The June 28, 2012 issue of The Wall Street Journal featured a conversation/interview with Mark Leonard (“Conservator Restored” by Daniel Grant) who has accomplished the very difficult feat of achieving renown in two fields– painting and conservation. Leonard, who begins his new position as Chief Conservator at the Dallas Museum of Art next week can also look forward to the December 2012 opening of an exhibit of his paintings at the Yale Center for British Art.
Due to the responsibilities of his new job, Leonard says that he will “have to be a Saturday and Sunday painter”. It would be interesting to hear how other artist-conservators balance their duel careers.
Month: June 2012
ECPN Webinar on Self-Advocacy and Fundraising for Personal Research featuring Debra Hess Norris on July 26th: Call for Questions
The Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is pleased to announce the creation of a new webinar series. These webinars will be held periodically and will feature guest presenters who will speak about topics of interest to emerging conservators. The topics of these webinars are being developed based on feedback generated from a survey of ECPN members in February 2012.
Our first webinar will be held on Thursday, July 26, from 1-2pm EST. Please join us and our featured presenter, Debra Hess Norris, who will be speaking about Self-Advocacy and Fundraising for Personal Research. In addition to Norris’ remarks, tailored to recent graduates on subjects including navigating the field post-graduation, funding opportunities for independent scholars, and tips for self-advocacy, the webinar will include a moderated discussion and Q&A session. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions before and after the webinar on the AIC blog.
Please submit your questions as comments to this post, or email them to ECPN Vice-Chair, Eliza Spaulding at: elizaspaulding[at]gmail[dot]com. Questions will be accepted until Thursday, July 26th at 12pm EST. During the webinar, your questions will be anonymously posed. There also will be the opportunity to anonymously ask questions during the webinar using a chat box. Depending on the volume of questions, all of them may not be able to be posed during the webinar, but we hope to follow up on any unanswered questions following the webinar on the blog.
Attendance is free and open to all AIC members. Registration is required and will be open until July 26th at 12pm EST. To register for the webinar, please visit: www.conservation-us.org/ecpnforum.
About the Speaker
Debra Hess Norris is Chair of the Art Conservation Department and Professor of Photograph Conservation at the University of Delaware. Since 1985, Norris has authored more than 30 articles and book chapters on care and treatment of photographic materials, emergency response, ethics, and conservation education; and taught more than 95 workshops and seminars for conservators and allied professionals. Norris has lectured and consulted on the preservation of photographic collections worldwide, including in Russia, India, Denmark, Mexico, Columbia, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Lebanon, Peru, Australia, and New Zealand. She greatly enjoys fund raising and has secured nearly $13.5 million in external grants for the Art Conservation Department at the University of Delaware.
Norris was the chair of Heritage Preservation (2003- 2008) and president of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (1993-97). From 1990-93 she chaired the AIC Ethics and Standards Committee that developed a revised Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. She has served as president of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts Board (CCAHA), US commissioner to UNESCO, and project director of The Andrew W. Mellon Collaborative Workshops in Photograph Conservation. Norris has received the Rutherford John Gettens Merit Award for outstanding service to the American Institute for Conservation (1998), the Sheldon and Caroline Keck Award for excellence in the education and training of conservation professionals (2004), and the American Institute for Conservation University Products Award for distinguished achievement in the conservation of cultural property (2008). Recently, she has spoken at many of the IMLS Connecting to Collections national conferences on topics ranging from the preservation of photographic materials to fund raising for collections care.
IMLS Grant Guidelines Update
On June 14, Eryl Wentworth and I attended a meeting at the IMLS office to discuss concerns about the merging of Conservation Project Support (CPS) with the Museums for America (MFA) program. IMLS staff Susan Hildreth (by phone), Mamie Bittner, Claudia French, and Connie Bodner were extremely helpful in reviewing the changes. IMLS remains committed to support of conservation activities and recognizes that IMLS is one of the only sources of funding for conservation activities, especially for preventive care. The IMLS has a long track record of supporting conservation projects and of making conservation a priority. That commitment is to continue.
Although CPS is under the umbrella of MFA in the new guidelines, we were assured that funding for conservation projects, in the Collections Stewardship program, will not compete with funding for the other two programs in MFA, Learning Experiences and Community Anchors. The funding level for conservation projects is expected to remain about the same as last year, depending on ongoing federal budget negotiations. Funding for CPS in FY 10 was $3,194,977 and for FY 11 and FY 12, $2,642,657 and $2,614,183, respectively. We expect funding for these types of projects in FY 13 will be in the same range. Applications will be reviewed by different, specialized panels. The application process is being simplified, and multiple applications are welcome. The draft application directions are available for review and comment through July 6th.
