teeth. Hammer also dawned a mask and held the water suction hose while Dr. Lemire drilled, and drilled and drilled! She went through two drill bits! "These are extremely strong teeth, I'm very impressed! Have you ever thought of making teeth for patients?" she asked Charette as he sat in the corner, carefully watching his 'child' through the procedure.

Twenty minutes later, the broken teeth were removed, and the patient was ready to go. No usage of anesthesia meant no delayed recovery time! Charette and Hammer returned the mask to the Art Museum delighted that the problem was solved. Two new teeth are due to be 'set in place' when Charette returns to CAM on Saturday, November 27th.

And the "Please Do Not Touch" signs - are being strictly enforced!

CAM Member Dr. Lori Lemire performs a root canal on a Yup'ik Mask

Art Education Director Karen Hammer assists in the procedure

Artist Philip Charette anxiously watches Dr. Lemire work on the mask

Patient comes through the surgery - just fine!