Publications
Gwen Spicer has written several conservation publications and technical bulletins for collection care that are used for surveys and workshops. Some are listed below.
Papers
Lectures and Workshops
Handouts
Papers
"The Re-Tufting of an Hunzinger Arm-Chair" NATCC, Quebec City, Canada, Fall 2009. (A description of the project can be seen, click here.)
"What Is "Acid-free"? Maine Archives & Museums Newsletter, vol. 10, no. 2 (May 2007)11. Co-authored with Ronald Harvey.
"Planning for Collection Care" Upstate History Alliance e-newletter, (Winter/Spring 2007).
"'Mounts Altered' Mounting Textiles to Meet the Needs of Clients" presented at American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works 34th Annual Meeting. The Textile Specialty Group Postprints , vol. 16 (2006).
"X-traodinay Finds, The Conservation & Investigation of An Italian Dantesca Chair," Forgotten History - Upholstery Conservation, Birgitta Forum, Vadstena, Sweden, 2005. (Pending publication).
"Saving Maine's Colors: Collaborative Strategies in Flag Conservation & Exhibition at the Maine State Museum" co-authored with Laurie Labar, Tales in the Textiles: The Conservation of Flags & Other Symbolic Textiles, Preprints, NATCC, Albany, NY, Nov 5-8, 2003. Condensed version published in NemaNews (Fall 2003) 4 & 8. (A description of the project can be seen, clicking here.)
"The Treatment of a Campaign Banner: An Option to Consolidating Powdery Paint" co-authored with Mary Betlejeski Tales in the Textiles: The Conservation of Flags & Other Symbolic Textiles, Preprints, NATCC, Albany, NY, Nov 5-8, 2003.
"Storage Cabinets and Support Materials," first draft of a section Textile Conservation Catalog. (1994)
"Caring for Textiles" Brochure sponsored by the American Institute for Conservation. (1996)
"Supporting Tears in Leather" Leather Conservation News, vol. 1 & 2 (1995) 4-6.
"Supporting Tears in Leather" The Textile Specialty Group Postprints, vol. 7 (1997) 57 - 62.
"Navajo Blanket Forms" Museum Mannequins, Alberta, Canada 2001.
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Lectures and Workshops
"Preserving Your Needlework" Embroidery Guild of American, New York Chapter, Hyde Park, NY. (2009)
“Current Practices: Textile Conservation in the U.S.” talk given to the Council of Cultural Affairs, Tainan, Taiwan. (2008)
“Surmountable Textile Exhibition Issues and Solutions Workshop,” funded by Coby Foundation, sponsored by Lower Hudson Conference, Garrison, NY. (2008)
“Taking it All In: A Holistic View of Environmental Impact on Open Display Collections” Museum Institute at Sagamore, Racquet River, NY. (2008)
"Museum Housekeeping" One day hands-on training at Stepping Stone, Bedford Hills, NY (2007)
“Integrated Pest Management & Freezing Workshop” co-developed with Erin Crissman, held at Historic Cherry Hill, Albany, NY. Program funded by IMLS 21st Century Grant. A series of six workshops. (2007-09)
“Preserving 9/11” Lecture given to members of Voices of 9/11, NYC. (2007)
“Is Green Good for Collections” A group of presenters held at UHA Annual Meeting, Syracuse, NY, sponsored by NYSCA. Presenters included Ernest Conrad & Lea Warder. (2007)
"Preserving War Stories" War Stories: Caring for Your WWII Collections, sponsored by the NYS Archives, Albany, NY. (2007)
“Field Forum – Conservation Planning” panel participant at Lower Hudson Conference’s Annual Meeting, Goshen, NY. (2006)
“3-Demensional Archival Artifact Storage” Its Like I Can Touch You: Care of 3D Archival Collections Capital Area Archivists, Albany, NY. (2006)
Collection Management Course, one of four instructors for the first of a series of on-line courses, sponsored by UHA and funded by NYSCA. (2006)
“Beyond the Vacuum Cleaner” Talk at the Long Island Museum Association’s annual meeting. (2005)
“Roundtable & Workshop: Storage Methodology for Archaeological & Ethnographic Textiles” given at NATCC in Mexico City. A day workshop given twice. Participants from all over the Americas. (2005)
