Summary

Abigail Mack has a Master of Arts and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Conservation from the State University of New York College at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been working in museums since 1989 and is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historical and Artistic Works.

Ms. Mack's private practice focuses on the treatment and the general preservation of fine art sculpture, outdoor sculpture, and historical and anthropological objects from museums, private collections, and art dealers. She is a consultant to the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC on the development of a series of matte outdoor paints for sculpture. This work uses military camouflage paints as a model and is being performed in conjunction with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

Museum Experience

From 1999 to 2006, Abigail Mack was an Associate Object Conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where she participated in all aspects of art conservation for modern, traditional, and outdoor sculpture. She served as a courier for NGA objects on loan to national and international venues, and helped develop the renovation plan for the NGA's Object Conservation Laboratory. Ms. Mack was the lead conservator for many extensive treatments by artists such as Alexander Calder, Tony Smith, Andy Goldsworthy, Jean Houdon, Isamu Noguchi, and Andrea del Verrocchio. She was awarded Outstanding Service Awards for her work on the opening of the NGA's sculpture garden and sculpture galleries, and her treatment of Alexander Calder's mobile "Untitled," -the centerpiece of the NGA's East Building lobby.

Ms. Mack has previously served as a Contract Conservator at the Brooklyn Museum of Art; the Head of the Objects Conservation Department at the Rocky Mountain Conservation Center in Denver, CO; an Assistant Conservator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science; and a Contract Conservator for Denver Museum of Art.

Teachings, Surveys, and Workshops

Abigail Mack taught an introductory course on conservation for the University of Denver's Master of Museum Studies Program and was a guest lecturer for the Museum Studies course at the State University of New York at New Paltz. She has conducted workshops on the handling and transportation of art objects for museum professionals and private moving companies. Ms Mack has also prepared numerous object-specific and general surveys for museums, including Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) surveys for the University of Denver's Laboratory of Anthropology and the Littleton, CO Historical Museum.

Contact Information:
P.O. BOX 155
RED HOOK, NY 12571
STUDIO (845) 758-4054
e-mail: amack@abigailmack.com

Consolidating the edge of a fragile modern sculpture that consists of mussel shells and polyester resin. A white, string grid, sits over the top of the sculpture and is used to keep track of repaired areas.

Inpainting fills after consolidation, repair, and filling surface losses on the neck on this Pre-Columbian style art object.

Reinstallation of a monumental scale art object after structural repair of moveable parts and overall repainting.

After many years of outdoor display this zinc sculpture of Benjamin Franklin is being cleaned in preparation for repair.

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