Laser Cleaning Workshop

Due to a lack of participants this workshop has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date. If you are interested in participating in the workshop, please contact SERCA directly via email at seregionconservationassoc@gmail.com

Instructor: Adam Jenkins
Cost: $650/person, Lunch will be provided both days
Maximum number of participants is 10 people.

This 2-day workshop will be a collaboration between the participants and Adam, combining theoretical and hands-on approaches to using laser cleaning techniques in conservation.   

Lasers, particularly neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) systems, have been used in the conservation of cultural property for over 30 years.  Initially laser technology was broadly applied to inorganic materials in objects conservation and architecture.  More recently, research has been focused on varying pulse durations and employing other wavelengths, to solve specific problems and for applications on paintings or other organic media.   

This workshop will focus on the fundamentals of laser cleaning using a Nd:YAG laser system and the parameters/approaches that are typically considered when using infrared radiation to clean cultural property.  Lecture topics covered will be laser safety, fundamentals of how lasers work and the general effects that the various laser parameters have on cleaning.  Some past projects will be presented.   Participants will be exposed to two or more different laser systems – at least one low-frequency, fixed optic system typically applied to bench work, and one high frequency system with a scanning optic that is more appropriate for work on architecture and/or outdoor sculpture.   Participants will have the opportunity to test the systems and discuss individual cleaning projects.  Participants are encouraged to bring samples for testing, but collections materials are not recommended unless discussed with the organizers prior to arrival.

About the Instructor

Adam Jenkins is a conservator of sculpture and decorative arts based in Philadelphia.  He works on diverse projects in a wide range of media for both individual collectors and large institutions across the country.  After initially training in laser cleaning at the National Museums Liverpool in 2001, he began a long exploration of the technology and has since taught or participated in dozens of training workshops across the US.  Adam has broad experience across several specialties and has worked extensively with a wide range of laser systems both in conservation labs and on larger architectural projects. 

Mr. Jenkins was trained in conservation at the Winterthur/University of Delaware and completed a three-year Mellon Fellowship in Objects Conservation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  For the past several years, Mr. Jenkins has been a regular guest lecturer for the conservation training program at the Winterthur/University of Delaware, the University of Pennsylvania, and for the conservation training program at the Institute for Fine Art at New York University.  He is a former member of the board of the Philadelphia Area Conservation Association (PACA), is a Professional Associate in the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC), and is a member of the International Institute for Conservation (IIC).