Curriculum Vitae
Professional experience
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts
December 2019 – present
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Mellon Fellow in Decorative Arts and Sculpture
September 2016 – August 2019
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA
Project Conservator, Vibration Mitigation
September 2015 – August 2016
Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE
Third Year Graduate Intern, Objects Laboratory
February – June 2015
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
Third Year Graduate Intern, Objects Laboratory
September 2014 – February 2015
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Antiquities Laboratory Graduate Intern
June – August 2014
Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT
Objects Conservation Graduate Intern
June – August 2013
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Decorative Arts and Sculpture Pre-program Conservation Intern
August 2011 – July 2012
Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE
Pre-program Objects Laboratory Intern
November 2009 – January 2011
February – August 2011
Mütter Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Museum Intern
May – August 2009
Harry A. Eberhardt & Son, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Restoration Artist; Manager in Charge of Production
September 1998 – July 2012
Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts
December 2019 – present
- Established Objects Conservation section of the Conservation Department. Manages all activities related to the conservation, condition reporting, documentation, and treatment of three-dimensional collection objects, as well as textiles, paper, and books when required, for acquisition, exhibition, gallery rotations, loans, and special projects. This includes a variety of organic and inorganic materials from a wide range of cultures and time periods such as ancient Cyprus, European sculpture, decorative art, and tapestries, contemporary fine art, Asian lacquer, and American circus performance. Routinely works closely with Registration, Preparation and Design, and Curatorial departments, as well as contracted conservators and allied professionals. Selected projects include:
- Project management, examination, documentation, and collaborative treatment to prepare 201 ancient Cypriot objects for permanent exhibition. Arranges and manages contracted conservators, and scientific sampling and analysis. Collaborates with museum colleagues regarding support mounts, case fabrication, and catalog photography.
- Preparation of 38 objects from the Circus collection for loan to Pointe-à-Callière Museum in Montreal, Canada; includes 2 major treatments of painted papier-mâché circus props and mounting 7 costumes for travel.
- Treatment of Anne Truitt’s painted wood sculpture Morning Air.
- Surface cleaning treatment of an 18th century marble bust by Pascual Cortés.
- Managing the deinstallation, vacuuming, and storage of three 17th century European tapestries.
- Responsible for the promotion of preventive care measures for all objects in the collection. Participated in the Collections Emergency Preparedness Working Group, supervises pest inspections and fumigations, provides recommendations for improved storage housing, and analysis of environmental data, and annual storm preparations of the historic mansion Ca’ d’Zan and the Museum of Art, as well as other campus buildings.
- Provides supervision and direction for conservation pre-program interns, Florida State University graduate interns, graduate interns and graduate fellows.
- Assists Chief Conservator with budget planning, contractors, staffing, and project management as directed.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Mellon Fellow in Decorative Arts and Sculpture
September 2016 – August 2019
- Completed major and minor treatments, including archeological earthenware Tang Dynasty tomb figures from 7th-10th century China, an ivory puzzle ball, contemporary “Outsider” art assemblage, 15th century Spanish floor tiles, and a 19th century painted plaster bust.
- Performed examination and analysis of objects using x-radiography and XRF analysis; gathered samples for thermoluminescence analysis.
- Assisted with routine maintenance of outdoor bronze sculptures, and with the project management of the Chinese gallery reinstallation and contracted conservation and temporary protection of two wall-sized French plaster reliefs.
- Performed routine examination and condition reporting of objects for loan and acquisition, and consultation for the fabrication of mounts and crates.
- Supervised pre-program technician with the repair of a 19th century French fashion doll.
- Preventive conservation duties including IPM and environmental monitoring of the Marcel Duchamp work Étant donnés.
- Domestic and international courier travel for decorative art objects, and framed prints and paintings on loan.
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA
Project Conservator, Vibration Mitigation
September 2015 – August 2016
- Partnered with objects conservator Madeleine Neiman, responsible for the stabilization treatment of a painted limestone 5th Dynasty Egyptian tomb chapel wall, and two 15th century painted mud plaster Chinese Buddhist wall murals, prior to deinstallation.
- Collaborative work planning and executing the deinstallation and storage of above works with the contracted rigging company, and museum preparators, registrars and art handlers.
Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE
Third Year Graduate Intern, Objects Laboratory
February – June 2015
- Treatment of a pearlware dish, and a modern-day iron garden ornament.
- Surface consolidation and loss compensation for Chinese export lacquer ware furniture.
- Preparation of Asian export lacquer ware samples for py-GC/MS analysis as per RAdICAL project standards set by the Getty Museum.
- Participation in a collaborative survey of 59 fireplaces in Winterthur Museum.
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
Third Year Graduate Intern, Objects Laboratory
September 2014 – February 2015
- Treatment of an oyster shell in a metal mount, a Russian gilt-silver enameled kovsh, a life-size marble sculpture, a Japanese shakudo netsuke, a Chinese jade scepter with a kingfisher feather and beaded tassel ornament, ivory plaques, and bronze sculptures.
- Designed a storage housing scheme for the re-housing of 67 Japanese smoking sets and completed the rehousing of fragile Limoges enamels.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Antiquities Laboratory Graduate Intern
June – August 2014
- Executed the technical study and re-housing of two ancient Egyptian coffin masks.
- Treatment of a wooden feather board from Papua, New Guinea for outgoing loan.
