Month: April 2018

Inventory, Maintenance/Conservation & Assessment (Arizona, USA)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Inventory, Maintenance/Conservation and Assessment  of Tucson’s Public Art Collection

RFP Public Art Assessment PDF Document

The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona (Arts Foundation) is soliciting written proposals from qualified firms or individuals to inventory the City of Tucson’s existing public art collection and to evaluate the integrity of each art work, determine a triage list for maintenance or conservation, and assess the value of the work.

The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in the RFP. Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 pm, on Tuesday, May 15, 2018. All responses must be in a PDF and have “Public Art Inventory and Conservation Assessment” in the saved file name and in the subject line of an email, submitted to info@artsfoundtucson.org. Please submit one PDF that includes a response to the RFP, as well as three professional references that are directly relevant to this proposal.

Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFP does not obligate the Arts Foundation to award a contract, nor is the Arts Foundation liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of proposals for the subject work. The Arts Foundation retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to not select any bidders, and/or to re-solicit proposals. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the proposer has read the RFP and understands all the requirements and conditions.

For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact Jeff DaCosta, Public Art Manager, via email at jdacosta@artsfoundtucson.org no later than April 18, 2018. Answers to questions will not be provided by telephone or email. Rather, answers to all question or any addenda will be posted on the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona site at artsfoundtucson.org/opportunities – under the requisite opportunity. It is the vendor’s responsibility to check this site for any updates.

I. BACKGROUND /SUMMARY/or INTRODUCTION

In spring 2018 the City of Tucson allocated funds from the Transient Occupancy Tax for maintenance of the City of Tucson’s current public art collection. The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona now seeks to engage a conservator to inventory the City’s existing public art collection and to evaluate the integrity of each art work.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

Tasks: The scope of services will include (but is not limited to) the following:

  • Examine each of the approximately 150 pieces of art in the City’s collection and assess its current condition. (The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona will provide a list of pieces of art and their )
  • Develop a list of recommendations for any necessary repairs, including an assessment of the materials required and whether the art work should be sent to an outside conservator lab or if the repairs can be made on site by another consultant at a future
  • Estimate the repair cost for each art work in materials and conservator
  • Identify the preferred location or conditions for siting the artwork (e.g., out of direct sunlight, ).
  • Contact the artists, when needed, to confirm structural materials of the art work. (The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona will provide contact information for each artist when possible.)
  • Assess and document the general value of each piece.
  • Make recommendations on which repairs should be
  • Establish a list of art works that need to be decommissioned or that cannot be
  • Provide deliverables including:
    • An updated inventory (in spreadsheet format) of the City of Tucson’s Public Art Collection including all findings regarding existing condition, maintenance and repair requirements, preferred locations for best viewing, value, and any other relevant
    • Entry of data about each piece into the Public Art Archive http://www.publicartarchive.org/content/about-public-art-archive
    • A presentation to staff and the Public Art Community Design Committee on the

III. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All proposals shall include the following information, organized as separate sections of the proposal. The proposal should be concise and to the point.

  1. Contractor Identification: Provide the name of the firm or contractor, the firm or contractor’s principal place of business, the name and telephone number of the contact person and company tax identification number.
  1. Client References: Provide a minimum of three (3) client references. References should be cities or other large public sector entities. Provide the designated person’s name, title, organization, address, telephone number, and the project(s) that were completed under that client’s direction.
  1. Project Understanding and Approach: Provide a narrative demonstrating understanding of the requirements of this RFP, including but not limited to proposed approach to completing the work, a project plan identifying major tasks, task owners, durations, and dependencies, and key success factors and potential challenges. Respondents are encouraged to demonstrate their expertise in performing the work required herein.
  1. Price Proposal: The proposal shall include pricing for all services. Pricing shall be all inclusive unless indicated otherwise on a separate pricing sheet. The proposal shall itemize all services, including hourly rates for all professional, technical and support personnel, and all other charges related to completion of the work shall be itemized.
  1. Contract Terminations: If your organization has had a contract terminated in the last five (5) years, describe such incident. Termination for default is defined as notice to stop performance due to the vendor’s non-performance or poor performance and the issue of performance was either (a) not litigated due to inaction on the part of the vendor, or (b) litigated and such litigation determined that the vendor was in default.

Submit full details of the terms for default including the other party’s name, address, and phone number. Present the vendor’s position on the matter. The Arts Foundation will evaluate the              facts and may, at its sole discretion, reject the proposal on the grounds of the past experience.

