Thangka Conservation

Susan Bennet

Susan has been restoring and conserving art for over three decades, focusing on thangka paintings for the last 20 years. She graduated from the Boston Museum School and Tufts University, going on to work with Loring Thomas Conservation in Brookline, MA and later apprenticed under Jean Michel Terrier, one of the world's foremost thangka conservators over a period of 5 years in Paris, France. She works with pieces that date back back to the 13th c., using mineral pigments and binders similar to those used by the artist/monks that created these masterpieces. This may include pigments such as cinnabar, malachite and azurite, as well as indigo and alizarin dye tints.

Her aim is to maintain the integrity of the painting, reviving the spirit of the artist's vision while enhancing its lifespan. This can involve cleaning, repairing tears, stabilizing the support material and in-painting. She has worked on collections throughout the world and is a member of the American Institute of Conservation.

References are available upon request.