Part two of the Thursday May 30th collections care session started with a brief recap of Round 1 by Collections Care Network Chair Joelle Wickens. Introducing Round 2’s speakers, Kristen Overbeck Laise of Heritage Preservation and James Reilly of the Image Permanence Institute, CCN editor Rob Waller presented the session’s aims to offer opposing views on the role of standards in guiding collections care decisions.
In her talk titled Importance of Standards and Guidelines to Inform Preventive Conservation Initiatives in Museums, Kristen Overbeck Laise underlined the importance and benefits of collections care standards as ways of focusing performance goals, educating and motivating museum staff, and highlighting conservation’s role as part of a larger museum context. Laise provided a compelling argument in favor of the adherence to standards by pointing to guidelines cited in the American Alliance of Museums’ core documents, which include a collections management policy (http://www.aam-us.org/resources/assessment-programs/core-documents/documents). She also pointed out that museums accredited by AAM tend to have stronger collections care policies. However, Laise did note that the committee who oversees AAM accreditation is made up primarily of museum directors, rather than other museum professionals such as conservators – a surprise to me and I am sure others in the audience. Laise cited two other organizations who promote collections care standards, including the American Association for State and Local History (see their Stewardship of Collections Standards workbook online: http://www.aaslh.org/), as well as Collections Trust, a UK charity whose goal is to be a leader in the management and use of collections and technology in museums, libraries, and archives by 2015 (http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/). In all Laise made clear that collections care standards are valued by the professional organizations that write the guidelines for best practices, and are considered important points of credibility and accountability for cultural institutions.
In his talk titled Standards Make us Myopic: We Focus on Specific Values at the Expense of Real Issues, James Reilly of the Image Permanence Institute argued that such prescriptive standards do not necessarily reflect the real needs of collections. Reilly provided an amusing analogy in the form of a Gary Larson cartoon (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/spn_imgs/media/blahblah.jpg.html), alluding to the fact that we tend to oversimplify the statements that are made in environmental standards publications such as Thomson 1978, 1986. The resulting De Facto standards we set for ourselves, Reilly argues, have not evolved over time, and have been applied to collections where they might not be appropriate. He also pointed to the fact that these publications were made before certain measurement technologies –like digital dataloggers – were available. Reilly points to what is important – actual documents, measurements, and the known vulnerabilities of specific collections – and to future trends such as risk management, and more active environmental management. Reilly offers PAS (Publicly Available Specification) 198: 2012 as an example of how standards are being increasingly used; in this specification, the manager is asked to prioritize from a list of risks and mechanisms of decay, based on their understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of their collection (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/environmental-standard.htm). In short, according to Reilly, standards are meant to inform us, but it is up to us to determine how to interpret and apply them.
The afternoon round of talks and subsequent group discussions were quite engaging, thanks to the compelling arguments made by both Laise and Reilly. I came away with a sense that there is truth to both sides – that standards do keep us focused on the fundamental importance of collections care, but that the decisions we make on how to care for collections are, with good reason, based increasingly on data and observation.
Author: Carrie Roberts
Portfolios and career transitions: pre-program, graduate, and post-graduate portfolio tips
The following article was written by Suzanne Davis and posted on her behalf by Carrie Roberts. Suzanne Davis is Associate Curator of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan, and a member of the Education and Training Committee of AIC. Suzanne will be speaking on the subject of conservation portfolios at ECPN’s Portfolio Seminar at AIC’s 41st Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 starting at 4PM.
I can still remember the satisfaction of creating my portfolio in graduate school. This was before digital photography or Adobe Photoshop, and the black cloth-covered binder is filled with slides, black and white photographs (that I printed myself in my school’s cramped dark room), and intricate hand-drawn condition diagrams. Sixteen years later, this binder sits on the bookshelves just above my desk at work, and I still like to look at it sometimes.
Your portfolio is a representation of your identity as a conservator and scholar, so it’s a good idea to be constructive and discriminating in the way you assemble and use it. Typically it’s most useful early in your career, at a time when you might feel pressure to showcase every conservation experience you’ve ever had. But it can serve you best if you’re selective. Think about what you want a review committee to notice, and which experiences you want to highlight. Make it work for you.
If you’re applying to a graduate program, the admissions committee will be concerned with your academic ability in addition to your pre-program conservation experience. If you’ve undertaken research projects in conservation or a related field like art history or archaeology, feature these! The committee will also be looking to see if your research and career interests are a good fit for their program. How does your portfolio demonstrate this? At this stage in your career, your portfolio should clearly reflect your academic identity, interests, and your potential to succeed as student and professional.
Once in graduate school, it’s most helpful to think about your vision for your future. Knowing what kind of job you’d ultimately like to have will help you shape your graduate experience, choose classes and internships, and create a useful portfolio. Talk to conservators who have the kind of job you’d like. Try to intern with them, if possible. Learn what do they do every day, and what experiences and skills they value. What would they want a prospective employee to feature in a portfolio?
