William Donnelly

Biography

William Donnelly grew up in Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor’s in fine art degree, with a concentration in sculpture, from the University of Delaware and an MA in Preventive Conservation from Northumbria University, UK. Since Spring 2023, William has been pursuing a Museum Studies Certificate through the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), with a focus on Indigenous Cultural Heritage. Besides gaining a better understanding of museum management, his IAIA coursework has been undertaken to be informed of Indigenous history, to know who to turn to when we are tasked to care for Indigenous materials and to be aware Indigenous care practices.

As Winterthur Museum’s Preventive Conservator, William also leads a team of six technicians in caring for Winterthur Museum’s collections and core assets. The team focuses on Integrated Pest Management, Lighting Management, Environmental Management and Housekeeping. Besides collection care, the Preventive Conservation team supports projects led by internal clients, e.g., the Exhibitions, Registration, Interpretation & Engagement, and Conservation Departments. Those projects can include storage upgrades, assistance with large scale moves, inventory assistance, etc. William also supervises a paid internship for undergraduates in the Art Conservation Program at the University of Delaware. Funding for this opportunity has been generously provided by TruVue, Inc.

As an affiliated assistant professor in the WUDPAC program, William assists with teaching seminars for Preventive and Textile Blocks, both within the first year of study. In the second year of study, he consults with students on storage and mounting needs related to their treatment of objects and co-teaches a semester long course ARTC-667 Preventive Conservation Research and Applications (PCRA). He has also been a guest lecturer for undergraduate Art Conservation and Museum Studies courses. He sits on advisory committees for Preventive Majors and Minors, is an advisor for the RRF/VoCA research stream, Chairs the TruVue, Inc. Funding Committee and is a member of WUDPAC Faculty’s Curriculum Committee.