{"id":7636,"date":"2017-05-30T17:40:44","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T17:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/?p=7636"},"modified":"2017-05-31T14:50:14","modified_gmt":"2017-05-31T14:50:14","slug":"preserving-norways-treasures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/2017\/05\/30\/preserving-norways-treasures\/","title":{"rendered":"Preserving Norway’s treasures"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Juliane
Juliane Derry \u201900 works on an artifact from Norway\u2019s national collection. As an objects conservator, she studies and preserves historical materials.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAs you can see, I\u2019m not in my office,\u201d says\u00a0Juliane Derry \u201900<\/strong> answering a video call and\u00a0gazing toward the cell phone resting in her outstretched palm. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a little crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind her, a warehouse complex comes into\u00a0focus. It looks tidy\u2014for the most part\u2014but\u00a0there\u2019s chaos emerging in what otherwise would\u00a0be a meticulously organized space.<\/p>\n

Derry is standing in one of the storage\u00a0facilities for Norway\u2019s Nasjonalmuseet<\/em>, the\u00a0National Museum of Art, Architecture and\u00a0Design, and she is responding to an immediate,\u00a0all-hands-on-deck plea to mitigate an unnerving\u00a0discovery in the archive: water.<\/p>\n

\u201cOxygen, light, and variations in\u00a0humidity are the things that cause\u00a0damage,\u201d Derry said, hours later,\u00a0offering a primer on the fundamental\u00a0culprits in the degradation of\u00a0historical materials. As a conservator\u00a0for the national museum in Oslo,\u00a0she plays a multifaceted role in\u00a0the institution\u2019s efforts to hold,\u00a0preserve, exhibit, and promote public\u00a0knowledge about Norway\u2019s most\u00a0extensive collections.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many different materials in our\u00a0collection that we have textile, paintings, paper,\u00a0and book conservators,\u201d said Derry, who is an\u00a0objects conservator specializing in furniture,\u00a0frames, and gilded surfaces. She has studied\u00a0restoration on three continents and has become\u00a0an expert in both preserving national treasures\u00a0and making new creations shine. Derry is\u00a0someone who excels at finding connections\u00a0between seemingly disparate areas. Her\u00a0conservation work blends science with artistry,\u00a0research with intuition, and the practical with\u00a0the theoretical.<\/p>\n

Derry\u2019s personal life has been filled with\u00a0complementary relationships as well. She was\u00a0born in Norway, and she lived there until age 15\u00a0when she, her sister, and her American mother\u00a0moved from the tiny alpine town of \u00c5l to the\u00a0densely populated Twin Cities lying on the edge\u00a0of Minnesota\u2019s prairie. Later, as an Augsburg\u00a0student, she focused on women\u2019s studies,\u00a0international relations, religion, and studio arts.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI took classes based on what interested me,\u201d\u00a0Derry said, shrugging her shoulders. \u201cWhen\u00a0you get out into the real world and meet new\u00a0people you begin to realize that [some of them]\u00a0followed a very narrow path. I\u2019m not looking\u00a0down on that in any way, but I appreciate the\u00a0fact that I was able to experience so many\u00a0different things.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As her former faculty advisor, History\u00a0Professor and Director of General Education\u00a0Jacqueline deVries<\/strong> acknowledges that\u00a0Derry is the type of person who thrives in\u00a0interdisciplinary programs like women\u2019s studies.\u00a0Now known as \u201cgender, sexuality, and\u00a0women\u2019s studies,\u201d the major includes courses\u00a0in biology, English, history, political science,\u00a0sociology, and other disciplines. And it seems\u00a0Derry\u2019s inclination toward diverse opportunities\u00a0only increases with time.<\/p>\n

\u201cJuliane\u2019s path is fantastic. She totally\u00a0wandered,\u201d said deVries, who now counts Derry\u00a0among her friends. \u201cI think she\u2019d laugh that I\u00a0said that, but along the way she discovered a\u00a0true passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Derry
Derry prepares an Oslo city model from the 1930s for display in an architectural exhibit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Derry\u2019s career in restoration and conservation\u00a0began because misdirected mail literally came\u00a0across her desk. Shortly after graduating\u00a0from Augsburg, Derry worked as an assistant\u00a0to buyers at Dayton\u2019s, Minneapolis\u2019 storied\u00a0hometown department store chain. Even though\u00a0she didn\u2019t support staff in the furniture division,\u00a0she received heaps of catalogs for that area.<\/p>\n

Eventually, a thoughtful colleague noticed\u00a0her growing interest in woodworking and\u00a0encouraged her to pursue her calling. After\u00a0some networking and introspection, Derry\u00a0signed up for a wood finishing program at\u00a0a technical college\u2014an experience that\u00a0ultimately led to her launching a small\u00a0business, obtaining an advanced degree,\u00a0and developing industry contacts around\u00a0the world.<\/p>\n

One of those connections is Don\u00a0Williams<\/strong>, an author, educator, scholar,\u00a0and furniture conservator who retired after\u00a0serving the Smithsonian Institution for 29\u00a0years. Williams was a guest lecturer who\u00a0instructed Derry during her Minnesota-based\u00a0finishing program, and he became\u00a0a mentor as she took her education and\u00a0career to new levels.<\/p>\n

Williams has taught hundreds of\u00a0students, and he\u2019s noticed that those who\u00a0succeed often have similar predispositions.\u00a0\u201cHow many people do you know who\u00a0are both scientists and artists?\u201d he\u00a0asked. \u201cThat\u2019s what we are. If you are not\u00a0consumed by creativity, this is going to be\u00a0a miserable path for you. People need not\u00a0only creativity but also curiosity.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Derry, an eagerness to experiment\u00a0and to learn has triggered some of her most\u00a0defining life events.<\/p>\n

