2007 WAAC Annual Meeting

Papers (Tentative)

Is There Life After Death? Surviving a Museum Expansion Project
Jessica Fletcher and Carl Patterson

October 2007 marks the one-year anniversary of the Denver Art Museumís exciting new expanded complex. This paper will present the logistics of planning gallery spaces, preparing large numbers of art works, installing exhibitions simultaneously, and surviving the first year of operation. The paper will focus on problem solving; successes and compromises will be discussed for practical application to upcoming expansion projects at other institutions.

TBA
Nicholas Dorman

A discussion of the authorís experiences of simultaneously preparing for the construction of two new Seattle Art Museum venues: the Olympic Sculpture Park on the Seattle Waterfront and the new SAM downtown museum. Topics will include preparation, staffing, budgeting and conservation, institutional, PR and events requirements.

Laying Good Foundations: Preparing to design new collections
Jude Southward and Kelly Goulette

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is on the path toward building a new collections facility, which will be called the DMNS Collections Initiative. Our aim through this initiative is to achieve current museum standards for natural history collections within the new facility. The paper will discuss the progress of the initiative from the re-evaluation the museumís mission to the research for and development of a strategic plan. The future of the Initiative will be summarized including the update of the Collection Plans and the upgrading storage mounts.

These talks will be followed by a panel discussion on a variety of issues dealing with museum expansion.

TBA
Sherelyn Ogden

This paper covers the conservation of a prison record book that includes information on the James-Younger Gang, famous outlaws responsible for the September 7, 1876 robbery of the First National Bank for which each of the three Younger brothers were sentenced to 25 years in state prison at Stillwater, Minnesota. This presentation will discuss the factors considered in deciding upon this treatment protocol, and it will address such issues as basic stabilization versus extensive treatment, the alteration of an artifact, and the use of repair materials that are different from the originals (paper instead of leather).

Assessing Collections Materials with a Mideofader
James R. Druzik, Katie Taylor, Teresa Mesquit, and Mary Reinisch Sackett

Paul Whitmore, Carnegie Mellon University, developed the first virtually non-destructive, micro-fading instrument that could be used directly on artifacts in real-time to assess their light sensitivity. A more portable and less expensive version of the microfadometer is currently being designed for availability to wider collections. The Getty Research Institute (GRI) uses micro-fading to access a wide range of objects anticipated for display in its own galleries and requested for loan by other institutions. The talk will demonstrate that in addition to providing preventive conservation lighting risk analysis the microfadeometer also represents a platform for gaining deep insights into materials behavior.

A Tale of Two Headdresses
Julie Parker

This paper will discuss the research and treatment of two Native American headdresses that were worn by the historical figures Chief Sitting Bull and Iron Tail, when they performed in Buffalo Billís Wild West shows. The individual stories of these men will be included in the discussion of the treatment, which involved the cleaning, and stabilization of a variety of materials.

How ìEmigrants Crossing the Plainsî Also Safely Crossed the High Seas
Joan Mast-Loughridge

The talk will discuss the stabilization the original carved walnut frame for Albert Bierstadtís painting ìOn Emigrants Crossing the Plainsî from the collection of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, in Oklahoma City. The treatment included addressing the splitting of the carved walnut cove without constraining the wood to allow for natural expansion and contraction especially during travel and the stabilization of the corners.

Bacterial Removal of Mercury from Museum Materials: A New Remediation Technology?
Lisa Snelling and Timberley Roane* (corresponding author)

Bacteria ñ capable of detoxifying and, in some cases, sequestering metals ñ are being investigated in the remediation of contaminated environments such as soil and water and, in this project, the removal of mercury from museum type materials. Mercury on such materials poses a unique remediation challenge because it forms non-degradable, persistent chemicals. The paper will discuss mercury-resistant bacteria and current work, which is optimizing the conditions for bacterial mercury removal such as the method of bacterial application and the appropriate food sources for the bacteria during the remediation process.

Westward Bound
Karen Jones

Beginning with immigrant binders who fabricated the ledger bindings used to record the proceedings of new state governments, fine binding developed in fits and starts through out the Rocky Mountain West (Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico). This talk will follow the history of bookbinding in the west including the evolution of library preservation programs.

How Jean Charlot Set My Heart A Flutter
Victoria Montana Ryan

This talk is a discussion of the complicated conservation treatment of a fresco by Jean Charlot Charlot, who may be the artistic godfather of the great Mexican muralists and who was at the forefront of the 20th Century revival of mural painting. The challenging conservation steps, including the use of cyclododecane, to ensure stabilization and preservation of one such treasure are the focus of this presentation.

The Conservation and Restoration of the John Thompson Murals depicting scenes from Shakespeareat the Margery Reed Hall "Little Theater" at University of Denver, Denver Colorado.
Lisa Capano

A discussion of the treatment of the murals decorating the proscenium executed in 1929-1930) will be presented including structural stabilization, overpaint removal and the removal of a false proscenium that covered the original.

Tactual Exhibits in Museums
Ann Cunningham

Passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act has opened the doors to new audiences with diverse needs. One of the most challenging needs is to accommodate people who benefit from tactually accessible exhibits.The author will talk about museum programs already taking place and outline some of the new directions they are going.