The value of recreating the artistic process

In the March 22, 2016 issue of The Wall Street Journal (“A Down-and-Dirty Look at Degas”) , Susan Delson wrote about how MoMA Curator Jodi Hauptman and MoMA conservators Karl Buchberg and Laura Neufeld went to Jungle Press Editions to work with master printer Andrew Mockler on recreating the visual effects of Degas’ monotypes and came away from the session with increased knowledge and understanding. For all of the necessary emphasis on science as a means to understanding art, a session like theirs reminds us that there is equal value in recreating the artistic process.

Call for Papers – International Journal of Young Conservators and Restorers of Works of Art (ICAR)

ICAR
International Journal
of Young Conservators and Restorers of Works of Art
Editor-in-Chief – Anna Kowalik, MA
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Publisher: Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw

Dear Members of AIC,
We would like to inform you about establishment of  “ICAR – International Journal of Young Conservators and Restorers of Works of Art”. It was founded at and is supported by the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland.
The international scientific journal “ICAR” is dedicated to students and recent graduates of conservation and restoration of works of art and related disciplines from universities
and conservation schools. “ICAR” is the answer to a desire to publish academic research in professional journals, indicated numerous times by students and  emerging conservators and restorers.
ICAR fulfills standards for a professional scientific journal. Papers for publishing will be selected by an international Scientific Council and peer-reviewed. Our aim is to include “ICAR” in the list of high-ranked specialist journals as soon as possible.
The journal “ICAR” is established by young conservators – for young conservators. We hope that it will become a platform for exchange of thoughts, learning and development for emerging scientists – conservators and restorers of works of art.
The Call for Papers for the first issue of the Journal is open until the 6th of May 2016
We invite all students and young graduates to submit abstracts of their papers.
Further detailed guidelines about how to publish in “ICAR” are available on our website:
www.icarthejournal.org
Yours faithfully,
Anna Kowalik, MA
Editor-in-Chief
“ICAR – International Journal of Young Conservators and Restorers of Works of Art”
anna.kowalik@icarthejournal.org
office@icarthejournal.org

ECPN spring webinar: Pathways into Conservation Science

The Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is pleased to announce that our next webinar “Pathways into Conservation Science” will take place on Friday, April 22nd from 12-1pm (EST).
The program will feature three speakers: Dr. Tom Learner, Head of Science at the Getty Conservation Institute; Dr. Gregory Smith, the Otto N. Frenzel III Senior Conservation Scientist at the Indianapolis Museum of Art; and Dr. Robyn Hodgkins, the Charles E. Culpeper Fellow in the Scientific Research Department at the National Gallery of Art. The presenters will share their own diverse training experiences, touching on the history of education in conservation science and the current pathways into the field. ECPN hopes that the webinar will provide guidance to individuals considering careers in conservation science, current students and post-doctorates entering the field, as well as inform emerging conservators.
The format of this webinar will be Q&A style. ECPN is seeking question submissions prior to the webinar broadcast. Please submit your questions as comments to this post, or contact ECPN’s Professional Education and Training co-Officer, Elyse Driscoll at elysedriscoll@gmail.com. Questions will be accepted until the morning of the webinar. Selected unanswered questions may be addressed in an AIC blog post following the webinar.
This webinar is free and open to all AIC members but you must register! To register, please click here. You will receive an email with information on how to connect to the webinar shortly before April 22nd.
If you miss “Pathways into Conservation Science” or wish to watch it again later, it will be recorded and uploaded onto the AIC YouTube channel.  For a listing of past ECPN webinars, please visit our archive on AIC’s blog Conservators Converse, our Wiki page, or AIC’s YouTube channel.
About the Presenters:
Tom Learner is head of the Science Department at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI); he oversees all of the Institute’s scientific research, developing and implementing projects that advance conservation practice in the visual arts. As a GCI senior scientist from 2007 to 2013, he oversaw the Modern and Contemporary Art Research initiative, during which time he developed an international research agenda related to the conservation of modern paints, plastics, and contemporary outdoor sculpture. Before this, he served as a senior conservation scientist at Tate, London, where he developed Tate’s analytical and research strategies for modern materials and led the Modern Paints project in collaboration with the GCI and National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Dr. Learner holds a PhD in chemistry from Birkbeck College, University of London, and a diploma in the conservation of easel paintings from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
Dr. Gregory Dale Smith received a B.S. degree from Centre College of Kentucky in anthropology/sociology and chemistry before pursuing graduate studies at Duke University, where he was as a National Science Foundation graduate fellow in time-domain vibrational spectroscopy and archaeological fieldwork. He held postgraduate positions at the British Library, the V & A Museum, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the National Gallery of Art. In 2004, Dr. Smith joined the faculty of the conservation training program at Buffalo State College as the Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Conservation Science. In 2010, Dr. Smith was hired as the Otto N. Frenzel III Senior Conservation Scientist at the Indianapolis Museum of Art where he established and now operates a state-of-the-art research facility to study and preserve the museum’s encyclopedic collection. Dr. Smith’s research interests include undergraduate education at the Arts-Science interface, assessing pollution off-gassing of museum construction materials, and understanding the chemical degradation of artists’ materials. Greg is a Professional Associate of the AIC and has served as an associate editor of JAIC for the past 10 years.
Dr. Robyn Hodgkins is the Charles E. Culpeper Fellow in the Scientific Research Department at the National Gallery of Art (NGA), Washington, DC. She received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before starting at the NGA, Dr. Hodgkins completed a conservation science internship at Tate Britain, and conservation science fellowships at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute. Dr. Hodgkins’ interests include understanding the effect of environmental conditions and pollutants on museum objects and artists’ materials using corrosion studies and environmental monitoring, and developing methods for the identification of paint constituents.

