Doug Sanders is the Conservator of Works of Art on Paper and has been with our Art Conservation team for two years.

What do you do here at Newfields?

My title is Conservator of Works of Art on Paper. I'm responsible for the immediate care and long-term preservation of our paper-based art collections ranging from prints, drawings, and photographs to library materials and Asian screens and scrolls.

What education, work, or experience supports your role here?

I studied chemistry, art history, and studio art in college and went on to earn an MA degree in Conservation of Fine art on Paper. My work experience spans museums, historical societies and historic properties, libraries, archives, and private conservation labs. I've always had an interest in minutia and how things are made, arts and crafts, and the materiality of the natural world. It has been a wonderful career in that regard—the ability to invest my personal interests and skills in an institution such as Newfields.

Are you working on something exciting right now?

I have a personal and professional interest in the arts of East Asian cultures; works in which we have extensive holdings. Right now, several decorative Japanese screens have been selected for future exhibition. It's a pleasure and honor to be able to sit with them in my lab, at length, documenting their condition and advising on their proper display parameters. One screen pictured above contains calligraphy written by Morimoto Itsuzan, an 18th century Japanese intellectual and Sinophile. He wrote this verse in 'tensho' or seal script—an ancient form of Chinese writing. Though this calligraphy on paper dates to the mid 1700s, the silver-leafed and wood screen mount is more recent 21st century work.

What other interests do you have outside of work?

I try to get outside and active as much as possible whether by gardening, bicycling, or dog-walking. I also enjoy cooking and art making. Finally, I'm an armchair enthusiast and (minor) collector of Japanese ceramics.