Illustration of Alex Carlson

Restoration is something I have never done, so when i was asked to try my hand at the restoration of a beloved statue for a bar downtown, I was apprehensive to say the least.  The Green Dragon Tavern in downtown Boston was a second home for me through the months of working as a bike messenger.  Stanley, the Red Coat soldier that stood outside, was an icon of the small cobblestone street.  A few months back during a warm summer night, Stanley has his arm ripped off by a drunk trying to take his gun.  After an attempt to repair it was expanding foam and gorilla glue, the Green Dragon asked me to try my hand at fixing him.  Aside the terrible condition of his arm, Stanley was riddled with gouges, chips, and scratches.  After about six hours of filling in, sanding, and painting, Stanley may not be the picture of perfection, but he’s certainly better then before.  All of his repairs were made with Liquitex light molding paste, painted with acrylic paint, and then varnished.

Tags: art, boston, downtown, green dragon, illustration, painting, red coat, restoration, revolutionary war, soldier, statue, tavern