Photographic Materials Group (PMG)

ECPN has established relationships with all AIC Specialty Groups and rely on liaisons to facilitate communication and advocate for the larger ECP community. I am currently in my second term as the PMG-ECPN Liaison, facilating communication and community between the two groups.

During my time as Liaison, I have hosted virtual meet and greets, post-PMG Winter Meeting discussions, and also organized and hosted the first PMG-ECPN Photo Forum in July 2023. The Photo Forum was an online event which offered a platform for conservation students internationally to share research on photographic materials. The event was attended by 50 participants, and featured eight presentations by nine early career conservators (pre-program to recent graduates) who covered a range of topics including the treatment of hand-colored gelatin silver prints, rehousing tintypes, and the characterization of an Ilford sample book. The presenters represented conservation programs in the United States, Poland, and Portugal, along with large institutions and private practices.

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN)

In May 2020, building on my experiences as a Regional Liaison in Houston, I stepped up from my position to be accepted to the position of Outreach Co-Officer, sitting on the board of ECPN. I worked closely with my Co-Officer, Michaela Paulson, Project Conservator at the American Museum of Natural History. Together we ran the ECPN Liaison Program, which involved overseeing 60+ individual liaisons represented by four distinct categories, the subject of a poster I presented at the 2021 AIC Annual Meeting and 2021 APOYO Meeting. One of the most important parts of this role was spreading resources and opportunities to emerging conservation professionals in all stages of their careers, from pre-program to early career professionals. This became even more important in 2020, throughout the various stages of COVID-19 lockdowns. Michaela and I focused on supporting the existing network, expanding local chapters and virtual resources, and developing virtual programming. In terms of physical expansion, we welcomed three new Regional Liaisons in Puerto Rico who have been generously creating ECPN Spanish-language resources. Regional Liaisons around the country were able to host large virtual gatherings through 2020-2022, which I helped facilitated through the new ECPN Zoom account. Virtual resource expansion efforts included working to expand information available on the ECPN Wiki about international training opportunities as well as starting a blog series interviewing the ECPN’s Graduate School Liaisons. We hoped these successfully highlight some of the issues facing current graduate students, continue to spark conversations, and encourage change. I also contributed to ECPN’s lead article ‘Reflecting on a Field in Flux’  published in the March 2021 issue of AIC News which hoped to address the dramatic changes to the field of conservation from the economic and social effects of COVID-19, to the acknowledgement that conservation is not neutral.

Disaster Reponse and Recovery 

WUDPAC Photography Block, January 2023 and 2024

During the 2023 and 2024 Photograph Conservation Blocks, I led a lecture and demonstration of emergency response and recovery of photographic materials with a large focus on water-damage and recovery. Overall it was a successful class experience with thoughful conversations and hands-on learning.

︎︎︎ Water Damage Recovery of Photographic Materials Handout

Photographic Printing Processes

WUDPAC Photography Block, January 2023

During the 2023 Photograph Conservation Block, I was also involved in demonstrating the salted paper POP and cyanotype processes.  

︎︎︎ Salted Paper Prints Handout

Center for Creative Youth

Summers 2015, 2016, 2017

I spent three summers as a Photography Teaching Assistant and Residential Advisor at the Center for Creative Youth at Wesleyan University where I assisted in darkroom photography lessons for high school students.

American Swedish Historical Museum (ASHM)

February 2023

In-person and virtual “Photo Conservation Public Workshop” at the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, PA. The workshop featured myself and Mackenzie Fairchild, WUDPAC Graduate Fellows, and Abby Shaw, from Hollinger Metal Edge. The workshop focused on educating the public on photographic materials, storing and caring for family photographs. 

Topics covered:

• How to identify photographic types throughout history
• Techniques for storing and cataloging your family photos
• The types of materials and surfaces that are harmful to photographs
• Proper handling of sensitive photographs

AIC Annual Meeting

May 2019

Presented “Favorite Features of the Menil Drawing Institute Conservation Lab” during the Book and Paper Group Annual Tips Session at AIC’s 47th Annual Meeting in New England. The talk discussed the new lab design at the Menil Drawing Institute.

Menil Collection Noontime Talk

Oct 2018

Presented “Exploring works on paper: Drawing of an Old Woman by Rembrandt van Rijn” during a Member’s event at the Menil Collection. I presented my historical research and analysis of a drawing by Rembrandt, which included historic paper making, microscopic imaging, and compiling previously derived data from x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and MicroFade Testing (MFT) into one document. This talk was a great chance to meet with members of the museum, showcase the work of the Conservation Department, and explain pathways towards training for emerging conservators

“Woodburytupe” – PMG WIKI︎︎︎

Published March 2022
PMG Wiki Editor

“Reflecting on a Field in Flux” – AIC News Lead Article︎︎︎

Published March 2021
ECPN contributor and co-Author

“Graduate Program Liaison Highlights” – ECPN Interview Series︎︎︎

Published between Sep 2020 – Aug 2021

Interview series with ECPN Graduate Program Liaisons in UPenn, WUDPAC, Getty/UCLA, Buffalo, NYU, Columbia, and FIT

“Student Blog: Photograph Conservation” – UD Art Conservation News︎︎︎

March 2024

Each month a third-year WUDPAC Fellow submits a written article to be featured on UD’s Art Conservation News page. For March’s article, I outlined my experiences so far at the Museum of Modern Art and The Better Image.

“Images to be Treasured” – UDaily News Article︎︎︎

June 2023

Article written by Ann Manser with photography by Kathy F. Atkinson, Angel Miller, and Ashley Stanford

“But now, Miller and her father are hopeful that many of the damaged photos they were able to salvage from the leveled house might be preserved thanks to work being done in the University of Delaware’s Department of Art Conservation. Working under the direction of faculty members, and with assistance from an undergraduate conservation class and a recent alumna, graduate student Ashley Stanford has taken on the project of treating the Millers’ photographs.”

“Art Conservation and Planning a Treatment” – WUDPAC Interview︎︎︎

November 2022

“WUDPAC Fellow and photograph conservation major Ashley Stanford is studying the materials and techniques used in a book that documents the U.S. Capitol’s reconstruction from 1857-1859 through photographs, architectural plans, diagrams, and text.”

“Student Reflections on the LPG Program” – Landmarks Interview︎︎︎

December 2020

“Landmarks Programs Intern Alexis Pierce recently chatted with Ashley Stanford, a former Landmarks Preservation Guild (LPG) volunteer, to learn more about the LPG program and how Ashley's volunteer experience impacted her decision in pursuing a career in conservation.”