Author: Ryan Winfield

ECPN Conference Call
October 15, 2009

Rachel Penniman
Ryan Winfield
Ruth Seyler
Katie Mullen
Anne Simon
Karen Pavelka
Jason Church

I. Welcome

II. Project Updates

1. Communications –

a. Conference Call – Ryan and Ruth say recognize that the calls are committee conference calls. People would still be invited to sit in and the call number is posted, but we won’t set out blasts. Issue and theme calls could be specially promoted and separate. These could include interviews, webinars, twitter conferences.

b. Museums Wiki – we’ve been asked through a comment on the blog to list ECPN here. Katie will post this.
http://museums.wikia.com/wiki/Online_communities

c. Effort to get calls for bloggers is ongoing. Ryan will look at analytics. Investigate with Anagpic to see if they will let us link from that site. Karen will get us a name to contact about the ANAGPIC website. One new possibility is to invite people who are doing posters for AIC to submit them as blog postings, but that is contingent upon how presenting the posters after the conference is over is being handled by the poster committee.

2. Outreach – Angels Project

a. Ruth has been contacting sites; other folks have also been assigned sites to contact. Karen has contacted Paul M. for information on scheduling. From the board’s point of view the Angels project is the most visible and important thing we’re doing. That said, not much can be done until the site is selected. What can we anticipate? One example is supplies – however, again, that will be contingent upon what Paul hands over in terms of scheduling. Jason asks, if the project can still be moved to a Saturday – Ruth says both the Tuesday and Saturday are viable dates at this point.

b.Mentoring program –
1.AIC staff did the matching this time, due to concerns about letting the information on the matching forms go out of the office. Next time around, we may designate one officer from the group, the board liaison and a staff member to do the matching, so that multiple perspectives are represented.

2. We need to come up with a list of criteria that can be tested to see if mentoring is successful. Possibilities are geographic area, specialty, and manner of communication. Contact the parties that are participating 3 months out and solicit feedback on whether the match is good for both the parties involved. Figure out how to adjust matching process based on this feedback. This information, not connected to names, can be shared with the group. We should allow people to apply as a mentor or mentee as they become interested in the program, and not set a yearly deadline to apply.

3. Lack of architectural conservators applying as mentors is a problem – two more mentors in this area are needed. Ryan has sent an email to be posted on their specialty group listserve, but is not sure if it has gone through. Karen suggests two people to contact, and Jason has the name of one architecture conservator who has definitely expressed interest in being a mentor.

c. Purchasing a Recorder – AIC’s lendable AV equipment lives with (the multimedia coordinator for AIC) Brett – the recorder will too. Jason will contact Ryan about creating a form for lending that includes a disclaimer that AIC retains ownership of any recording made with it.

3. Professional Development/Training

a. Rachel reports on behalf of Amber that Amber has been working w/ IIC on attracting submissions for a student poster session for their Istanbul conference. They will make their outreach effort to U.S. grad programs through ECPN.

b. Ryan will contact Amber about her questions on finalizing the survey. Survey Monkey can be used for the survey instrument.

III. New Business/Open Discussion
1. Amber Kerr may attend IAG on behalf of Rachel Penniman.

IV. Setting of next call and adjournment
Next call:
Thursday November 19th, 1PM.

ECPN Open Conference Call
September 17, 2009

Present
Ruth Seyler
Ryan Winfield
Rachel Penniman
Karen Pavelka
Rose Daly
Anne Simon

I. Welcome

II. Project Updates

A. Communications

i. Guest Bloggers

Ryan has granted Katie admin status on the blogspot account in order to be able to add authors. To attract more bloggers, we need to brainstorm on incentives to post. Be more proactive about setting up a date to blog, so that it’s not on their back burner. Facebook posting has been good – what other ways are there to spread the blog? Maybe the people in the training advisory group can recruit their classmates – talk to Amber to see if we can’t ask in a welcome email to them that we’re looking for posters. Contact Dan Cull – see if he can share tips on how to get guest bloggers, or have suggestions on who to contact.

ii. Logos –
Get ourselves more branded. Try to tag posts. Logo needs to go by AIC board before they actually are used. Once posts are tagged we can ask for more submissions.

