The patinas on your David Goode bronze sculpture will tend to darken with time, particularly if the artwork is outdoors.  It is difficult to fight what nature naturally wants to do with all metals: oxidize them, i.e. create rust or tarnish.  However, a regular maintenance program can extend the life of the original patinas for years.

Maintenance programs are particularly useful when complex and colorful patinas and pigments have been applied to bronze sculpture.  Prior to 1970 most sculpture was finished with blacks, greens and browns.  Care for the work was easier in this era because most bronze will naturally oxidize to one of these colors anyway.  The same cannot be said for today’s complex patinas, which are a careful orchestration of chemical compounds, heat and application technique.

Whether you prefer nature’s own evolving patina or wish to preserve David's original finish, a regular maintenance will rid the bronze of dust and dirt and add luster and depth to the bronze.

The frequency of maintenance depends on two key variables: Is the piece indoor or outdoor, and if outdoor, how extreme are local conditions?  As a rule of thumb, outdoor works should be maintained every 3 months and indoor pieces every 6 months.  This timetable can be speeded up if local conditions are harsh such as exposure to the sea, rubbing in a gallery, wide swings in temperature and/or lots of pollution.

The recommended course is as follows: Using a light solvent (e.g. Naptha) and a cotton cloth to carefully and lightly remove old wax and dirt from the sculpture.  One pass on any given area should suffice.  DO NOT OVERDO IT OR THE PATINA WILL BE REMOVED.  No force is required.  Cleaning a one square foot surface area should take no more than 5 seconds.

After the old wax is removed, apply clear Johnson paste wax — or better yet, a clear paste wax with carnuba — to the bronze.  This is done by using a round pastry or paint brush to gather wax in the tin and then spreading it across the bronze.  A thin coat is all that's necessary.  Use a stipple action with the brush head to let the wax penetrate into all cavities and surfaces of the sculpture.  Make sure the entire surface has been covered.  Allow the wax to harden for at least 15 minutes.

Wipe away excess wax with the cotton cloth.  Buff out the surfaces with a circular hand motion to bring out the luster of the bronze — similar in manner to detailing a car.  The result should be a deep, lustrous metal finish.

That's it. Enjoy your Goblin sculpture!