- Preventive conservation tasks included gallery light readings, conducting pest checks in gallery and storage spaces, and the summation and assessment of 5 years of IPM data.
- Project manager for the educational youth program Conservation Work Experience.
Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT
Objects Conservation Graduate Intern
June – August 2013
- Surface cleaning and re-varnishing of a painted wood Dentzel carousel horse.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Decorative Arts and Sculpture Pre-program Conservation Intern
August 2011 – July 2012
- Assisted with the analysis, cleaning treatment, and re-patination of several over life-size bronze sculptures from the Rodin Museum.
Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE
Pre-program Objects Laboratory Intern
November 2009 – January 2011
- Assisted with the treatment of English creamware ceramics, and responsible for the treatments of a slipware dish and spatterware saucer.
February – August 2011
- Assisted with the treatment, installation and de-installation of textiles for the exhibition Betsy Ross: The Life Behind the Legend; assisted with the consolidation of a painted silk banner and executed the treatment of a printed cotton handkerchief.
Mütter Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Museum Intern
May – August 2009
- Responsible for moving the C. Everett Koop collection from temporary to permanent storage, the repair of a human skull, and loss compensation on a marble base.
Harry A. Eberhardt & Son, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Restoration Artist; Manager in Charge of Production
September 1998 – July 2012
- Responsible for the repair and restoration of decorative objects including but not limited to ceramics, glass, stone, ivory, tortoise shell, cloisonné enamels, eggshell, and wood produced by European, Asian, and American manufacturers from approximately the 17th century to the present day.
- Four years of experience as manager of restoration workroom production including employee management, project workflow, work estimates, and client relations.
Education
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, Winterthur, DE
Objects major; Preventive minor
Master of Science; Certificate in Art Conservation - August 2015
Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA
Illustration major; 2D Fine Arts minor
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Communication Arts - May 2000
Objects major; Preventive minor
Master of Science; Certificate in Art Conservation - August 2015
Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA
Illustration major; 2D Fine Arts minor
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Communication Arts - May 2000
Teaching, lectures, and workshops
- “A Short History of Glass,” recurring lecture, since Spring semester 2017. Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Winterthur, DE.
- “ARTC 464: Object Conservation Internship,” teaching instruction, Spring semester 2018. University of Delaware. Newark, DE.
- “Fiber Identification,” lecture jointly presented with Madeleine Neiman, April 2015. University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA.
- “Creating an on-line portfolio. Workflow tips: Content, design, processing,” lecture, December 2015 and 2017. Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Winterthur, DE.
- “Cross-section microscopy and layer separation,” workshop demonstration, October 2015. Exotic Surfaces: Chinese Export Lacquer Symposium and Workshop, Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE.
Professional Development
- Rigging Basics for Conservation Professionals, Los Angeles, CA May 18-20, 2022
- Glassworking Through the Ages, Corning, NY January 8-13, 2018
Publications and Presentations
- Madeline Neiman and Brown, Emily. “When what went up must come down: Triage treatment and disassembly of two 15th century Chinese mud plaster murals,” May 31, 2017. Presentation. 45th Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Chicago, Illinois.
- Brown, Emily. “An unexpected surface: Research and treatment of a 19th century mounted oyster shell by Froment-Meurice,” March 2018. Author. Proceedings for the Objects, Objects + Architecture, and Objects + Wooden Artifacts Specialty Group Sessions, May 13-14, 2016.
- George L. Miller and Brown, Emily. “Rivet repaired ceramics: A case study from the Harry A. Eberhardt Company of Philadelphia,” Ceramics in America 2016. 2017. Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee, WI.
- Brown, Emily. “Vying for control: Using acidified thiourea gel to reduce tarnish on gilt-silver and gold,” September 26-30, 2016. Poster presentation. 8th Interim Meeting of the ICOM-CC Metals Working Group, New Delhi, India.
- Brown, Emily. “An Unexpected Surface: Research and Treatment of a 19th century mounted oyster shell by Froment-Meurice,” May 13-17, 2016. Presentation. Objects Specialty Group session of the joint 44th AIC Annual Meeting and 42nd CAC Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Grants and Awards
- FAIC/NEH Individual Professional Development Scholarship
- George Stout Grant, FAIC
- Samuel H. Kress Foundation Travel Award
- Washington Conservation Guild Williston Award
Professional Activities
- Grant reviewer, Kress Conservation Fellowship, 2021
Memberships and Professional Affiliations
- American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (since 2009)
- International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (2014-2020)
- International Council of Museums (2014-2020)
- Washington Conservation Guild (2014-2015)
Skills
- Professional: Strong ability to work independently and collaboratively in academic, museum, and private practice settings, and to communicate with colleagues, clients, and members of the public, including conservators, curators, and technicians about the preventive conservation needs of objects and treatment goals.
- Technical: Digital photography, image processing, and printing using DSLR equipment, Adobe software. Proficiency with both PC and Macintosh computer platforms, and Microsoft Word programs. Strong experience with TMS database; experience with Conservation Tracker. Experience with Bruker stationary and portable XRF equipment and software, as well as x-radiography equipment and software.
- Additional: Trained in use of hydraulic lift and hand-operated forklift. Comfortable with heights working on scaffolding and lifts. Demonstrated facility in the fine arts including watercolor painting, observational drawing, illustration, print and web design. Media use includes watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and oil paint, charcoal, pencil, pen and ink.