The C Word

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We look up from our workbenches for a moment and think about how to make some savvy business decisions: what can conservators do beyond classic benchwork? Guest host Lucy Branch shares her experiences of creating alternative income streams, while Jenny thinks about tactics employed outside of conservation. Also tune in for a business pep talk with Lorraine Finch!

02:16 The value of resilience
04:45 Lucy’s creative writing
13:07 Why this isn’t JUST for freelancers
15:39 Training and skill sharing
18:14 Giving other people multiple ways of supporting your work
26:37 Evaluating your skill set
37:28 Interview with Lorraine Finch

Show Notes:
– Freelancing episode: https://thecword.show/2017/09/22/s02e03-freelancing/
– Side Hustle episode: https://thecword.show/2019/12/11/s06e07-side-hustle/
– Lucy’s books: https://www.lucybranch.com/books and https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00VB12EVA
– Publishing episode: https://thecword.show/2019/06/12/s05e07-publishing-your-work/
– Teaching and learning remotely episode: https://thecword.show/2020/11/26/s08e06-learning-and-teaching-remotely-part-1/
– Digital tip jar: https://www.wearetipjar.com/
– Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/
– Funding episode: https://thecword.show/2018/06/13/s03e07-funding/

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Lucy Branch.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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Together with special gust host Talitha Wachtelborn we explore the world of leather conservation: from book bindings to suitcases! Also tune in for an interview with Mike Redwood about the history of tanning and the sustainability of leather, and a chat with Rosie Bolton and Arianne Panton from the Leather Conservation Centre.

00:01:37 Our experience with leather (oh behave!)
00:07:34 How long have humans been using leather?
00:09:52 Manufacture impacts condition
00:18:10 Leather use in a societal context
00:23:47 Leather substitutes
00:29:38 Consolidation, secret sauce, and ethics
00:37:16 Interview with Mike Redwood
00:53:47 Interview with the Leather Conservation Centre
01:09:41 Patreon shout out

Show Notes:
– Smut episode: https://thecword.show/2018/11/30/s04e06-smut/
– Wet Stuff episode: https://thecword.show/2019/03/20/s05e01-wet-stuff/
– History and Conservation of Leather: https://www.icon.org.uk/events/gilding-and-decorative-surfaces-group-history-and-conservation-of-leather.html
– Development of archival leather by J Hewit & Sons Ltd: https://www.hewit.com/download/fs-craft.pdf
– Red rot: https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Red_rot
– Herre de Vries’ talk on shark skin leather bindings: https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/lecture-29-herre-de-vries.html
– Rexine artificial leather: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rexine
– Artificial leather on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_leather
– Leather Conservation Centre: https://leatherconservation.org/
– Japan and its leather: https://www.mikeredwood.com/japan-and-its-leather/
– Mike’s blog on leather manufacture: https://www.mikeredwood.com/leather-technology-background/leather-manufacturing-and-technology-in-detail/
– Museum of Leathercraft: https://nationalleathercollection.org/
– Bats in Portugese libraries: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/08/09/bats-portugal/
– Conserving some Adidas trainers: https://leatherconservation.org/dribble-me-this-conserving-adidas-k-abdul-jabbar-trainers/
– Conserving Arthur’s coin purse: https://leatherconservation.org/ww1-purse-belonging-to-arthur-william-byford%e2%80%af/
– Education via the LCC: https://leatherconservation.org/education/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Talitha Wachtelborn.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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We’re getting into the groove about things that move with special guest host Matthew Read. What exactly is a dynamic object and how do you go about preserving one? Kloe talks to Ken Cobb about conserving electrical objects and Jenny speaks to Chris Weeks about motorcycles that still need to vroom. Also tune in for a book review of ’Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning Through Making’ by Anna Ploszajski.