When using your portfolio to apply for post-graduate fellowships and jobs, it’s important that it reflect the full range of your experience. Many portfolios that I see for young conservators focus almost exclusively on conservation treatments and technical studies. But treatment is only one small piece of what most professional conservators do on a daily basis, and technical research is an even smaller component. Preventive conservation knowledge is very important, as is the ability to assess condition, prioritize work, and manage projects. The same is true for communication skills and working with students and volunteers. Experience with outreach and education activities is also good. As you read a fellowship or job description, think about ways to use your portfolio to highlight the skills and experience that the employer seeks.
When presenting your portfolio in an interview, it’s useful to pre-select the projects you’ll discuss. If it will be reviewed in your absence, indicate the projects you’d like reviewers to turn to first. The portfolio should be well-organized, with a table of contents and tabs that will make different sections easy to find. Consider including short project summaries to give readers a quick overview of each experience. Too much information can be overwhelming, so think about removing projects that are not relevant and do not contribute to the overall message you want to communicate. Many prospective employers will expect a presentation in addition to or in place of the portfolio, so spend some time thinking about how to translate the experience captured in your portfolio into an engaging talk.
Finally – and this is very important – don’t focus on your portfolio to the neglect of other application components. An interview and portfolio review is usually the very last step in a selection process. Without a well-crafted curriculum vitae and cover letter or personal statement, no one is ever likely to see your amazing portfolio. Good luck!
ECPN’s Portfolio Seminar is a FREE event for AIC’s 41st Annual Meeting attendees and will cover topics including ideas for building your portfolio, digital portfolios, and ‘beyond the portfolio’ topics like application materials and networking.
If you are a conservation student or recent graduate and are interested in sharing your portfolio during the ECPN Portfolio Seminar, please contact Carrie Roberts at carrizabel@gmail.com.
ECPN Portfolio Seminar at AIC’s 41st Annual Meeting
The Emerging Conservation Professionals Network will be hosting a portfolio sharing event at the 41st AIC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. This year’s portfolio seminar will take place on Wednesday, May 29th, from 4-6pm, and will include speakers, a discussion panel, a Q&A section, as well as a chance for students and recently graduated conservators to share their portfolios. First-year through fourth-year students and recent graduates are invited to present their portfolios during the portfolio sharing session near the end of the seminar. As with last year’s session, contributors will be present to answer questions and interact with the individuals viewing their portfolios; however, no formal presentations will be required of the portfolio presenters. Graduate students interested in presenting their portfolios should contact their program’s ECPN liaison. Recent graduates should contact Carrie Roberts at: carrizabel@gmail.com. Hope to see you in Indianapolis!
Creative Endeavors and Expressive Ideas: Emerging Conservators Engaging through Outreach and Public Scholarship – Emerging Conservators Connect via Social Media
ECPN interviews emerging conservators using social media to network with local conservators
Jennifer Martinez, Sacramento, CA
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Art emphasized in graphic design. After working at a small design studio and then the prepress department of a print shop I decided to pursue my passion of book binding that I had discovered in college. I had a chance meeting with Dr. Sabine Hyland, Associate Professor in anthropology, who specializes in Inka culture and is currently investigating a khipu board with text. It was her mention of art conservation that I realized the importance of preserving these artifacts for such dedicated and enthusiastic people such as Dr. Hyland. Last summer, I completed a conservation internship at the UCLA Library Conservation Center. I am currently a preservation intern at the California State Library in Sacramento where I work on the general rare book collection, encapsulations, box making, etc. I am also a pre-program conservation intern at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco working on a special project of cleaning, rehousing and photographing over fifty glass plate negatives from the late 19th c.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
I created a blog in 2010 to follow my journey in conservation. I post updates to my Facebook account and joined the ECPN Facebook page to find more people in my area. I used the AIC web search to find local conservators and asked to visit their studios. One such visit let to a meeting with a big group of pre-program students who kept in touch through email. I posted comments on the AIC ECPN blog to ask questions and reach out to local pre-program students. I also joined the local art conservators guild to start being informed of all the conservation efforts going on in the area.
Who would you say is your target audience?
The target audience for my blog is other pre-program students and potential employers who might be interested in a more detailed account of my conservation activities.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
My blog was a way to keep me focused on the conservation environment and express my opinions and approaches to pursing grad studies. It’s a way to check in with myself to see what areas I have covered and gets me writing on a semi-consistent basis. Joining the ECPN Facebook page and being active early on in the comments section of the ECPN blog really helped with networking and meeting others in the area. Visiting labs has also been extremely successful in outreach to professionals.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
Always follow up with people and if visiting labs send thank you cards for their time. If you do get a Meet and Mingle together make sure to keep in touch with those who came and perhaps get a email group going to keep each other updated if there is no guild in your area. I still have coffee once in a while with a couple girls I met from the very first lab visit I went on to a private conservator’s lab.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
After working with Melissa Stone of Zukor Art Conservation to put together the first Meet & Mingle she was lucky enough to come into contact with professional conservators who wished to be more involved with the pre-program students and another Meet and Mingle was created for professionals and students to interact. It was a great way to get involved in the local guild.