If the firm or contractor has not experienced any such termination for default or early termination in the past five (5) years, please indicate this in the proposal.

IV. SELECTION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria below:

  1. Client References – 20%
  2. Costs – 30%
  3. Project understanding and approach. – 50%

The Arts Foundation reserves the right to consider information in the selection process that is independently derived. Proposal responses will be evaluated, rated and ranked by committee. The selection will be made based on the proposal offering the best overall value, and that which is most advantageous to the Arts Foundation and City of Tucson.

The Arts Foundation reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.

V. PAYMENT 

Invoices: Invoices must be fully itemized, and provide sufficient information for approving payment and audit. Invoices must be accompanied by receipt for services in order for payment to be processed. Email invoices to the Project Manager and reference the contract number: jdacosta@artsfoundtucson.org

Payments: The Arts Foundation will make payment to the vendor within 30- days of receipt of a correct and complete invoice.

VI. ARTS FOUNDATION REQUIREMENTS

A. Non-Discrimination Requirements:

Fair Labor Standards
All professionals related to or supporting this project without subsequent deduction or rebate on any account, not less than the minimum compensation as determined by the Secretary of Labor to be the prevailing minimum compensation for persons employed in similar activities.

No part of any project or production which is financed in whole or in part under the grant will be engaged in or performed under working conditions which are unsanitary or hazardous or dangerous to the health and safety of the employees engaged in such project or production. Compliance with the safety and sanitary laws of the State in which the performance or part thereof is to take place shall be prima facie evidence of compliance.

Civil Rights
All contracts and awards from The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona are in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

No person in the United States shall on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance section (601). No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States, as defined in Section 7 (6) shall, solely by reason of his/her handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal assistance.

In addition, Arts Foundation contract recipients must also follow guidelines laid about by The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces the prohibitions against employment discrimination in Title VII. The EEOC has held that discrimination against an individual because that person is transgender (also known as gender identity discrimination), and also held that discrimination against an individual because of that person’s sexual orientation is discrimination because of sex and therefore prohibited under Title VII of 1964.

B. Conflict of Interest:

In the sole judgment of the Arts Foundation, any and all proposals are subject to disqualification on the basis of a conflict of interest. The Arts Foundation may not contract with a vendor if the vendor or an employee, officer or director of the proposer’s firm, or any immediate family member of the preceding, has served as an elected official, employee, or Public Art Community Design committee member who influences the making of the contract.

Furthermore, the Arts Foundation may not contract with any vendor whose income, investment, or real property interest may be affected by the contract. The Arts Foundation, at its sole option, may disqualify any proposal on the basis of such a conflict of interest. Please identify any person associated with the firm that has a potential conflict of interest.

VII. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

 A. Insurance:

The selected contractor will be required to maintain general liability insurance in the minimum amount of $1,000,000, automobile liability insurance in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 and a professional liability insurance policy in the amount of $2,000,000 to cover any claims arising out of the performance of the contract. The general liability and automobile insurance must name the Arts Foundation, its officers, agents, volunteers and employees as additional insureds.

B. Worker’s Compensation Insurance:

A selected contractor who employs any person shall maintain workers’ compensation insurance in accordance with state requirements. Sole proprietors with no employees are not required to carry Worker’s Compensation Insurance. (Worker’s Compensation Insurance cannot be waived for any person who employs others.)

VIII. SCHEDULE (dates are subject to change)

  • Issue RFP to potential bidders: April 6, 2018
  • Questions Due April 18, 2018
  • Proposals due from potential bidders May 15, 2018
  • Complete Selection Process June 15, 2018
  • Interviews with Finalists June 17-30, 2018
  • Award of Contract July 1, 2018
  • Notice to proceed August 1, 2018

Thank you for your interest in working with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona for this service. We look forward to receiving your Statement of Qualifications.

For a full job description and attachments, please visit: https://artsfoundtucson.org/rfp-inventory-maintenance-conservation-and-assessment-of-tucsons-public-art-collection/.

Assistant Professor Artifact Conservation (Kingston, ON, Canada) – PAST DEADLINE

*** APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS PASSED – PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION*** 

The Department of Art History and Art Conservation in the Faculty of Arts & Science at Queen’s University invites applications for a one-year Non-renewable appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor with specialization in Art Conservation, with a preferred starting date of July 1, 2018. The position involves the teaching and supervision of graduate students in theoretical and laboratory courses covering the history, technology, and conservation of artifacts and artworks from historic, archaeological and ethnographic contexts. Applicants must have in-depth knowledge and expertise covering a wide range of organic and inorganic materials including ceramics, glass, metals, stone, bone, ivory, textiles and wood.

