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Stream: Treatment
Specialization: Paper

Areas of Interests: book conservation, works of art on paper.

Sophie Thompson received a BA in Art History and Anthropology in 2022 and a Master of Information Studies in 2024, both from McGill University. During this time, she gained experience at the Osler Library of the History of Medicine, where she was involved in archival accessioning and preservation projects, and developed a strong interest in rare books and special collections. She then moved to the McGill University Visual Arts Collection, where she directed an overhaul of VAC archival collections arrangement.

Sophie was fortunate to gain pre-program conservation experience with San Gemini Preservation Studies in San Gemini, Italy. She continues to explore her own artistic practice, chiefly in linocut and other printmaking techniques.

Stream: Treatment

Specialization: Painting

Areas of Interest: Historical painting, fresco and wall paintings, pigment and dye chemistry, instrumental analysis

Siena Wong combines a strong background in science with a foundation in art history and studio art. After studying traditional drawing, painting, and printmaking at OCAD University, she pursued an Honours BSc in Chemistry at the University of Ottawa, followed by a MASc degree in Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto where her research explored pigment-like phthalocyanine derivatives and their applications in the emerging technology sector as light emitters and absorbers. Her professional experience includes time spent as a research chemist developing materials for OLED technologies. In the field of conservation, Siena’s interests lie in further understanding pigments and applying a materials science approach to the treatment and preservation of cultural heritage.

Stream: Conservation Science

Areas of Interest: Materials characterization and degradation, preventive conservation, technical studies of art, indoor atmospheric chemistry

Jasper Montgomery is an emerging conservation scientist with a background in analytical chemistry. In 2023, she graduated with Departmental Honors from Northwestern University, receiving a combined Bachelor of Arts / Master of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Art History. She conducted her thesis research in nanochemistry under the supervision of Professor Teri Odom. Between coursework and research, she gained experience with multiple analytical instruments for the characterization of materials, namely TEM, FTIR, NMR, and XRD. Before coming to Queen’s, Jasper worked as a summer intern in the Scientific Research Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She employed Oddy tests, GC/MS, and Raman to study the suitability of materials for use within museum spaces, attempting to relate detected VOCs to observed corrosion on Oddy coupons.

Stream: Treatment

Specialization: Painting

Areas of interest: pigments, Oil paintings from the Renaissance to the 20th century

Nerine Cavadias graduated from the University of Guelph in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts Honours, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Art History. During her studies she developed her own artistic practice, specializing in painting and drawing. Before coming to Queens, Nerine completed an internship at Toronto Art Restoration INC. where she digitized an archive of yearbooks and completed the digital restoration of photographic media. 

Stream: Treatment

Specialization: Paper

Areas of Interest: Printmaking, Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints, traditional Chinese ink paintings, chemistry characterization techniques 

Sophie Wei graduated from the University of Alberta in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Art & Design. During her undergraduate degree, she gained chemistry research lab experience as a Research Student in the Chalifoux lab, working to synthesize the precursor material of chiral picene. She also completed a range of printmaking studio courses, which deepened her exploration of paper materials. Combining her chemistry and printmaking knowledge, she discovered her interest in paper conservation. Aside from art conservation, she enjoys oil painting and snowboarding in her free time.

Stream: Treatment

Specialization: Painting

Kaeli Wood is an aspiring Art Conservator. She currently holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Art History with a minor in Visual Art from the University of Regina. She completed an additional year of training in fine arts to learn more painting, drawing, and printmaking skills before attending the Art Conservation program. Kaeli volunteered at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan. where she assisted on many projects including reorganizing the vault, moving objects, treatments, filing, and paperwork management. This experience provided her with valuable perspectives on how museums function. Kaeli had the wonderful opportunity to study at San Gemini Preservation Studies, Italy, where she learned traditional painting methods and the ethics of conservation. This experience encouraged her to learn more about how to conserve paintings.

Stream: Treatment
Specialization: Artifacts

Areas of Interests: Modern materials; 19th and 20th century objects; crafts, decorative art and design; conservation ethics

Axelle Chevalier-Héroux completed her two-year Natural Sciences degree (2016) at Cégep du Vieux Montréal and earned her B.A. (2020) and M.A. (2024) in Art History from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her master’s thesis focused on the architecture of the Musée d’archéologie de l’Est du Québec, a notable 20th-century concrete museum in Rivière-du-Loup.

She has gained extensive experience in collections care and management at the Musée Bas-Saint-Laurent and the Musée des métiers d’art du Québec, where she handled inventory, preventive conservation, photo-documentation, rehousing, and condition reporting. Additionally, she attended workshops by the Canadian Conservation Institute, enhancing her expertise in the care of various materials. Recently, Axelle Chevalier-Héroux was awarded the Duncan and Urlla Carmichael Fellowship.

Major Fields of Interest: Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee cultural creations, stone materialities, decolonial methodologies and techniques of material analysis

Undergraduate Experience: B.A.H. Art History, Queen’s University (2016)

Graduate Experiences:

M.Sc. Cultural Heritage Materials and Technologies (2019); University of the Peloponnese - Kalamata, Greece.

M.A.C. Art Conservation – Treatment Steam (2018); Queen’s University

PhD Research Project: Stories in Stone: Multi-level analysis of ground stone tools at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

Supervisor: Dr. Norman Vorano

Major Fields of Interest: contemporary art, curating art, biennials

Undergraduate Experience: Bachelor of Arts Honours Queen’s University, Art History Major, History Minor

MA Research Project Topic: Quasi-Embassies and the Advantages of Historic Visibility at the 60th Venice Biennale

Supervisor: Dr. Jen Kennedy

Major Fields of Interest: Baroque Art

Undergraduate Experience: Queen’s University, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) with Art History Minor.

MA Topic: Italian Baroque Paintings

Supervisor: Dr. Gauvin Bailey