I am an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Conservation and Built Heritage, University of Malta where I teach Paintings technology and Conservation in the newly established MSc in Conservation of Decorative Architectural Surfaces. I trained as a paintings conservator at the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (Rome), where I also gained a specialization in Stone Conservation in 1993. After working as a paintings and stone conservator in Italy and Canada, I joined the Malta Centre for Restoration (MCR) in 1999 where I stayed until 2002 as co-ordinator of the Paintings Conservation Division, and lecturer in Wall Painting Conservation. Between 2002-4 I read for a MPhil degree at the University of Malta on the deterioration and conservation of an oil painting on stone by Giuseppe Calì. Since then I continued working as a conservator until I joined the University of Malta in 2009 as Project Assistant for a EU project dealing with youth and conservation of the built heritage. I became Assistant Lecturer in 2012, and I have recently completed my PhD thesis entitled "The technology of Baroque Wall Paintings in Malta: Materials and Implications for their Conservation" at the University of Malta.
Traditional Materials and Technique of Paintings
Technology of wall paintings
Inherent causes of deterioration of wall paintings
Environmental causes of deterioration, in particular salt deterioration
Analytical techniques, with an emphasis on non-invasive methods and microscopy
Materials and methods of remedial interventions
Effects of past conservation-restoration treatments