Candidates must have a PhD or equivalent degree completed at the start date of the appointment. The main criteria for selection are academic and teaching excellence. The successful candidate will provide evidence of high quality scholarly output that demonstrates potential for independent research leading to peer assessed publications and the securing of external research funding, as well as strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and an ongoing commitment to academic and pedagogical excellence in support of the department’s programs. Candidates must provide evidence of an ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and student-centered environment. The department is committed to strengthening further the collaboration between its Art History and Art Conservation programs in teaching and in research, for example, through the joint PhD steam that was recently introduced and through Queen’s University’s Mobile Laboratory for Technical Art History. The successful candidate will be required to make substantive contributions through service to the department, the Faculty, the University, and/or the broader community. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.  This position is subject to final budgetary approval by the University. Also, pending approval, we hope to follow this appointment with an advertisement for a proposed tenure-track position to start 1 July 2019.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ persons. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

To comply with federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information as to how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens / permanent residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship; however, all applications must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”; OR, “I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.

A complete application consists of:

  • a cover letter (including one of the two statements regarding Canadian citizenship / permanent resident status specified in the previous paragraph);
  • a current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications);
  • a statement of research interests;
  • a statement of teaching interests and experience (including teaching outlines and evaluations if available); and,
  • Three letters of reference to be sent directly Prof. Joan Schwartz

The deadline for applications is May 6, 2018. Applicants are encouraged to send all documents in their application packages electronically as PDFs to Joan Schwartz at schwartz@queens.ca, although hard copy applications may be submitted to:

Prof. Joan M. Schwartz
Head
The Department of Art History & Art Conservation
Ontario Hall, Room 318C
67 University Avenue
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario
CANADA K7L 3N6

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Diane Platt in the Department of Art History & Art Conservation, at Queen’s University, by emailing plattd@queensu.ca or calling +1 613-533-6000, ext. 77354.

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/collective agreement and at http://www.qufa.ca.

Conservation Technician (Atlanta, GA, USA)

Emory University Woodruff Library Preservation Office

Reporting to the Conservator, the Conservation Technician performs a wide variety of repair and conservation treatments on research materials in collections in all Emory libraries. Treatments range from simple paper mends, to complex book repairs, as well as production of custom-made protective enclosures to house rare and unique items within the libraries’ collections. This position participates in training Conservation Unit student assistants and other decentralized library staff, as well as interns and volunteers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Conservation:

  • Performs a range of conservation treatments for books, paper-based items, and other materials in the general and special collections of Emory Libraries -Treatments include spine repair, re-casing, rebinding, and other book repair; paper repair; construction of custom-fit protective enclosures for fragile or special items; construction of supports for exhibits; and other similar treatments -Maintains quality and quantity standards set for the Conservation Unit -Keeps and reports monthly statistics on work completed and time allocated

Equipment and Supplies:

  • Assists in maintenance of bookbinding tools and equipment, ensuring that authorized individuals use safety precautions when using tools and equipment -Assists in securing library materials and equipment, ensuring against loss or inappropriate use of the facility by unauthorized persons -Maintains the conservation facility with clean-up activities, monitoring inventory, restocking precut materials and other conservation supplies

Training:

  • Assists conservation staff in training activities of the unit -May include instructing library staff, librarians, student assistants, interns, or volunteers in the various Emory libraries -Performs collection maintenance procedures, disaster recovery, and salvage techniques in one-on-one and workshop training

Disaster Preparedness and Recovery:

  • -Assists in monitoring and preparing supplies for disaster recovery -Assists in disaster recovery operations, generally for salvage of water-damaged materials

Other Responsibilities as Needed:

  • Performs related duties as required
  • Participates in the work of Library committees -In the absence of the Conservation staff, assumes responsibility for the Conservation Unit

