TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Rachel Wales


Key Skills and Attributes:

• Trained in paper conservation at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario - the only institution in Canada to offer paper conservation training at the Masters level.
• Over ten years post-qualification working experience as a conservator, specialising in archival items and works of art on paper.
• Experience communicating with art and museum curators, as well as private clients.
• Familiarity with conservation issues relating to exhibition of works of art, such as security, lighting levels, environmental standards, mounting, and packing.

Career Summary:

At present: Freelancing in Herefordshire as a conservator in private practice.

February 2002 to February 2003 Conservator, Gloucestershire Record Office.

This short term contract covered cleaning and re-housing of a collection of glass-plate negatives, treatment on a wide variety of materials in GRO's collection, and preparation of materials for public display.

December 1999 to March 2001 Conservator, The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

This position focused on the practical treatments of objects from the Library's permanent collection. Work for the Department of Printed Books included minor repair work on bound volumes, and making phase boxes. Treatments on items from the Department of Prints and Maps included surface cleaning, flattening, washing, deacidifying, tape stain removal, mending, lining, backing and mount removals, and some retouching. Rehousing items from this department consisted of cutting mounts and hinging treated works onto backing boards, encapsulation, and housing in folders.

September 1998 to September 1999 Advanced Intern, The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia.

This one-year internship was funded by the Getty Foundation. The Conservation Center is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation and preservation of paper-based materials, serving institutions and private clients throughout America. The responsibilities of this internship included: writing condition reports and treatment proposals, treatment of a wide variety of paper-based objects (including photographs, prints, watercolours, archival materials and architectural drawings); doing documentary photography; assisting in two conservation surveys; conducting on-site treatments; and writing two reports on conservation topics. Major treatments were often executed, such as washing, bleaching, compensation for losses of primary support and media, and media consolidation. These responsibilities supported the aims of the internship position, which were to refine the handskills of the recent graduate, to promote both teamwork and independent action, and to learn time management skills in a busy environment.