Check out Jennifer’s blog at: www.jenmartinez.net
Melissa Stone, Oakland, CA
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
My name is Melissa Stone. I am a 27-yr old living in San Francisco, CA. I have a BA in Art History and Ceramics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Paper Conservation from Camberwell College in London. After coming back from London in 2009, I started volunteering for a private conservator in Oakland, CA. I have been working for her as an assistant and office manager since.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
My main form of outreach has been Facebook and the ECPN network. The first meeting that was put together was done so using Facebook. We used the event feature as well as the ECPN website to advertise the event. After the first event, I had a large list of emails of interested emerging conservators that I could use as a base for further meetings. The second meeting relied heavily on it’s sponsors; the Bay Area Art Conservation Guild (BAACG). I asked to use their email lists as well as my own to advertise the event. In the invitation, I asked that people pass on information to interested parties in an effort to advertise as much as possible. I also used Facebook to advertise this event, through the ECPN and BAACG website.
Who would you say is your target audience?
My target audience is anyone interested in conservation, no matter their level of experience. When I first started learning about conservation and the different programs available to me I had a difficult time connecting with others and finding the information I was looking for. My aim is to connect people together so that emerging conservators feel connected to each other and to the conservation community.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
My recommendation to other conservators is to use professional organizations. They are already established in the community and members generally know of emerging conservators in the area. They are also a good resource when trying to find events to attend and often have spaces, volunteered by their members, that can be used for meetings. For example, the BAACG meeting I helped to organize was held at a BAACG member’s framing business.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
The unexpected benefit of my outreach endeavor was getting to know established conservators in the area. It turned out to be a great networking tool for myself and other emerging conservators and it was also beneficial to the professional organization because many of the emerging conservators became BAACG members. It was also great to meet so many people my age who shared my interests.
To learn more about the Bay Area Art Conservation Guild, go to: http://www.baacg.org/
or its Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/groups/152907821387505/
Creative Endeavors and Expressive Ideas: Emerging Conservators Engaging through Outreach and Public Scholarship – Outreach to Allied Professionals
ECPN interviews emerging conservators reaching out to professional allies
LeeAnn Barnes Gordon, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I’m a recent graduate of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. I work at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) as the Sherman Fairchild Fellow in Objects Conservation. At the MFA I am engaged in a variety of general conservation activities including examination and treatment, scientific analysis, exhibitions, and outreach. Through my conservation duties I interact with a broad range of museum professionals, interns, and the general public.
I have a special interest in archaeological conservation, and last summer I worked as the conservator at an archaeological field school in Cyprus.
I have been actively involved with AIC undertakings including several recent OSG Archaeological Discussion Group projects and the AIC Conservation Wiki.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.)
In the fall of 2011 I worked with members of the OSG’s Archaeological Discussion Group to create a brochure on Archaeological Conservation.
Who would you say is your target audience?
The primary audience for the brochure is field archaeologists, including project directors, staff, specialists, and students.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
The OSG’s Archaeological Discussion Group wanted to raise awareness among archaeologists about archaeological conservation as a profession. The group was keen to find ways to improve the accessibility of conservators to address statements that archaeologists “don’t know how to find conservators” for their projects. The brochure was created specifically as a handout for archaeological conferences, such as the Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), where it would supplement a booth display about conservation. The brochure provides a convenient, portable reference about archaeological conservation with a focus on excavations at both terrestrial and underwater sites. It includes online resources and contact information. Colorful photographs, many of which were supplied by emerging conservators working on archaeological materials, are featured throughout the brochure to illustrate a variety of conservation activities described in the text. Most importantly, the brochure highlights archaeological conservation as a profession by emphasizing the specialized training that conservators of archaeological materials receive, as well as the role of our national membership organization, AIC, in establishing codes of ethics and guidelines for practice. At the 2012 AIA Annual Meeting the brochure was available at an exhibit booth hosted by AIC.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
In general, creating a brochure as an outreach tool provides a flexible format that can be used in both a printed and digital form. At the AIA meeting we had positive comments and feedback about the brochure. I thought the handout was successful because it is a tangible resource that archaeologists can take with them, but it is important for AIC to maintain a presence at conferences and meetings like this in order to continue to network and reach more individuals.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
Not that I’m aware of….it may be too soon to say.
Check out the Archaeological Discussion Group’s website to learn more about this new initiative: www.conservation-us.org/archaeology
Archaeological Conservation Brochure Acknowledgements: Jessie Arista, Claudia Chemello, Suzanne Davis, Morgan Gilpatrick, Molly Gleeson, Susanne Grieve, Steven Koob, Ariel O’Connor, and Ruth Seyler.
Tara Hornung, Denver, CO
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I came to conservation as an artist and discovered museums while an apprentice at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia. I have worked in museums for over ten years and earned my masters degree from the Conservation Center, New York University. Currently, I am a conservator in private practice providing conservation consultation, project management, and treatment services for archaeological, historic, and artistic objects in private and museum collections.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
I present workshops for artists on archival materials. I am a photographer and printmaker, so I focus on teaching hinging, matting, and framing for artists who work on paper. Although that is not my specialty as a conservator, I consult with colleagues on best practices and try to translate that for artists.
Who would you say is your target audience?