Call for Papers: Engaging Conservation: Collaboration Across Disciplines – Penn Museum Symposium

Call for papers – Deadline: 4 April 2016
ENGAGING CONSERVATION:
COLLABORATION ACROSS DISCIPLINES
Penn Museum Symposium
6-8 October 2016
The Conservation Department of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the fall of 2016. To commemorate the establishment of the lab, the Penn Museum is hosting a symposium on issues relating to archaeology, anthropology, and conservation. The symposium will explore how conservation of these materials has evolved over the past half century, the ways in which conservators may inform and support the work of archaeologists and anthropologists, and the development of cross-disciplinary engagement.
Professionals in any of the three areas are encouraged to submit abstracts of up to one page to conservation@pennmuseum.org by 4 April 2016 for consideration. Presentations will be 20 minutes. Funds towards travel and lodging are available for speakers. Successful applicants will be required to submit the full text and presentation by 30 September 2016. A resulting publication is planned. Please visit http://penn.museum/loveconservation/ for further guidelines and instructions.
Recommended topics to consider, though others are welcome, include:

  • History of archaeological or anthropological conservation, particularly in university museums
  • Facilitating collaboration between conservators and archaeologists or anthropologists, or other interested parties
  • How conservation supports field projects
  • Advocacy for including conservation in planning and budget development
  • Planning for conservation in the development of an excavation plan, including funding conservation in the field
  • Education and training
  • Treatment techniques
  • Analysis of materials
  • Teaching conservation topics to archaeologists and anthropologists

In addition to full-length papers, we also invite short-format submissions on topics listed above as well as those related to practical tips and techniques, insights, or questions relating to the symposium theme. Please submit abstracts (300 word limit) to conservation@pennmuseum.org by 4 April 2016 for consideration. These submissions are limited to 5 minutes or less, and an informal approach is appropriate. Successful short-format applicants will be required to submit a digital copy by 30 September 2016 and will be included in the publication following the same guidelines as the full-length papers.

New film highlights preservation of art during WWII

Francofonia-Film-imageHow did the Louvre survive the Nazi occupation during World War II?
Francofonia, a new film opening in New York on Friday, dramatizes the relationship between two men from opposing countries as they strive to preserve artwork during wartime. Conservators may enjoy this glimpse into history. View the trailer or visit the website for more about the film.

