Alice (Al) Copley
Assistant conservator
Alice (Al) joined the MAC as Assistant Conservator in November 2023, bringing with her a strong academic background and hands-on experience in the field of art conservation. Alice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from The University of Manchester, where she focused her studies on 20th century art, design, and architecture. In 2018, she deepened her understanding of conservation science by earning the Chemistry for Conservators certificate from the International Academic Projects (IAP). She continued her professional development at The Courtauld Institute of Art, where she studied painting conservation and was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings in 2022. Before beginning her conservation training, Alice spent three years at Waddington Custot, a modern and contemporary art gallery in London. During her time there, she expanded her knowledge of modern and contemporary art and the art market, which fueled her interest in the materiality of paintings. Throughout her training and after graduation, Alice gained extensive practical experience in private studios across the U.K., including Hamish Dewar Ltd, Plowden & Smith Ltd, Ruth Bubb, and Julia Korner Fine Art Specialist. These opportunities allowed her to develop a broad range of conservation skills and techniques. Prior to joining MAC, Alice spent a year as a Paintings Fellow at Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL) in The Netherlands. During her fellowship, she expanded her conservation techniques and contributed to research in the field, further enhancing her expertise.
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