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jody hanson
jody hanson

Mountmaking course offerings at Brooklyn Metal Works

Hiya all-


I'm teaching in Brooklyn again this January for a long weekend


Thursday, Jan 22 evening is the opening lecture for the "short course" and the "conservator and conservation/museum studies student course".


The "short course" continues on Friday and Saturday.

The "conservator and conservation/museum studies student course" is conducted on Sunday. This course covers working without a workshop and how to work with mountmakers. We will touch on insurance and contracting.


I'm happy to answer any questions that you have about these offerings.


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annanelsoannanelso

Insurance for freelancers?

Hi all,

I have a time sensitive question about insurance, and any advice is appreciated!


I’m just starting out in mountmaking, and I’ve taken a few freelance jobs doing acrylic book cradles. I was covered by the last place I worked, but now I’m getting more requests from private clients (which is awesome!) but I don’t really make enough yet to justify a yearly insurance policy of ~$600.


I have some requests for jobs in the next few months, so I need to get coverage fairly quickly.

Does anyone know of a project-based insurance solution for this? I know other types of jobs have event insurance, but obviously mountmaking requires a level of coverage and it’s super specific.

(Right now I’m only doing acrylic, and only working on site, not at my home/studio, so at least that’s not an issue)


65 Views
James Gielow
James Gielow
7 days ago

Are these jobs at museums or private collectors? The former would typically need a COI for any contract work involving collection objects.


Private collectors you can possibly use a release of liability contract as their objects should be insured. Make sure their insurance covers travel as well if youre taking objects back to your studio.


Hartford is the brokerage I use and I modeled my coverage after a conservator colleagues policy. Happy to share that with you for specifics if it helps.

James Gielow

The Next Generation of Mountmakers

Lately in conversations with colleagues as well as new mountmakers a familiar subject comes up. As older master mountmakers are beginning to retire and step away from institutions and independent businesses, who is replacing them? Does this new generation have access to real and meaningful training to become master mountmakers?


This was also a problem for me coming up 20 years ago. Seeking out classes or books in a relative void. Benchmark would have a class every 4-5 years it seemed. Literature was laughably sparce, or 30 years outdated. I've even experienced my fair share of gatekeeping. Gross.


When talking to beginners the last few weeks, I hear the same complaints that I had 20 years ago. Recent searches for a master mountmaker that can do independent traveling gigs has bore such little fruit I'm officially being proactive about this gulf.


Before I begin to solidify fixes, I REALLY want…


139 Views
annanelso
Nov 12

Thanks so much for reaching out to us new folks, James!

I’m based in LA and would love to join any class you offer, and/or a contract shadowing situation.

I’ve been a museum/gallery prep for 5 years, and I’ve struggled to get my foot in the door with mountmaking. I even went and took welding and jewelry classes at night school to get more experience, but there is still not a good way to bridge that gap to getting my own clients. Most of the mountmakers at the big institutions are, in many cases, not allowed to do training, especially not for freelance preps like me. The freelance mountmakers I’ve met in LA have been encouraging, but no one has had the time/interest in doing an apprenticeship situation.


One huge hurdle that’s come up is that Im starting to get a few gigs doing acrylic mounts for book cradles, but Hartford wouldn’t insure me, since I don’t make enough at this stage to justify a policy!

If anyone knows of a way I can get coverage for individual gigs that’s not super expensive, I’d love to know!

Thanks again James, I’d love to be on that email list!

Anna

JasonTeraoka

IMF 2026?

Hi all, long time lurker here. Forever grateful that this safe space exists for all us wayward mount makers scattered around the world. IMF has kept me in touch, informed and motivated whenever toiling away in my dark, little corner of the museum.


My question, is there any update to the Who/What/Where the next IMF Conference will be?


Aloha

Jason

169 Views
bjfarrar
Nov 05

Hey Jason, Great question- we hope to announce conference details soon!

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