About

I have been an accredited member (ACR) of the United Kingdom Institute for Conservation (ICON) since 1999 and am included in the Conservation Register of quality conservators maintained by ICON.

I trained as apprentice and assistant to Danielle Bosworth ACR, my teacher and mentor, to whom I owe so much, not least for her guidance in helping me to achieve the qualification of the Museum’s Association Certificate in Textile Conservation (ConsCert) in 1990.

I went on to be appointed Senior Textile Conservator at the National Trust’s Textile Conservation Studio, led by Ksynia Marko ACR, where I worked as part of a wonderful small team on some outstanding projects in the beautiful surroundings of Blickling Hall and hence my introduction to Norfolk.

Thinking to change tack, I left in 1996, to study, as a mature student, for a degree in History of Art & Architecture at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia.

However, the call back to hands-on practical conservation remained with me. On achieving my degree, I set up my own studio and business in 1999. Over the past 20 years, I have carried out and been involved with a whole mixture of projects, both in the studio and on site, working for all manner of owners – Charitable Trusts, Museums, Galleries, collectors and private individuals.

From the start, I have been on the National Trust’s list of approved suppliers. In 2019 I was appointed as the Trust’s National Specialist, Textile Conservation Adviser, leaving in January 2020 to return to freelance work.

The studio is a corporate member of the Historic Houses Association.

Melanie Leach BA (Hons), ConsCert, ACR