Category: Conferences, Courses, Workshops & Seminars

C2CC Webinar: Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram, Oh My! Sharing Museum Collections through Social Media

Join Connecting to Collections Care on July 14 at 2:00 EDT for a free webinar:
Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram, Oh My! Sharing Museum Collections through Social Media
Social media has infiltrated our lives, and it’s no longer restricted to personal use. Many cultural institutions are using social media outlets very effectively to connect and communicate messages to a wide variety of audiences. There are so many choices and platforms and ways of engaging with the public, which can make even just the term “social media” seem overwhelming or daunting. Whether you’re completely inexperienced or you’re looking to refine or streamline and make the most of your efforts, this webinar will provide an opportunity to learn more about what is out there, how different platforms are being used, and will provide tips for effectively using social media to share your collections, which ultimately assists in furthering access and preservation.
Presenters:
Molly Gleeson is the Rockwell Project Conservator at the Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology). She works full-time in the museum’s open conservation lab on Egyptian mummies and artifacts. Molly received her M.A. from the UCLA/Getty Master’s Program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials in 2008 and her B.A. in Art Conservation from the University of Delaware in 2002.
Tom Stanley is a Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator at the Penn Museum. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in 2007 from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., where he studied Communications with an emphasis in Broadcasting.
Sign up:
http://www.connectingtocollections.org/facebook-and-twitter-and-instagram-oh-my-sharing-museum-collections-through-social-media/

IIC Los Angeles 2016 Congress – final call for papers and poster proposals

IIC 2016 Los Angeles Congress-logo_0
 
 
 
Conserving contemporary art? You now have until the 15th of July … to save the Now!
Contemporary Art delivers contemporary problems to the conservation community…and may mean that we deconstruct and re-invent ‘standard’ conservation thinking and practice.
Saving the Now: Crossing Boundaries to Conserve Contemporary Works, IIC’s next Congress, to be held from the 12th to the 16th September 2016, links so very well with its setting, Los Angeles, in allowing things to be looked at in very different and new ways.
This can be a minefield – or a source of new and creative approaches to heritage conservation. As we move ahead with new artists, new materials, new concepts of what creativity is, we must adapt what conservation involves and tries to achieve. We may borrow from other areas of skill and expertise in doing this. We may change our concepts of what conservation is there to do in the first place …
What are your thoughts, your experiences, your predictions? Let’s start you off here:
• How do you work without the benefit or comfort of that well-established hierarchy of values available to colleagues working on more traditional heritage objects?
• Are you working with a range of different and varied conservation philosophies and approaches – from various countries and cultures, from differing disciplines and markets – to develop new methods for conserving contemporary works?
• What will we lose if your major guiding principle is the artist’s intent? If it is known at all, that is …
• Can
the commercial art market help influence Institutional thinking on conservation?
• How is public art influencing conservation practice and theory?
• Are the ethics and values used in conserving the built heritage applicable to the conservation of moveable heritage ¬– and vice versa?
• Can approaches used for conserving ethnographic collections be applied to contemporary art practice?
• Can non-materialistic philosophies help to move the field forward in broader terms?
Submit your proposal for a paper or a poster now! It’s easy: go to https://www.iiconservation.org/congress Share your expertise and learn first-hand what your colleagues around the world are doing!
A call for Student posters will be made later in the year.
Please contact us at iic@iiconservation.org if you have any questions or wish to receive further information on the Congress

43rd Annual Meeting – Paintings Session, May 15, "Rediscovering Renoir: Materials and technique in the paintings of Pierre-Auguste Renoir at the Art Institute of Chicago" by Kelly Keegan