LIBRARY REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Three (3) years of preservation, conservation, bookbinding, or related experience
  • Demonstration of superior manual dexterity skills and ability to perform delicate, exacting tasks with a high level of productivity
  • Candidates will be asked to submit examples of their work and/or demonstrate certain hand skills during the interview process
  • Ability to build and sustain effective interpersonal relationships with library and campus staff, faculty and students
  • Evidence of organizational, communication, project, and time management skills; demonstrate ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and complete tasks or projects on time, within budget, and in accordance with task/project parameters
  • Demonstrated proficiency and capabilities with personal computers, software, and library-relevant information technology applications
  • Working knowledge of standard computer office applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, or other productivity software
  • Commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace; an ability to work effectively with a diverse faculty and student population
  • Capacity to thrive in an ambiguous, future-oriented environment of a major research institution and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities

LIBRARY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Ability to work successfully in a team environment, coordinate work with others, focus on set priorities, and be flexible in an ever-changing environment
  • Experience providing preservation or bookbinding services with evidence of progressively increasing scope of skills, knowledge, and responsibility in a large academic or research institution library; evidence of successful record of leadership and ability to foster an organization-wide perspective that ensures effective stewardship of available resources.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A bachelor’s degree in a related field. Three years preservation or related experience.

JOB DESCRIPTION

  • Performs preservation services for the conservation and reformatting of library materials.
  • Maintains supplies and equipment.
  • Provides administrative support to department.
  • Requires some knowledge of preservation issues.

Please follow this link to apply for the position: https://staff-emory.icims.com/jobs/17883/conservation-technician/job

Kim Norman
404-727-8244
Head of Library Conservation
Emory University Libraries
Atlanta, GA 30322
kim.norman@emory.edu

Textile Conservation Intern (Norfolk, UK)

 

  • Salary for the role is GBP 23,375 per year for this 2 year internship

The National Trust is Europe’s leading conservation charity. Its textile collections, located in over 300 historic houses open to the public in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, are of outstanding importance. Textiles are an enormously valuable asset in the presentation of historic properties and the Trust’s collections amount to over 100,000 items which includes 650 tapestries, 20 state beds and 31,000 pieces of costume.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, we work with our colleagues to utilise and adapt current research and new techniques in imaginative ways. We have completed some challenging projects over the years, ranging from large scale textiles such as tapestries and state beds, to costume. We are committed to training through internships and student placements. Textile conservation also offers great opportunities to engage the public, through interpretation of our work at our properties. We have a committed, enthusiastic and dedicated team we’d like you to be a part of.

What you’ll be doing
You’ll be a recent conservation graduate looking to build on your practical skills in the specialist area of textile conservation. Under supervision, you’ll undertake practical treatments both in the studio and on site. You’ll assist and support studio staff with the organisation and maintenance of equipment and undertake environmental and pest monitoring within the studio.

You’ll be passionate about conservation, and will bring drive, commitment and a willingness to learn to this role. To facilitate this, you will have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses and conferences as well as choosing to undertake a placement in another studio, institution or historic property.  It is a great place to develop your career.

Who we’re looking for

  • To be successful in this role, you’ll need to have:
  • A recognized conservation qualification at degree level or higher
  • Excellent needlework skills and an understanding of textile techniques
  • Understanding of conservation science
  • Demonstrable knowledge and interest in textile history, historic properties and the care of their collections
  • Good team working with a flexible approach
  • Ability to multi-task and work in collaboration with other teams
  • Work experience within in the conservation field
  • Ability to organize own time, plan ahead and meet deadlines
  • Good written and verbal communication skills, including public presentations
  • Good IT skills
  • Ability to work at height from scaffolds and ladders (training will be given)
  • Driving licence and access to your own vehicle, due to the location of the Studio

How to Apply

  • Applications Open: April 12, 2018. To apply for these vacancies to go www.ntjobs.org.uk.
  • Closing Date: May 3, 2018
  • Interviews: June 19, 2018

For an informal discussion about this post, you are welcome to contact Maria Jordan at maria.jordan@nationaltrust.org.uk, and on +44 (0)1263-735-878.

Preservationist Frame Fitter (Houston, TX, USA)

Sarah Balinskas Fine Framing, LLC in Houston, Texas is seeking an experienced preservationist frame fitter for a full-time position. Applicants must have technical experience in all aspects of matting, museum hinging, and glazing along with more specialized solutions for safely securing artwork with preservation methods.  Prefer 5 years experience fitting matted and floated works on paper, paintings on canvas and panel, textiles and objects with custom armatures. Sarah Balinskas Fine Framing’s collaborative staff is respected in the art world as a provider of period appropriate frames and preservation framing for collectors, museums, curators, galleries and consultants.

