Comments on: Numbers Blog

By: Richard McCoy

Richard McCoy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:28:06 +0000

Thanks, Mary. The numbers have been waxed with automotive wax (but of course they are basically automotive coatings on the pieces). But I’ve always thought the silicon in car waxes was not profitable for outdoor sculptures as it makes it harder to put on subsequent coats of wax … I don’t have any evidence of this.

I typically use Trewax or Johnson’s Paste wax for periodic maintenance. We also make our own, harder paste wax here, which is based on the NPS recipe.

I was just looking through the Kipper book today and recommended the intern working with me this summer read it. It’s a really concise book, except that he calls conservators “conservationists.” A minor point, I know.

Best,
RM

By: Mary Striegel

Mary Striegel — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:38:54 +0000

Actually, I’ve seen car wax used on bronze scultures without serious side affects. You may want to try to get your ands on “The Care of Bronze Sculpture,” by Patrick V. Kipper, Path Publications 1996. It is written for a lay person.

By: Richard McCoy

Richard McCoy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:29:09 +0000

Thanks, Mary –

This is what we did last summer. I’m hoping to do a similar thing this summer.

You bring up some good points and tips for washing sculpture — the car analogy is excellent (just as long as nobody gets the clever idea to use car wax on bronzes!)

Best,
Richard

By: Mary Striegel

Mary Striegel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:31:14 +0000

Thanks for showing us this project. As you know, in addition to a gentle soap and water, a few other tools may be needed. This is for non- conservator types. You want to have soft bristle brushes in a variety of shapes, such as paint brushes and vegetable brushes. A good rule of thumb is this: if you wouldn’t use it on the hood of your car, don’t use it on a monument or artwork. If the brush has a metal ferrel, tape it with masking tape to insure that you don’t mar the surface of the artwork. Usually you want to lightly brush dirt from the surface first. Next, rinse the surface with clean water. Then apply soap and gently brush. Follow with a really good rinse. Hope this helps.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:15:38 +0000

No, Richard, I had not seen it and furthermore, I am sad that I missed my opportunity to bring your interns some sustenance in the form of chocolate. Ah, well, maybe next year.

By: Richard McCoy

Richard McCoy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:00:42 +0000

Meg — Yeah, you can find them if you dig around. You’ll have to walk the whole campus and make sure you go back down by the horticulture/grounds areas, otherwise known as the “barn.”

Also, the labels on the photographs didn’t come out so well so I want to list by name all the people that were involved in the sculpture wash:

Here’s the people in the first image (from left to right):
Kendra Dacey (conservation intern)
Courtney Von Stein (conservation intern)
Meghan Rubenstein (education intern)

In the second image:
Kasia Ploskonka (curatorial intern)

And the third image:
Kendra Dacey (conservation Intern)

By: Meg

Meg — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:18:26 +0000

50 artworks on the grounds! Wow…I might have to leave early today to find them all.