In this blog post, short course student Dan Nicholson-Smith talks about the woodworking course he attended at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation, and how this exploration of wood as a material has helped him to connect back to the 8 ½ acre woodland he currently manages.
Our first assignment in the West Dean furniture conservation program: hand-plane a square piece of wood into a tapered column, break it, and put it back together.
After completing the MA in Conservation Studies at West Dean, I served as an assistant for six weeks in the conservation studio of Michael Parfett in London. Michael works primarily on harps, harpsichords and frames, and the short work placement offered the opportunity to gain experience in conserving musical instruments, decorative surfaces and gilding.