Job requirements:

  • Experience in preservation frame fitting
  • Use of computerized mat cutter
  • Use of glass and acrylic cutter
  • Museum hinge (rice paste and washi) application
  • Hand sewing
  • Use of hand tools
  • Meticulous attention to detail and perfection in work
  • Careful and conscientious handling of work
  • Able to lift up to 50 pounds, stand while working, bend and climb ladder

Please send your cover letter, resume and 3 references via email to info@sarahbalinskas.com.

Daniel Han, Fitting Manager
Sarah Balinskas Fine Framing, Display Alternatives, Art Services
1114 Taft
Houston, Texas 77019
Tel: +1 (713) 630-0030
www.sarahbalinskas.com

Compensation and benefits will be given job offer.

Full-time 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.

The paintings will be exhibited in a soft, diffuse light that simulates the light in which they were painted

According to an article by James Barron in the April 4, 2018 issue of The New York Times (“Met lets in the light”), after postponing it for decades, the Metropolitan Museum Is undertaking a $150 million dollar project to replace the skylights, ducts, pipes, and cables in its European Paintings Galleries. Many of these hidden mechanisms which open and close to allow an ideal amount of light into the galleries have deteriorated to the point where they no longer function, leaving some galleries too dark and others with light levels that are higher than they should be. When the work is complete, the paintings will be exhibited in a soft, diffuse light that simulates the light in which they were painted.

It took about thirty years for Smith to get his law

In a review of the exhibit “Like Life: Sculpture, Color and the Body” at the Met Breuer, published in the April 2, 2018 issue of The New Yorker, Peter Schjeldahl notes that the ideal of a monochrome surface for sculpture persisted well into modern times and mentions that in the 1960s Clement Greenberg in his capacity as executor of the estate of David Smith had paint removed from a number of Smith’s sculptures. Until reading this, I had been embarrassingly ignorant of Greenberg’s actions. However, I found article by Hilton Kramer in the September 13, 1974 issue of The New York Times (“Altering of Smith Work Stirs Dispute” ) in which Rosalind Krauss is quoted as writing that the trustees had allowed several of Smith’s sculptures to be “deliberately stripped of paint—sandblasted, allowed to rust, then glossily varnished” and that others had been “left outdoors, unprotected over the years; their surfaces are flaking off under the pressures of heat and cold, rain and sun.”
A number of years before his death, Smith had complained about the removal of paint from one of his sculptures in letters to art journals writing, “This willful work of vandalism causes me to deny this work and refuse any future sale to any of those connected with this vandalism. Possibly we should start an action for protective laws.” It took about thirty years for Smith to get his law— the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.

Guest Lecturer ( Buffalo, NY, USA) – PASSED DEADLINE

Guest Lecturer, Library and Archives Conservation Education (LACE) Garman Art Conservation Department, SUNY Buffalo State

The Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State seeks a qualified, experienced lecturer to travel to Buffalo three times each semester (2.5 days each visit) to lecture, lead seminar/studio exercises, and supervise graduate student treatment projects on bound materials. Compensation includes honorarium plus travel, accommodations, and expenses. The guest lecturer position will begin Fall Semester, August – December 2018.

Responsibilities
Lecturer supervises the book conservation treatments of second-year students specializing in library and archives conservation (1-3 students), and introduces all ten first-year students to the history, technology, and conservation of the book.

The lecturer visits Buffalo for two-and-a-half days, three times each semester. These visits are designed to fit within the existing curriculum and course schedule, and must occur on a Thursday-Friday-Saturday sequence. On Thursdays, the lecturer works with second-year students specializing in book conservation to supervise their book treatment projects and Master’s projects (in conjunction with the professor of paper conservation). On Fridays, the lecturer presents to first-year students for 1.5 hours in the morning, followed by a 3-hour lab or studio exercise in the afternoon. On Saturday morning, the lecturer generally consults with students from both classes. On the third visit each semester, the lecturer works primarily with the second-year students on all three days. The 3 visits will be scheduled in advance of each semester, at the lecturer’s convenience.

The lecturer will have considerable leeway in the structure of lectures, presentations, and workshops. Past successful programs have included a lecture on the history of bindings coupled with a visit to the rare book room of the University at Buffalo or the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library; a lecture on the history of sewing styles, with a lab on the sewing of pamphlets and simple textblocks in case bindings; a lecture on the major damages that occur in books, and how to best support them on display, with a studio exercise on building book cradles or custom boxes; making historical book models from kits; “medium-rare” and circulating collection repairs such as fan adhesive rebinding for paperbacks and rebacking; book identification exercises, etc. Over the course of the lectures and studios, students learn the specific terminology used for describing books, and the special care books require. Ethics and standards of practice are stressed. Second-year book conservation students rely on the guest lecturer for primary supervision of their book conservation projects and may consult the lecturer between visits via phone or email. Between visits, supervision is provided by the paper conservation professor. The guest lecturer and paper conservation professor co-supervise the students’ Master’s projects.

