Dafydd, a white man in his late thirties with long brown and grey hair. He is looking to his right, smiling and inclined slightly forward. He is wearing a dark coat over a light sweater and is holding a pair of reading and sunglasses. The photo is in black and white.

Dafydd Williams

(he/him)

Summary

I came to conservation from the arts, where I worked with traditional photography techniques and printmaking, so it felt natural take the small step sidewards into the conservation of cultural heritage. Although there is a lot of crossover between the two, like the practical processes, historical techniques and creative problem solving, it is the structure and finite goal orientated nature of conservation I enjoy. I find it is a relief and good counterbalance to the more chaotic and haphazard nature of my art practice.  

I mostly like working with ceramics and works of art, but also the more abstract and esoteric ethical/philosophical knots conservation can sometimes tie itself up in. 

Looking over Dafydd’s shoulder as he applies adhesive to the break edges of the ceramic barrel. The barrel is held together with a strap clamp, and fills are visible in its sidewall.
Application of adhesive to the broken edges of the ceramic barrel.

Career Aspirations 

I hope to complete an MA in a specialist area of conservation linked to working with works of art on paper, canvas or wall paintings. I would also like to someday work on projects conserving heritage in post-conflict/natural disaster areas. 

Other Projects

As part of a group of students from the conservation department, I took part in a 5 week volunteer program at the Tækniminjasafn Austurlands (Technical Museum of East Iceland), Seyðisfjörður, Iceland. We were responsible for the conservation treatment and documentation of the museum’s collection that had been damaged after a devastating landslide. It had destroyed the museum and swept some of its collection into the fjord.  The museum is a small but important part of the community and does not have the resources or facilities for such largescale conservation projects. The experience taught me valuable lessons about what can be achieved despite this, and the importance of doing what you can even when you don’t have everything you need. I was also lucky enough to complete a 12-week placement in the painting conservation studio at the Studio Västsvensk Konservering (West Sweden Conservation Studio), Gothenburg,  Sweden. When I began my BA painting conservation was always what I had hoped to do, and although I got sidetracked by ceramic conservation, the placement gave me the opportunity to work with a part of conservation that was always in the back of my mind. Almost instantly the experience reminded me why I had always wanted to work with paintings, and it is something I can only hope I will get to do more of.     

Exhibition Objects

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A side by side image of the front and back of a shattered polychrome sheet of glass that depicts an infant St John in white robes leaning over the lap of a young seated St Elizabeth, robed in gold and blue, and is receiving an olive branch on a platter from and elderly St Zachariah, robed in green and red. The three figures are outside, there is a tree to their right, and mountain behind them. The fragments of glass are arranged in their correct position but with visible space between them.
Reverse Glass Mezzotint
Two large fragments of the bottom and sidewall of a brown ceramic barrel on a white background. The pale buff inside of the barrel is visible and is covered in smears of black dirt.
Stonenware Spirit Barrel