\"Juliana
During her career, Derry has restored furniture, objects, frames, and gilded surfaces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After working a handful of day jobs and\u00a0operating an independent business in the\u00a0U.S. for three years, Derry enrolled in an\u00a0immersive, full-time restoration program\u00a0near Florence, Italy. There she gained\u00a0studio experience and new skill sets,\u00a0including the ability to speak Italian through\u00a0a crash course lasting a single month. After\u00a0completing the restoration program, Derry\u00a0moved with her wife, Jody Scholz \u201997<\/strong>, to\u00a0Norway. Derry was armed with a portfolio\u00a0of recent work and ambition to relaunch her\u00a0business in the Land of the Midnight Sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ended up making a CD full of pictures\u00a0of various restoration projects, and I made\u00a0the rounds in town,\u201d she said. \u201cI looked up\u00a0people in the yellow pages and then handed\u00a0out my pictures. In the beginning I worked\u00a0a little bit at a frame shop, and then I got a\u00a0job in a gallery where I restored frames.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the years since, Derry\u2019s workload\u00a0has grown to match her expertise, and\u00a0sometimes her expertise has grown due to\u00a0the requirements of her work.<\/p>\n

She earned a master\u2019s degree at the\u00a0University of Oslo\u2019s Institute of Archeology,\u00a0Conservation, and History by completing a\u00a0project-based thesis that examined shellac,\u00a0a sealant created using a resin secreted by\u00a0insects. For this project, Derry conducted\u00a0fieldwork in the rural Jharkhand region of\u00a0India where villagers harvest stick lac\u2014the\u00a0key ingredient that becomes shellac and\u00a0its by-products\u2014and she analyzed the\u00a0chemical characteristics of several samples\u00a0at the Smithsonian\u2019s Museum Conservation\u00a0Institute where Williams served as her\u00a0internship sponsor.<\/p>\n

\u201cInvestigative problem-solving\u201d is one of\u00a0the aspects Derry said she most enjoys about\u00a0her field, and her liberal arts experience at\u00a0Augsburg informs the way she approaches her\u00a0assignments. She uses traditional techniques\u00a0and materials in her conservation projects\u00a0whenever possible, and her ability to think\u00a0critically is paramount.<\/p>\n

\"Derry
Derry touches up chipped paint.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While employed at a furniture restoration\u00a0company, she was tasked with repairing\u00a0beloved pieces used by the Oscarshall\u00a0Summer Palace, the Office of the Prime\u00a0Minister, and private clients. She also has\u00a0served Fortidsminneforeningen<\/em>, a nonprofit\u00a0that preserves and protects monuments,\u00a0including 40 of the stave churches located\u00a0throughout Norway.<\/p>\n

\u201cAshes to ashes and dust to dust is not\u00a0only a homily, it is an inexorable law of\u00a0the universe,\u201d said Williams, describing\u00a0the vital role individuals like Derry play\u00a0in preserving cultural heritage for future\u00a0generations. \u201cEverything is going back to\u00a0dust. As conservators, it is our job\u2014to\u00a0the extent that is rational\u2014to slow that\u00a0process down and concurrently enjoy and\u00a0extract the most utility from an artifact on\u00a0its path.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today Derry\u2019s workdays primarily are\u00a0devoted to making internationally important\u00a0materials accessible to the general public.\u00a0At the national museum, she has completed\u00a0assignments that range from applying gold\u00a0leaf on the frames of masterworks to cleaning\u00a0a plaster-of-Paris city model measuring more\u00a0than 100 square feet. And still, her current\u00a0undertaking is the largest one yet.<\/p>\n

\"Derry
Derry cares for mirrored objects in Norway’s national collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Norwegian government is building\u00a0a joint \u201call-arts\u201d museum, which is slated\u00a0to open in Oslo in 2020. Intended to be a\u00a0dynamic arena for people to interact with\u00a0the visual arts, the space requires new\u00a0exhibits so curators and conservators are\u00a0working hand-in-hand to select and prepare\u00a0pieces for display. Derry is in the midst\u00a0of locating, evaluating, cataloguing, and\u00a0potentially repairing 400 pieces of furniture\u00a0for the museum.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a process that requires passion and\u00a0persistence\u2014two words that also perfectly\u00a0describe the manner in which Derry has\u00a0shaped her career. She\u2019s prepared to\u00a0address new challenges if issues arise in a\u00a0workshop, at a laboratory bench, or during\u00a0the process of managing complex projects.<\/p>\n

Even in a soggy situation at a storage\u00a0venue, Derry sees the annoyance of\u00a0rewrapping objects impacted by a minor\u00a0cooling system leak as an opportunity to\u00a0formulate a plan for the future should staff\u00a0ever need to address a true disaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe can pursue something with\u00a0intelligence and diligence and still with a\u00a0smile on her face,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0an unusual gift.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

[Top image]:<\/strong> Juliane Derry \u201900<\/strong> works on an artifact from Norway\u2019s national collection. As an objects conservator, she studies and preserves historical materials. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Photos courtesy of Annar Bj\u00f8rgli<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAs you can see, I\u2019m not in my office,\u201d says\u00a0Juliane Derry \u201900 answering a video call and\u00a0gazing toward the cell phone resting in her outstretched palm. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a little crisis.\u201d Behind her, a warehouse complex comes into\u00a0focus. It looks tidy\u2014for the most part\u2014but\u00a0there\u2019s chaos emerging in what otherwise would\u00a0be a meticulously organized space. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":8077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-7636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-stories","tag-spring-summer-2017"],"wps_subtitle":"Augsburg alumna's career in object conservation spans continents","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7636"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8124,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7636\/revisions\/8124"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}