B. Outreach – Angels Project
Tony Rajer and Ruth Seyler have identified 5 potential sites. They in talks to pinpoint the final site, then we’ll move on to sponsorship and supply and the other issues. Karen Pavelka points out that this is the most important thing we’re doing from the group’s perspective. And it’s an enormous amount of work. Ruth will contact Paul Messier and see if he has a calendar/timetable set up based on his experience. Rachel Penniman asks what the group can do to help our more – Ruth says not to worry, there will be plenty to do once we get a site set up and a timeline in place.

C. Professional Development/Training
Karen Pavelka reports on behalf of Amber Kerr – no updates right now on PD/training.

D. 2010 budget
Ryan Winfield outlines the next budget
– travel to anagpic for chair $500
– travel to IAG for chair $500,
– Refreshments at annual meeting ECPN meeting $800.
– Possibly cost to rent mailing list from the college arts association to get out the fliers to relevant undergrad programs – will be minimal, probably $250. Or we can ask for money to print and then fall back on mailing list option.
– Check with Jason Church to see if we need budget for Audio Visual equipment.
This budget assumes that we won’t try for a workshop at the 2010 Annual Meeting. Deadline for all budget issues – October 1st. The Angels project has a separate budget. Ryan will draft a budget, and then it will be sent out to EPCN group officers for approval. The draft should be sent out by the end of next week.

III. New Business/Open Discussion
A. ICCROM– Amber is working with ICCROM to set up poster session.

B. Mentoring – Anne Simon says she and Angie would like help with matching participants and with logistics. Can there be another point person for the mentoring program? Discussion of the merits of trying to attract more participants to the mentoring program – Karen Pavelka points out that starting small is actually good. Match up who we can, and she will reach out to her contacts if more mentors are needed. We’ll do another blog post about mentoring, what a mentor can offer, so that potential mentors have a better sense of what they can offer and how to participate. Rachel Penniman and Katie Mullen will both help to get this off the ground and do whatever needs to be done – they will set up call with Ryan, Angie and Anne to get this sorted out.

IV Setting of next call and adjournment

October 15th, 1PM

A message will be sent out a day or two before the call with the phone #and pin #
No agenda requests will be sent out in the next meeting reminder in the hopes that more people will participate.

Winterthur offers one to three month short term fellowships for academic, museum, and independent scholars, including graduate students. Fellows receive a stipend of $1500 per month. Applicants need not apply for a specific named fellowship, but they do designate certain awards as:

* Faith Andrews Fellowships for the study of Shaker life and material culture

* Robert Lee Gill Fellowships for research on American decorative arts, painting, architecture, or historic preservation

* Dwight P. Lanmon Fellowships for the study of glass and ceramics

* Neville McD. Thompson Fellowships for the study of domestic life, late 19th- and early 20th-century design and material culture

To Apply

1. Application Form: Complete the application cover sheet. If you are applying for a Dissertation Fellowship or a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, you may ask to have your application considered for a short-term research fellowship in the event that your primary application is not accepted.
2. Essay: Prepare an application essay of no more than 1,500 words that opens with a concise overview of the project and then addresses the following questions.
* What ideas, questions, or problems guide your project? If this is a new area of research, explain its significance in your discipline and field of study.
* What is distinctive about your project? How does it complement, expand, or challenge prior study in the field? Please be specific about prior scholarship that informs your work.
* What work do you plan to undertake at Winterthur? Why is a residence fellowship at Winterthur necessary for successful completion of your project?
3. Bibliography: Based on your searches of Wintercat (our online library catalogue), prepare a bibliography of no more than two pages of primary sources you plan to use at Winterthur. If you plan to use objects from the museum collection in your research, please provide a brief listing.
4. Vita: Provide a copy of your current vita.
5. References: Obtain two recent letters of reference addressing your previous scholarly record, your current project, and your ability to work with a collegial group. If you are a graduate student, one of these letters must come from your dissertation advisor. Please instruct your reference writers to e-mail their letters to the address below. Please ask that they put your last name and the word “reference” in the subject line. We prefer .pdf documents. Word documents are also acceptable.
6. E-mail the completed application package to the e-mail address below (cover sheet, essay, bibliography, and vita). Please put your name in the subject line.

researchapplication@winterthur.org
Subject: Your Name

Mailed copies are also acceptable, if necessary. Mailed copies must contain six copies of the completed application package (cover sheet, essay, bibliography, and vita) to the address below. Mailed letters of recommendation (one copy only) also should be sent directly to this address

Rosemary Krill
Administrative Assistant, Research Fellowship Program
Academic Programs
Winterthur Museum & Country Estate
Winterthur, DE 19735

The deadline for all research fellowship applications is January 7, 2009. Notice of acceptance is sent by mid-April.

