Lisa Duncan is the chief conservator and owner of Lisa Duncan, Art Conservator, LLC in Seattle. Her private practice specializes in the consultation, treatment, and assessment for photographic materials and works on paper. She started her own private practice shortly after graduating from the prestigious Master’s program in Art Conservation at the Winterthur/ University of Delaware. She is also a Professional Associate (PA) of the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) and a certified assessor for the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP). In this episode, we discuss the challenges of starting her business in the Northwest region, balancing work and home life, how to deal with emotions when you’re working by yourself, and what to expect in the early stages of the practice. 

Jonathan Stevens is a conservator in private practice based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He specializes in the conservation of furniture, wooden artifacts, picture frames, and architectural woodwork. Jonathan earned his BFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design and his MS in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. He has worked extensively as a decorative artist in Philadelphia and has held positions in the conservation labs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and the Barnes Foundation. In this episode, we discuss his unconventional graduate school and fellowship experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of furniture conservation, and a review of his first year in the private sector. 

Jenny Mathiasson is the owner of Kuriosa Conservation and is an objects conservator based in west Wales. She has a background in heritage management from Bournemouth University and a conservation degree from Cardiff University. For over ten years, she has worked with archeological units, parish churches, theater companies, as well as private collectors, artists, and organizations, such as the University of Cambridge Museums. When she’s not at her workbench, she can be found crafting or creating something, or in her podcast studio producing The C Word: The Conservator’s Podcast. On a personal note, Jenny’s show was an inspiration to me in creating my own podcast.  I cannot recommend it enough and there is a link to her podcast in this episode description. In this interview, Jenny and I discuss the landscape of conservation and the logistics of opening her business in the United Kingdom. We also talk about negotiating with private clients and discovering how far they truly wish to restore their beloved objects. 

Kris Cnossen is a Junior Fellow at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They graduated with an MS in textile conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2022. They have interned at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, where they assisted in the preparation and completed treatment for the 2022 Stephen Sprouse exhibition. Prior to that, they interned at the St. Louis Museum of Art, where they performed research on the use of digitally printed reproduction textiles as visual compensation in collaboration with Associate Textile Conservator, Miriam Murphy. Pre-program, Kris interned at Toledo Museum of Art, Mountain States Art Conservation, and the Maryland Center for History and Culture; previously the Maryland Historical Society. Kris has a deep passion for the ethics surrounding documentation and conservation, especially of modern materials and art. In their free time, they knit, read fantasy, and befriend stray cats. In this episode, we discusses Kris’s pre-program experience, tips for applying to graduate school,  how Kris tailored their time in the WUDPAC program to prepare for private practice, their vision for their future business, and some ethics in costume conservation. This conversation will be of special interest to pre-program professionals and those interested in textile conservation. 

Dr. Kristin deGhetaldi is a private practice, painting conservator who graduated in 2008 with a Master of Science degree from the Winterthur/University of Delaware program in Art Conservation. She obtained her PhD in Preservation Studies from the University of Delaware and completed a three-year Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Painting Conservation at the National Gallery of Art working on the treatment of Old Master easel paintings. Under the guidance of scientists and conservators at the National Gallery of Art, Kristin was given the opportunity to use a variety of analytical techniques focusing on questions specifically relating to media analysis. She has also participated in internships and conservation positions at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the RISD Museum. Kristin earned a post-baccalaureate certificate in conservation  in 2004 at the Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy and a BA (2003) in Chemistry from Grinnell College. She is the current Project Leader for MITRA (Materials Information and Technical Resources for Artists), a forum dedicated to connecting artists with conservators, scientists, and experts working in the art manufacturing industry. She is also co-leading a group of art conservators who are investigating hidden, fluorescent inscriptions on works by Jean Michel-Basquiat. In this episode, we discuss Kristin’s path to conservation, how she started her private practice during her third-year fellowship, how she grew her business while earning a PhD, and more! 

Ana Alba is the owner of Alba Art Conservation, LLC, which specializes in the conservation and analysis of modern and contemporary art, painted surfaces, and traditional paintings.  Ana is a 2009 graduate of the Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State College. Following her graduation, she was awarded the  William R. Leisher Fellowship in the conservation of modern and contemporary paintings at the National Gallery of Art. She is also a Professional Associate of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Ana has held recent contracts at the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In this episode, we discuss Ana’s educational background, her contract work with various east coast museums, her relocation to the Pittsburgh area, and how she balances her business with her work at the Carnegie Museum and family life. 

