Rachel Lawson

Graduate Diploma Conservation of Ceramics, 2010-2011

During my Art History degree at the University of Sydney, Australia, my interest in the conservation and restoration of art and artefacts was really ignited.However, it was my passion for conservation, and ceramics in particular, that brought me home to England, where these objects hold such an important place in the history and culture of the country.I was drawn to West Dean initially when discovering the ability to specialise within this particular area of conservation alongside the great facilities and intimate working environment. The course has been the ideal place for me and I have enjoyed every minute of my time at West Dean. I have been allowed to work on such objects as a 15th century Spanish tile and an 18th century Meissen teapot. Although at times the work can be hard and undeniably frustrating I have also found it to be exceptionally rewarding. For me there is something truly wondrous about the practice of conservation with its ability to preserve objects as testimony to times and traditions that could otherwise have been lost.While at West Dean I have become interested in insituconservation and particularly the preservation of mosaics and tiles and I hope my time here will help me to establish a career within this specialised area. My year at West Dean has truly opened my eyes to the wonders of conservation as a profession and have confirmed that conservation, as a career, is the right choice for me.