Renoir is one of those art historical giants that I’m sometimes guilty of overlooking, simply because of how frequently his imagery appears in contemporary culture. An upcoming treatment of a Renoir painting at work, though, meant that it was high time to take a closer look. Fortunately, Kelly Keegan of the Art Institute of Chicago gave a fantastic presentation on “Rediscovering Renoir” at the 2015 AIC conference, which was brimming with details about the artist’s materials and techniques, and beautiful photomicrographs and graphics.
The presentation was a summary of findings from the in-depth technical study of Renoir’s 15 paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago, conducted as part of the Online Scholarly Catalog Initiative. Examination techniques included x-radiography; infrared, transmitted light, and ultraviolet imaging; x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy; polarized light microscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; thread counting; and, of course, lots and lots of looking under the microscope.
Renoir was both less and more methodical than I expected. For example of the former, he didn’t have a reliable art supply merchant. His canvases ranged in fineness, and thread counting demonstrated that they never came from the same bolt of cloth. Although most of the paintings are now lined and on non-original stretchers, seven canvas stamps from four different suppliers were found. His ground layers were usually white or off-white, with dragged inclusions and palette knife marks indicating application by the artist. The use of the palette knife often exposed the tops of the canvas weave.
Renoir’s compositional planning shows his meticulous side. Even the highly impressionistic work Chrysanthemums includes a graphite underdrawing with individual petals. The artist varied his preparatory drawing medium, using dry media, blue or brown paint, or red lake washes. Slight adjustments were common, and a dramatic change was discovered in Lunch at the Restaurant Fournaise, the catalog cover image: an isolated two-person encounter was initially depicted, but the final product has three figures. Later in Renoir’s career, infrared examination shows the debilitating effect that rheumatoid arthritis had on his once-confident draftsman’s hand.

Graphic illustrating Renoir's use of yellows in 15 paintings. (Photo credit Amber Kerr.)
Graphic illustrating Renoir’s use of yellows in 15 paintings. (Photo credit Amber Kerr.)

Renoir’s color palette included vivid pigments, including emerald green, cobalt blue, various bright yellows (see image above), vermilion, and red lakes, in addition to iron oxides. One color he considered an “unnecessary purchase” was yellow ochre, which he ironically preferred to mix himself using much more expensive pigments. Although he did a lot of blending on the painting, he kept his brush clean to prevent muddying of the colors. In contrast to most other Impressionists, Renoir’s paint layers are quite thin relative to the ground layer. The influence of his teenage training as a porcelain painter is evident in his use of thin glazes, especially with luminescent red lakes over white ground. He used a palette knife at times to scrape away layers and create texture in the interstices of the canvas weave.
This presentation was chock full of technical information and interesting quirks about Renoir that not only make me feel more prepared to approach a Renoir treatment, but also give me a much better appreciation for an artist that deserves a close look. His work shines under the microscope and when considering the individual behind the paintings. The Online Scholarly Catalogs are a wonderful resource, and I’m grateful to have gotten Keegan’s dynamic overview of the Renoir content.

Education Assistant Position with FAIC

FAICFoundation of the American Institute for Conservation, Washington, DC
Vibrant national cultural organization seeks an assistant to support education activities. The successful candidate will be a detailed-oriented team player who can provide logistic and customer support for our program of workshops, symposia, and online courses as well as support for an array of scholarship programs.
The Education Assistant works to advance the goals of the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) by assisting with the presentation, marketing, and evaluation of a diverse array of professional development activities, materials, and scholarships for conservation professionals, allied professions, the general public, and AIC and FAIC staff and volunteers. The Education Assistant reports to the FAIC Development and Education Coordinator.
Responsibilities include:

  • Assist in scheduling workshops and other professional development events
  • Manage logistics for all events, such as arranging for supplies, equipment, catering, hotel arrangements, local coordinator, etc.
  • Develop and disseminate promotional and registration materials for events
  • Manage selection, admission, and records of attendees
  • Prepare and distribute advance information, handouts, name tags, and other materials in support of events
  • Conduct, compile, and report evaluations for each event
  • Prepare event and budget summaries
  • Maintain FAIC web resources in support of professional development
  • Assist in identifying and developing ideas and plans for future professional development activities
  • Track and prepare scholarship and grant applications for review
  • Communicate with grant applicants about award status
  • Track and compile grant and scholarship reports
  • Create and maintain web resources and application materials for grants and scholarships
  • Other duties as assigned

