About me
I am a freelance objects conservator living and mostly working in London. I work across a wide range of organic and inorganic materials, including decorative surfaces, wood, stone, archaeological textiles, metals, and mixed-media objects. I provide services in interventive and preventive conservation for the care and safeguarding of cultural heritage, historic collections, and privately owned objects, including film supervision. I am able to carry out basic analysis to support treatment decisions using microscopy and UV examination; however, I have also been trained in the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and chemical testing. The process is fully documented, and a treatment report or notes are always provided. I am a member of ICOM and IIC, fully insured, and hold both PASMA and CSCS cards, ensuring all work is carried out ethically, safely, and to high standards. I am experienced in managing hazardous materials under COSHH, including lead, pest-infested objects, and heavy or large components. I attend conferences to stay up to date with the field and to gain inspiration from fellow colleagues.
My research interests include conservation ethics, sustainable materials, applications of technology and science in conservation, and emerging heritage fields such as cyberspace and space archaeology.
My experience as a lecturer and film producer informs my conservation practice, including outreach programmes and managing large-scale projects within a short timeframe and limited budget. I am also a web designer with a selective approach to maintain balance alongside conservation commitments. I focus on startups, cultural and education projects.
Professional Experience
Freelance objects conservator
Ongoing - As a freelance objects conservator, I specialise in the conservation of both organic and inorganic materials, such as wood, decorative surfaces (including gilding, lacquer and frames), stone ornaments, sculptures, archaeological textiles, mosaics, and metal hardware. My expertise spans condition assessment, remedial treatment, and preventive conservation.
DBR London - Japanese Gateway at Kew Gardens
May 2025 - June 2025. Conservation and restoration of the Japanese Gateway at Kew Gardens. Responsibilities include the specialised cleaning and treatment of exterior wood and metal elements. This involves applying wood dye to visually integrate areas of damage, varnishing to protect and unify wooden surfaces, and waxing metal components to prevent corrosion. I maintain a comprehensive photographic record of the treatment process and collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary team, adhering to established health and safety protocols throughout.
DBR London - Majolica Project at the John Madejski Garden, Victoria and Albert Museum
February - April 2025. Conservator on-site as part of a specialist team responsible for the conservation and stabilisation of the glazed terracotta Majolica panels located under the arches in the Madejski Garden at the V&A. Responsibilities included specialised cleaning and consolidation of the historic glazed terracotta, photographic documentation of condition and treatment stages, and the design and implementation of a grid system to organise and track progress across the architectural scheme.
Altar of The Madonna and Child with Angels, San Giorgio Maggiore
October - December 2025, Venice, Italy. A 10-week conservation project funded by Venice in Peril, focusing on the preservation of the altar and associated objects. Responsibilities included conducting a condition assessment of the monument, crowns, and two votive cases, alongside detailed photography and documentation. Conservation treatments involved cleaning stone elements, crowns, and 40 metal votive offerings, as well as removing old backing fabric from votive cases, applying new fabric, and safely mounting the votive offerings after treatment. Additional tasks included identifying and addressing pest infestations, supervising the project with scaffold assembly and disassembly, and preparing a thorough treatment report. A comprehensive maintenance plan and future conservation recommendations were also developed.
Spencer & Fry - Freelance film conservator
Since September 2024 - Ongoing. Responsibilities include communicating conservation concerns to the filming crew and proposing practical solutions to minimise risk. Document the condition of spaces and objects through detailed photographic records before and after filming. Move or oversee moving vulnerable collections out of harm’s way, prepare areas for traffic, inspect props for signs of pest infestation or potential damage to the collection, and liaise closely with the house and locations teams. When required, reinstate objects post-filming and carry out specialised cleaning of historic interiors and exteriors impacted by production activity.
Palace of Westminster – Frame conservation project
September 2023. London.
A one-week project for the conservation and stabilisation of a late nineteenth-century English Gothic Revival gilded frame under the supervision of senior frame conservator Gerry Alabone. Responsibilities included light cleaning, re-adhering and consolidating loose and unstable compo and veneer, conservation frame upgrade, photography, and documentation. Other responsibilities included packing materials, managing logistics, and liaising with the Collections Care Team.
Krannert Art Museum, University of Indiana Champaign, Illinois – Archaeological textile conservation project
June - August 2023. Chicago and London.
Stabilisation of ten archaeological textiles, including figurines and featherwork from the pre-Hispanic Andean arts collection of the Krannert Art Museum, under the supervision of senior conservator Stephanie Hornbeck of Caryatid Conservation. Responsibilities included removal from old mounts, humidification, stabilisation, conservation stitching, painting and stitching new backing supports and inserts, research, photography, and documentation.
Public Engagement and Teaching
Lecturer in WordPress design and development at Imperial College London, delivering courses and workshops for professionals in heritage and creative industries.
Upcoming short course: Introduction to Heritage Conservation - public evening classes on conservation principles and practice at Imperial College London.
Instructor in web design and social media for final-year stone and wood carving students at City & Guilds of London Art School, supporting them in building their professional public profiles.
Awards
2024. Stone, Wood and Decorative Surfaces Research Project Prize at City and Guilds of London Art School for Exploring the Viability of Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) Mucilage as a Consolidant for Reigate Stone.
2024. Venice in Peril Internship awarded to two conservation graduates from City and Guilds of London Art School.
Selected Papers
September 2025. Stone 2025, Paris – Exploring the Viability of Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) Mucilage as a Consolidant for Reigate Stone.
September 2025. Mending Threads, Alberta – Collaborative Reparative Efforts To Address Lost Context And Misinterpretation: Conservation And Presentation Of Pre-Hispanic Andean Textiles At The Krannert Art Museum.
September 2024. IIC Lima – Preserving Pre-Hispanic, Andean Organic Objects and Textiles in the Krannert Art Museum: Our Training, Research and Treatment Collaboration.
June 2024. 'What is Furniture History' Symposium, Leeds – Preserving the Past, Shaping the Future: A Conservator's Perspective on the Siamese Lacquered Chest.
Education
City and Guilds of London Art School
2021 – 2024
Currently 3rd year student. Stone/Wood Conservation.
Art Academy Düsseldorf, Germany
2003 – 2004
Graphic (Prof. A.R. Penk).
Corriente Alterna
1998 – 1999
Painting workshop (Jose Luis Arbulú).
Instituto Peruano de Publicidad
1993 – 1995
Audiovisual communication.
Cinema Studies, Semiotics, Film Production and Direction, Photography and Photography Direction, Performing Arts, Creative Writing, and Scriptwriting.
Languages
Spanish, English, and German.