Dr. Alaina Schmisseur

Conservation, Archaeology, Heritage

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Busy week on site at Bishopthorpe Palace, crawling around on the floor as per usual. This time I’m conserving the marble in the chapel. @ Bishopthorpe https://t.co/Ipu1rvUONN

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Dramatic lighting at this morning’s site- fingers crossed the rain holds off for the sundial conservation! @ Bishopthorpe Palace https://t.co/nevrJQKg2d

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Finished conservation of the #warmemorial today. The window above had leaked, allowing water to run over the surface of the stone. Much of the gold leaf to the inscriptions had been lost, as well as the grouting… https://t.co/esr6LRqpFv

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Gilding has begun! This one is a conservator challenge as the heavily veined green marble was hard going for the original carvers and there are a few irregularities- but it’s coming on nicely now! #goldleafing… https://t.co/NEcaMJ9FTT

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Sometimes there are multiple conservation projects going on a site- this week I have been sharing a church with an organ restoration firm! Very interesting seeing the organ go together from my vantage point at the… https://t.co/3HMsNDgCod

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Current project- a First World War memorial ledger in a Victorian church. The window above the ledger had a leak and the ingress of water has resulted in surface staining, a loss of grouting, and a loss of gilding. https://t.co/HkdJIw8HCk

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Visit to a heritage blacksmith forge to talk project collaboration. Fascinating spot and really interesting equipment to check out! @ Yorkshire Museum of Farming - Murton Park https://t.co/6c1vmXRKts

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

This is the lovely church that housed the massive slate and marble conservation puzzle! Currently constructing a fitting tray and will soon be piecing it back together for reinstall sometime in September, hopefully!… https://t.co/nEYl3lpeMp

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Compensation for being at work at 7:30 am on a Sunday morning? The light through the East window and the total, perfect silence. ❤️ #churchconservation #buildingconservation #stoneconservation #objectconservation… https://t.co/M2X2g76069

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

This week I am repairing an 18th century flagstone floor at Bishopthorpe Palace. The work has involved a wide range of things- first a survey, then lifting and resetting rocking flags, investigating the stability and… https://t.co/7IReejEVA2

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

This week and next I am up a scaffold addressing some severe stone decay caused by a long term leaky roof. This is why maintenance is important! Plus it’s way more cost effective than remedial conservation. For… https://t.co/PSlEmLEqx9

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

It’s always a beautiful morning when the scaffolders arrive! Stone conservation projects progressing on numerous fronts in York- and it’s absolutely wonderful to be back on site! @ York, England https://t.co/vYuCFykx74

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

When a Victorian memorial plaque falls from the wall to the floor it becomes a bit of a puzzle and results in a lovely afternoon visit to assess the damage and take photographs for the preliminary condition report.… https://t.co/fKqpnsbWB3

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

@thecwordpodcast This was last night...today I’m conserving it and making it a pen holder. 😂

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

A REALLY big scaffold for restoration work on theglobestockton , which we visited today as part of the Heritage Construction course I’ve been teaching for the last few weeks. The students enjoyed it and so did I!… https://t.co/0lLpcqu76T

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

A week of teaching buildings conservation makes a change from the normal! We’ve just finished going over the health and safety legislation that may come into play when working on old buildings. Can’t wait for next… https://t.co/HpH4ZwGxSu

[Pierrette Squires @MuseumPierrette]

Working late preparing for a talk tomorrow and I think I may have found the perfect poem for conservators by the most awesome #EmilyDickinson
#Conservation

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Well that chisel has given up...gently removing some unsympathetic concrete fills from the Archbishop’s palace floor, readying it for stabilisation and replacing them with conservation-appropriate materials. Luckily… https://t.co/9uwHnwhVy3

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Beautiful day for an assessment in Yorkshire! Sun’s out and rain has (momentarily) stopped. Working in churches is always a pleasure, especially when they’re this beautiful. @ York https://t.co/zuRm2L8fyK

[Dr. Alaina Schmisseur @ArchaeoAlaina]

Still desk-based and writing a slew of conservation plans when the bell rang and the postman delivered this! Very excited to review the Getty’s new Herculaneum and the house of the bicentenary publication for ICON… https://t.co/kkt895p2bB