S04E05: Natural History

We’re joined by Natalie Jones as we talk about natural history in all its forms: from taxidermy to fluid specimens! Jenny also talks to Lucie Mascord about becoming a natural history conservator, and Kloe talks to David Gelsthorpe about outreach and audiences for these collections. Also tune in for a ‘Dear Jane’ about unknown specimens and a review of ‘Dyes from Nature’ by Kloe!

00:00:53 News in brief
00:03:23 How do you become a natural history conservator anyway?
00:08:09 Are museums falling back in love with taxidermy?
00:13:08 Definition and range of natural history collections
00:15:54 Working with icky or scary things
00:23:18 Fixing fur with felting
00:28:55 Interview with Lucie Mascord
00:42:49 Terminology and the value of crib sheets
00:46:19 Interview with David Gelsthorpe
01:04:34 Our audiences
01:06:21 Review: ‘Dyes from Nature’
01:11:23 Dear Jane
01:15:11 Patreon shout-out
01:15:50 Questions, comments, corrections: our poll on being parents in conservation

Show Notes:
– New Chief Executive for ICON: https://icon.org.uk/news/new-chief-executive-for-icon
– ICON launches Emerging Professionals Network: https://icon.org.uk/groups/emerging-professionals-network/about-the-epn
– #Icon19 Call for Papers Sets New Record: https://icon.org.uk/news/icon19-call-for-papers-sets-new-record
– ICON’s AGM and Town Hall Debate: https://icon.org.uk/events/icon-agm-0
– NatSCA: http://natsca.org/
– Types of natural history collections: http://natsca.org/types-of-collections
– NMAI blog about fur felting: https://blog.nmai.si.edu/main/2012/04/conservation-challenge-faux-fur.html
– Natalie’s Twitter paper about needle felting fur: https://twitter.com/nautilusnat/status/916234076486623232
– 7 Million Wonders: https://museumdevelopmentnorthwest.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/7_million_wonders.pdf
– Unexpected Encounters: https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/museumstudies/rcmg/publications/UnexpectedEncounters.pdf
– Dyes from Nature: https://www.archetype.co.uk/publication-details.php?id=248 or https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dyes-Nature-Riikka-Raisanen/dp/1909492469

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey and Natalie Jones.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2018.

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