Category: Emerging Conservation Professionals

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Male Herm

No, no, I’m not going to write about certification, or any of that other stuff. Instead I’m going to try and bring a touch of levity and color to this blog and tell you what I did at work yesterday. I thought it would be interesting to write about it here because it involves the work of pre-program interns.

By way of introduction, I’m an objects conservator at the IMA; if you want, you can find out a little more about me here, but not here. I work on all sorts of things at the IMA, but one of the things I spend a lot of time doing is taking care of the outdoor sculptures. There are a bunch of sculptures on the campus, and I often have some help cleaning and maintaining them from a bevy of from smart and productive interns.

Back in 2006 Angela Duckwall was pre-programing with us. At that time we were looking for a way to better protect some of the stone sculptures on the grounds of the Oldfields-Lilly House and Gardens during the winter. Historically, sculptures like these would have been covered during the winter months. The reason? Freeze-thaw-action. Like I need to tell you, but the problem is that moisture seeps into the interstices of the stone, stays there and then after the temperature drops the water becomes ice, expands and then the little (or sometimes big) pieces of the stone get pushed apart. In short it’s not good for the sculptures and we try to reduce the chances of this happening (knock on virtual wood here, because all of the sculptures are still in good shape).

To combat this, Angela made covers out of Tyvek for all of the stone sculptures (thanks, Dupont, for making Tyvek). The thinking was if cars could be live all year long under Tyvek covers, then our sculptures could live a good winter life under them. Of course, Tyvek is clever in that it is water resistant, yet breathable, so moisture doesn’t get trapped inside the covers.

Wait. Let me back up. When I say Angela made them, I mean she made them by hand. She went out and measured the sculptures and then bought a bunch of Tyvek, thread, cord, and some pull ties. She took all of this home and then made covers on her sewing machine. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it, especially when you see the covers that she made and realize that all 10 of them work perfectly.

One of the “Four Seasons” well covered

The first year she made them we made damn sure we put them on, but last year, well …. A travesty, I know, and Angela let me know about it via e-mail from Winterthur. But it wasn’t my fault. Honestly. I can’t put them on until after December 20th (we have a winter solstice celebration at the IMA), and then if you figure in the Holidays it might as well already be the second week of January, which invariably is filled with icy rain or other stuff, making it all but impossible to get outside to work. And then the next thing I know February is over, and by that time spring is practically here, so why bother. So, yes, last year, I didn’t get them put on.

But this year, I said, was going to be different. I was determined to get them on. And the next thing I knew, January was gone. This is where Preston Smith comes in (he’s been pre-programing with us for a while now, learning about all sorts of stuff, including the inter-workings of a hand-held XRF). I told Preston that we should get those covers on ASAP. And he agreed.

Preston ready to go

So, when I showed up for work yesterday there was an additional 5 inches of snow on the ground. I was ready to call the whole thing off, but Preston was like, “Dude!” So, I was like, let’s go do it. I really though it was a bad idea, but why not, right? Plus, Preston kind of shamed me into it — think of what Angela will say, he said. Thanks, Preston.

Before you watch the following video, please know that it was very cold. Snow was flying everywhere. Many schools in town had shut down for the day. The streets were filled with automobile accidents and ambulances, but we forged on because we had a job to do. We knew Angela was watching us. It was difficult to express the gravity of our situation and our current emotional state, but I tried, during the moment.

And work we did. What follows below is a slide show of our accomplishments.

Here’s what I learned from all of this: since you’re unlikely to make any real money in this profession, you ought to enjoy what you’re doing. Preston reminded me of this today. We turned what would otherwise have been a miserable thing to do, considering the weather, into what will probably be the highlight of my week.

Don’t get me wrong, it was dangerous out there. Very dangerous, you know. The IMA’s campus is immense and daunting. There were a few moments when I think we were both disoriented and unsure if we were going to make it back to civilization alive. Here’s one such event:

Despite all of the work, sweat, and uncertainty I’d like to think we maintained a kind of enthusiasm only found in the work that you enjoy. So I’ll end with a couple of videos that I made. I call them “Cart Cam,” because I literally put the camera on top of the car and then ran like mad.

