Where do we go from here?
With this post, I bring this blog series to a close. To get my head in a place where I was ready to write, ... continue reading
How do we enhance collaboration? Part 4
When Jeremy Linden ended his blog post with the sentiment that to be successful in cross disciplinary work “we have to step beyond our ... continue reading
How do we enhance collaboration? Part 3
Think about a conference you attended where everyone was feeling good about collaboration. Who was at that conference? Can we call it collaboration if ... continue reading
How do we enhance collaboration? Part 2
At the risk of poking too many bears, I’ll offer an observation for consideration – the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) does not own ... continue reading
How do we enhance collaboration? Part 1
In 1921 Kwakwaka‘wakw Chief Dan Cranmer hosted one of the largest potlatch ceremonies ever held at the village of ʼMimkwa̱mlis. Over 300 people attended, but ... continue reading
Are we following the wrong rules? Part 4
If we are following the wrong rules, and we want to change them, how do we do it? For a while now, I’ve been ... continue reading
Are we following the wrong rules? Part 3
The conservation field consists of many rules. Some are written down in manuals and codes of ethics, others are passed down in workplaces and ... continue reading
Are we following the wrong rules? Part 2
The term “best practice” irritates me. I identify as a white, middle-class woman and mid-career conservator. Intrinsic and assumed aspects of identity inform my ... continue reading
Are we following the wrong rules? Part 1
I enjoy rules. Navigating conservation work during a pandemic has been difficult, and when I’m unsure about the stability of my position and/or this ... continue reading
Are we working from a foundation of fear? Part 3
Let’s assume at least some of us are working from a foundation of fear. Let’s also assume we don’t want to be working from ... continue reading
Are we working from a foundation of fear? Part 2
I want to tell you a story about a friend and colleague, an excellent conservator, who attempted to negotiate and was told they were ... continue reading
Are we working from a foundation of fear? Part 1
In 1981, the Vice-President of the American Institute for Conservation told a group of textile conservators in New York that she felt “the role ... continue reading
Fear, Rules, and Collaboration in Conservation
Like a well-trained academic, I did a little research before I sat down to write this, my first blog post. (Well, very little research, ... continue reading