About Ann
Ann Shaftel serves as a Preservation Consultant for international clients. Ann has the highest international credentials in this field: Fellow of the International Institute of Conservation, a Fellow of American Institute for Conservation, a member of Canadian Association of Professional Conservators. She holds an MS degree in Art Conservation, MA degree in Art History (Museum Studies), and has worked and studied at the ICCROM Center in Rome.
Ann’s clients include high profile museums, governments, universities, and churches worldwide, including: Art Institute of Chicago, American Museum of Natural History, The Field Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, Parks Canada, the RCMP, University of Melbourne, University of Delaware, Rubin Museum of Art, Jacques Marchais Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Hong Kong Central Conservation Center, Namgyal Institute (Sikkim), Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (India), and Shambhala International, amongst others. Ann conducts Museum Assessments for governments, with projects for the Canadian Department of National Defense, and the CAP and IMLS programs in the USA.
Ann Shaftel is active in Preservation Outreach in the media, with six years live-to-air on a radio phone-in show, two years of a newspaper column, and frequent television appearances on the topics of art, museums, and preservation: thus is skilled in explaining complicated issues in straightforward language. She has written and published many scholarly and practical articles; her latest was published in the Journal of Art Theft.
Ann is a team member of peer review panels for the Fulbright Specialists Programs and for IMLS grants. Ann teaches training sessions in preservation of world heritage in Australia, North America, Bhutan, India and China, and has traveled extensively through the Middle East.
USA, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2011
Exhibit Planning
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology
University of Michigan Museum of Art
Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, 2011
Exhibit and Storage Resources Tour
UBC Museum of Anthropology
Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, 2011
Exhibit and Storage Resources Tour
Thrangu Monastery
India, Mindrolling Monastery, Clementown, 2011
Consulting on Preservation of Sacred Treasures
Sponsored by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Nepal, Consulting on Preservation of Sacred Art, 2011
Research on Contemporary Thangka Techniques
Tsering Art School, Shechen Monastery
Sponsored by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Bhutan, Preservation of Sacred Treasures, 2011 Sponsored by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
USA, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2010 University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology Conservation Assessment
Canada, Calligraphy training with Kaz Tanahashi, 2010
USA, Boulder Shambala Meditation Center, 2010 Preservation of Paintings, Textiles and Statues
Canada, Council of Nova Scotia Archives, 2010 Preservation Workshop for Archivists
Canada, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, 2010 Preservation of Charitable Irish Society Banners
USA, Naropa University Library and Archives, 2010 Preservation Assessment Site Visit and Report
Canada, Halifax Shambhala Center, 2009 Preservation Assessment Site Visit and Report
USA, Art Institute of Chicago, 2008 Conservation Consultant
DND Nova Scotia Maritime Command Museum Restoration of Queens Colour
USA, Erie Art Museum, Pennsylvania, 2008 Museum Assessment Site Visit and Report, CAP
DND Manitoba HMCS Chippawa Naval Museum of Manitoba
DND Nova Scotia Maritime Command Museum Restoration of Queens Colour
USA, Washington DC, Smithsonian Year of Bhutan Celebration, 2008 Panel Discussions on Sacred Art; Smithsonian Scholars Visited My Art Conservation Training Session for Nuns in Bhutan, (a project of Friends of Bhutan's Culture with funding from the Getty Foundation).
India, Bir, Himachal Pradesh, 2007-8 Consulting on Preservation of Sacred Treasures Sponsored by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives Dharamsala 2007
National Gallery of Victoria, University of Melbourne Melbourne, Australia 2005 Thangka Conservation Workshop for Museum Curators, Conservators, Art Collectors, students, Buddhists, painters and the Public
Sikkim, India, Namgyal Institute, 2007-8 Trained staff in museology: documentation, safe handling, storage and display methods Conduct conservation condition survey of thangka collection Invited Lecturer at NIT Golden Jubilee Conference Sponsored by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation
India, Rumtek Monastery, Rumtek, Sikkim 1992, 2007, 2008 By invitation of HH Jamgon Kongtrul III, work in Rumtek Monastery training monks in safe handling and storage of sacred lineage treasures; returning by invitation in 2007 and 2008 to survey and document condition of thangkas nd design storage units for sacred art
Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche looking at Trungpa Rinpoche’s own paintings in Ann’s studio.
Friends of Bhutan's Culture with funding from the Getty Foundation 2007-8, 2006 Train nuns, monks and Government Staff in Preservation
USA, Winterthur Museum/University of Delaware 2006 Professional Preservation Workshop and Scientific Analysis Project
