Recorded live in August 2025, this episode of the SAM Talks features conservator Robyn Ho, founder of c/o Studios, in conversation with SAM Exhibitions Manager Nick Baylart. Together they discuss Robyn’s recent project restoring SAM Collection artwork A pastoral scene by Frederick Reynolds, and unpack the art and science of conservation, from repairing holes in century-old canvases to restoring intent, meaning, and cultural significance.
Robyn shares her journey from architecture to art conservation and reveals how global partnerships and delicate micro-surgery techniques are helping safeguard artworks for generations to come.
About the conservation project
Frederick Reynolds’ A pastoral scene, c. 1910, was donated to SAM in the 1970s in a state of disrepair. Due to the unique circumstances of its deterioration, it was selected by c/o Studios as an ideal candidate for the Fusion 2: Asia Pacific conservation workshop held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a program supported by the Los Angeles-based Getty Foundation’s Conserving Canvas initiative. Conservation began in 2024 with the aim of restoring this painting to an exhibitable state, allowing SAM to share this unique piece of Shepparton history. The restored painting was recently displayed in the Stories from the SAM Collection exhibition from 2025-2026.
Top image supplied by c/o studios.