Search Results for: 10 tips for becoming a conservator

Tip #10: Make sacrifices “People make a great mistake in thinking that my art has come easily to me but nobody has devoted so much time and thought to music as I.” -Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart This one I saved for last because it’s sometimes the hardest to hear; when a great opportunity arises, you should … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #9: Become [more] involved with the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network Reading this blog is a wonderful way to learn about conservation and, specifically, about the ECPN, but why not engage just a bit more? In tip #2, I suggested that you join professional associations; becoming involved with ECPN is a way to take that … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #8: Ask lots of questions When you’re just beginning your career in conservation, asking questions is a no-brainer because there’s so much to learn, but as time goes on and you get into the habit of completing routine tasks, it’s easy to forget to ask WHY you are doing them. The point of an … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #7: Read, read, read…then create an annotated bibliography Websites and blogs contain a lot of helpful information, but you can still learn about conservation the “old-fashioned” way—by reading a book or article! Once you’ve done that, put together an annotated bibliography in order to remember that information for the future. For those of you … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #6: Attend conferences, lectures and workshops Like lab visits, attending educational events can teach you a great deal about conservation, as well as give you an opportunity to meet other conservators, scientists, artists, and museum professionals. Take a look at the calendars of local museums, galleries, universities and conservation guilds to find out what’s … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #5: Think about your education By this point, you’re probably sure that you want to become a conservator, and should begin to think about your education, if you haven’t already. There are really only two training options in the field of conservation: apprenticeships or graduate school. Though apprentice training is becoming less prevalent, you … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #4: Begin assembling your portfolio early on I think the term “portfolio” can be confusing to beginning conservators because all of the graduate program websites refer to your portfolio as a collection of studio art (paintings, drawings, etc.). You will need to have photographs of your artwork and/or original pieces to bring with you … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #3: Take advantage of online resources If you’re reading this blog then you’re already on the right track! Blogs are generally written as editorials, but contain valuable resources like researched articles, interviews with conservators, or links to other useful sites. And if readers add their own comments (hint hint), you can build a great … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Tip #2: Join professional organizations The purpose of a professional organization is to uphold standards of practice, and to provide educational and networking opportunities to its members. Most organizations charge for membership, but as a student you can usually pay a reduced fee, and it is well worth it for the benefits that you receive … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”

Many of us emerging conservation professionals agree that our initial venture into the field of conservation was somewhat unguided, and making connections with people was nearly impossible. With social media as accessible as it is today, information should be much more readily disseminated and networking with other students and conservators should be an obtainable goal. … Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator”