Toledo Museum of Art
June 2025 - August 2025
Conservation Intern
Supervised by the 5 member conservation team, led by Vanessa Applebaum, I took part in all areas of teams daily work. I assisted with weekly and monthly gallery cleaning and IPM. I took on projects including the washing and waxing of outdoor sculpture and UV analysis. I concluded the summer with an analytical report and exhibit recommendation on a textile piece from the collection.
Selected Work
Second Daughter
Second Daughter by Deborah Butterfield was washed and waxed under the supervision of conservator Emily Cummins.
Coptic Textile Fragment
Coptic Textile fragment was studied with microscopic analysis, polarized light microscopy, and solubility testing. I created a padded mount mock-up, and wrote recommendations for display.
ODDY Testing
In preparation for a temporary exhibit designed by a contracted team, fabric samples for case interiors were tested.
Assyrian Reliefs
Two Assyrian reliefs were microscopically examined and photographed under UV light to assess previous work done.
XRF Study
I assisted with an XRF study of a Thai Buddhist bronze to aid in dating the object. I scanned the item, assisted in the analysis of the data, and wrote a preliminary report.
Preventive Conservation
I took part in regular maintenance of the collection and galleries, including regular housekeeping, integrated pest management, environmental monitoring, and rehousing to ensure the preservation of the collection.
Coptic Textile Fragment
This Coptic textile fragment was being considered for display as a part of the Toledo Museum of Art's renovation and reinstallation project. Under the supervision of conservator Marissa Stevenson, I investigated the fragment in order to gain a better understanding of its materials, its condition, and to make recommendations for its display in coordination with the curatorial department.
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I used polarized light microscopy to confirm the fiber identification as wool. I studied the work under a microscope to investigate the weave of work, the dye of the fibers, and better understand the white, waxy substance found throughout the work. Last, I tested the waxy substance for solubility to aid in its identification, and tested the solubility of the dyed fibers to inform the future possibility of washing the textile.
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Through these tests, I was able to confirm that the work was wool, and gained a deeper understanding of the fragile state of the textile. We concluded the waxy efflorescence was most likely salts or saponified fatty acids from soap residue of a previous washing.
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Finally, I created a mock up padded pressure mount as a suggestion for the future display of the work, and created a mock-up painted textile fill using PROfab Opaque Paint on muslin to compensate the losses in the textile.
Mock-up padded mount with loss compensation stitched in
Efflorescence visible on original glass enclosure, dating to pre-1930s
Full work without fill
Full work in completed padded mount
Waxy substance under microscope, especially built up on slightly raised surface of the eye
Weave structure and fiber condition under microscope
Red dyed fibers identified as wool under polarized light. Scales visible at the ends of fibers
Brown fibers identified as wool under polarized light. Scales visible in center of fiber.
Second Daughter
Second Daughter by Deborah Butterfield is a large bronze sculpture housed in the Toledo Museum of Art outdoor sculpture garden. Under the supervision of conservator Emily Cummins, conservation technician Annabelle Nolasco and I washed and waxed the bronze.
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Corrosion found on the sculpture was mechanically removed from surface and from weep holes. Sculpture was then rinsed and washed with Orvus and water to remove biofilm, plant materials, bugs, and spiderwebs. Artwork was allowed to dry, and was then waxed using Conservation Support Systems Sculpture Wax applied with natural bristle paint brushes and stencil brushes. Excess wax was reduced by gently heating with a Bernzomatic torch and redistributing the wax. Sculpture was then buffed using microfiber cloths and polish brushes.
Application of wax to work
Photo by Annabelle Nolasco
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Redistribution of built-up wax using torch.
Second Daughter after washing and waxing
Photo by Annabelle Nolasco
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ODDY Testing
Supervised by conservator Marissa Stevenson, I aided in carrying out ODDY testing on a set of 7 Knoll Textile Fabrics. The goal of this ODDY test was to determine the suitability of certain fabrics for use in a temporary exhibit.
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Due to time constraints, the procedure of the experiment was heavily adapted. Two controls were tested, along with two samples of each fabric. The samples were prepared and placed in an oven at 60C. After 14 days, one sample of each fabric were examined. At this stage, both the control samples had corroded, meaning the experiment must be repeated.
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The results were still examined to gain a base understanding of the materials and to have a comparison for future ODDY test results.
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It was hypothesized that the experiment failed because the thickness of the copper required too much handling, because of contamination from the nylon coupon holders, because of the size of the jars, and because too many variables were added due to the adjustments of the procedure.
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While the testing failed to have useable results, I was still able to gain a valuable understanding of ODDY test procedure, the many variable present in these types of tests, and the kinds of issues that can arise in both ODDY testing and other forms of analysis.
Example of test results. If these results were useable, the change in the copper and lead coupon would show that this fabric is not acceptable for even temporary contact with objects. The silver coupon showed minimal change.
Samples during results analysis
Assyrian Relief
Under the supervision of conservator Emily Cummins, I microscopically examined two Assyrian wall reliefs, followed by UV examination. The goal of the examination was to asses the condition of the objects and further understand any past work that had been completed. Any information was handed off to the curatorial team to assist in future exhibit decisions and conservation plans for the objects
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For one of the two reliefs, our analysis revealed the possibility of two major fill campaigns. We came to this conclusion through disparities in the fluorescence of certain areas and the material of suspected fill areas under microscopic examination.
One of the Assyrian reliefs
Object under UV
Annotations of UV imaging
XRF of Thai Buddhist Bronze
Under the supervision of conservator Marissa Stevenson, I worked on an XRF study of a Thai Buddhist Bronze. The date it was currently attributed to was in question, and the curatorial team requested an XRF study to assist with assessing the date of the work.
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After completing a visual assessment of the work and comparing it tow other examples of Thai Buddhist bronzes, several scans were taken throughout the work. Another Thai Buddhist bronze from the collection dated to a similar era was also scanned for comparison.
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Notable findings were an unexpectedly high level of lead and variability in amounts of silicon. It was concluded that further study, scans, analysis, and comapartive studies would be needed to solidify a date. However, it was concluded that it was likely the currently assigned date was inaccurate.
Scanning object with Bruker 5i Tracer Handheld Portable
X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer
Photo by Marissa Stevenson​
Thai Buddhist bronze
Scan results from object and comparative object
Preventive Conservation
Supervised by conservation technician Annabelle Nolasco, I assisted with preventative conservation work.
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On a weekly basis, we cleaned the galleries on a rotating schedule to ensure all objects on display were routinely dusted. I used differing methods on various materials to ensure safety, removing accumulated dust and cobwebs.
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In July, I assisted with the monthly gathering and inputing pest and environmental data of the gallery and storage spaces.
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I also assisted with tasks to improve the housing of objects in storage. I designed and built one box, and partially completed a second. Each box housed multiple related objects.
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Finally, I assisted with the relabeling of an object that had lost its catalogue number, to prevent the loss or disassociation of the object.
Re-labeling object
Photo by Annabelle Nolasco​
Completed clam shell box
Completed box with carved foam padding
Completed box with objects padded with tissue
Object on padded tray
Object on slide out tray inside of double layer box. Second tray completed at a later date.