Okay, Katie and Rose – you’ve convinced me to answer the call!

Hello fellow ECPNers! Allow myself to introduce…myself. My name is Crista Pack and I am currently employed by the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis as their Conservation Technician. Some might find this odd considering that there are no conservators at the Eiteljorg…in fact there isn’t a conservation department or lab either. I’m it. I like to joke that I’m the head of the department and the lackey all rolled into one.

I’m at the Eiteljorg because two years ago they were awarded an

IMLS grant to conduct a condition survey of nearly 5,000 objects in their collection. The money is being used to bring in Conservators specializing in objects, textiles, paper, paintings, and sculpture. I get to work with these conservators to survey and photograph the objects and then enter this information into our database. It’s a great gig and I’m happy to have it.

However, today as I was entering my 2,437th survey into the database it occurred to me how nice it would be to have a conservator type sitting across the room who I could just shout out questions to spontaneously and then get an immediate response. Sure, I’m lucky to have Richard McCoy as my mentor extraordinaire…but he’s all the way across town at the IMA. And even though I imagine that he is usually just sitting by his phone, anxiously awaiting my phone calls – sometimes he’s not.

But, I digress. The point is, as a person still learning the field; I often have random questions about simple things. Like, what the heck does “skinning” mean when referring to a piece of paper? Or, what is the difference between cockling and buckling? What exactly is Silly Putty made of?

So, I turned to my trusty Google toolbar. I figured I would at least get hits on a half dozen dictionaries, and from those I should be able to decipher a conservation-related meaning for “skinning.” But I got something much better. I’m sometimes the last person to figure out tech/web-y things, so bear with me if you’ve known about these websites for years, but holy friggin’ cow…I feel like I hit the motherload today!

The first one is the Fine Arts Conservancy website:
http://www.art-conservation.org/glossary.htm

There you will find glossaries for paintings, works on paper, furniture, and decorative furniture elements. This is also where, by the way, I found my answer:

Skinning:
Excessive intervention resulting in losses of the original media; also called “over-cleaning”, or “excessive cleaning”.

Yay! Very handy. The only way the website could be any better is if they had a glossary for ethnographic objects. Which made me think, “hmm, what other glossaries might be out there?”

Well, in my search I found these gems:

Paintings: http://www.si.edu/MCI/english/learn_more/taking_care/painting_glossary.html

Scientific Research:

Material Name: Silly Putty®
Description

[Binney & Smith] A bouncing, rubbery polymer developed in 1943 by James Wright at General Electric. Silly Putty® is made from silicone oil
polymerized by the addition of boric acid. Peter Hodgson gave the bouncing rubber the name Silly Putty® in 1950 when he introduced it at the International Toy Fair in New York. Binney & Smith purchased the rights to the product in 1971. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Silly Putty® was put on display in the Smithsonian Institution.
Synonyms and Related Terms: Potty Putty (Br.); Tricky Putty
Hazards and Safety: May leave silicone oil residue on contacted surfaces.

Additional InformationSilly Putty: Website

IR spectrum of silly puttyTransmission spectrum. Sample prepared on zinc
selenide crystal. Credit: Infrared Spectroscopy Lab, Analytical Answers, Inc.,
Woburn, MA.

Surely, there must be others out there. If you have websites that you use regularly, or that you’ve heard of, please post them here! I would love to find out what other resources people in the field regularly use.

Of course, it still might be nice to at least have a cardboard cutout of a conservator I can prop up on my back wall. I’ve been thinking about adding this paper conservator to the department:

She was posted by

Rachel on the ECPN blog before and I’ve been told that she kind of resembles a mini-me. Frankly, I don’t think my head is quite that square.

http://www.luzrasante.com/la-conservacion-un-juego-de-ninos/