BA(Hons) Conservation & Restoration Showcase
Student Work
Placements - BA (Hons) Conservation & Restoration
The third year contains a six week placement , students work in a museum , historic house or private conservation studios either in the UK or overseas.
Recent placements have included:
- The Science Museum , London,
- Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford,
- The Landi,Textile Conservation Consultancy,
- The Foundation of Thracian Art Tradition , Xanthi
- The Fitzwilliam museum, Cambridge,
- Museum Fur Volkerkunde Neuberg,
- The Parthenon, Athens and
- The Natural History Museum of Lesvos, Greece .
Here are some specific case studies...
A Personal Journey
Ellen Marland decided that she was due a career change. She decided it was time to engage in her passion of conservation and left her career in advertising and public relations to do so. Currently, in her third year of BA (Hons) Conservation & Restoration, Ellen has recently finished a placement at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington.
The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture has exhibits and programs that focus on three major disciplines; Regional History, Visual Art, American Indian and other cultures. This placement was very much close to Ellen’s heart as she was born in Cordova Alaska and her mother was 1/4 Tlingit Indian (Alaska Native). During her placement she was able to not only gain essential work experience, but she was also able to explore her heritage.
“One of the great things about the course that I am on is that we could choose anywhere in the world to apply to go to on placement. I chose the 'MAC' because it has a wonderful collection of American Indian Artifacts which I am very interested in because of my heritage.
One of the things I was able to do was to do a collection survey on the Manning collection... which included over 150 pre 1916 Indian artifacts... but this was only the tip of the iceberg as far as their Indian collection is concerned.
I worked on many fascinating things.I was given the privilege of being the conservator doing the survey of the installation of the Smithsonian Institutes traveling sports memorabilia exhibition which is currently at the 'MAC'. As part of this I had to examine each of the items in the exhibit and make observations and notes to add to the condition survey on the arrival at the museum.
I got to handle, Babe Ruth's baseball, Abraham Lincoln's handball, Billy Jean Kings tennis outfit, Muhammad Ali’s autographed boxing robe, Roger Banisters 4 minute mile running vest (I knew this must be real as you could see where his mother must have washed it and it had gone pink) and many more. Here is a link to the website which tells about the exhibition. “
Invaluable Insight
Kate Pocklington spent six weeks of placement with Simon Moore, Senior Natural Sciences Conservator at Hampshire County Council. Working in both the public and private sector, Kate gained considerable insight into the area in which she wishes to specialise. In accompanying Simon to various National Trust properties she was able to assist in the undertaking of survey work of natural history specimens, providing her with a greater understanding of the problems which arise in specimens, particularly with mounted mammals and birds. With this knowledge she is currently preparing a 10,000 word dissertation on a private taxidermy collection consisting of such specimens.
During her placement, Kate assisted Simon with a fluid preservation (wet specimen) course that he was running at the Horniman museum in south-east London. By engaging in this Kate was able to communicate with the conservators of a large collection of natural science specimens and shall be returning in the New Year to conserve part of the collection of fluid specimens on display and in storage.
“The specimens I conserved were each tormented with their own unique problems and this is where I gained many skills and knowledge for the conservation of natural history specimens. By working with instrumentation I hadn’t used before and using methods unknown to me I have been able to expand my skills to cover a wide range of problems of which I’m sure I will come to face in the future. As this is the area in which I hope to specialise in, the whole experience gave me individual skills I did not have before and I now feel I am on the ladder to an exciting and varied career of a wide-range of discoveries to come.”
Restaurateurs sans Frontieres - Istanbul
Liz Thomas spent 2 months working with Restaurateurs sans Frontieres ( Restorers without Frontiers) in Istanbul.
They worked in a multinational team of young trainee conservators mainly on orthodox Greek icons Liz also helped mount an exhibition of conserved icons in Thessaloniki, Greece.
She hopes to continue her association with this organisation after she has graduated.
National Museum of Iceland
Johanna is 25 years old and comes from Sweden, although she is half Swedish and half Icelandic. The funding she received allowed her to spend three months working within a multinational team in the conservation department at the National Museum of Iceland. This experience helped her to understand how conservation is managed in a large Museum department and to further her skills in the treatment of polychrome surfaces through work on mainly Mediaeval altarpieces.
Johanna intends to study easel painting conservation at Masters level and then to travel widely and use her skills to experience conservation in different countries.
Success Stories - BA (Hons) Conservation & Restoration
By Royal Appointment
Lizzie Parker graduated with a first in BA (Hons) Conservation & Restoration. Since leaving Lincoln she has begun work as a gilding conservator at the Royal Collection in London. The work involves the conservation and restoration of gilt frames and furniture within the collection for exhibitions and use in the royal residences.