The ideal candidate:

  • Has at least 2 years of experience working with education or similar programs
  • Possesses an undergraduate college degree
  • Exhibits excellent attention to detail
  • Exhibits excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
  • Is proficient in MS Office Suite
  • Is dependable, punctual, and flexible
  • Can work with multiple priorities and deadlines with accuracy
  • Can work with minimal supervision
  • Works well independently and as part of a team
  • Is able to travel to AIC Annual meeting

To apply, send resume and cover letter as an email attachment to: courses@conservation-us.org

CALL FOR PAPERS – HISTORIC AND MODERN ASSEMBLAGES: TREATMENTS OF WOOD BASED MULTIMEDIA ARTWORKS / INTERIORS IN CONTEXT

Joint Interim Conference of the ICOM-CC Working Groups: Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer and Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, in association with the German Association of Conservator-Restorers (VDR) Specialty Group: Furniture and Wooden Artifacts.
Call for Papers and Posters - Modern and Historic Assemblages - cropped imageHosted in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
8-10 April, 2016
Location: University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Set within the historic gardens and palaces of Potsdam, this conference will focus on site-specific wooden works of art of a composite nature. Included in this broad theme are the exploration of the purpose and the complex means used to create these works consisting of multiple elements and mixed materials as well as the conservation strategies designed to preserve and display them. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, secular and religious interiors or assemblages (in situ or removed from their original setting), composite works of art, architectural elements, and historic and modern artist installations.
Subjects could include:

  • Case studies related to the challenges of conserving in situ architectural interiors,
  • and of installing architectural interiors removed from their original settings
  • The disarticulated Gesamtkunstwerk: case studies related to the presentation of religious and secular works of art removed from their original architectural settings
  • Case studies of treatments involving discussion with stakeholders and special consideration of intangible heritage that these complex works and spaces represent
  • Construction and manufacturing techniques
  • Reconstruction of lost elements; loss compensation
  • Preventive Care (climate, display, access, storage, transportation, “green” solutions)
  • Case studies exploring the juxtaposition or combination of traditional and modern conservation methods
  • Working in situ versus the conservation studio – methodology, challenges (health and safety issues) and advantages
  • Contamination and alteration of artworks through the application of insecticides, preservatives, and conservation materials
  • Innovative techniques for analysis and documentation

This three-day conference will bring together an international roster of conservators, art historians, conservation scientists, and artists to share new research, past experiences, and their specific and varied expertise. Submissions related to completed and in-progress treatments, newly developed treatments and preventive conservation are especially encouraged. Authors interested in presenting a paper or poster, please submit an abstract (400-600 words, 1-2 images) by August 1st, 2015 to assemblage.potsdam.2016@gmail.com
All work submitted must be original and may not have been published elsewhere. Abstracts should be in English and must include a short biography and contact information for the corresponding author (affiliation, address, telephone, fax and e-mail). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Conference Organizing Committee and invited experts. In September 2015 authors will be informed whether their submissions were accepted. It is the intention of the organizers to publish all accepted papers, and authors are required to submit a first draft of their papers no later than one week prior to the start of the conference.
For a downloadable PDF of the call for papers visit the ICOM-CC website.
The Conference Organizing Committee

Webinar: Preservation Metrics Today: Heritage Health Information and Preservation Statistics, June 11, 2015, 2-3:30 EDT