For my framing workshops, I am targeting artists who are interested in best practices for exhibiting their works on paper and photographs. Most recently, I presented a workshop at the Light Room: A Photographic Community in Philadelphia.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
I try to teach the basic vocabulary of archival materials so that artists can choose products based on a knowledge of what I ‘archival’ means vs. a product label. I demonstrate the basic techniques of archival hinging/ mounting of works on paper and photographs, and work with individuals to problem solve a best practice solution for their artistic vision. Finally, I try to convince artists that it is worthwhile to choose archival materials. I believe that the workshop format is successful because it is a forum for dialog and discussing specific solutions.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
My approach is informed by my own background as an artist with an understanding of the cost and time of preparing works for exhibit. I present best practices and then suggest a middleground based on how the workshop participants are willing to allot time and money.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
I convinced a workshop participant to stop using double stick tape to mount his salt prints. I continue to learn techniques for mounting and framing works on paper and photographs, which expands my knowledge of the field of conservation and fosters commraderie with my colleagues.
To learn more about Tara’s work, check out: http://artifactconservationservices.com/
Or her Facebook business page: Artifact Conservation Services
Creative Endeavors and Expressive Ideas: Emerging Conservators Engaging through Outreach and Public Scholarship – Emerging Conservators in the Blogosphere
ECPN interviews emerging conservators authoring personal and class blogs
Steven O’Banion, Winterthur / University of Delaware, Class of 2012
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
My undergraduate degree is in Biochemistry. However, my love for art and museums lead me to apply my scientific background to a career in art conservation. I am currently a third-year student in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC). I have particular interests in the conservation of modern/contemporary art and outdoor sculpture. I began my year at the Tate and am now at the Museum of Modern Art. I have been very fortunate to be able to treat works composed of a variety of materials, ranging from metal to wax, and bitumen to latex.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.). 3. Who would you say is your target audience? (I’ll answer these two questions together)
I have a blog titled “When Super Glue Won’t Do” that is hosted by BloggerTM. This blog chronicles my experiences as a conservation student. As my blog is linked to the Art Conservation Page at the University of Delaware’s site, much of the traffic comes from those interested in perusing a career in art conservation. However, the blog has an international following, which is particularly strong in the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, and Croatia.
I also give talks to the public.
I was very excited to have been invited to speak to students at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury about art conservation. In total, I gave six talks to over 350 students between year 9 and year 13 (which equates to 13 to 18 year-olds). In the British school system, students start to focus their studies earlier than students in the United States. As such, the purpose of my talks was to introduce the students to a possible career path that combines both art and science. With some of the more advanced classes, students pulled out their artwork (much of it involving mixed media) and we discussed how it may age. The students were engaging and asked some great questions.
I have prepared a talk titled “Plastics in Peril,” which focused on the importance of preventive care of plastics collections on plastics conservation. I first presented the talk at the McNair Scholars Research Conference, which was held at the University of Delaware. The audience included undergraduates from across the country. I also spoke at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at University of Delaware. The audience varied greatly in their knowledge of plastic, ranging from those with no in-depth knowledge of plastics to retired DuPont employees that invented many of the polymers mentioned in my presentation.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
My goal for “When Super Glue Won’t Do” is simply to share my experiences with the public. I post about conferences, gallery openings, my projects, new products, etc. A blog is a perfect vehicle to share information with those who have an interest in one’s content and wish to follow.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
I always recommend that students and interns review their host institutions internet guidelines before blogging about anything related to their projects. Also, don’t be afraid to have your supervisor follow your blog to review content.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
I find that the more I involve myself in public outreach, the more invitations I receive to participate in further outreach activities.
Check out Steve’s blog at: http://www.whensupergluewontdo.com/
Heather Brown, Winterthur / University of Delaware, Class of 2014
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
My name is Heather Brown. I’m from Northern California, and I have a background in Art History. I’m really interested in modern and contemporary photographs and art on paper, things that I write about a lot on my blog. At the moment, I am a first year student in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, where I also organize a blog for the class of 2014.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
I have a personal blog called Repair the Tear on WordPress.
Who would you say is your target audience?
In the beginning, my goal was to share my experiences with other pre-program conservators, but I think my audience has grown a lot in the last two years to include more of the general public. I went from one viewer a day on average to about about forty a day now. I know that’s probably nowhere near someone like Richard McCoy, but I think people can find my posts when they want to learn about conservation-related topics, and that encourages me to keep going, even when I’m busy with school.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
I hope that I’m teaching a non-specialist audience a few things about conservation, and making them interested in what we do. WordPress shows me my stats for each day: the links visitors used, the terms they searched, which posts they read, and what links from my page they clicked on. Seeing those results makes me feel like I’m actually reaching out to people and teaching them something new.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
WordPress is great, and has worked really well for me. It’s so intuitive that I think anyone can easily create a professional-looking product. Even more than design, the most important thing about producing a blog is content. As long as there is new content on a regular basis, people will retain their interest. And the more you post, the more you will come up in search engines, so growth is definitely exponential.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
Yes! I’ve met a lot of other bloggers, and have even been asked for referrals for conservation services. The most exciting outcome was an email from a contemporary artist, in response to a blog I wrote on one of her pieces. It’s a really long story, but she found my blog through a google search, and ended up inviting me to a gallery opening!