Meg Craft
AIC Board President
The product of a successful conservation outreach partnership
Today, most conservators have come to the understanding that public outreach and communication are essential components of their work and vital for the well-being of the cultural heritage. If they are wondering how this might be accomplished they might look to “Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts”, a joint project of the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) and the marketing firm ToMarket which was recently honored by the Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. “Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts” allows each museum and other collecting institution in the state to present an art work or artifact in great need of conservation. As almost 100,000 votes were cast in the 2011 campaign, the word is getting out to the public.
Once prosaic, now rare and in need of conservation
The “bull boat” was used by Northern Plains tribes for ferrying people and goods across the upper Missouri River. Today, only four bull boars more than 100 years old remain. One of them is in the collection of the Lewis and Clark Foundation– a gift of the BNSF Railway. According to the Great Falls Tribune (“Conservators breaking ground with rare bull boat at Interpretive Center”, by David Murray, June 13, 2012), the boat is presently undergoing study and treatment and will eventually be put on public display.
Because they were so common and simple in design–a single skin stretched around a willow-branch frame–these boats were not treasured. One hundred years from now, how many of today’s commonplace, disposable objects will conservators be treating as rare and valuable artifacts?
Job Posting: Conservator of Photographs, Williamstown Art Conservation Center
The Williamstown Art Conservation Center is seeking a full-time, photograph conservator to manage and run the photograph conservation division within the paper conservation department. The conservator will participate in all departmental activities including documentation, analysis and treatment for the photograph collections of the WACC’s and the AACC’s (Atlanta Art Conservation Center) member institutions and will assist with projects in the paper conservation lab as work load and deadlines fluctuate.
The candidate should have a degree in graduate-level studies with a specialization in photographic materials or equivalent education and work/life experience demonstrating expertise in the analysis, documentation, conservation treatment and preventive care for all types of photographic materials. The conservator should demonstrate knowledge of the history of photography, the evolution of historic and contemporary photographic techniques and skill in the use of non-destructive analytical examination techniques for photographs.
Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills, computer proficiency and strong organizational abilities will be required. The candidate should be willing to travel periodically to carry out site work for member institutions.
The WACC offers a full benefits package including an annual research stipend. Title and salary will be commensurate with the successful applicant’s qualifications and experience.
For further information contact: Leslie Paisley, Paper Conservator/Department Head at lpaisley [at] williamstownart__org. To apply, please submit a cover letter and contact information for three references to
Thomas Branchick
Director, Williamstown Art Conservation Center
227 South Street
Williamstown MA 01267
413-458-5741
PhD course: Peer-Review Publishing in Conservation, Gothenburg, Sweden, 18-20 September 2012
The Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, Sweden in cooperation with Tress and Tress GbR, Munich, Germany announces a PhD course in Peer-Review Publishing in Conservation, 2 hp/ECTS.
Traditionally, the PhD thesis in Conservation has been presented in the format of a monograph. As with other disciplines, the article-based PhD thesis format is becoming more common, and now is an option in the discipline of conservation. The article-based model consists of a number of separate, free-standing, but related, published/publishable papers in peer-reviewed journals. The Peer-Review Publishing in Conservation course prepares and guides the PhD student in all aspects of the peer-review publishing process in preparation for presenting their PhD research in the article-based format. This course provides a hands-on approach to writing a paper for an international peer-review journal, and introduces the student to all the relevant steps involved in successful paper preparation, writing, and editing. It helps the student understand the explicit and implicit rules of the peer-review and revision process and to learn how to deal with reviewers and editors. Numerous training tasks help the participant draft individual sections of her/his manuscript, and they are given concrete advice on how to overcome the various hurdles involved in the writing and publishing process. The course increases the student’s understanding of what is expected in each manuscript section, and how to write these sections efficiently. It provides answers to individual questions and gives clear instructions on how to complete and submit one’s manuscript.
<URL:http://www.science.gu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/tema/conservation/>
Location and dates: The course will be based on the premises of the Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Course period: 3 days, 18-20 September 2012
9:00-17:00
The 2 ECTS credits course will be conducted in English, with the main target group being PhD students within cultural heritage conservation primarily in the Nordic countries, but also in Europe. There is no course fee. Participants coming from outside of Gothenburg must secure their own financing for travel and expenses. The course is open to PhD students within cultural heritage conservation. In the case of more than 12 applicants, the applicants will be ranked primarily on a first-come, first served basis, and the relevance of the applicants’ PhD project to the discipline. PhD candidates who wish to apply for a place on the course should submit a CV, a letter of recommendation from their supervisor, and a 250-word abstract of their PhD project. Selected PhD candidates will be asked to give a short oral presentation, in English, of their PhD work and research as part of the course.
Deadline for application and abstract submission is 1 August 2012.
