Questions before answers

If you don't have the answers, then you have space for the questions! In trying to preserve our heritage and "do right by" artifacts, it is imperative we ask the right questions first. The way conservators are trained, however,is to get caught up in naming ("this is a Flemish bond and that is a French polished door") even though we know from neuroscience that the minute we name something, our minds categorize it in ways that stop us from seeing detail and correlation

My Covid Vacation Part 2: Biofilms and Masonry Repair

Biofilm removal from on top of and below waterproofing layers on these marble lions exemplifies our work on cleaning sculptures, cemetery headstones, and doing cleaning mockups on buildings in a more sensitive and long-lasting manner than is typically used.

What is that black stuff growing on our buildings? Biofilm cleaning challenges for buildings

Black slime is attacking our national monuments and buildings ... and it's all our fault. The methods of building cleaning the last 30 years have created a difficult to remove biological soup on our buildings. Here is why we need to change our ways.