Check out Heather’s blog at: http://repairthetear.wordpress.com/
Megan Salazar-Walsh, Buffalo State College, Class of 2014
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I am currently a first year student (class of 2014) in graduate school for Art Conservation at Buffalo State College, and Co-Outreach Coordinator for ECPN.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
Some of my classmates and I created a blog on WordPress. We update it periodically with activities we are doing in and out of class.
Who would you say is your target audience?
The target audience is mostly prospective students, friends, family, and the public at large. It isn’t geared towards established conservators, and we don’t feature any of the conservation treatments we are working on, so none of the content is very technical. Posts are generally short and light-hearted.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
The main goal was to promote our graduate program and give a better understanding of how art conservators are trained. I think we did this successfully by sharing our personal experiences as students and writing about the broad scope of skills we’ve been learning in school. Because we are so busy in grad school, and writing a blog is about the lowest priority, the posts are generally sporadic; this is something we expected from the start and I don’t think it interferes much with the blog’s success.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
Having the support of all relevant parties is very important. In writing a joint blog such as ours, clearly defining the rules and expectations of all those involved is vital. Also, this may seem obvious, but you should always ask for permission before publishing names or images of people and artwork.
I would recommend a WordPress blog over Blogspot. The number of variables may seem overwhelming at first, but the WordPress platform gives users a lot more control over what the blog looks like and how it functions.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
We haven’t received much feedback on the blog except from family and friends; it is a nice way to keep them updated. I’m not sure if very many people ever read our blog, but if nothing else it has been an incentive to actively document our first year of school. It sort of functions as a joint diary for the class of 2014; I think it will be fun to revisit the entries in a few years.
Check out Buffalo State College class of 2014’s blog at: http://buffaloartconservation.wordpress.com/
Creative Endeavors and Expressive Ideas: Emerging Conservators Engaging through Outreach and Public Scholarship – Private Practices Build Conservation Awareness and Opportunities
ECPN interviews emerging conservators in private practice
Liz Chayes, Orange County, CA
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I am a 2008 graduate of the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program, which is a three year graduate program that focuses on the conservation of ethnographic and archaeological materials. Through the program I gained conservation experience in museums and archaeological sites around the world, including Africa, England and Australia. Prior to graduate school, I worked in museums, archives and archaeological sites within Southern California for eight years. In addition to the daily management of Indigo Arts Alliance, I am currently working as an independent conservator for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.)
In 2008, I co-founded a non-profit called Indigo Arts Alliance, which is a free web-based resource for conservators that contains financial support through grants in addition to news, job listings and a community network.
Who would you say is your target audience?
Our primary target is art conservators, and has expanded to include many interest levels and disciplines including museum professionals, collection managers, students, and the interested public.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
First and foremost we wanted to have fun and to help others in the field. Since our launch in the Fall of 2011, we have had a very positive response. One of the elements of the site we’re proud of is our Network page, where people can connect, create groups and invite others to post and chat. This area of our site is the fastest growing and has a really positive response. In addition, we established a grants program as a source of financial support for professionals in the field. This was an important part of our mission since we have known many conservators who have given up great opportunities for lack of funding. This year will be the first we are accepting applications for Indigo’s financial awards so it is very exciting!
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
I would say to find what you love to do then share it. For those involved with Indigo, we have a passion for philanthropy and conservation and it is a privilege to be able to combine them both for the benefit of others.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
The other day a pre-program student in rural Connecticut contacted Indigo and thanked us for being a resource for her as she didn’t have any in her immediate area- it inspired me to continue to be a source of support and information for others who are interested in the field at any level.
To learn more about Indigo Arts Alliance go to: http://indigoartsalliance.org/
Emily G. Phillips, Essex, NY
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I am a 2008 graduate of the Buffalo State College Art Conservation program, specializing in paintings conservation. Soon after I established a private practice located in Essex, NY (close proximity to Burlington, VT). As owner and operator I oversee all the day to day management of running a business and get to work on a pretty wide range of projects and clients.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.)
I currently use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and a WordPress blog. They are mostly linked to eachother for ease of management.
Who would you say is your target audience?
My target audience at this stage is the general public and fellow conservators.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
I am trying to peak there interest and educate them on our field.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
Pace yourself and plan. The web is getting noisy with everyone starting up blogs and facebook pages and twitter accounts. Content has to be good, nice images help too. Also try to link your online tools so they update eachother, makes them more manageable.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
I am constantly blown away by a follower from Japan “liking” a post, or someone in Australia retweeting my tweet. It really helps when in private practice to feel the world is accessible and people are listening.
To learn more about Emily’s practice and online media network, visit:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Essex-NY/Phillips-Art-Conservation-LLC/276647438370?ref=search
AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – Exhibiting Ourselves: Presenting Conservation
This interactive session was chaired by Suzanne Davis (Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan) and Emily Williams (Colonial Williamsburg), and focused on issues related to exhibiting conservation goals and activities to a public audience. Attendees of the session had the chance to hear presentations that examined a number of conservation outreach models and methods, and were then invited to brainstorm solutions to some of the issues raised during the talks. Before introducing the speakers, Suzanne Davis expressed why she thinks exhibiting conservation is important and effective: doing so raises awareness and support, by the fact that conservation as a field fascinates people of many interests, making it an ideal subject for exhibition.
