One of the main challenges in conservation is how to adapt the treatment of an item to the storage conditions in which the item will later be stored.

Critical Paths showcases the exciting creative talent of the College's Visual Arts students in the expansive Edward James Studios at West Dean, then at the Espacio Gallery in London. Exhibiting students present work developed over a year of intensive study, providing visitors with the opportunity to view original work by a group of emerging artists.

My first and most enduring project since joining the West Dean College Ceramics Conservation Department has been the tobacco leaf platter. It is through this object that I have learnt most of the skills that I will take away at the end of my graduate diploma year.

Much to my surprise, the second object that arrived on my bench in the Book Conservation Department was not a book at all, but a nineteenth-century French carriage clock travelling box.

One of the main attractions of the Ceramic Conservation course at West Dean College was the unique and fantastic opportunity of being able to work on "real" objects.

Masterclass from Museums and Heritage show in London last week, by Shayne Rivers MA (RCA), FIIC, MA Collections Care and Conservation Management (CCCM) Subject Leader, and PhD researcher.

Shayne's masterclass explored the following questions and offered an insight into CCCM at West Dean College.