00:03:43 What do we mean by dynamic objects?
00:11:36 The idea of performance
00:16:00 What’s value, anyway?
00:18:23 Visitor expectation and conservation approach
00:23:47 What would WE do?
00:30:15 Interview with Ken Cobb
00:41:59 Working with artists and emulation
00:47:32 What would it take for us to say no?
00:50:52 Don’t be frightened of clocks
00:53:43 Getting into the business
00:58:34 Interview with Chris Weeks
01:13:16 Review: Handmade
01:16:19 Questions, comments, and corrections
01:17:21 Patreon shout-outs

Show Notes:
– West Dean course: https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/specialisms/horology-and-clocks
– Dynamic Objects Network: https://www.icon.org.uk/groups-and-networks/dynamic-objects.html
– Swan automaton at the Bowes Museum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Swan_(automaton) and https://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/Collection/Explore-The-Collection/The-Silver-Swan
– Thinking Big episode: https://thecword.show/2019/11/13/s06e05-thinking-big/
– Antikythera mechanism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism
– Danger, Danger episode: https://thecword.show/2017/08/23/s02e01-danger-danger/
– The Repair Shop: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l581p
– Touchy Feely episode: https://thecword.show/2019/05/29/s05e06-touchy-feely/
– Replicas, Surrogates and Digitisation episode: https://thecword.show/2017/11/01/s02e06-replicas-surrogates-and-digitisation/
– Keep It Moving book: http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/keep_it_moving.html
– Open Clock Club: https://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2021/calendar/open-clock-club/
– Birmingham City University Horology degree: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/horology-ba-hons-2021-22
– WOSTEP training course: https://www.britishschoolofwatchmaking.co.uk/
– Matthew’s book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/repair-pendulum-clocks-step-step/dp/1838100725
– Secrets of the Transport Museum: https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-transport-museum/
– Manx National Heritage: https://manxnationalheritage.im/
– Isle of Man Museum: https://www.imuseum.im/
– Handmade: https://www.annaploszajski.com/book

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Matthew Read.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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Together with special guest host Jane Henderson we peer at our loggers, spot check our homes, and crunch our data in an attempt to demystify environmental monitoring! Also tune in for an interview with Michael Hall from Meaco and Austin Senseman from Conserv.

03:38 Freaking out vs chasing the flat line
07:36 From ye olde thermohygrograph to wireless loggers
09:22 Confession time
12:54 Costs, costs, costs
19:41 How do we crunch our data?
27:27 Interview with Conserv
41:42 Kloe looked into apps
43:42 When to spend the money
48:36 Why are you collecting your data?
51:51 What do we even worry about?
55:15 The umbrella stand
57:59 Interview with Meaco

Show Notes:
– Going Green: https://thecword.show/2018/09/19/s04e01-going-green/
– Museum Pi: https://thecword.show/2017/06/21/s01e09-museum-pi/
– The One with the Arduino: https://thecword.show/podcast/s06e03-the-one-with-the-arduino/
– What’s Best for My Collection? New Approaches to Environmental Monitoring: https://www.connectingtocollections.org/environmental_monitoring/
– Thermohygrograph: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermo-hygrograph or https://ago.ca/agoinsider/conservation-notes-get-know-hygrothermograph
– eClimateNotebook: https://www.eclimatenotebook.com/
– Conserv: https://conserv.io/
– Hanwell app: https://hanwell.com/news/hanwell-app/
– Lapka: https://mylapka.com/pem/#apps
– The highly revered logger Jenny covets: https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Instruments/UV-Light-Monitors/UV-Light-Monitor
– Narbeth Museum (home of the original umbrella stand): https://www.narberthmuseum.co.uk/
– Meaco: https://meaco.co.uk/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Jane Henderson.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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We think about communicating in different ways with fellow podcaster and conservator Lucy Branch. We discuss podcasting, video platforms, and good old-fashioned radio and TV. Kloe tries out TikTok, and Jenny interviews YouTubing conservator Lucilla Ronai and Lucia Scalisi from The Repair Shop!

01:42 On the benefits of podcasting
14:07 Interview with Lucilla Ronai
24:07 Why we should be using video platforms
32:46 Kloe’s TikTok adventures
43:47 Adventures in radio
46:46 How about TV?
50:05 Interview with Lucia Scalisi

Show Notes:
– Sculpture Vulture podcast: https://sculpturevulture.co.uk/
– The Future Conservators’ Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-979095571/future-conservators-podcasttheme
– The Conservation Starter: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4r66EnLu8RyDfrA0kaxgrQ
– Our TikTok account: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMex8pmnn/
– Some Girl Called Bobbi: https://www.tiktok.com/@huckabuckgirl
– The Repair Shop: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l581p

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Lucy Branch.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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Together with special guest host Emma Duggan we go behind the scenes, under ground, even into the freezer! In short we explore the world of extreme or unusual store methods in museums and heritage, ranging from cold and dry to super soggy. Tune in for interviews with Toby Jones from the Newport ship project, Angela Middleton from Historic England, and Sarah Allen from Lux & Livre.