Cart Cam 1 in which I don’t make a turn and run into a bank of snow
Cart Cam 2 with Preston Sliding Behind Me
Cart Cam 3 After some 8 hours out in the snow, wind, and ice you can’t blame me for being a little winded here.

Post script … I just noticed a mathematical error in this post. Anybody else find it?

If you haven’t heard by now the Certification Poll/Vote is open:

If you are a PA or Fellow, you can submit a ballot for the vote:

Certification Vote

However, if you are an associate or student member, you can take the poll.

Certification Poll

But before you submit your vote or take the poll, read more about the proposed certification plan at:

aic.stanford.edu/certification

The ECPN is presenting a poster at the AIC Annual Meeting being held in L.A. from May 19th to the 22nd. The poster will be included in the regular poster session, and will serve to introduce ECPN to the larger AIC audience. Each of the primary initiatives of the group will be highlighted, and emphasis will be placed on how we will use technology to serve emerging conservation professionals, as well as the global conservation community. (see abstract below)

Sadly, our topics don’t really lend themselves to exciting visuals (ooh look, the page capture of the blog!), so we thought of gathering images to tell another story. We are looking for pictures from emerging conservators that illustrate the progression of your career in conservation. We also welcome images of more established conservators from when they were “emerging,” as well as a recent picture for comparison. The more drastic the hair evolution, the better.

We also thought that this is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about creating a logo- or a color- for ECPN. If you are feeling creative, drop us a line, or even better, a sketch!

We would like to have all the pictures by March 15th

To contact us please email: ecpn.poster@gmail.com

Thanks!
Nicky, Anne and Laura

Poster Abstract–

AIC’s Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) was launched in 2008 with the purpose of serving AIC members who have been in the field for up to five years, current graduate students, as well as those who are looking to enter the profession. ECPN is taking full advantage of new technologies to encourage connections between conservators and share information. These include social networking tools such as Ning and Facebook, as well as broader developments in AIC, such as the new website and outreach presentation.

Emerging conservation professionals are very likely to be familiar with new technology, and feel comfortable using digital photodocumentation, web-based research, and new materials and techniques. But while they may be very up to date on conservation literature and information, they also know that they don’t have all the answers.

While new technologies bring many advantages and opportunities, in some situations there is still no substitute for personal interaction. One of the objectives of the group is to establish an effective mentorship program which utilizes both high- and low-tech methods. Emerging conservation professionals will be paired with an appropriate mentor based on a variety of criteria, and will be able to connect to them via email, phone, social network, or in person. Mentees will benefit from the experience and guidance of the mentor, while the mentor will benefit from being connected to the next generation of conservators and learn about new trends in conservation.

Here are the things we discussed during the conference call today:

As our network takes on more and more tasks and initiatives, we are beginning to realize that there is need for a more formal leadership structure within the network, which is why we are placing a call out for nominations for the following elected leadership positions:

What I look for in an internship application
Nancie Ravenel, objects conservator, Shelburne Museum

I might be a little late in posting our summer work project, but I’d like to put my cards on the table and tell you what I’m looking for in an application package. I don’t know if what we do is typical, but we don’t generally interview candidates for the summer work projects. I make my decisions solely based on the application and references.

Cover letter
I like to see that you’ve looked at what I’ve posted and thought about it. Its great to tell me why you think you’d be great for the job, but also tell me what you think the job could do for you, what you hope to gain from the experience. Where are you in your educational process and what lessons do you think that the project will teach you? Please check out our website. Is there something going on at the museum that you hope you’ll be able to experience during the internship beyond the posted project?

Please pay attention to details. Double check that you’ve spelled names correctly – particularly the museum’s! If you need to, have a friend proofread.

Is there anything we will need to know in processing your application? If you are not an American citizen, do you have the appropriate papers or will we need to start a visa process for you? Its not an application killer, we’ve had about half a dozen interns working in the lab over the years. It is helpful to know so that I can jump right on that visa process if I need to. Similarly, if you are applying from outside the US, let me know if you are an American or carry dual citizenship.