It was the practical side of the course that really interested Lizzie; providing her with the opportunity to do ‘hands on’ work on a wide range of artefacts and decorative surfaces. It was through this part of the course that she discovered gilding, which has gone on to pursue a career in.
“It was the practical side of the course that really interested me; it was a brilliant opportunity to do ‘hands on’ work on a wide range of artefacts and decorative surfaces. Through this part of the course I discovered gilding, I’d never done any before and found that I really enjoyed it.
At the end of the second year everyone has to conduct a work placement, which is chosen and arranged by the student. I chose to work in a small company that specialise in the conservation and restoration of gilded furniture in London. I found this to be an excellent experience, as I was able to work alongside craftsmen and women in a ‘real work’ environment and also gain an understanding of the commercial side to conservation and restoration.”
Grand Designs for Derelict Hotel
Two university of Lincoln Research Fellows have taken on the challenge of helping to restore St Pancras Chambers in London back to its original luxurious state.
Ian Crick and Michael Smith graduated with degrees in Conservation and Restoration and now run Crick Smith, a firm of conservation consultants specialising in historic paint analysis.
They are virtually unique as full-time paint analysis consultants and as a result they have been asked to work on amazing lists of buildings, from stately homes such as Kedleston Hall, Belton House and Hampton Court Palace to Holyrood House, Horseguards Museums and the Palace of Westminster.
An ongoing project for Crick Smith is the restoration of St. Pancras Chambers, a grade I listed Victorian building designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. It is being restored as a luxury 245-room hotel complete with 67 new apartments in the upper floors and Crick Smith are advising on the interior decoration.
Building work has just started but Ian and Michael have been working on the building for six years, carrying out detailed paint analysis on a number of rooms by taking tiny chips from the walls in the building and analysing them to identify the colour and design that the walls would have been at a certain time.
As well as analysing the paint the pair have looked at the historic documents that exist to get an insight into how the hotel used to look. Once the thorough research has been completed the rooms can be restored accurately back to their original state.
Ian and Michael are currently working on the entrance hall, main coffee lounge, lady’s coffee lounge, main entrance corridors, grand staircase, first floor corridor and the state guest room. All of these rooms will be restored with the same colours and designs that existed when the hotel was previously open according to Crick Smith’s research and recommendations of Crick Smith.
Ian and Michael’s business went from strength to strength but last year they decided to rejoin the university as research fellows. Now Crick Smith is supported by the Department of Conservation & Restoration.
Viking finds saved by students
Viking-Age artefacts over a thousand years old have been saved thanks to students from the University of Lincoln.
And now scientists at the university want to use DNA testing to find out more about the origins of the objects.
Hull and East Riding Museum enlisted the help of the Conservation and Restoration Department at the University of Lincoln to conserve the unique finds which included braids of hair wrapped in wood, leather and metal and Viking-Age jewellery.
Third-year students were asked to stabilise the corrosion and clean the historical artefacts as part of their studies this year. Students also designed a new packaging system in which the objects will be stored in on their return to the museum.
But before they are returned to the museum Dr Ron Dixon, principal lecturer in Forensic Science, will carry out ancient DNA analysis to find out the origins of the hair.
“The braids of hair are particularly remarkable as they are in an excellent state of preservation,” said Martin Foreman, assistant keeper of archaeology for Hull and East Riding Museum. “This presents an opportunity for potential cutting-edge scientific research.”
The artefacts were discovered in 1900 at a burial mound in Russia. They were then presented to the curator of Hull and East Riding Museum in 1902 and have remained in the museum’s collection ever since.
“The university has a good reputation with the Hull and East Riding Museum having worked on numerous objects such as ceramics, medieval leather and archaeological materials in the past,” said Chris Robinson, senior technician in Conservation and Restoration.
“As part of the course students work on items from various museum collections, the National Trust, English Heritage and private owners.”
Facilities - BA (Hons) Conservation & Restoration
Conservation has been taught in Lincoln since1974 and is one of the largest object conservation training units in the UK .
The core activities are focused in the Chad Varah building, a grade II listed building in the historic uphill quarter and close to the Cathedral and castle; it is one of the most beautiful and historically interesting areas of the UK.
The Conservation Unit has strong links with local, regional and national museums and professional conservation bodies.
Students are allocated historic objects for practical modules. They may work on their own objects if appropriate , but are not required to buy objects themselves.
In addition to the light and airy purpose built laboratories students have access to well equipped conservation science laboratories, a fully integrated computer suite and a photographic studio.
We offer a comprehensive range of commercial conservation services for private clients, and historic houses in the UK and overseas, which gives students the opportunity to take part in live projects, outside the classroom.