01:36 How can storage even be extreme?
03:54 Keeping stuff in a salt mine
11:42 Kloe is obsessed with the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
14:42 Interview with Sarah Allen
23:52 Low oxygen solutions
27:50 Interview with Toby Jones
36:58 Interview with Angela Middleton
50:36 Storage is sexy
52:18 Go listen to our new song!
52:51 Patreon shout out

Show Notes:
– Upcoming 2021 exhibitions at the Wellcome: https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions
– Two presentations on the Cambridgeshire archaeological archive storage solution: http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Quinton-Carroll-PDF.pdf and https://www.icon.org.uk/asset/98468873-7144-4AC7-B9A3E0ABF10236E0/
– DeepStore: https://www.deepstore.com/
– Svalbard Global Seed Vault: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard_Global_Seed_Vault
– National Film Preservation Foundation: https://www.filmpreservation.org/
– National Park Service guide to cold storage: https://www.nps.gov/museum/coldstorage/html/intro1_1.html
– BBC video clip about the British Library low oxygen storage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-30929009
– Project Airless on the NatSCA blog: https://natsca.blog/2016/03/18/project-airless/
– The Newport Ship: https://www.newport.gov.uk/heritage/en/Newport-Ship/Newport-Ship.aspx
– Historic England’s ’Preserving Archaeological Remains’ publication: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/preserving-archaeological-remains/
– Isle of Wight case study on reburial: https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=16040&ru=%2fResults.aspx%3fp%3d1%26n%3d10%26a%3d4480%26ns%3d1
– Rotterdam’s new store: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/sep/21/radical-transparency-will-rotterdam-open-museum-change-art-the-depot-boijmans-museum
– Our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHBfYsHR0UBAiA_VhMeOIw
– ’Something to Conserve’ (a conservation anthem): https://youtu.be/1ML6jAN19vk

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Emma Duggan.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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We’re joined by Front of House champions Will Tregaskes and Abi Godfrey as we talk about how conservators and visitor services can join forces, smash silos, and all enjoy our jobs more. What’s it like being the face of the museum? What does good teamwork look like? And what’s the best bit about working as FoH?

03:24 What do we mean by Front of House?
07:03 Volunteering vs paid work
12:18 The journey into FoH
18:37 A seat at the table
21:41 FoH as conservators’ BFFs
34:01 Siloing is toxic
39:11 Impact of the pandemic
43:50 Looking ahead
48:09 Questions, comments, corrections
48:036 Patreon shout out

Show Notes:
– Front of House in Museums: https://fohmuseums.wordpress.com/
– The FoH 2019 survey: https://fohmuseums.wordpress.com/category/fohmuseums-research/
– A Front-of-House Charter for Change: https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/workforce/a-front-of-house-charter-for-change/
– Tate redundancies in 2020: https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/tate-job-redundancies-coronavirus-union-strikes-1202696706/
– Follow #FoHmuseums on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fohmuseums

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, William Tregaskes, and Abigail Godfrey.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2021.

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We get a little extra jolly with our festive co-host Emily O’Reilly as we open Christmas crackers with terrible jokes and rustly hats, attempt some predictions for the year ahead, do a conservation quiz, and play a game of deception. Tune in for a seasonal Dear Jane, a holiday tipple at the Benchwork Bar, and of course: a new conservation Christmas song!