Conservation for Exhibition Fall workshop series, sponsored by UHA. “Display of Flat Textiles” & “Mannequins”, Binghamton & Tory, NY (2004)
“How to Read Your Chair & Upholstery Evidence” Textiles for Everyday Homes, 1750-1840, Eastfield Village Workshop Series. (2004)
“Caring for Your Quilts” Vermont Quilt Fair, as representative of VMGA. (2004)
"Preventive and Art Conservation" Guest lecturer for LIbrary Administration class, SUNY Albany. (2004)
“Treatment of North Creek Opera House Curtain,” at dedication of Theater Curtain, Tannery Pond Community Center, North Creek, NY. (2002)
“Storage of Collections Workshop” given to two Historical Sites who are undertaking storage improvements. (2002)
“Housekeeping & Storage” three-day training workshop sponsored by Roosevelt-Vanderbilt NPS. Trained other museum professionals on vacuuming, handling, a storage for furnishing textiles and upholster, Hyde Park, NY. (2002)
“Emergency Preparedness Workshop” Sponsored by UHA, assisted in organization. (2002)
“Quilt Preservation & Storage Project“ sponsored by Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, training workshop for volunteers as preparation for rehousing of collections. Included handouts. (2002)
“Textile Conservation” Lecture & one-day workshop at Art Conservation Program at Buffalo State College. (2001 & 2004)
“Building Mannequins” One-day workshop with Upstate History Alliance’s annual meeting. (2001)
“Environmental Effects on the Chautauqua Banner Collection” Chautauqua Institute Banner Committee. (2001)
“Collection Care & Conservation,” A workshop with Regional Council & Historic Agencies’ annual meeting, Cooperstown, NY. (2000)
“Dress for Success: Techniques for Display of Costume Collections” Sponsored by Vermont Museum & Gallery Alliance. Workshop also sponsored by Regional Council & Historic Agencies & Maine State Museum. (1998)
“What Beings are in Susan B’s Bonnet? Signs, Symptoms and Solutions for Pest Infestation in Your Collection” Regional Council of Historical Agencies annual meeting, Seneca Falls, NY. (1998)
Lecture & tour of English State Bed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, given to the New York Textile Conservation Group, NYC. (1995)
"Disaster Recovery of Textiles" given at Western NY Conservation Group, The Recovery of Cultural Materials After a Disaster. Rochester, NY. (1993)
"Exhibit Concerns for Textiles" given at National Association for Museum Exhibitions conference, Designing for & Object's Care: A Workshop on Conservation for Exhibits, Rochester, NY. (1993)
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Handouts
Cleaning Moldy Artifacts
Exhibiting Artifacts
* Exhibit Reminders
* Room-by-Room Evaluation Questions
* Window Shade & Covering Ideas
* Dressing & Undress Mannequins
* Textile Exhibit Ideas: Hanging Large Textiles
* Textile Exhibit Ideas: Roller Rod Options
* Mounting & Display Ideas
* Mannequins: Displaying Costumes & Accessories
Storing Artifacts
* Guide for Developing Proper Museum Storage
* Storage Questionnaire
* Storage Furniture Criteria
* Housekeeping Plan Questionnaire
* General Handling of Textile Collections
* Vacuuming Textiles & Other Organic Collections
* Labeling Textile Artifacts
* Support Tray for Small Accessories
* Rolled Storage
* Folding Large Textiles & Choosing the Box
* Padded Hanger Options
* Support Ideas of 3-dimensional Textiles
* Storage Recommendations by Artifact Type
* Storage of Textiles & Textile Related Artifacts
* Storage Techniques for Trims & Passementerie
* Glossary of Safe Materials Suitable for Museum Storage & Exhibition (with suppliers list)
Integrated Pest Management
* Checklist for IPM
* Freezing How to
How to Read a Chair Frame (clues to original upholstery layers)
Bibliographies on specific topics related to collection care
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