A diverse array of conservation outreach cases were presented at a lively pace of 15 minutes per talk. Tom Learner’s presentation on the exhibition of De Wain Valentine’s Gray Column at the J. Paul Getty museum showed how conservators were able to balance very technical information on the process of making the object with thought-provoking questions about how to preserve the artist’s original intent. This was done by including polyester maquettes in the exhibit space, along with supporting media that ran images and video of Valentine in action. Cynthia Albertson discussed the challenges and successes of exhibiting the conservation behind MoMA’s project to reunify Diego Rivera’s portable murals. Items featured in the gallery – including X-ray films showing the walls’ internal structures as well as examples of the artist’s materials – were accompanied by online features and a fresco-making course at NYU.
Following these initial talks the audience divided up into discussion groups and were invited to consider some questions, which had been printed out and left on each group’s table. My table decided to tackle the following questions (paraphrased):
Q. A lot of energy goes into creating conservation exhibits but is the conservation community aware that these exhibits are happening or do we stumble on them when visiting other museums?
A. The table felt that we do generally try to follow what our colleagues are doing, but that there is no centralized platform to find this information. News about exhibitions tends to be trickled onto web-media platforms like Facebook via word of mouth (or click).
Q. Should we as a community be more involved in helping to promote them?
A. Yes.
Q. Through what paths?
A. Perhaps through institutional or affiliated blogs.. this could be done by working closely with the institution’s social media person.
Q. Do we need to reach out to our own community?
A. Yes, perhaps through posts on the AIC Blog, which can be linked to other social media platforms. At this point in the discussion the idea of an online conservation ‘bulletin board’ was raised – a location to post these types of exhibitions. A platform that allows for visually-impacting, post-it-like messages of events would be useful – like Pinterest.
Q. How should we ‘outreach’ about outreach in AIC?
A. One member of the group pointed out that this is already happening – AIC’s in-development PR Toolkit, which is hosted on the WIKI, offers a list of traditional and social media tools to help conservators reach out to their intended audience.
Talks resumed with Irene Peters’ discussion of the challenges of exhibiting day-to-day activities in a visible conservation laboratory at the Musical Instrument Museum. Digital monitors explaining the purpose of fume trunks, docents trained to talk about conservation, and open tool cabinets displayed close to the visitors’ window were among the techniques used to transform an active lab into an ongoing conservation exhibit. Sanchita Balachandran talked about how outreach is an integral part of the conservator’s role in a university museum. Her work at the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum has encompassed everything from object treatment and exhibition to providing access to collections through courses and online didactics. The session’s final speaker, Christopher McAfee of the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, discussed the various approaches the department has used to educate staff and patrons on the proper handling and care of archival collections. His training video on the subject – filmed in the style of an 1960’s airline safety video, flashing tooth * smile included – elicited laughter throughout the room.
The session ended with a final panel discussion of the questions our breakout groups had tackled after the first two talks. A rep from each table joined the panel at the front of the room, and we worked through the following questions (paraphrased here):
Q. Should conservators share information on how they treat artworks?
A. Attendees seemed to favor sharing preventive information over explanations of treatment, though Christopher McAfee pointed out that explaining the process of a particular treatment, along with the caveat that trying to repair something yourself will likely make it worse, has led patrons to approach trained conservators for help instead.
Q. Do we know what our audience knows about conservation?
A. We don’t, although surveys could help us to better understand the extent of visitors’ knowledge (as has been done at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan).
Q. Is it valuable to weave conservation information into gallery exhibits on a regular basis?
A. This could be challenging for space reasons, but there is plenty of room online for this information to be regularly featured.
Q. Does conservation outreach take too much time?
A. Perhaps, but if we work as teams with the institution’s media departments time could be reasonably split and balanced. Ironically, our table ran out of time before we could tackle this particular question.
The balance of presentations with group and panel discussion made this outreach session quite valuable. I feel as if I’ve walked away with some answers to the questions many of us have about whether conservation exhibition is worth the added time and energy. If we work to promote our presence both in the gallery and online, I think these efforts will be worthwhile.
Creative Endeavors and Expressive Ideas: Emerging Conservators Engaging through Outreach and Public Scholarship – Outreach in the Galleries
ECPN interviews emerging conservators involved in in-gallery conservation treatments
Allison Lewis, Phoebe A. Hearst Museum, University of California, Berkeley
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I have an MA from the UCLA/Getty Conservation program and work at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley. Many of my current activities include outreach related to a conservation-themed exhibition.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
The outreach activities are part of the ongoing exhibition “The Conservator’s Art: Preserving Egypt’s Past” (through June 2012). The exhibit seeks to provide visitors with insight into the field of conservation, using the Hearst Museum’s collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts as a lens through which to illustrate contemporary conservation practices. My “Conservator’s Art” outreach activities are twofold. Since the opening of the exhibition, I have been undertaking a gallery residence, working in the gallery three days a week. I carry out treatments at a lab station in the middle of the exhibition, where visitors are invited to observe and to ask questions. When tours visit the gallery, groups typically stop at the lab station for 15-20 minutes of discussion. Although each conversation is unique (influenced by the nature of the particular treatment being performed that day and individual visitors or tour groups), I try to touch upon exhibition themes including preventive conservation, reversibility, documentation, and the contrast between early twentieth century restoration practices and current approaches to conservation.