References
In my posts I ask for three references, no more than two from academia. Your teachers all think you’re fantastic, and they provide me with some wonderful observations about your work. I really need to talk to somebody who has supervised your work, ideally a conservator, but I can also talk to shop managers or restaurant owners.

Please give me complete contact information. I typically email your references to set up a meeting by phone.

Delivery
I prefer that you send your applications via email. It makes my life so much easier. I may be uncommon in this, so best to ask the institution about what makes their life easier.

Please don’t wait until the last moment of the closing date to send it in. Rightly or wrongly, I tend to consider when an application arrives as a measure of the candidate’s interest.

So that’s what I look for. Best wishes to everybody for finding a good fit for the summer.

For the seventh consecutive year, the U.S. Embassy in Lima is undertaking a series of programs to support cultural preservation under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Cultural Patrimony between Peru and the United States. In support of the MOU, the Embassy promotes an internship program for American graduate students of museum studies and conservation programs to be held from July through August 2009.

The objective of this program is to enable well-qualified graduate students the opportunity to do field research in Lima, Arequipa and Lambayeque. It will also support museums that house rich art collections, but are greatly in need of skilled professionals.

These internships will provide an excellent opportunity for Peruvian and American colleagues to exchange ideas on new techniques related to conservation, marketing, and exhibition planning, with long-term possibilities for collaboration.

Select museums have presented projects and provided detailed outlines of the work to be performed. Professional museum staff will closely supervise each intern and costs will be shared among all parties. The Embassy will be the link between the universities and the Peruvian museums and will provide required materials. Each museum will provide in-kind support and lodging. Also, the university or the intern will be responsible for international transportation and health insurance. The Embassy provides a small stipend to cover living expenses such as meals and incidentals.

All applicants must be U.S. citizens, must have at least intermediate oral Spanish skills (unless otherwise indicated in the project description), must be willing to complete the full course of the internship, and must be enrolled or have recently completed a graduate program in museum studies or related fields.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter with the following information:
• Name of applicant,
• Name of specific internship program,
• Name of current graduate program,
• Honest assessment of Spanish ability which may be corroborated in a phone interview

Please also attach current curriculum vitae, a one-page essay explaining the student’s interest in the internship, and a letter of recommendation by a professor.

Send the above information to the attention of Vanessa Wagner de Reyna, email
wagnerv@state.gov, fax: 011- (511) 434-1299, before March 30, 2009. Students will be notified if they have been accepted by mid April. The Embassy will then provide additional information regarding travel, visas, and other requirements to the selected interns. Please note that this information is also available on line at: http://peru.usembassy.gov/internship.html

Should you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us at the above email or by phone at 011- (511) 618-2080. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Paul G. Degler
Cultural Affairs Officer

To help defray some of the costs of the upcoming AIC Annual Meeting in May, it was recently suggested in our ECPN conference call that ECPN members may want to share hotel rooms. I will be collecting names and information of people who would like to participate in the room share. This year accommodations will be at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza (the meeting site), with room rates at $185.00 for a single/double and $210.00 for a triple/quad (maximum 2 people per double room and 4 people per room in a triple/quad).

In order to participate in the room share, you need to be registered for the AIC Annual Meeting (this is in order to receive the AIC Rate). The AIC Rate is valid until April 27, 2009, or until the contracted room block has sold out. The Hyatt’s cancellation policy states that on April 1, 2009, the hotel will charge a one-night stay deposit, so all cancellations will need to be received by April 1, 2009 to allow for another AIC Meeting participant to enjoy the room at the AIC Rate. Therefore, if you would like to participate in the room share, please send me your information by February 13, 2009.

I will make every attempt to match people with another ECPN member and according to the specifications that you send. If you are unable to be matched due to the lack of another person with your room specifications, or due to an odd number of people willing to participate, I will let you know as soon as possible, and no later than February 27, 2009.