From master filmmaker Alexander Sokurov, whose film Russian Ark was a love letter to the Hermitage and Russian History, Francofonia is its own cinematic essay on the imperative nature of preserving art and history in the world’s museums. Set against the backdrop of the Louvre Museum’s history and artworks,  Sokurov applies his personal vision onto staged re-enactments and archives for this fascinating portrait of real-life characters Jacques Jaujard and Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich and their compulsory collaboration at the Louvre Museum under the Nazi Occupation. These two remarkable men – enemies, then collaborators – share an alliance which would become the driving force behind the preservation of museum treasures. In its exploration of the Louvre Museum as a living example of civilization, Francofonia is a meditation on the essential relationship between art, culture, and history.

Interspersed within the story of the Louvre under occupation is Sokurov himself, in video conference with a ship’s captain facing rough seas and terribly worried about his precious cargo: art treasures from around the world. In this narrative, Sokurov contemplates the origins of art and the sacred duty of conserving the world’s cultural treasures at nearly any cost, as he recalls the Louvre’s most trying times during World War II and the present day. — from Music Box Films

Job Posting: Director of Conservation – West Lake Conservators (Skaneateles, NY)

Director of Conservation at West Lake Conservators
Skaneateles, NY 13152
Professional Career Opportunity: Director of Conservation

West Lake Conservators, a mixed-specialty group practice, is celebrating our 40th year in business. We are actively planning the transition of our practice for future generations. We provide comprehensive preservation services for paintings, frames, murals, paper, painted objects, and textiles.
We are currently seeking a competent, passionate, senior-level conservator with leadership qualities, who would assume the Director of Conservation position. The ideal candidate either specializes in paintings (our largest division) or paper; however, an object specialist may also be possible.
The ideal candidate must demonstrate a high level of skill in the conservation lab and a broad range of experience necessary in their specialty, combined with general preservation knowledge and ethics, necessary to guide the other specialties operating procedures. As a practiced Conservator, the selected candidate will also be called upon to apply their skills directly to the treatment of artifacts. We work on a broad range of art and artifacts, both independently and in a team approach. Assistance with education of the public, workshops, and internships is required. Independent research and contributions to our field are encouraged.
The selected candidate will become instrumental for managing the preservation activities of the WLC Laboratory and working with existing and future conservation staff to maintain the high standard of conservation care and treatment. Candidates must have a graduate level degree in conservation, or equivalent knowledge and abilities. A professional AIC standing or willingness to apply for PA or Fellow is required. Salary is commensurate with experience and productivity. Candidates with prior experience in private practice and in small business management will be given preferred consideration.
General Requirements

  • A minimum of 15 years post graduate experience, with ongoing professional development through membership in professional organizations, attendance of conservation workshops, seminars, or professional conferences.
  • Knowledge of preventive conservation practices relating to the care of historic and modern collections.
  • Knowledge of modern museum practices, for the care of collections, including environmental control and monitoring, safe handling, display, storage, framing, crating, and shipping.
  • Experience preparing and presenting reports, lectures, publications and seminars relating to conservation.
  • Prior experience in private practice and management of the business’s laboratory practice including Safety, Environmental and Regulatory compliance.
  • Experience estimating and monitoring costs for treatments on site, oversized, surveys, etc.
    US citizenship or Green Card; fluent in spoken and written English
  • Physical strength to lift large and heavy artworks; ability to travel
  • Strong interpersonal skills

