Michaela C. Lott
Art Conservation Portfolio
I discovered art conservation during the final year of undergrad and became immediately intrigued by the melding of art and science in the name of preserving cultural heritage. While I studied photojournalism and biology in school, conservation has become the field in which I can satisfy my interests in both art and science. I have become increasingly committed to learning more about the field, engaging with it, and building a career within it. This page pulls together all of the activities I have participated in and experiences I have had since entering the field.
Work Experience
October 2023 - Current
September 2022 - Current
June 2022 - August 2022
September 2021 - October 2021
July 2021
Conservation Apprentice, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
-
Working to document and conserve a large group of photographic prints from the James Van Der Zee archive in the Met's collection
-
Assisting with in-house exhibit preparation and condition checking for deinstallations
-
Expanding my knowledge of and honing photo treatment skills (i.e. dry and wet surface cleaning, tear mending, using mending strips, consolidation, how to make wheat starch paste and gelatin, etc.) and practiced writing condition reports
Adrienne Arsht MuSe Intern, Department of Photograph Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
-
Attended weekly seminars featuring Met staff and their roles in the museum
-
Developed and lead a partnered Intern Insights museum tour
-
Participated in the ongoings of the Department of Photo Conservation and in activities regarding photo identification and photo treatment practices
Conservation Assistant, Drolet Conservation
-
Participated in the conservation of a large scale installation called "∑LAX..." by Pai White at the Los Angeles International Airport in the Tom Bradley International Terminal
-
Assisted with documentation, photography, and cleaning of installation
2020 Cohort Member, UCLA/Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation
-
Participated in online activity sessions centered around conservation techniques (i.e. photo ID, microscopy, ceramic fills, inpainting, surface cleaning, tarnish removal, tear repair, folder making)
-
Attended Zoom sessions by conservation professionals who shared knowledge of their respective specialties including objects, metal, paintings, photography, textile, archeological conservation.
-
Researched a personal object and presented findings on final day(i.e. background/history, condition issues, potential treatment, etc.)
-
Created new connections with present and future conservators
