Fall 2021

The sculpture was first dusted and cleaned using a diluted Murphy’s oil solution. The galvanized steel screws surrounding the goat skull were not original and thus removed and replaced with carriage flat head brass wood screws. Since these would be visible, they were first treated with a vinegar and salt solution to patina the brass to match with existing hardware.

Two other non-original galvanized steel screws were able to be removed: one located on the left front side of the boat. Another one that was visible securing one of the boat fins. Both were replaced with flat head #4 flat head brass wood screws and covered with cherry colored wood filler. Both patches were then painted with acrylic paint to match other hardware locations.

There were three spots of wood damage: one in the middle of the left side of the boat, one on the left back end, which had a large chunk missing, and one on top where pieces had separated. The first two were restored using wood chips and cherry colored wood filler to sculpt back the areas. Acrylic paint was then used to faux the sections to match the surrounding area as closely as possible. The last spot was re-adhered using wood glue.

Finally, the entire sculpture was thoroughly cleaned once more using a diluted Murphy’s oil and water solution to condition the wood.