Jen Munch (she/her) is an independent conservator in New York City. She specializes in the treatment of modern and contemporary paintings. Jen is 2019 graduate of the three-year art conservation graduate program at Buffalo State College and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in visual art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She previously worked at the private practice Contemporary Conservation in NYC and as a contract conservator at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. Jen has practiced paintings and objects conservation at museums and private practices including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Phillips Collection, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Gianfranco Pocobene Studio, Inc., and Rika Smith-McNally & Associates, among others. Jen is active in the American Institute for Conservation and currently serves as the Chair of AIC’s Contemporary Art Network. In this interview, we discuss Jen’s transition into the private sector during the outbreak of COVID, how she started and grew her business in New York City, and the lessons she’s learned in bidding for federal contracts and in business classes, including why the IRS may audit you and a great tip to prepare for that process. We also discuss the challenges of accredition for the field of art conservation. And now, here is my interview with Jen Munch.

A native of Rochester, New York, Peter Mustardo began his career at the then International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House in 1978. After getting a Masters degree from Columbia University in Preservation Administration, he took a position as conservator with the NYC Municipal Archives where he became responsible for their Preservation Section, overseeing the conservation laboratory and the photographic division of the largest municipal archive in the USA. From that position he moved to the National Archives in Washington DC where he worked as their Preservation Coordinator, disseminating official preservation policy nationwide, across the country from NYC to Texas, California to Alaska. In 1991 with Nora Kennedy he formed The Better Image® a private practice devoted to the Conservation and Preservation of Art and Historic Photographs. The Better Image® serves the conservation treatment needs of a diverse clientele and focuses on institutional,corporate and individual collectors. Peter has authored a number of articles on photograph conservation and has taught and lectured on the topic in the USA and abroad. In January 2023 The Better Image® celebrated it’s thirty-third year in continuous operation. 

In this episode, we discuss how Peter and Nora started The Better Image and judiciously grew the business with three studio locations at one point. Peter also describes the challenges of planning for retirement and his thoughts on what is considered an asset within a conservation practice.

Jennifer McGlinchey Sexton is a paper and photograph conservator in private practice in Colorado Springs. Trained as a fine-art photographer, Jennifer holds an M.A. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College, a certificate in Arts Management from SUNY Purchase, and a BFA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art. Jennifer has honed her skills as a conservator and photographer in positions at museums, regional centers, and private practices throughout the United States. Jennifer is a Professional Associate member of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). In this episode, we discuss how Jennifer started her practice after moving to Colorado,  her experience teaching interns, her work as Secretary for the AIC Board. Of special interest is her experience of recently expanding her business with a bank loan to purchase a building, renovating the space and creating of an art community and studio called “zoneFIVE” with the additional space.

For more information on McGlinchey Sexton Conservation and zoneFIVE, visit: 

https://www.msartconservation.com/

https://www.zonefivecs.com/

Vincent Dion is a graduate of the Master of Art Conservation Program at Queen’s University (MAC 2016) with a specialization in the conservation of works on paper, photographic materials, and new media. He has completed curriculum internships at the Canadian Conservation Institute, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Art Gallery of Ontario as well as further professional development at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles, and at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC. From the conservation of fine art on paper to historical documents and maps, archives of photographs taken by monks, and assemblage artworks, Vincent has applied his knowledge to various projects in Europe, South-East Asia, and most recently back in Canada. He enjoys problem-solving and working in collaboration with specialists to find solutions that respect the material integrity and life of objects, as well as their intended use. In this episode we discuss Vincent’s transition into the private sector during the COVID pandemic, setting up his studio space, and his recent work with The Archives of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. We also talk about the challenges of putting a value on one’s time and experience, the lack of diversity in terms of who has access to conservation services, and the impact of one’s mental health in relation to conservation work. 