In conjunction with the gallery residence, I maintain a WordPress blog where I describe specific treatments or technical studies of Egyptian material, and answer questions. Sometime during spring 2012, the blog will be migrated to the museum’s website (Drupal).
Who would you say is your target audience?
The general/non-specialist public, all ages.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
Both forms of outreach seek to provide interactive “behind-the-scenes” access to conservation work that is undertaken at the museum and beyond, and to increase awareness about conservators’ roles and the value of preserving material culture. As interactive elements, the gallery residence and blog are intended to enhance visitor engagement with the exhibition, and provide a sense of personal connection to usually anonymous conservators. (In addition to having a conservator in the gallery, the exhibit also includes pictures and biographies of conservation staff. These are also meant foster a sense of connection between visitors and conservators, and to provide information about the kinds of backgrounds that conservators have.)
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
Visitors are far more likely to stop at the lab table and interact if the conservator assumes an approachable demeanor, by making eye contact and, and sometimes verbally inviting visitors to ask questions.
Conservators working at such a lab station must be comfortable with frequent interruptions. Because of the unpredictable nature of visitor volume and interaction, I perform phases of treatments that require especially intense concentration during hours when the gallery is not open.
Having sufficient time to “field test” the laboratory station would have allowed us to make minor design improvements. The lockable Plexiglas clamshell lid of the laboratory table creates a sound barrier that impedes conversation between the conservator and visitors at certain angles. The lighting, currently provided by multiple small lamps of varying intensity and color temperature, can be challenging for treatments that involve color matching.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
Visiting elementary, high school and college groups have taken a special interest in both the gallery residence and blog. According to the education department, many teachers now specifically request tours that include a conversation with the conservator, and the blog has been utilized by classes as preparation for and follow-up to gallery visits. Due in part to positive reactions to the blog, the museum has included a blogging platform in the redesign of its website (see below), and plans to continue publishing regular conservation-related blog posts after “The Conservator’s Art” exhibition closes.
Check out Allison’s conservation blog at: http://conservationblog.hearstmuseum.dreamhosters.com/
…and in the future at: http://hearstmuseum.org/blog
Rose Daly, Phoenix, AZ
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
I am the owner of Art Conservation Services LLC in Phoenix, Arizona. I am a conservator with a M.S. from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.
What form of outreach are you using?
The project I am focusing on for this ECPN poster on outreach is a project that was featured in the print and online version of the Kansas City Star newspaper, and in artdaily.com, an online newspaper. The project engaged museum visitors with a conservator and was also featured on the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art facebook page. The project was an important collaboration between the Marketing department, Education department, Conservation, Preparations, Curatorial, Security, and Visitor Services. For a description of the project please see the press release included in the file TapestryCleaning.pdf
Who would you say is your target audience?
Museum visitors, and the local community in Kansas City.
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
Raise awareness for conservation. I feel the project was successful, but to raise awareness is not something that only needs to be done once or twice. In other ways, this project was a way for me as a conservator to experiment by combining needed conservation maintenance (vacuuming the Phaeton Tapestries) with a public outreach project (daily talks were scheduled where I could interact with visitors, a table was set up with a variety of interactive manipulatives including examples of silk, wool, a loom, and a petrie dish of dirt that was removed from the tapestries.) Outreach is important to raise awareness about the need for conservation of artifacts and the need for a professional conservator and the profession of conservation. This project was a good fit because I was willing to be put on display as an exhibition, interact with museum visitors, and I made myself available for a photographer from the Kansas City Star who was interested in featuring a picture of this project in the newspaper.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
Working inter-deartmentally was pivotal to the success of this project. The Marketing department at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has some exceptional staff including Kathleen Leighton, Communications and Media Relations Officer at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, who I worked with to write the press release, and who assisted the photographer from the Kansas City Star, Allison Long, who came to the museum to take my picture for the Kansas City Star edition on June 23, 2011. Kathleen is adept at speaking to the press, she was a news anchor for 12 years for WKBW–TV in Buffalo, New York and she gave me a number of hints to make me feel more comfortable in front of a camera. In the education department I worked with Emily Black, Interpretive Planner, Digital Media at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, to determine the materials that we should use for a table of manipulatives that would allow museum visitors to interact with materials that were similar to the materials used for the tapestry. Emily Black also assisted in writing content about the project and creating information that was included on the table of manipulatives to explain the conservation project and teach visitors more about tapestries.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
It was fantastic to work collaboratively with so many different departments in a museum, and to see the excitement this project created among museum visitors.
Checkout the ArtDaily article featuring Rose and the phaeton tapestries cleaning: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=48552
Melissa King, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Tell us a little about yourself-your background, where you’re working now and what you do in your current position?
My name is Melissa King and I am a pre-program intern at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (MFA). I graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and have been a pre-program intern at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, and the Northeast Museum Services for the National Park Service. In 2010 I also participated in the field school for the “Gabii Project,” a University of Michigan excavation of a Roman Republic city close to Rome. My experience in conservation has been mostly with objects but I have worked with paper as well. I am also a professional pet portrait artist.