The guest lecturer will have full access to a purpose-built paper conservation suite, with a dedicated area for book treatment, a comprehensive library, and the support of the faculty, including two scientists and an imaging specialist. We have the ability to augment our equipment, tools, and supplies for book conservation as reasonable needs arise.

Buffalo has a congenial faculty that shares a commitment to providing the best instruction possible to our students, and we want to continue our success in graduating respected book conservators. We welcome letters of interest in this important position from conservators who have a passion for books and book conservation, experience in lecturing or teaching, and an easy manner with students. Applicants must have a Master’s level degree in conservation, library science, a related field, or equivalent experience.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to Theresa J. Smith, smithtj@buffalostate.edu by April 23, 2018.

Applicants should be prepared to provide a draft outline of lecture and studio topics upon request.

Theresa J. Smith
Assistant Professor of Paper Conservation Garman Art Conservation Department SUNY Buffalo State
1300 Elmwood Ave., RH 230
Buffalo, NY 14222
716-878-5025
smithtj@buffalostate.edu

ECPN Spring Webinar Announcement: Lights, Camera, (Preventive) Action! Careers in Preventive Conservation

The Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is pleased to announce our upcoming webinar, “Lights, Camera, (Preventive) Action! Careers in Preventive Conservation” taking place on Thursday April 26th from 12:30-1:30 pm EDT.

Preventive conservation is an integral part of many cultural heritage jobs, encompassing any actions meant to minimize the deterioration of collections. But what does this look like in practice, exactly? And how is this role addressed in conservation training? Find out in this webinar, which will feature an introduction to the concept of preventive conservation and highlight potential career paths into this vital specialization.

ECPN has invited three speakers to provide their perspectives on this topic.  Dr. Joelle Wickens, Preventive Conservator for Winterthur Museum, Gardens & Library and Associate Director of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC), will provide an overview of preventive conservation activities, skills, and training. This will be followed by a facilitated discussion in which Jessica Pace, Preventive Conservator at New York University Libraries, and Jamie Gleason, Associate Preventive Conservator at the National Gallery of Art, will touch on their own career pathways into this conservation specialty and their own roles and responsibilities at their respective institutions. 

ECPN is seeking questions for the facilitated discussion session with our speakers. To submit your questions in advance, please post in the comments section below or send them via email to ecpn.webinar@conservation-us.org. Questions will be accepted until the morning of the webinar, or can be submitted during the presentations via the GoToWebinar platform.

Attendance is free and open to all AIC members. Please register here to watch the webinar. If you are unable to view the program on April 26, or are not a member of AIC, the full video will be recorded and uploaded onto the AIC YouTube Channel following the broadcast.

Please see below to learn more about our speakers:

Dr. Joelle D. J. Wickens is Preventive Conservator for Winterthur Museum, Gardens & Library and Associate Director of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC). She received her Ph.D. in Conservation and MA in Textile Conservation from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, and BA in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Joelle’s current research includes: the development of techniques that quantify and mitigate outside light in a manner sympathetic to the historic house environment; devising accessible and sustainable storage practices for museums with limited staff; the development of materials and courses for the teaching of preventive conservation.

Jessica Pace is the Preventive Conservator at New York University Libraries.  She received her MA in Art History and CAS in Conservation from the Conservation Center at NYU, and her BA in Art History and Visual Arts from Barnard College.  Prior to this role, she worked in objects conservation at the Brooklyn Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Archaeological Exploration of Sardis in Turkey.  Her current projects include devising accessible and economical housing for archival collections, creating training programs in preventive techniques for librarians and archivists, and improving housing and handling of materials during transport.

Jamie Gleason is the Associate Preventive Conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. He earned his MA (CAS) in Object Conservation from Buffalo State College in 2013, and a BA in Art History from the State University of New York at Albany. Jamie began his career at the National Gallery as the Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Object Conservation, moving to the Gallery’s newly formed Preventive Conservation Department in 2015. He has worked at museums and cultural institutions across the United States. Before pursuing his interest in conservation, Jamie worked as a picture framer for seven years.