For more information on CONSERVATION+CULTURE, please visit:

https://www.conservationplusculture.com/

For more information on the Archives of Anglican Diocese of Toronto, please visit:

https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/parish-administration/archives/?lang=en

Elizabeth Nunan is the owner and lead conservator at Flux Art Conservation Corp. Working in private practice for over a decade, she has gained experience restoring an incredible variety of damages on increasingly unique media and large format artworks. As the former President of Alliance for Response New York City, Beth gained additional expertise in the area of disaster planning for collecting institutions, and provides disaster response coaching for major art museums across the country. Prior to relocating to Philadelphia, Beth worked with the talented conservators of Luca Bonetti, Corp. preserving and restoring modern and contemporary art collections, and as part of the impressive conservation team at the American Museum of Natural History. Her previous conservation experiences also include internships at the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the American Philosophical Society Library, and the Denver Art Museum. Beth is a graduate of the Buffalo State College Art Conservation Program, where she received a Masters in Art Conservation with a Certificate of Advanced Study. 

In this episode, Beth and I discuss her background, how she began taking private work to supplement her museum salary, and how she transitioned to a full-time practice based in Philadelphia. We also discuss the nuances of contemporary art conservation, her thoughts on certification, perfectionism within conservation, and more! And now, here is my interview with Beth Nunan.

For more information on Flux Art Conservation, please visit:

https://www.fluxartcon.com/

Rosa Lowinger is a conservator of sculpture and architecture with over 35 years of experience. She is the founder and current co-chief conservator of RLA Conservation of Art + Architecture, a firm with offices in Miami and L.A., a graduate of the NYU Conservation Program, and a Fellow of AIC and the Association for Preservation Technology. Rosa was the 2008-09 Rome Prize Fellow in Conservation at the American Academy in Rome where she researched the history of vandalism and iconoclasm. In addition to practicing conservation, Rosa is a published author whose books include Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub, and the upcoming Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile and Repair. Rosa’s upcoming memoir about conservation and her Cuban family was the recipient of a Kress Publication Fellow from AIC and is available for pre-order at your favorite local bookstore or wherever you buy your books. 

In this episode, we discuss the three private conservation businesses Rosa co-created or created, the challenges of outdoor sculpture and modern/contemporary art conservation, the process of selling her latest business in order to prioritize writing about conservation, and much more! This interview is packed with advice for those interested in private practice so don’t miss out! 

For more information about Rosa’s books, please visit rosalowinger.com. 

For more information on the RLA Conservation, please visit rlaconservation.com.

Lauren is a paintings conservator and collections manager based in New York City. She graduated magna cum laude as a double major in Art History and Historic Preservation (specialized in Architectural Conservation) as a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Mary Washington College. She then entered into the graduate program at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts, where she continued to study Art History and trained in the Kress Program in Paintings Conservation at the IFA's Conservation Center. She gained additional experience during her training at various museums and private studios, including The National Galleries of Scotland and Rustin Levenson in New York City. 

In 2005 she took up a one year postgraduate internship at the Hamilton Kerr Institute, where she received a postgraduate certificate from the University of Cambridge. She continued at the Hamilton Kerr Institute under a Kress Fellowship focused on French masterworks from the Fitzwilliam Museum. 

Following the completion of her time at the Hamilton Kerr, Lauren worked privately in London and Cambridge, and in 2008 moved to the Netherlands to take up a position first as a paintings conservator for the Instituut Collectie Nederland (Insteetoot CoalEtsy NaterLawnt), and then at a private studio in the Netherlands. In her training and subsequent experience, she has worked on a great variety of paintings, from the sarcophagus of Ramses II to a 14th-century Greek icon to a 19th-century decorative scheme in a Nantucket house to large contemporary pieces in mixed media. Her specialties extend beyond treatment to include a longtime passion for collections management, best practice guidance, and raising public awareness and understanding of conservation. 

In 2011, she founded the Fly Arts Initiative, a fine art conservation and collections management practice based in New York, NY. With more than 15 years of international experience in painting conservation and collections care, Lauren works with museums, private collectors, galleries, and other stewards of cultural heritage to preserve and protect their objects. She is passionate about promoting and demystifying conservation for the wider public, and loves talking about little things that can make a big difference.

For more information on Fly Arts Initiative, please visit https://www.flyartsinitiative.com/