My work at the MFA has been primarily to assist in a project to conserve two Etruscan stone sarcophagi dating to the 3rd Century BCE from Vulci, Italy. I have been creating detailed condition diagrams with Adobe Photoshop, assisting in the research of the history of the objects, including past treatments, and I have helped in the surface cleaning of both of the sarcophagi. In collaboration with museum scientists, we have been performing a technical analysis of stone composition and original paint remnants from the two pieces. In February, I assisted in a presentation about the project to a limited number of museum members who had signed up in advance to be permitted into the gallery. Because of the size and condition of the two sarcophagi, it was decided to have them remain in the gallery, which created a unique opportunity to share the process with visitors of the museum.
What form of outreach are you using? If it is an online tool, please specify which platform (Blogspot, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.).
The project is entirely visible to museum visitors as part of a special exhibit series entitled, “Conservation in Action.” The 1,300 square-foot Etruscan gallery was transformed into a conservation studio with a Plexiglass enclosure to allow visitors to view the process from beginning to end. The Etruscan sarcophagi conservation project has provided the museum with the opportunity to continue its mission of preserving the collection while creating new educational opportunities for visitors. Gallery wall-text within the viewing area describes the project and the conservator posts daily updates on a whiteboard visible to the visitors.
Public exposure of the project is further supported through lectures and tours. Conservators give presentations to museum visitors as part of the museum’s gallery learning program and more in-depth tours are given to students and museum professionals. Additional project information with periodic updates is presented on the museum’s website and the museum’s Facebook page often posts photo updates of the “Conservation in Action” projects, which has proven to be a great way to galvanize public interest.
Who would you say is your target audience?
Museum visitors
What were/are you trying to achieve using this form of outreach? Was it met or solved using this particular approach or tool?
As an institution, this project has been useful to generate interest in visiting the museum. The “Conservation in Action” projects have been extremely popular, and because the treatments are ongoing, museum guests may be inclined to revisit the museum in the future to check on their progress.
As conservators, we appreciate this project because of its inherent ability to inform the public about conservation and galvanize support in our efforts as professionals. Our work is to ensure the longevity of cultural heritage, and in this difficult economic climate, we need the support of allied professionals and the public to help with our mission.
Is there anything you would do differently, or any recommendations you would make to other conservators who might want to use your approach / tool for themselves?
The use of social media can be a very useful tool in a project such as this. As we continue on with this project I believe it would benefit us to reach out to other platforms such as twitter and tumblr.
Have your outreach endeavors produced any unexpected outcomes or benefits?
Both the Boston Herald and the Harvard Crimson have published articles in their respective newspapers on this particular project. A New York Times journalist was inspired to write an article, “Mosaic Restoration as Performance Art,” when she visited the museum and witnessed a past “Conservation in Action” project at the MFA that involved the conservation of a 3rd century AD Roman mosaic floor from Antioch.
To learn more about Melissa’s Conservation in Action project go to:
MFA website: “Conservation in Action: Etruscan Sarcophagi” http://www.mfa.org/collections/conservation/conservationinaction_etruscansarcophagi
MFA Facebook album: “Conservation in Action”: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150475274752321.367989.28314922320&type=1
New York Times Article: “Mosaic Restoration as Performance Art” http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/29/arts/design/29mosa.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Web-based media platforms: outreach through online communication and networking
In compiling information for ECPN’s outreach-themed poster, we felt that it would be useful to showcase some of the online tools that emerging conservators have used to reach their target audience. The number and variety of web-based media platforms available is impressive (and somewhat daunting), but as outreach tools they have helped many conservators increase their visibility. To select the right tool (or tools) it helps to understand what each platform has to offer.
Basic tools – How are they different? What do they offer?
- Websites are static, online resources for in-depth information. They can be constructed easily without code using programs like Adobe Dreamweaver and SiteMaker. Check out: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver.html , http://www.sitemakerlive.com/en/index.htm
- Blogs function like online journals, and can feature real-time updates, journal-style entries and editorials. Blogs allow for sharing (images, URL links) and the ability to “follow” other blogs. Popular platforms include Blogger, WordPress, and Tumblr. Check out: www.blogger.com , www.wordpress.org , www.tumblr.com
- Social and professional networks are online communication platforms based on user profiles. They can feature “feeds” of real-time updates, messaging, networking and sharing (images, URL links). Popular platforms include Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Check out: https://www.facebook.com/ , plus.google.com , http://www.linkedin.com/ , http://pinterest.com/
- Twitter is a message-based social media platform built on live, 140-character “feeds” of real-time updates, and allows users to ‘follow’ other Twitter users. Check out: https://twitter.com/
Consider linking your social media pages to draw your target audience to your primary information platform. For example, ECPN officers often copy the URL of new ECPN blog entries and post them on the ECPN Facebook page’s wall. The same can be done if you have a professional website that you would like to make visible to a wider audience.
Finally, check out AIC’s new Public Relations Toolkit, currently in development on the AIC WIKI, for more Web-Based Media platforms and outreach strategies: http://www.conservation-wiki.com/index.php?title=Public_Relations_and_Outreach_Resources