Please note that by participating in the room share, you understand I am matching potential roommates only. Once a match is found, I will send you and your potential roommate(s) your respective information. If this is not a suitable match to all parties, let me know as soon as possible and before the February 13th deadline.

Once you agree to your match, it will be yours and your roommate’s responsibility to make your room reservations and pay for your room. Any reservations that you make will be in accordance with the Hyatt’s policies. If you or your roommate(s) decide not to attend the meeting before the February 13th deadline, I will make every attempt to match you with another person. However, this cannot be guaranteed, so it is important that all parties be committed to attending the Annual Meeting!

If you would like to participate, please send the following information to Nicky DeFreece Emery via e-mail.

Your name
Your e-mail address
Your telephone number
Gender (sorry, I will only match same gender)
Preference of double (1 roommate + you) or quad room (3 roommates + you)
Special room needs (ADA accessible room, etc.)
Specific dates you will need a room
If you are currently registered for the AIC Annual Meeting
Best way to contact you during the Annual Meeting

Please send your information to BOTH of the following e-mail addresses: shnicky2@yahoo.com AND shnicky2@gmail.com

Thanks, and see you in LA!

Nicky DeFreece Emery

With the holidays looming and productivity gently declining, I thought that I would take a break from our usual subjects to provide some conservation related diversions.

Because People Have a Need to Glue Things to Other Things

For me, holidays are usually preceded by a stream of questions from friends and family on how to repair their beloved ornaments/keepsakes/doo-dads.  Some objects are worth some quality conservation work, but for many I send my family to www.thistothat.com.  Definitely not archival and certainly not to our highest conservation standards, but when it comes to fixing everyday objects it can be very handy.  And for the same low level of “How do I clean my….?” take a peak at www.HowtoCleanStuff.net .  Some cringe-worthy suggestions (the discussion on cleaning oil paintings is downright hard to read) but there are also some good basic household cleaning tips.

Pocket Conservator

 better yet; in response to all those conservation related questions why not just give your loved one their very own paper conservator?  You can find a make your own conservator at http://www.luzrasante.com/la-conservacion-un-juego-de-ninos (pattern courtesy of the Institut Valencià de Conservació i Restauració de Béns Culturals). 

And what better tools to give your pint-sized paper conservator than Jeff Peachey’s set of miniature bookbinding tools?

(http://jeffpeachey.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/mini-tools.jpg )

They are actually just the right size for your new tiny worker.

A Must Read Conservation Journal

As an Emerging Conservator I try to stay updated on new research and publications but somehow missed this one until it was brought to my attention a few weeks ago. What The Onion does for news, Recent Setbacks in Conservation does for professional conservation research.

http://www.setbacks.org/index.html

For the Visual Thinkers

As many conservators are also visual thinkers, check out the web comic Indexed at http://thisisindexed.com/.  While not directly related to art conservation, Venn diagrams and bar charts were never so funny. 

Beware of the Yellow (Milliput®) Snow

 finally, I leave you with a warning on the use of aged materials.  Last year Laura Brill made this lovely little 2.5” snowman of extra Milliput®.  It was lovingly crafted complete with buttons, top hat, pipe and bamboo skewer arms.  Sadly the Milliput® used was very old and even after a year of curing Frosty is still soft and tacky as well as having turned this ugly shade of yellow.  Further research is required but preliminary study suggests this aged Milliput® would be a poor material for use with artifacts.

From the wintery wonderland of Shelburne Vermont I wish very happy holidays to you and yours!

-Rachel Penniman

Rachel Penniman is currently an Advanced Conservation Intern at the Shelburne Museum, but will be taking a new position in January as objects conservator at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

In addition to this blog and the listserve (aic-emerging@lists.stanford.edu), we are testing out a new social networking tool called Ning.

We have already started at network for the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network, which you can go through the link below:

http://aic-ecpn.ning.com

A few of you are already members. As for the rest of you, please check it out, and let me know how you like it at rwinfield@aic-faic.org

-Ryan Winfield