Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts

11/02/2023

Learn more and register: bit.ly/47clfVm

10/31/2023

from the staff of CCAHA! While not everyone here dresses up this time of year, those who do GO BIG.

10/26/2023

Register: bit.ly/46m06rD

10/25/2023

Thanks to everyone who made it out to last night's CCAHA Open House! This year's fall program included an impressive slate of objects from artists such as John T. Biggers, Andy Warhol, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Wharton Esherick, and more. The evening featured interactive, educational stations, where guests were invited to get hands-on with some of the tools and materials we use in the lab. And a big hit of the night was our Preservation Services department's photo booth, where guests posed with props representing the Agents of Deterioration. We look forward to seeing you again in the spring!

10/18/2023

CCAHA's fall Open House is right around the corner, and we hope you'll join us Tuesday, October 24. While much of our focus is on Open House planning, we have plenty of important news to share with you in this month's Art-i-facts newsletter. The PHMC and Save America's Treasures programs just announced grant application deadlines. We have two job openings in the CCAHA lab, and a new CCAHA webinar was just added to the fall schedule.

Read more: conta.cc/45zBlqY

10/17/2023

Fitler Square is the name of the Philadelphia neighborhood CCAHA calls home, and a new publication, The Fitler Focus, aims to spotlight the stories and people of Fitler Square. Thanks to Rolando Rosa for taking the time to visit the CCAHA lab and dig deeper into some of the stories behind the work we do. Special thanks to our colleagues at The Rosenbach and Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center for sharing their experiences.

By Rolando Rosa When Candice Graham stepped into Shofuso on a mid-June morning in 2022, she was met with a disheartening scene. Two waterfall murals, gifts from renowned artist Hiroshi Senju, had been defaced overnight at this cherished Japanese historical site and exhibition space in Philadelphia.

10/13/2023

CCAHA is seeking an Imaging and Conservation Technician. Learn more and apply at ccaha.org/careers.

10/10/2023

At CCAHA, we're working to save the world's cultural heritage, and every year we invite you to get an up-close look at the process! CCAHA's fall 2023 Open House is coming up on Tuesday, October 24, at 5:00 PM. Special thanks to this year's generous sponsors for making this event possible. Learn more: ccaha.org/openhouse.

10/04/2023

Register: bit.ly/3Q3EryM

10/04/2023

October is American , and our friends at Archives Month Philly are celebrating the work of archivists and the rich history of Philadelphia with special events across the region. Check out their website below for a complete schedule. At CCAHA, we're proud to support archives year-round through preservation planning, collection surveys, fundraising assistance, and other important services. Learn more at ccaha.org/services.

An annual celebration of archives in the Philadelphia region!

10/03/2023

CCAHA Associate Paper Conservator Basia Nosek and Senior Conservation Assistant Jilliann Wilcox recently teamed up to work on an impressive item from the collections of the American Philosophical Society — a 1782 commission from King George III of Great Britain to British representative Richard Oswald to negotiate peace with the thirteen colonies. The 24" x 31" parchment is accompanied by a heavy brown wax pendant seal. Here, Basia and Jilliann work to reduce the old mat’s fiber and adhesive residues. Treatment also included surface cleaning and mending.

10/02/2023

DEADLINE EXTENDED! Complete CCAHA's Cultural Stewardship Succession Planning Initiative survey by Monday, October 9, at 5:00 PM ET.

Learn more and take the survey: bit.ly/3PoJPLy

The Collections Stewardship Succession Planning Initiative is a two-year project of CCAHA, in partnership with Lyrasis, created to actively address the need for leadership development and knowledge transfer in the cultural heritage workforce. Funded by a National Leadership Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the initiative will gather data and build professional development resources to support succession planning for collections stewardship staff and volunteers.

Learn more and take the survey! → bit.ly/3PoJPLy

10/02/2023

At CCAHA, we work every day to save the world's cultural heritage, and you are invited to an up-close look at the process! Join us for the Fall 2023 Open House, featuring a tour of our conservation lab and interactive educational stations.

Learn more and register: ccaha.org/openhouse

Special thanks to this year's generous supporters!

LEAD SPONSOR
Atelier FAS

PATRON SPONSORS
Dorset Connects
M&T Bank

SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Cheshire Law Group
Your Part-Time Controller, LLC

IN-KIND DONOR
Yards

09/26/2023

It's , and CCAHA is happy to welcome Mellon Paper Conservation Fellow Sandrine Blais! Education is a major part of our mission, and every year we are honored to host interns and fellows from across the country and the world. Sandrine says, “As the new Mellon Paper Conservation Fellow, I’m very excited to join the team of skilled and passionate individuals at CCAHA! I am especially looking forward to tackling new challenges and to work on a wide variety of objects.”

09/25/2023

At CCAHA, we work every day to save the world's cultural heritage, and you are invited to an up-close look at the process! Join us Tuesday, October 24, from 5:00-7:30 PM for an Open House featuring a tour of our conservation lab and interactive educational stations. Learn more and register at ccaha.org/openhouse.

09/20/2023

September is FEMA’s National Preparedness Month, and while we always take this opportunity to share disaster recovery and emergency preparedness tips for collections, there is an added urgency to this year’s message. To combat the climate crisis, we must integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of our work, which includes planning. Understanding the myriad ways that climate change can affect cultural heritage is the first step in integrating them into preservation planning. This month, we explore some of the key factors to consider when planning for our new climate reality.

Read more: bit.ly/451dcJm

09/20/2023

The Collections Stewardship Succession Planning Initiative is a two-year project of CCAHA, in partnership with Lyrasis, created to actively address the need for leadership development and knowledge transfer in the cultural heritage workforce. Funded by a National Leadership Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the initiative will gather data and build professional development resources to support succession planning for collections stewardship staff and volunteers.

Learn more and take the survey! → bit.ly/3PoJPLy

09/19/2023

It's , and we're happy to introduce the newest member of our lab, Senior Book Conservator Eliza Gilligan! Eliza says, “I am excited to be at the bench at CCAHA and am looking forward to the impressive variety of treatments that clients bring to the Center.”

09/18/2023

In this month's Art-i-facts newsletter, we look back at our time with NEA Book Conservation Fellow Nylah Byrd (pictured). Every year we are honored to host interns and fellows from across the country and the world who bring a thirst for knowledge and experience. Read more about the important role education plays in CCAHA’s overall mission. For National Preparedness Month, our Preservation Services staff offer a list of preservation tips to consider in light of climate change. We're also excited to announce the date for this year's Fall Open House—Tuesday, October 24—as well as funding opportunities and upcoming programs.

Read more: conta.cc/3PG7FUb

09/13/2023

We had a wonderful time last week at the Annual Conference in Boise, Idaho! CCAHA Preservation Specialist Katie Lowe and DHPSNY Preservation Specialist Kate Jacus attended, and Kate presented the session “Advocacy in Collections Care.” Katie also snapped photos of Boise street art; the view of the landscape around the Old Idaho Penitentiary; the shark exhibit at the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology featuring fossils found in Idaho; and the Boise Pride Festival against the backdrop of the Idaho State Capitol building.

09/07/2023

¿Te interesa conocer mas sobre el Programa de Capacitación sobre Evaluaciones de Necesidades de Preservación? Acompáñanos el próximo jueves 14 de septiembre de 2023 a la 1:00pm junto al personal del para la Orientación del Programa.

Esta orientación está dirigida al personal de Instituciones culturales interesasas en participar del Programa de Capacitación.

Este Programa de Capacitación es posible gracias al .

Para Registro - http://rb.gy/vx1m6

09/07/2023

Earlier this year, we shared the story of the Wharton Esherick Museum's effort to treat and preserve a collection of Esherick's paintings, sketches, and prints. The project is a fine example of the process through which CCAHA has guided many clients, starting with a risk assessment survey that led to grant writing assistance that funded conservation treatment with an award from the Save America’s Treasures program. We continue to find fascinating work in the collection, including this original print from a graphic novel compiled by Esherick containing poetry and a musical score alongside Esherick's illustrations.

09/01/2023

The summer has flown by, and we must say farewell to Photograph Conservation Intern Emma Hartman. She will complete her final year in the graduate program of the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University with an internship at the Center for British Art at Yale University. In her short time here, Emma has contributed so much to the lab, treating 15 objects including a photo button. On the preservation side, Emma assisted CCAHA's Associate Preventive Conservator Maddie Cooper with a disaster recovery workshop and worked with our Housing & Framing department on a sealed package and a unique housing for the panorama pictured here. Thank you, Emma!

09/01/2023

Today, CCAHA and our friends at Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR) are launching a call for applications for CENCOR's Preventive Conservation Fellowship in Puerto Rico. Senior undergraduate and recent graduate students pursuing a career in conservation and/or collections care are encouraged to apply! The deadline is October 16th at 11:59 PM (AST). For more information (in Spanish language) visit cencorpr.org/fellowship-psc.

08/30/2023

As a new school year begins, CCAHA says farewell to summer Book Conservation Intern Brittany Murray, who returns to the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC) for her second year. Brittany worked on objects from a number of institutions this summer, including this childhood geography primer of Edward Hopper’s mother, Lizzie G. Smith, from the collections of the Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive.

08/25/2023

Register: bit.ly/3YXDT0o

08/25/2023

This week, CCAHA Education Program Manager Greg Stuart and Photographer Andrew Pinkham visited the Delaware Public Archives to lead a workshop on the safe handling of objects during digitization, with a special focus on unique formats like scrapbooks and oversized objects.

08/23/2023

Last week, CCAHA Paper Conservator Chloe Houseman treated this signed 1874 lithograph portrait of Charles Sumner, a prominent abolitionist and Massachusetts senator. The portrait, from the collections of the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives in Washington, DC, had heavy discoloration over much of its surface, which Chloe was able to greatly reduce in a bath of deionized water and sodium citrate.

08/21/2023

Reminder: There's still time to register for this week's program on DIY Preservation with the Morris County Park Commission's Melanie Bump! Join us Wednesday, August 23, at 12:00 PM ET.

Learn more: bit.ly/3O1gpSW

08/14/2023

Last week, CCAHA welcomed State Representative Ben Waxman for a meeting with staff and board members, followed by a tour of the CCAHA lab. We were grateful for the opportunity to thank him for his support of arts funding in the recently passed state budget. The meeting gave us the chance to make a case for the value and importance of conservation and preservation work and the need for the Commonwealth’s continued support. Read more about our visit, as well as updates on CCAHA programs and more, in our August newsletter: conta.cc/3OC3Fm3

08/09/2023

NEA Book Conservation Fellow Nylah Byrd is treating an artifact we don't typically see. While we've worked on many Islamic texts over the years, this late-19th-century loose-leaf Quran from the Free Library of Philadelphia is housed in an attractive leather satchel. Here, Nylah is mending losses in the satchel's green leather with acrylic toned mulberry paper and Lascaux 498 HV acrylic adhesive. Nylah uses heat to set the mend in place, which explains the tiny blow-dryer.

08/07/2023

Last weekend, we joined in celebrating Andy Warhol’s 95th birthday. CCAHA staff have treated a number of Warhol’s iconic silkscreen prints over the years, and one of our favorites was this portrait of Mick Jagger. In 1975, Jagger rented Warhol’s house on Long Island, and that summer Warhol took photographs of Jagger that he later projected and traced to create a series of prints. When we received this particular print, it had areas with discoloration and small foxing stains on its lower half. Since the stains were so small, NEA Paper Conservation Fellow Benjamin Kirschner designed a support to enable application of gentle pressure on the placed gellan cylinders applied with sodium citrate. A square piece of museum board was used to create a custom-fit spacer, and a piece of Mylar was placed on top of the matboard under a light weight made of wrapped pennies.

08/04/2023

Join the CCAHA team! We are seeking a full time Photograph Conservator. The candidate should have demonstrated ability in treating both fine art and archival collections of photographic materials. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/3pKbH3i

08/01/2023

Senior Conservation Assistant Jilliann Wilcox recently treated this very fragile architectural relief, a graphite drawing on thin tracing paper, from the collections of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. The drawing, by Sikh master architect Bhai Ram Singh (1858-1916), is on such a delicate material that it called for Jilliann to use a novel technique to humidify and flatten the leaves.
“I’ve found that with extremely creased and delicate tracing papers,” Jilliann said, “sometimes I can just mist up the flattening boards, which allows me to gently move and relax creases, then press the piece between blotter and Pellon fabric under plexiglass and the appropriate weight.”

07/28/2023

CCAHA Associate Paper Conservator Basia Nosek recently treated this series of cubist studies by West Virginia-born modernist painter Blanche Lazzell (1878-1956), from the collections of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. The drawings were washed to reduce overall discoloration, as well as mended with a lightweight paper. Before mending, Basia carefully examined the drawings under a microscope.

07/26/2023

Last week, CCAHA was honored to welcome a delegation from the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It’s always gratifying to share our work with colleagues, and we appreciated the wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas. Thanks to the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia for making this meeting possible.

07/24/2023

Barbie mania continues to grip the staff of CCAHA. Today, Senior Photograph Conservator Barbara Lemmen shared her custom Photograph Conservator Barbie, received years ago as a birthday present from former CCAHA staff member Anne Downey.

07/22/2023

Happy 141st birthday, Edward Hopper! CCAHA is lucky to have worked closely in recent years with the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center to treat and digitize materials from the Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive.

Read more on our website: bit.ly/3taMoUY

07/21/2023

We can guess where CCAHA Paper Conservator Chloe Houseman stands on the Barbie vs. Oppenheimer debate. This week, Chloe is treating work by another famous Barbara… the exhibition displays of activist Barbara Gittings, from the collections of the William Way LGBT Community Center. Here, Chloe is individually lifting and surface cleaning detaching pieces.