Goodale Park Column

Goodale Park Entry

Goodale Park Column

For thirty years I have wanted to restore this column. I SO love that I had the opportunity. Thanks, Fate!
For thirty years I have wanted to restore this column. I SO love that I had the opportunity. Thanks, Fate!

 

 

 

dog finished

Goodale Park Dog

installation

 

I used to live across the street from this column over twenty years ago and have wanted to redo it ever since.
I used to live across the street from this column over twenty years ago and have wanted to redo it ever since.
The ram was the most complete of the surviving column heads.
The ram was the most complete of the surviving column heads.

This column in Goodale Park in Columbus, Ohio, originally installed in 1899, has deteriorated badly. I have been commissioned by a Centennial Preservation Group to re-carve the heads. My proposal is to rebuild the missing parts with clay and then to re-carve new sandstone blocks to match the clay.

The heads on the nearby gate have fared much better, as they are under a roof.
The heads on the nearby gate have fared much better, as they are under a roof.

The gate and column were a gift in 1899 to the City’s first park. The original meanings of the column animals have been lost to time, although we do know that the eight human heads on the gate represent the eight stages of Man. The carving is masterful, and does not resemble any other carving in the Columbus area, that I know of. We know nothing of the original artist.

The animal heads as they have appeared for decades.
The animal heads as they have appeared for decades.

The tooling on the buff sandstone has survived remarkably well, and demonstrates the level of the craftsmanship brought to this column. The heads are about 9′ off the ground- too high to touch. The wear is likely from acid rain and the burning of coal for so many decades.

The lift operator was not bad, but not overly confident. I think he may have needed a change of underwear after this.
The lift operator was not bad, but not overly confident. I think he may have needed a change of underwear after this.

The cap came off easily, and we set it aside. After we had picked the section with the heads and put it on my truck, we put the cap back for safekeeping while the restoration is done in my studio.

Note the pattern on the cap- impeccable craftsmanship.
Note the pattern on the cap- impeccable craftsmanship.

Playing with big lifts and heavy things is always exciting. Although no one can really see it, the scalloped top is textured with one continuous spiral line from top to bottom.

You don't know what you've got til it's gone...
You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone…

This is the only original photo the historical committee could give me. Detail must be inferred. It is agreed the animal on the left is probably a panther, and that the one on the right is a lion. The ram, not show here, is extent enough to know it is a ram, but the fourth head was badly deteriorated and no known photo exists.

Kind of scary, kind of silly.
Kind of scary, kind of silly.

The ears, the eyes, a bit of the for head, and a grainy photo are all there is to go on, but that’s enough to conclude it was a stylized panther.

Some thought this one may have been a camel.
Some thought this one may have been a camel.

Part of an eye, droopy ears, and a bit of forehead seem to indicate the subject was a dog. No known photographs exist.

Goodale Park panther

Goodale Park panther

Goodale Park panther

This one is very different from the rest- symmetrical, not terribly rotted, and not very expressive in the eyes.
This one is very different from the rest- symmetrical, not terribly rotted, and not very expressive in the eyes.

Goodale Park Ram

Goodale Park ram

The ram is pretty much intact, and a hint at the style that may have been used for the other heads, although it does seem very different.

I don't think anybody passing by would have seen this as an animal head.
I don’t think anybody passing by would have seen this as an animal head.

The lion head featured a bit of an ear, some mane, and pits indicating the height of the eyes. The source photo and the extent remains indicate this was a lion. Here I have started on the lion, and on the left is an early version of the panther.

Old toothless, we used to call him.
Old toothless, we used to call him.

Using an oil-based clay that gets softer with heat (I use an old Sunbeam electric skillet), I rebuilt the heads in full scale in my shop. This is an early stage of the panther. The lion is on the right, the dog on the left. The sandstone blocks are 16 1/2″ tall.

I could not think of another animal with front-facing eyes and floppy ears. Can you?
I could not think of another animal with front-facing eyes and floppy ears. Can you?

I was able to get a good start by making the right begin to mirror the left. At this stage I had to commit to something, and felt that the only defensible choice was a dog.

The eyes don't focus on a single point- they look in two different directions, intentionally.
The eyes don’t focus on a single point- they look in two different directions, intentionally.

The red sandstone is the original carver’s work. I have tried throughout to do what I could to work in his style more than my own. I’ve learned during this process several pointers from the past.

The lion was the hardest. Not having the eyes made getting the expression a challenge.
The lion was the hardest. Not having the eyes made getting the expression a challenge.

Goodal Park Lion

Goodale Park lion

Goodale Park Lion

The lion, nearly complete. I will add textural details in the sandstone when I recarve them.

Rather concerned for a dog, but I guess dog's can be concerned about life , too.
Rather concerned for a dog, but I guess dog’s can be concerned about life , too.

Goodale Park dog

 

The dog is as animated as I could get him, given the restraints.

I patterned his sneer from Elvis's.
I patterned his sneer from Elvis’s.

I gave the panther a sneer, as the eyes sort of implied that, as did the source photo. He struck me as a tease, a mischief maker.

Goodale Park heads

The lion watches out for everyone in the Park night and day.
The lion watches out for everyone in the Park night and day.
The ram horns were a joy to carve. The whole thing was.
The ram horns were a joy to carve. The whole thing was.
The grinning Panther mocks all at all times.
The grinning Panther mocks all at all times.
Another dog whose bark is worse than his bite.
Another dog whose bark is worse than his bite.
Months of work nerve-wrackingly put into place. Yes!
Months of work nerve-wrackingly put into place. Yes!