In this year’s travel special we go on FOUR individual journeys: a sort of deconstructed road trip. Kloe goes to sunny Spain, Liz takes her bike to the Rijks Museum, Jenny darts between museums in Sweden, and finally Phedra goes on a watery adventure in Cyprus. Don’t miss the return of Cass Fino-Radin at the end of the episode, when they interview emerging conservation professionals at the recent AIC conference in Salt Lake City. Sit back and enjoy the journey!
00:00:36 What’s a deconstructed road trip exactly?
00:04:06 Kloe excitedly explores Spain
00:21:44 Liz visits the Rijks Museum
00:34:40 Jenny wanders around Sweden
00:53:01 Phedra goes underwater in Cyprus
01:10:45 Cass interviews ECPs at AIC
Kloe and Phedra are joined by Jill Carruthers in an episode all about newer, fresh-faced museums. What’s it like opening a brand NEW museum? Phedra talks to Matt Turtle from the Museum of Homelessness AND Eleni Loizides from the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, while Solange sits down to chat with James Hogg from the Yorkshire Natural History Museum. Also tune in for a review of ‘Conservation Skills for the 21st Century’ from Jenny!
00:01:20 What’s a new museum?
00:12:34 How Showtown came to be
00:31:56 Making a museum yours
00:37:24 Redefining museums
00:42:05 Is less more?
00:49:54 Reminder!
00:51:19 Interview with Matt Turtle
01:04:09 Interview with James Hogg
01:17:10 Interview with Eleni Loizides
01:26:11 Review of ‘Conservation Skills for the 21st Century’
Liz and Phedra are joined by Jonathan Santa Maria Bouquet as they talk about the conservation of musical instruments: from tuning and treatment considerations to ethics and philosophy. Also tune in (pun somewhat intended) for an interview from Solange with Emma Hardy, violin maker and repairer. There’s even some lovely music at the end!
00:22 More announcements!
02:26 Origin story
07:01 The perils and pleasures of working in a fishbowl
09:38 Tuning and a crash course in ‘temperament’
17:10 Working with musicians
19:29 To play or not to play?
23:04 Seeing the history of an instrument
27:55 Treatment considerations and the need for balance
31:07 A place for copies and reconstructions
37:17 Patreon appeal
37:42 Interview with Emma Hardy and music from Rosie Butler Hall
Jenny, Solange and Phedra are joined by Luisa Casella as we talk about AI: how can conservators use these tools and what are their pros and cons? Luisa tells us about CRAIG, a large language model for conservators, while Jenny frets about the climate impact. Also tune in for a review of a recent lecture on AI usage from Solange and Phedra!
01:35 What do we mean by AI?
04:11 Building a LLM for conservators
13:33 Climate impact and ethical concerns
20:28 Sophisticated users needed
24:13 Future impact on conservation
35:25 Best AI uses we’ve seen
37:46 How is CRAIG different from ChatGPT?
39:42 Teaser: Interview with Robert Erdmann
40:18 Review of Dr Nicholas Eastaugh’s recent AI lecture
47:34 Patreon appeal
Jenny and Liz talk to Dr Marysia Tarnowska about their journey into heritage science from a background in chemistry: from molecular bonds to leather deterioration! Jenny also talks to Dr Josep Grau-Bove from the Icon Heritage Science Group about how we can communicate better as both conservators and scientists. Finally, tune in for a review of ‘Soft Paint and the Care of Paintings’ from Liz!
00:01:10 From chemistry to museum adventures
00:07:35 A project is born
00:14:53 Scientific papers are an endurance sport
00:17:23 Ways into heritage science
00:19:08 Communicating with conservators
00:24:02 Reaching scientists early on
00:34:28 Museums doing research
00:40:53 Getting involved with scientists
00:43:42 University is where it’s at
00:47:13 Don’t forget about the Marsh Awards
00:48:00 Patreon shout-out
00:48:37 Interview with Dr Josep Grau-Bove
01:03:11 Review: Soft Paint and the Care of Paintings
Join Jenny, Kloe and Liz as they explore historic houses across the world, their unique charms, and quirky challenges. Phedra whisks us away to a sun-soaked historic house museum in Cyprus, while Liz delves into the meticulous conservation efforts at Sir John Soane’s Museum with Jane Wilkinson. Finally, Kloe has a chat with Helen Antrobus about what it’s like working in the National Trust.
00:00:28 What’s a historic house?
00:03:18 Are all of them posh?
00:07:03 Nature and heritage in harmony
00:09:30 Our favourites
00:16:30 Jenny feels like an alien
00:23:14 Mitigating damage
00:24:56 Houses still in use
00:31:12 Challenges and temptations
00:37:21 What era are we interpreting or preserving?
00:40:57 Pests and damp patches
00:44:28 Patreon shout out
00:45:00 Interview with Jane Wilkinson
00:56:00 Phedra’s visit to Lefkara
01:07:17 Interview with Helen Antrobus
Liz and Phedra join forces with freelance paintings conservator Alexis Drapanas as they tackle an ECP special! Phedra also interviews conservator Kerith Koss Schrager and intern Adrienne Gendron about health and safety for emerging professionals. And don’t forget to tune in for a Dear Jane about getting into some more unusual specialisms!
00:00:45 Introducing our ECP hosts
00:08:02 Straight from university to private practice
00:09:15 What does ‘emerging’ mean to you?
00:16:01 Let’s talk money!
00:24:37 Paperwork in real life
00:29:22 Job searching across Europe
00:37:44 How to break down the door
00:45:45 Patreon teaser
00:46:00 Interview with Kerith Koss Schrager and Adrienne Gendron
01:00:57 Phedra’s recommended listening
01:03:19 Dear Jane
Meet the dream team! It’s a crowded recording session today: Jenny and Kloe ask their new colleagues Liz, Phedra, and Solange about their new roles and their favourite objects, tools, and adhesives. What ARE a few of our favourite things? Also tune in for a review of ‘Conservation of Books’ from Solange!
00:02:16 Who’s Liz?
00:04:22 And who’s Phedra?
00:07:00 Aaand who’s Solange?
00:09:38 Experimentation ahead
00:14:10 Favourite Instagram accounts
00:17:08 Favourite objects
00:25:31 Least favourite objects!
00:34:02 Can you have a favourite pest…?
00:37:33 Favourite adhesive
00:53:38 Favourite tools
01:04:17 Review: Conservation of Books
In this special bonus episode we make a couple of overdue announcements, take you with us to an award ceremony in Cardiff, and profess our undying love for our listeners. Would you like to join us on The C Word team? Get in touch!
00:57 We’re having a break – and we’re recruiting!
07:31 We’ve got an award
09:21 Recording from The 30(ish) Awards
17:50 Dear Jane teaser
18:51 Patreon shout out
In this one we talk to Professor Aviva Burnstock about what paintings can be and we chat with Polly Saltmarsh about communicating conservation and the joys of sticky toffee pudding sauce. Also tune in for a review of ‘On Canvas: Preserving the Structure of Paintings’ by Stephen Hackney from Kloe.
03:48 When is a painting a painting?
10:05 On the nature of painted surfaces
13:13 How students might approach a painting
16:20 A chat about varnish
27:39 The joy of microscopy
28:39 Gut feelings and forgeries
34:06 Interview with Polly Saltmarsh
48:03 Review: On Canvas
52:28 Patreon appeal