Ukrainian paintings conservator Ahneta had to leave her country in 2022 due to Russia’s invasion, and has been continuing her training in the UK with Katya Belaia-Selzer. QEST funding will support a formal apprenticeship for Ahneta, allowing her to continue working as a conservator and taking responsibility for all aspects of studio work on paintings, frames and decorative art objects. She will learn new approaches and methods, master new materials such as synthetic conservation materials and work with historic house collections.
The apprenticeship will also give her fundamental understanding of the UK’s conservation standards and approaches, which differ from those in Ukraine, and train her to look at objects in a holistic way as part of their settings and historic environments. Ahneta’s future goal is to establish herself as a professional conservator-restorer in the UK and to also continue practising as an artist. She specialises in the Petrikivka decorative art technique, which is part of her Ukrainian heritage.