West Lake Conservators

Established in 1975 in paintings we have evolved with a staff of 8-12 operating in roughly 4000 square feet. Clients from the private and non-profit sectors, include numerous surrounding colleges and universities as well as small to mid-sized museums and historic sites. We have a national reputation for our mural treatments, research in painting lining supports and disaster recovery contributions. Our outreach and community participation initiatives include educational workshops, seminars and collection management services.
West Lake Conservators is located in Skaneateles, New York, a picturesque historic town in the Finger Lakes of central NYS with an excellent school system, beautiful lake, annual music festival, terrific YMCA and relaxed life style. Many business models are possible with this opportunity.
Applicants
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and benefits are offered. The position is available immediately. Please email application materials to principals, susan@westlakeconservators.com and
margie@westlakeconservators.com for further details. When applying, include your résumé with a letter of interest that outlines career goals and describes conservation specialties.
Visit our web site www.westlakeconservators.com to learn more about us.
Susan Blakney, Chief Conservator
AIC Fellow, IIC Fellow
West Lake Conservators
PO Box 45
Skaneateles, NY 13152
(315) 685-8534

2016-17 ECPN Committee — Open Officer Positions

Are you an emerging conservator who wants to advocate for the interests of other emerging conservators? If so, then please consider one of the open officer positions on AIC’s Emerging Conservation Professionals Network Committee:
-Vice Chair
-Professional Education and Training Officer
-Communications Officer
-Outreach Officer
All positions will serve for a one year term, beginning in June 2016 just after AIC’s 44th Annual Meeting. New officers will have the option of renewal for a second year, except for the Vice Chair who will be expected to move into the Chair position after the first year, for a one year term.
To learn more about ECPN, please visit: conservation-us.org/emerging
Position descriptions should be requested and any questions directed to Michelle Sullivan at michellerosesullivan@gmail.com. To apply, please submit a brief statement of interest and your resume to Michelle Sullivan, ECPN Vice Chair, by April 15, 2016.

NEH: PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS – GUIDELINES NOW AVAILABLE!

PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS 

GUIDELINES NOW AVAILABLE!

The National Endowment for the Humanities’ Division of Preservation and Access has offered Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions for more than a decade. These grants help small and mid-sized cultural heritage institutions such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections.  Awards of up to $6,000 support preservation related collection assessments, consultations, purchase of preservation supplies and equipment, training and workshops, and institutional and collaborative disaster and emergency planning.  Preservation Assistance Grants also support assessments of digital collections and education and training in standards and best practices for digital preservation, and the care and handling of collections during digitization.  NEH does not fund digitization or the development of digital programs in this grant category. 
All applications to the NEH must be submitted through Grants.gov. See the application guidelines for details.
The 2016 guidelines for Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are available at http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation-assistance-grants-smaller-institutions.  You will also find sample project descriptions, sample narratives, and a list of frequently asked questions. The deadline for applications is May 3, 2016.
See our feature article of PAG awards across the country, up on our Web site: http://www.neh.gov/divisions/preservation/featured-project/preservation-assistance-grants-smaller-institutions-guidelines-available
Small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant are encouraged to apply. We also have a special encouragement for applications from presidentially designated institutions (Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities), and from Native American tribes with significant humanities collections.
This year, NEH is offering some special encouragements to address issues facing small institutions and the preservation field.   To provide practical experience to emerging preservation professionals, we encourage consultants to work as mentors with advanced students or recent graduates from preservation programs who may assist in conducting preservation assessments, addressing specific preservation issues, and/or training of staff at the applicant institution.  To employ environment-friendly practices and limit travel costs, applicants are encouraged, when possible, to secure the services of local or regional consultants.  We also encourage consultants to consider preventive conservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact.
And to address the risk to cultural heritage materials from natural disasters, theft, looting, civil unrest, and other types of destruction, NEH encourages applicants to engage in disaster planning and emergency preparedness through development of disaster plans and working collaboratively with local institutions for training in disaster preparedness and emergency response.
For more information, contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570 and preservation@neh.gov
 

Job Posting: Conservator – Reynolds-Alberta Museum (Wetaswin, Alberta)

Job Title: Conservator
Competition Number: 1035019
Location: Reynolds-Alberta Museum – Wetasawin, Alberta
Full/Part-Time: Full-time
Regular/Temporary: Temporary Salary
Job Family: Culture/Recreation

