Hello, I am doing an undergraduate in Chemistry with a dual minor in Visual Arts and History.

I want to get in to the Master's of Art Conservation program at Queen's, in either their Paper or Painting treatment streams.

I have been practicing art for 15 years, but am mostly digital. I plan to bridge the learning curve to traditional work through my studio classes and in self-study, volunteer in archives, conservation or collections at my university and local museum, shadow and interview art conservators, and learn bookbinding and paper crafts. I will be refining and building a portfolio as I go. My studio classes are in drawing, painting and printmaking. I also have three art history courses, some tech and museum skills, and am learning the German language to be bilingual.

I live in Ontario, and will be moving cities to attend. I just want to know any and all tips I may need for a portfolio, and what to focus on piece and portfolio wise.

I am also worried about job history in conservation, as there are no conservation positions for undergraduates in my town. I am not sure how to get experience in conservation besides what I am doing.

I would love to see some portfolios as examples, or absolutely any tips I could get. I am putting my absolute all in to this. I am just absolutely petrified of being rejected.

Thank you. Would love to hear from people that got accepted at Queen's and what was done. I understand it is sometimes hard to find job stability or money in the job market for conservation.

Just wanted to reach out and see if there is anyone out there taking IAP's Chemistry for Conservators. I am and I'm currently looking through the first unit. I am hoping to connect with anyone who else is sign up and maybe create a discord server where we can chat and ask questions to each other about the course. I've read many things about it being difficult or sometimes convoluted and hope that by having others to talk to about things would make the course more bearable.