Sign up for the next Connecting to Collections Care webinar, Preservation Metrics Today: Heritage Health Information and Preservation Statistics. It’s free!
http://www.connectingtocollections.org/preservation-metrics-today-heritage-health-information-and-preservation-statistics-2/
Now more than ever, data drives decisions: Which projects should be funded? Where is staff needed? What activities should take priority over others? How can you find the data to help when you are looking for funding or trying to persuade your community or legislators to provide funds for collections care in you museum, historical society or library? Collections care is an ongoing process and the need for caring for collections doesn’t go away when times are lean. Having your specific needs spelled out can help you make a persuasive argument for future funding.
The Heritage Health Information and the Preservation Statistics programs are both dedicated to collecting and analyzing the information on care for our collections in the broadest sense and they are the go-to programs for the data you need.
This webinar will give you the chance to learn more about these programs and to learn about how you might use the information they provide for your own situations. It will also help you to address StEPs MVG Standards 3 and 4.
Date/Time: June 11, 2015, 2-3:30 EDT
Featured Speakers:

  • Lesley A. Langa is the Director of the Heritage Health Information Survey 2014 at Heritage Preservation. Ms. Langa is also a doctoral candidate in the iSchool at the University of Maryland. Ms. Langa has managed national research projects in the cultural sector for over ten years, including work for the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Getty Foundation. Her research has been presented at the American Alliance for Museums, the American Libraries Association, the iConference, the Museum Computer Network, and the Visitor Studies Association.
  • Annie Peterson is the Preservation Librarian at Howard-Tilton MemorialLibrary, Tulane University, a position she has held since July 2012. Previously she was the IMLS Preservation Administration Fellow at Yale University. She is a coordinator of the annual Preservation Statistics Survey.
  • Holly Robertson is a preservation consultant and grant writer based in Washington, DC specializing in preservation assessments, collections conservation management, disaster recovery, digital preservation, archival storage, and audio / visual preservation issues. As one of the coordinators for the all-volunteer Preservation Statistics Survey project, she works to assure that the preservation activities of cultural heritages institutions are documented to empower practitioners and support advocacy.

43rd Annual Meeting – Sustainability (Track B) General Session, May 15, "Sustaining Georgia's Historical Records: NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Implementation Grant at the Georgia Archives" by Kim Norman and Adam Parnell

Georgia Archives Conservator Kim Norman and Assistant Director of Operations Adam Parnell shared data from the Georgia Archives’ successful NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Implementation Grant project in order to support and encourage other institutions seeking to justify implementing similar environmental strategies.  Kim Norman started off with a brief history of the Georgia Archives to set the context of the project.
In 2003, the Georgia Archives opened in its current facility, which was designed to meet the highest archival standards of the time, prioritizing security and environmental protection for the collections. The complex, multi-zoned mechanical system made it possible to monitor environmental conditions closely, but proved to be unwieldy and costly to operate. The NEH SCHC Implementation Grant project aimed to reduce energy consumption while simultaneously continuing to uphold best practices for the preservation of collection materials.
Refusing to let laryngitis derail his commitment to sharing this project, Adam Parnell whispered his way through the talk. The audience’s patience and encouragement served as testament to their interest in hearing what he had to say. The Georgia Archives essentially transitioned from a “run all the equipment all the time” model to a “run equipment only as needed” model. The original HVAC system was run 24/7 for 365 days a year, using up about 700kW/hour and incurring electricity costs of over $30,000 per month. Dehumidifiers were run constantly, even when the outside air was within an acceptable range. Heating and cooling units were also run constantly, at the same time, stressing the system, which needed constant monitoring and repair.
The new model relieved stress on the system and made use of passive environmental conditions whenever possible. The environmental standard was set to 55-60 degrees F with a 35-40% RH set point. The new system installed a “weather station” with “adaptation intelligence,” so, for example, when it’s raining, the draw of outside air reduces to a minimum to avoid increasing the indoor RH. The system can shut down cooling units when the outside air dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Likewise, the system turns off the dehumidifiers when outside RH is below 50%. The heating boilers are now run at 140 degrees F instead of the former 180 degrees, and they are turned off altogether when the outside air temperature spikes above 90 degrees.
Using the new model, kilowatt usage has dropped from 700 kW/hour to 365 kW/hour, decreasing the monthly electric bill by nearly 40% to about $18,000.  Increased savings are also expected in reduced gas consumption and plant water usage.
Resource Links:

Heritage Science Conference London July 14-15, 2015

SEAHA Conference 14-15 July 2015
SEAHA Conference 14-15 July 2015

1st International Conference on Science & Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology (SEAHA)

University College London, London, UK,  14-15 July 2015

The Science & Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology (SEAHA) conference is the first international conference on heritage science research, innovation and best practice in interpretation, conservation and management of cultural heritage. Heritage science is a cross-disciplinary field connecting science and the humanities. The conference aims to provide a platform for scientists, engineers, professionals, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers, to engage and discuss emerging trends in the field. We are looking for abstracts that include collaborative and innovative research with a focus on Materials, Environment and Digitization in the heritage field.
Our keynote speakers are:

  • ​Dr. Steve Trow, Director of Heritage Protection, Historic England
    • Science, society, stories and impact: Historic England and heritage science 
  • Dr. Sean O’Reilly, Director at the Institute of Historic Building Conservation
    • Interdisciplinary skills and standards in sustainable conservation 
  • Nancy Bell, Head of Collection Care at the National Archives UK and Co-chair for the National Heritage Science Forum
    • Evidence, Persuasion and Policy in Heritage Science

Registration is open and the deadline for submitting an abstract is now 5 May 2015.

http://www.seaha-cdt.ac.uk/seaha-conference-2015/​

Connecting to Collections Care MayDay Webinar, May 1

Sign up for the next Connecting to Collections Care webinar on disaster recovery.  It’s free!
“After Disasters: Salvage and Recovery in Small to Mid-Sized Museums and Libraries”
May 1, 2015, 2:00 – 3:30, EDT, with Susan Duhl.
Understanding the components of disaster response is key in successful recovery of collections of any type, size, and budget.  This webinar will show professionals and volunteers the steps needed to effectively save collections, including:
       + What happens to collections after fires, floods, mechanical failures, and other events
       + Recovery logistics, team building, and securing supplies
       + Safety and health practices
       + Working with first responders, engineers, contractors and conservators, and local resources
       + Collections triage, handling practices, drying options, soot and mud cleaning techniques, and mold control
       + Long-term recovery: conservation treatment and funding
Susan Duhl is an Art Conservator and Collections Consultant, providing assessments, consultations, and conservation treatment for institutions and individuals throughout the United States and internationally. She specializes in disaster prevention and strategic recovery of art, archival, and historic collections from natural, mechanical, accidental, and man-made disasters. Capabilities include assessments, pre-incident planning, prevention, emergency response, strategic planning for recovery, and conservation treatment. Clients include private collectors, historic houses and societies, and institutional collections of all types and sizes.
Check the Calendar for more upcoming events.
This webinar is part of the MayDay Initiative. All activities hosted by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation for MayDay 2015 are sponsored by Polygon Group, offering document recovery, emergency planning services, property damage restoration, and temporary humidity control across the globe.
Connecting to Collections Care is sponsored by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Connecting to Collections Care Webinar, April 21

Please excuse cross postings.
Sign up for the next Connecting to Collections Care webinar on museum environments – it’s free!
“When Less is All You Got! Budget-conscious solutions to protect collections on display and in storage”
April 21, 2015, 2:00 – 3:30, EDT, with Ernest Conrad and Lisa Mibach.
In an ideal world, all buildings that house and display collections would have purpose-designed environmental control systems that work, enclosed display cases, chemically-neutral storage and display cases and containers, and enough trained staff to care for collections. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
The first part of the webinar will illustrate the diagnostic effects of the lack of environmental controls, and will discuss budget-conscious solutions to protect collections on display and in storage. The second part will deal with proper storage and display conditions so that objects can weather minor disruptions. If you don’t have ideal storage and display conditions, you need to have regularly updated priority lists of objects (in order of vulnerability) to check during/after an environmental failure or change.
Check the Calendar for more upcoming events.
Connecting to Collections Care is sponsored by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.