Queen’s University Gilding Workshop, 2020
The Queen’s annual Gilding Workshop celebrated its 20th year run with Sacha Marie Levay of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts this year. We are pleased to announce that the workshop, which ran from March 5th to 7th 2020, was a great success.
Twelve students from the Master of Art Conservation program, along with two additional conservation professionals, participated in the three-day workshop. During the intensive, Sacha introduced the group to frame history and restoration techniques, and provided hands-on training in the application of oil and water gilding. Sacha taught us methods for production and proper application of rabbit-skin glue, gesso, bole, compo, and laying 24k gold leaf sheets. Each participant made four gilded tiles over the course of the workshop, which were used to practice a variety of finishing techniques including burnishing, punchwork, fluting, hassling, sgraffito, pastiglia, toning and patinas.
The organizing committee would like to give a huge thank you to the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators for their financial support in ensuring the workshop was a success. Thank you to the Queen’s Art History and Art Conservation departments for their additional financial support and for allowing us space in the conservation labs. Finally, thank you to Sacha for sharing your time, energy and expertise with us! Photos courtesy of Sacha.
Queen's University Gilding Workshop 2020, photo courtesy Sasha Marie Levay
Working with gold leaf, photo courtesy Sasha Marie Levay