Famous Marching Band Mural Restored in Porterville, California - Preserving

The mural "Marching through Time" required assistance to continue marching since it was flaking so severely that many people had given up hope. But the original muralist, Glen Hill, contacted Scott M. Haskins, an art and mural conservator, who understood just how to handle the issues and make the piece last for several more generations.

Twelve years ago, the mural, which measures 17 by 100 feet and is freestanding, was inaugurated in Centennial Park next to Porterville City Hall. The mural represents the history of the town's high school marching band, which has existed for 100 years, and the first four band directors of the city, In the context of the enormous attention that their rivalry gave them, we may mention Frank Howard, Frank "Buck" Shaffer, Dale Anderson, and Bill Robbins

Due to poor judgment twelve years ago, they chose materials that damaged the mural by hastening its aging. "Even though this artwork has only been in place for 10 to 12 years, the paint and resin layers are coming off like they were applied fifty years ago. Its state is a complete disaster".

Haskins, Chief Art Conservator at Fine Art Conservation Laboratories, FACL, in Santa Barbara, was engaged to oversee the restoration of the mural after it was approved for repair and repainting by the Porterville City Council on September 20. The Council also authorized the city's cannabis dispensary earnings on that day to aid in paying for the repair. Haskins was brought in with the expectation that this restoration will be long- lasting to retain and stabilize the peeling paint layers. This was done in the hopes that the original artist, Glen Hill, will be able to finish the touch-up and repainting.

Haskins will return to apply a protective coating selected by the mural preservation department of the Dept. of Cultural Affairs in Los Angeles to preserve public art against vandalism after Hill has finished the pictorial repair. According to Haskins, a mural guard firm in Costa Mesa provides the "anti-graffiti" varnish that makes it feasible to erase the graffiti without harming the mural's paint.

Haskins has been working professionally in art and mural conservation since living in Italy in 1975 and performes fine art conservation work around the country.

He worked on the removal of a mural from the United Nations Headquarters in New York two weeks ago. As of next week, he will be working on WPA (Works Progress Administration from WWII period) murals in Los Angeles. He has also completed significant mural restoration projects in Dallas, and Salt Lake City, We are also the only expert painting conservation services in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, he added.

Haskins worked on the initial stage of the mural restoration on Tuesday and Wednesday, slowing and repairing the painting's degradation. He glanced through his phone during our meeting on Wednesday and pointed to pictures he had taken while working on Tuesday on places with extreme peeling and on areas where earlier touch- ups didn't match. He described it as "terrible," adding that the paint had become "chalky" and was wearing off.

Haskins also noted that hydrolysis, the chemical breakdown of oils in the paint due to contact with water and light, was an issue. It is crucial to stop the peeling and delamination from happening again. because it penetrates into cracks and gives us stabilization".

Glen Hill will return to the mural for final touches during the second phase. Haskins talked of the beneficial partnership, Haskins stated, "We stabilize it, Hill gives it a fantastic aesthetic appeal, and then we go back to make sure the public art is safeguarded (as much as possible)." "In the end, you have a mural that will look wonderful and may be here for decades."

High school student Christian Rogers from Exeter's Elenore Roosevelt High School is assisting Haskins with the repair. Haskins described him as a great person and "a good worker" who has assisted his father on building and construction projects. On Wednesday, Rogers assisted Haskins in finishing the upper portion of the mural. Rogers described how the solution "seeps into the painting so the color grows brighter" when he applied it to the mural.

As a member of the Porterville mural group since its inception, Denise Marchant describes the mural project as "very near and dear to my heart" and the hearts of the people of Porterville. The proper individuals, specialists, and arrangements came together thanks to her doggedness.

The mural group is overjoyed that the "Marching Through Time” marching band mural restoration work has begun. “It is incredible to see what experts can accomplish when given the necessary tools and ingredients to revive it,” Marchant remarked on Wednesday. "Given that the last phase of this three-part process will take a few months to complete, we will need to be patient. I'm so grateful that the neighborhood and, in particular, the City Council, have realized how crucial it is to support the repair of this iconic historical painting in the heart of the city."

@PublicArtMaintenance @ScottMHaskins @ChristianRogers @MuralRestoration @ArtConservation @MuralConservation @Porterville @MarchingBand @ArtRestoration @GlenHill

Questions, call Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438 faclartdoc@gmail.com

These three videos may be of interest if you have any queries regarding varnishing murals or anti- graffiti protective layers:

Why Protect A Mural With Varnish If There Is No Danger Of Graffiti? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Yr9trali0… and How a hard varnish on murals can minimize maintenance of public art : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZtQm4rAa8… MuralGuard varnish for easier removal of graffiti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43OXBEUTibc