04:02 The smouldering ruins of our 2020 predictions
08:28 Attempted predictions for 2021
11:28 Cracker time!
14:56 The Big Fat Conservation Quiz
27:50 Would I lie to you?
34:41 What’s in your tree?
43:32 What are we grateful for?
46:02 A Conservator’s White Christmas
49:54 Benchwork Bar: Scrapbook
52:48 Dear Jane

Show Notes:
– Books found in Romanian (not German) basement: https://www.euronews.com/2020/09/18/stolen-books-worth-2-7m-found-in-romanian-basement-during-police-raid
– Darwin’s missing notebooks: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/24/charles-darwins-notebooks-reported-stolen-from-cambridge-university
– Bubble lights video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5un4DdKQZvs
– CSP Music: https://www.instagram.com/csp_music/
– Go follow Amanda Richards for more conservation cocktails: https://twitter.com/ConserveItAll

***

A Conservator’s White Christmas (lyrics by Jenny Mathiasson and Kloe Rumsey; vocals by Chris from CSP Music)

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
All archival and acid free
With safe exhibits within RH limits
To smiles in the gallery

I’m dreaming of a dry Christmas
The ones where ceilings never leak
May your stores be stable all week
May you find the blunder traps you seek

I’m dreaming of a safe Christmas
Just like the ones I’m hoping for
No objects missing and curators listen
Binning the last cotton glove

I’m dreaming of a clean Christmas
Without a health and safety fright
May your labs be cozy and bright
And may all your Christmases be right

***

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Emily O’Reilly.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional music and sound effects by Audio Jungle, CSP Music, and Calum Robertson.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2020.

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Together with guest host Jane Henderson we explore how university teaching has changed this year and what conservation training looks like in a pandemic. Kloe and Jenny take turns to talk to people from different teaching institutions about this year’s challenges and victories. Also tune in for a Dear Jane about what makes a good dissertation!

00:02:05 Remember the time of supreme over-coping?
00:08:54 How has teaching changed?
00:16:14 Finding a new way
00:22:13 Kits galore!
00:24:47 Time and distance are kings
00:26:40 Student responses
00:31:57 Upskilling but also setting limits
00:34:37 What would we like to keep once this is over?
00:37:37 Interview with Karen Thompson from University of Glasgow
00:47:00 Interview with Eric Nordgren from West Dean College
00:58:57 Interview with Emily Williams from Durham University
01:09:38 Interview with Lynda Skipper from University of Lincoln
01:21:16 Interview with Renata Peters and Carmen Vida from UCL
01:34:00 Dear Jane
01:40:44 Patreon shoutout

Show Notes:
– Icon Conservation Higher Education Institutions Network (CHEIN): https://icon.org.uk/groups/higher-education-network
– Student resilience event: https://icon.org.uk/events/students-and-graduates-resilience-in-the-current-climate
– Heritage Conservation Learning in the COVID World – Challenges and Opportunities: https://www.iccrom.org/video/heritage-conservation-learning-covid-world-challenges-and-opportunities
– Jane’s article on managing uncertainty in collections care: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00393630.2018.1479936
– UoG Textile Conservation blog: http://textileconservation.academicblogs.co.uk/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Jane Henderson.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2020.

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Together with special guest host Libby Finney we chat about professional development and training in the time of Covid-19: what counts as CPD, how do we access training opportunities, and what is it like delivering training remotely? Also tune in for an interview with Abigail Bainbridge, chair of Icon Book & Paper Group, about the webinar series ’Conservation: Together at Home’ from earlier this year.

01:27 What remote CPD have we been doing?
08:42 Switching from traditional training to online only
12:47 What do we miss about in-person CPD?
22:02 What works for delivering training?
37:35 Interaction online
42:10 Opinions from listeners and followers
46:17 Live, recorded, both!
49:09 Advice for lockdown learners
52:06 Interview with Abigail Bainbridge

Show Notes:
– Regional collections care training via Museum of London: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/supporting-london-museums/training-and-skills/collection-care-training
– Future Learn courses: https://www.futurelearn.com/
– Creating engaging videos on a budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBDXRF6LgU8
– Link to our poll on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecwordpodcast/status/1325089036080394240
– Mental health and Zoom meetings: https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/general/facts-remote-work-mental-health/
– Icon Book & Paper Group conference next year: https://icon.org.uk/groups/book-paper/bpg21-conference-mod-cons
– Conservation Together at Home webinar series: https://icon.org.uk/groups/book-paper/conservation-together-at-home-webinar-series

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Libby Finney.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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

A Wooden Dice production, 2020.