Notification of acceptance will be: 15 August 2012.
Application should be made to:
Department of Conservation
University of Gothenburg
Box 130
SE-405 30 Gothenburg
Sweden
Course organiser
Elizabeth E. Peacock
Department of Conservation
University of Gothenburg
elizabeth.peacock [at] conservation__gu__se
“Dry Cleaning Methods for Unvarnished Paintings”, Porto, Portugal 1-2 October 2012
“Dry Cleaning Methods for Unvarnished Paintings”
Porto, Portugal
1-2 October 2012
Teacher: Maude Daudin-Schotte
English: <URL:http://www.2021.pt/en/>
Portuguese: <URL:http://www.2021.pt/>
This is the 9th conservation masterclass organized by 20-21 Conservacao e Restauro, and attached is a portfolio of past courses, for your reference.
As usual, the approach will be hands-on, allowing participants to apply the lessons learned in their own studio; theory and observation will blend with practice for optimized learning.
Registration fee: 325Euro + 23%VAT = 399,25Euro (“early bird”, valid until the end of August, 2012)
Pedro Pardinhas
20-21 Conservacao e Restauro de Arte Contemporanea, Lda.
IN SERRALVES: Rua de Serralves 954
Porto, Portugal
Atelier: Rua do Rosario 339-B 1o, Porto
+351 22 010 98 71
Mobile: +351 96 008 06 07
Conference: “International Conference on the History of Records and Archives (ICHORA 6),” Austin, Texas, USA, August 2-4, 2012
International Conference on the History of Records and Archives (ICHORA 6)
“Exploring Shared Heritage in the History of Archives with Libraries, Information Science/Documentation, Preservation/Conservation, and Museums”
Austin, Texas, USA
August 2-4, 2012
Early bird registration ends July 1, 2012
Further information: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~ichora6/
Twenty-first century archivists and librarians, information scientists and documentalists, preservation administrators and conservators, and museum professionals share a common rich enterprise of managing information. Yet the fields of each through time have included work that others stake as their province. Consequently through the centuries this shared heritage often has been honored in rivalry grounded:
- in the different purposes archivists and librarians, museum curators and administrators, information scientists and documentalists, and preservation administrators and conservators have claimed as their work
- in the different traditions of practice grown up to deliver the special contribution of each field to society
- in the education appropriate to practicing in each tradition
The papers gathered for this sixth ICHORA meeting address these questions and contextualize them by including a strong set of archival history papers. We anticipate a rich opportunity for scholarly discussion around the papers and the opportunities offered by our venues.
Abstracts of papers to be presented are now available:
<URL:http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~ichora6/program.htm>
Meeting location and local archives: Most of the paper sessions will be held in the Prothro Theater in the Harry Ransom Center, home of a world-class archives of literature and publishing. Attendees will be hosted at a reception with tours at the Briscoe Center for American History, known for its broad holdings of historical manuscripts pertaining to the history of the United States. Other significant archival institutions exist on campus (the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, the Benson Center for Latin American History, the Alexander Architectural Archives) and all are prepared to welcome researchers who may have a few additional days to spend in Austin. All of these institutions can be reached through their websites, all of which are listed at:
<URL:http://www.lib.utexas.edu/help/librarylist.html>
This list does not exhaust the archival wealth of Austin, which is also the home of the Texas State Library and Archives, the Austin History Center (the city archives), the Catholic Archives of Texas, the Presbyterian Archives, the Texas General Land Office, and the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, to name a few within easy reach of the campus.
Registration rates:
Full Registration (Early Bird until July 1, 2012): US $200
Full Registration: US $250
Student Registration: US $100
Day Registration: US $100
Dinner only (for banquet guests; must accompany a participant in the conference and should be included in a participant’s
registration): US $55
To register by credit card see
Professor Patricia Galloway
School of Information
University of Texas at Austin
1616 Guadalupe, Suite 5.202
Austin, Texas 78701-1213
512-232-9220
Conference: “The Future’s Bright: Managing Colour Change in Light Sensitive Collections” in Stockholm, Sweden, 15-16 November 2012
Nationalmuseum
Stockholm, Sweden
15-16 November 2012
This two day event will address one of the most pertinent issues in modern collections care: How to assess and manage colour change in light sensitive objects whilst still enabling collections access. The event will cover: accelerated fading techniques (microfading and spectrophotometry) anoxic framing and solid state lighting (SSL) and will include workshop demonstrations of microfading technology. This conference will be of interest to anyone who works with light sensitive collections; however, it is primarily aimed at conservators and conservation managers. The focus will be the practical application and use of these techniques and technologies for conservators who do not work with an in-house conservation science team.
The event will be held in English.
Cost: 995 SEK
For more information please email futuresbright [at] nationalmuseum__se.