The preparators at the Museum assist in the unpacking of all the art that enters the DMA and ensure that it is handled, stored, and installed in the safest manner possible. Eight people share this office space, with two shared computers. On most days we are only in here during lunches, breaks, and an occasional meeting, so this becomes more of a holding space for our tools, fasteners, touch-up paints, and assorted specialty jigs. The large central table serves as a workspace for covering decks and lifts, as well as being our lunch table. The bulletin board is nicknamed our “wall of shame,” holding photographs and collages of a variety of subjects. As we are always on the go, jumping from one project to another very quickly, this place rarely gets organized, but we always manage to find that one necessary specialty thing-a-ma-bob when it is needed.
Mary Nicolett is a preparator at the DMA
