Conservation
Bio
Beth Knight joined the Museum as a textile conservator in 2020. She was previously the textile conservator for Girlhood (It's Complicated) at the National Museum of American History. Prior to that she was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Textile Conservation at the National Museum of the American Indian. She earned an MPhil in Textile Conservation from the University of Glasgow Centre for Textile Conservation where her dissertation research investigated rust stain removal from cellulosic textiles. She has a BA in Art Conservation and a BA in Art History from the University of Delaware. Her interest in organic and inorganic material interactions stems from internships including the Conservation of Sculpture and Objects Studio, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Chicago History Museum. She is active in the Washington Conservation Guild where she was an Intern and Fellow Coordinator from 2018-2020. Her favorite objects are the ones that stretch the definition of a textile. As a member of the Transformation Team, she collaborates with curators, exhibits specialists, and collections specialists to prepare a wide range of objects for display.
Selected Publications and Presentations
Frances Lennard, Reggie Meredith Fitiao, Su’a Tupuola Uilisone Fitiao, Ruby Antonowicz-Behnan, Beth Knight. 2020. “Conservation as part of ‘Situating Pacific Barkcloth in Time and Place’: improving preservation, enhancing access and sharing knowledge.” In Material Approaches to Polynesian Barkcloth: Cloth, Collections, Communities, edited by Frances Lennard and Andy Mills. Leiden: Sidestone Press.
Beth Knight, Edward Vicenzi, and Thomas Lam. 2019. "Characterization and Treatment Testing of Rust Stains on Beaded Hide Garments." Western Association for Art Conservation Annual Meeting. Los Angeles, CA: Getty Conservation Institute.
Beth Knight. 2019. "Characterization and Removal of Rust Stains on Native Tanned Hide." Washington Conservation Guild’s Three-Ring Circus. Washington, DC: Washington Conservation Guild.
Beth Knight. 2019. "Inaugural Exhibit for the Inaugural Issue." SI National Collections Program Newsletter, January 2019.
Susan Heald and Beth Knight. 2018. "Surface Cleaning for Textiles and Garments." International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums. Prior Lake, MN: Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums.
Elizabeth Knight. 2017. “An Investigation of Alternative Reducing Agents to Sodium Dithionite for Solubilizing Rust Stains on Cotton.” Master's dissertation, University of Glasgow.
Beth Knight. 2013. "Conservation Treatment of a 1911 Graduation Gown." Common Threads: A History of Fashion through a Woman's Eyes. Newark, DE: University of Delaware Museum.