Winter Holidays are about Family LOVE - yes
The restoration of the figures included : one Holy Family, ,three shepherds, four sheep, three wise men and one donkey, graced by one lovely angel and displayed in a quite respectable stable.....I borrowed this and some other images of middle eastern sheep to get my mind right and was so charmed! Aren't they neat? bliss....
Ancient Family LIfestyle Y2K
In researching culture and content for my project in Christmas Crech restoration, I found this - a "today" family that looked just like our beloved Holy Family. I kept it handy to keep me on track.
Part of the Group BEFORE
The image here captures the "before" condition of the group 'gently' . It flatters, from respect. There was real damage - they were displayed at the holidays for SIXTY-SEVEN years. Even the special care they enjoyed cold not win over time.
All the figures had cracking and crazing , holes and parts missing - having been in use since 1939, that might be the case. At one time, there was an official care group at that church to respect its needs, but times changed and the members passed away till no one remembered how important it was to care for it well. Finally, even from a distance, they did not really look nice enough to show.
Additionally, old fiberglass gets osteoporosis of a sort...the smooth substance develops a network of tiny holes, just like human bones. Odd symbol, interesting, if rattling. Proper repairs and fillers would be put to work, then primer , new correct paint and then protective topcoat. Worth it.
Donkey on trip to Bethlehem in movie
Another reference photo from a film on the subject....helpful when restoring the donkey.....respect for the existing fiberglass figure happened of course, but where more donkey data was needed :-) , photos like this helped.
Angle 2 of Figures BEFORE restoration
two of the shepherds, their angel and two of three kings.
My angel is flapping her wings :-)
Angels don't sit still well. Always about it....one of the kings bowing to her powers
all noses were fine ... there is a story there...
This is a photo of one of the kings, with some of the injuries showing.
But it just occurred to me that, on all the figures, the noses were fine...for a church based in Rome - one of the homes of nose jokes, and descended from judaism, the symbolism was provocative, here, again. Other parts of the figures were "all banged up" but NOT the noses
I am surely, then , not the first to find this project fun :-)
Artist at work...early fall 2007
In the protective babushka wrap, my lucky Yale Silk scarf - to hold my brains in against the thinner fumes.
LIGHTS
"Before " photos needed to be done immediately. The work to restore was imminent. But my old camera had "disappeared" and someone tossed me a junkthing to take the first "before" photos. One had to plug it into the computer to upload the images later.....I was wrong - they were not junk - they had magic.
See the odd lights here , in the oldest Shepherd figure and in the Infant photo. Here, Mary's praying hands show she was with me on the project....and the entire Infant figure - GLOWED, while the aged Shepherd seemed to watch over me like Moses - fun. I am truly impressed! I did NOT Photoshop it. It just DID that.
bases on the figures
The figures always appeared on the Church Front lawn, in its full-sized stable and the bases buried under the straw to hide the nice heavy supports - no wind would daunt them.
But these wooden supports, too, had aged-out and some were broken. I did not have the wood or tools or man-strength to fix them, but we know who did....and it was done ....and very well done!
HOLY MOSES !
the way this one glowed when uploaded, made me jumpy - I was grateful he kept an eye on me and the good work...keeping him pleased and powerful was a treat.
"Lambkins" figures
they became fine pals and I did my best to let them know how appreciated they were.
A slightly clearer photo - sheep and donkey
At the feet of the Angle - out of range of the photo.
Jacob Sheep - Mommy and babes
The mother sheep and two of her lambs..she has only the two horns...hubby has four.
Jacob Sheep - Ram Four Horns
I thought this breed had become extinct, but not at all Their fine wool means they are found worldwide - not just in the MiddleEast, but here in America and my home State Connecticut and a major site in New York.
Primer in Progress for a Wise Man
The figures would have been ruined if I used paint remover on them - so the best I could do was gentle but firm scraping and sanding and extensive buffing to be sure the surface under it would not make the new paints peel or crack. You can see a faint memory of the original color, with some of the primer applied - the white part.
Figures Primed
At this point, the scrubbing and cleaning and super-rinse-acidfree-residue-removal was done, and the messy fixes could be done: broken parts were recreated with putty and filler and other sculpture tricks. Jesus' thumb was missing and that required secure wiring in of a 'backbone' on which was restored the thumb , taken from a model of one like it.
Once clean and repaired the the primer went on, and all the figures appeared white.
Primer done...face paint begun
For the most part, I worked as taught...from the top down , to avoid drip damage.
The new paints appear
You can see the angel robe and face and the face of Mary, with Joseph done also, but not visible.
lambies - real
more lambkins.. I think these may be a kind of cheviot....not sure. A page of the cool rare breeds:
http://deborahsilver.com/blog/tag/rare-sheep-breeds/
Wise man primed
The all white figures made a nice sculptural looking show - the lovely composition shows here well.
Tallest Shepherd
Cleaned down but not yet primed.
Youngest Shepherd - youngest lamb
those youngsters can never stand still
Reverence
Humbly we adore thee...
Shepherd detail -
Robes and laced sandals and more .
Mary
Cleaned down and the priming begun and the facial painting started
Reverence - "Before"
His right knee "got all banged up" - but his soul is strong and loving.
One of the Kings - homage
Here the figure is cleaned but the primer and new paint NOT yet applied. Patiently he waits, as I move among them.
The new paints take shape
Donkey got an entire new platform, and extensive re-dos and now the good paint for the famous servant to Mary and Joseph en route to Bethlehem.
Glowing Infant Jesus "before" photo
This wacky photo "happened" - no photoshop. So I was inspired and felt loved in the project. Fine memory of late summer afternoon with one more baby in my arms, cooing as I made repairs. Lucky me!
Angel and Company
The banner wil read the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" when it is done...but she is already happier...and the donkey smiles.
Eek! Industrious workspace!
It was hot and dusty - had to cover everything and sweep daily and in the storm season it leaked, and as Manger time neared, it was freezing.
My skin did NOT like it and when I was done restoring those guys, it was time restoring me.
And yet, the happiest and loveliest job! Do it again in a heartbeat.