[Nhcoll-l] Upcoming Conservation Class from INHA

[George Dante]

Good afternoon,

We would like to remind everyone of these two upcoming classes!

*Upcoming Course: Basic Cleaning and Handling of Taxidermy Mounts*
Presented by *The Institute for Natural History Arts*

Enhance your skills in the proper care of taxidermy collections with this
hands-on, conservator-led course. Join experts *Bethany Palumbo ACR* and *Fran
Ritchie* for a two-day intensive workshop focused on safe and effective
handling, cleaning, and maintenance techniques for both new and historic
taxidermy mounts.

*Dates:* Session 1 – June 28 | Session 2 – June 29
*Location:* Institute for Natural History Arts, Woodland Park, NJ
*Duration:* 8 hours per day (2-day course)
*Course Fee:* $795.00

*Course Overview*

This in-person workshop provides a rare opportunity to learn directly from
experienced conservators specializing in taxidermy preservation.
Participants will gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience working
with museum specimens, developing essential skills applicable to
taxidermists, museum professionals, and collectors.

*What You’ll Learn:*

·       Health and safety considerations for handling taxidermy

·       Dry and wet cleaning techniques for different specimen types

·       Methods for addressing stubborn soiling

·       Best practices for long-term taxidermy care and preservation

Participants will work on a variety of mounts provided by a local museum
and may bring their own small taxidermy pieces (upon instructor approval).
All tools and materials will be provided. No prior experience is required.

Follow Link:

https://www.naturalhistoryarts.org/event-details/proper-cleaning-and-handling-of-taxidermy-mounts-3



*Upcoming Course: “This Over That” – Introduction to Museum Quality
Restoration and Storage Materials for Taxidermy*
Presented by *The Institute for Natural History Arts*

Gain valuable insight into the materials used in the restoration and
storage of taxidermy collections with this conservator-led workshop. Join
experts *Bethany Palumbo ACR* and *Fran Ritchie* for a one-day, hands-on
course exploring durable, museum-quality materials for fabrication,
conservation, and storage.

*Date:* June 30
*Location: *Institute for Natural History Arts, Woodland Park, NJ
*Duration:* 6 hours (9 AM – 3 PM)
*Course Fee:* $450.00

*Course Overview*

In this practical workshop, participants will learn how to identify and
work with conservation-grade materials used in taxidermy restoration and
storage. While common, commercially available materials may deteriorate or
react unpredictably over time, museum-quality materials offer greater
stability and longevity.

*What You’ll Learn:*

·        Introduction to conservation materials, including adhesives and
fill materials

·        Hands-on experience preparing and testing material properties

·        Best practices for taxidermy packing and storage

·        Hands-on packing techniques using recommended materials

Please note: This course focuses on *materials selection* rather than
hands-on restoration techniques for specimens. Participants will explore
the properties and applications of professional-grade materials, ensuring
their work is durable and conservation-friendly.

Participants will work on a variety of mounts provided by a local museum
and may bring their own small taxidermy pieces (upon instructor approval).
All tools and materials will be provided. No prior experience is required.

Follow Link:

https://www.naturalhistoryarts.org/event-details/this-over-that



*About the Instructors*

*Bethany Palumbo ACR* is Head of Conservation Unit at the Natural History
Museum of Denmark and is specialized in the conservation of Natural History
collection types, foremost bone material and taxidermy. Previous to this,
she was the Conservator of Life Collections at the Oxford University Museum
of Natural History (OUMNH) from 2012-2019. She is accredited by the UK
Institute for Conservation and has over a decade of conservation experience
in the international museum field. Bethany has a BA (2010) and MA (2013) in
conservation studies from the University of Lincoln, UK.

*Fran Ritchie* is an art conservator who specializes in the care and
preservation of natural history collections. She has treated and restored
taxidermy in museums across the United States, including the American
Museum of Natural History, Zion National Park, Biltmore Estate, Buffalo
Bill Center of the West, and the Alaska State Museum. A graduate of the art
conservation program at Buffalo State College (M.A., C.A.S.), she has also
taught graduate students at the Conservation Center of the Institute of
Fine Arts, New York University and lead workshops at several meetings of
the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. She is a
Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation






George A. Dante, Jr., BA, FLS, FINHA

George Dante Studios LLC

192 Lackawanna Ave. Unit 104

Woodland Park, NJ 07424

P: 973 890 1516

E: george at georgedantestudios.com




The Institute for Natural History Arts, Inc

President & Founder

192 Lackawanna Ave. Unit 104

Woodland Park, NJ 07424

P: 973 890 1516

E: gdante.inha at gmail.com

www.naturalhistoryarts.org





CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE

This message is the property of WP, GDS and INHA. It may be legally
privileged and/or confidential and is intended only for the use of the
addressee(s). No addressee should forward, print, copy, or otherwise
reproduce this message in any manner that would allow it to be viewed by
any individual not originally listed as a recipient. If the reader of this
message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
unauthorized disclosure, dissemination, distribution, copying or the taking
of any action in reliance on the information herein is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify
the sender and delete this message.
Thank you.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20250515/a2eb12f0/attachment.html>