Scope: Open
Closing Date: Sunday, April 10, 2016
Classification: Program Services 4
Ministry: Culture and Tourism
Role
The Reynolds-Alberta Museum showcases the impact of land transportation, aviation, agriculture and industry on Alberta history.  We currently are seeking a Conservator on a one-year temporary basis.
As Conservator, you will be responsible for ensuring the collections of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum are preserved and displayed according to accepted museum standards for conservation, while finding an accepted balance between the presentation needs of the site and the needs of the collection. You will coordinate the preventive conservation strategy for the Reynolds-Alberta Museum through research, assessment and documentation, collection monitoring and conservation treatment.
As the successful candidate, you will use your research skills and familiarity with the museums’ themes and mandate to help determine the preservation requirements of the collections. You have expertise in undertaking conservation treatments, providing environmental and collection monitoring, implementing an integrated pest management system, delivering training and support for preventative conservation activities, conducting applied research, and completing documentation of conservation activities. You can assess hazards and identify factors involved in the deterioration of historic objects, recognize insect infestation, and implement preventive and remedial techniques to clean and stabilize objects that are at risk. You also have experience in designing and constructing custom mounts and can provide guidelines for exhibit display standards.
Qualifications
A university degree plus graduation from a recognized conservation program is required, as well as a minimum of 2 years practical experience in a conservation lab environment.
Salary
$2,775.64 to $3,638.48 bi-weekly (~$72,444.20 to $94,964.33 annually)
Notes
This position involves the successful candidate to be available to work some evenings, regular weekends and special events. The ability to travel utilizing government vehicles is required. This competition may be used to fill current and future vacancies across government.
The Alberta Public Service is currently utilizing competency evaluation in the recruitment process. Competencies are behaviours that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans.  We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process. For more information on the APS Competency Model and how it is used, please visit the CHR Competency page.
How to Apply
Online applications are preferred. If you apply online, please ensure your cover letter and resume are submitted as one file. Ensure you quote the competition number and save using the naming convention of your first then last name (Joe Smith_competition number). Applicants who apply online will be able to track the status of this competition.
If you are unable to submit an electronic version of your resume, please submit your resume, quoting the Job ID, to Human Resources, Culture and Tourism, 7th Floor Standard Life Centre, 10405 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J4R7. Fax: (780) 422-3142. If you require any further information on this job posting, please contact Sara Volpe, HR Consultant, at sara.volpe@gov.ab.ca.
Closing Statement
We thank all candidates for their interest.  All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates’ education and experience best meets the needs of the position.  Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.
It is recommended that applicants who have obtained educational credentials from outside of Canada and have not had them previously assessed, obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS). It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.
 
 

Job Posting: Architectural Conservator/Restoration Architect – Building Conservation Associates, Inc. (Newton Centre, MA)

Position:    Architectural Conservator/Restoration Architect
Location:   Building Conservation Associates, Inc.

New England – Newton Centre, Massachusetts

Building Conservation Associates, Inc. (BCA) is a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in architectural materials conservation and historic preservation. Over the course of 30 years in business, BCA has documented, assessed and assisted in the preservation of hundreds of historic buildings, the majority of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. BCA’s staff includes building and object conservators, preservation architects, historic preservationists, scientists, historians and preservation planners. With its headquarters in New York City and regional offices in New England (Newton Centre, Massachusetts) and Philadelphia, BCA works on projects throughout the United States. The position advertised is in the New England office.
The Architectural Conservator or Restoration Architect will be responsible for providing a full range of services related to the documentation, assessment and conservation of historic buildings. Services will include: historical research, field investigation, materials testing, report writing, preparation of construction documents (drawings and specifications), and construction project monitoring. Prior experience with historic paint analysis is desirable, as is an interest in and experience with historic preservation planning projects (e.g. Historic Structure Reports and Preservation Plans). Willingness to travel within New England essential, as the work of the office spans all of the New England states.
Candidates applying for this position should have a graduate level degree in architecture or historic preservation with a concentration in architectural conservation. They should also have at least 3 years of related experience. Demonstrated proficiency in AutoCAD is required. BCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Interested individuals should email a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Lisa Howe, Director, at lhowe@bcausa.com.