About me

WHITING CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION

Working on a Victorian Italian micro-mosaic in my last year at University 2011

This is where I spend most of my time these days!

This blog is a record or diary of work carried out in my new restoration and conservation studio in Kent, UK.  New objects constantly arrive and each one needs different types of work and treatments to be done.  It will be interesting to see how it goes and of course, to look back at how I have progressed through the months and years.  

In 2007 I started a BSc (Hons) Degree in Conservation and Restoration at London Metropolitan University and transferred in 2008 to City & Guilds of London School of Art to do a BA (Hons) in conservation studies.  

I have decided to concentrate on the restoration of ceramics.  My previous work in ceramics has given me an appreciation of the skills and the knowledge of how ceramics were and are made.  It was interesting finding out about the science behind the materials and their treatments as well as informing and building on my skills.  I had been drawn to restoring and conserving ceramics as I was familiar with the material and the decorative processes, but I have found out that making and restoring/conserving are two separate things!  

Anyway here we are at the start of my studio showing you case studies explaining my work and how I'm achieving it ....................

PRIOR TO MY DEGREE

My background has always been involved with hand-made crafts.  Fashion design and textiles, working for a stained glass company (after a two year course) and decorative painting.  Prior to my degree in conservation I spent 8 years creating bespoke tiles and architectural ceramics, from clay to glazed finished product which were sold to interior designers both in the UK and internationally. I particularly enjoyed painting cobalt freehand onto tin glazed tiles (majolica) and using enamels for decorative murals on glazed tiles (see pictures below).

Below a magazine article about the ceramics studio 'The Annexe" in 1996, (the creative arm of Paris Ceramics, London)  You can see me at work with my back facing the photo-shot in the second photo.  I also continued the same work when 'The Annexe' moved the whole operation to France continuing to supply Paris Ceramics to their 10 outlets in America and Europe.

Magazine article about the studio in London 1996

Here I am sitting with my back to the camera in the middle of painting some cobalt work

Bespoke hand-made tiles based on a floor situated at
The Palace of the Popes, Avignon, France.
This floor tile was very popular as I painted more than 4,000 of these tiles 16 designs,
freehand using copper and manganese onto unfired tin glaze. 

Birds and Urn enamels painted on wood fired tin glazed tiles from Spain

Alphabet designs painted in enamels on the same Spanish tiles

Other ceramic projects -  Stone fired ceramic tiles and architectural mouldings for gymnasium for private

client in Luxembourg, below - Sculpted lettering/symbols bathroom panel using oxides and underglazes.

Warrior ceramic bisque with decoration using oxides and mosaic 

SOME OF MY STAINED GLASS WORK

Top left to right - bathroom window panel installed lengthways into exterior encasing with steel supports.  
Window of lady holding flowers with painted panels using silver stain and oxides on coloured glass,  Lower left - bathroom window panel, Lower right - stained glass set into wooden screen using acid etched blue flash glass and a selection of hand blown and machine made glass.