Bronze Patination for Conservators Workshop

The third iteration of the workshop on the patination of bronze sculpture was developed in collaboration with Andrew Baxter and Steve Roy (Bronze et al, Ltd.), experts in patination and metalworking with over three decades of experience working with foundries, artists, and conservators.

Getty Museum’s sculpture collections provides the backdrop for this four-day workshop, which equips conservators with the practical skills and knowledge needed to better understand chemical patinas and their application and to effectively communicate with artists and fabricators about patination when necessary.

Patination of bronze and other copper alloys requires technical skills and familiarity with a wide range of materials and their interactions. As an introduction to this highly specialized practice, the workshop demonstrated the wide range of colors and effects that can be produced even with a limited number of solutions and pigments.

Focused on temperature, solution concentration, and layering, participants will develop a foundational understanding of some of the most common patinas used in modern sculpture, which in turn helps to inform technical examination and treatment of collections. Conceived with conservators in mind, the workshop provides an overview of treatment strategies ranging from localized repairs to complete repatination.

The curriculum is the result of the combined expertise of Getty and the instructors. It will be delivered through lectures and demonstrations, with a focus on practical exercises involving the use of a propane torch and patination materials, including pigments and solutions of ferric nitrate and cupric nitrate. Hands-on training will be complimented by discussions centered on participant case studies and case studies from Getty's collection of outdoor bronzes.

The workshop introduces participants to: • history of bronze patination • chemistry of patination • foundry practices • hot and cold patination techniques • aging and degradation of patinas • approaches to treatment and maintenance

The workshop will be held in person over four days in Los Angeles. Teaching materials will be made available through an online learning platform before, during, and after the workshop.

Andrew Baxter, Principal, Bronze et al., LTD., Port Charlotte, Florida

Steve Roy, Principal, Steve Roy Art Restoration, LLC., Hopewell Junction, New York

Julie Wolfe, Conservator, Decorative Arts Conservation Department, Getty Museum

Robert Price, Associate Conservator, Decorative Arts Conservation Department, Getty Museum

Flavia Perugini, Senior Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute

Space for this workshop is limited to sixteen conservators specializing in the care of bronze sculpture.

Priority will be given to applicants currently working with bronze sculpture. Candidates will ideally have at least three to five years of experience with these materials and are in a position to share the knowledge and skills gained during the workshop with the conservation community.

The workshop language is English.

The workshop fee is USD $600 (six hundred US dollars). The fee includes tuition, workshop materials, daily morning and afternoon tea/coffee breaks, and daily lunches.

Participants are responsible for round-trip transportation costs to Los Angeles, California, lodging, any applicable visa fees, and all other travel and incidental expenses.

While applicants are encouraged to apply for funding from their employer or other institutions, the workshop organizers may provide financial assistance to a limited number of participants in financial need. Participants who require financial assistance should indicate this on their online application.

Applicants are required to complete an online application form and upload their curriculum vitae (CV) of no more than two pages.

Steps to Apply

1. Review the read-only application form (PDF) and gather needed information and documents. Your application must be completed in one session.
2. Input required information into online application form.
3. Upload curriculum vitae (CV) to the online application form.
4. Submit online application form. Once your application has been completed, you will receive a confirmation within one week. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact the Surface Treatment Strategies for Outdoor Painted Sculpture team at contact gcisculpt@getty.edu.

• May 31, 2026: Deadline for submission of application and CV.
• End of June 2026: By this date, applicants will receive an email notifying them if they have been selected to participate in the workshop and, if applicable, receive financial assistance. Up to three additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
• Mid-July 2026: Deadline for participants to submit payment of the workshop tuition fee. Applicants who do not submit payment by the deadline will have their registration canceled. Available spaces will then be offered to those on the waiting list.

For further questions, please contact gcisculpt@getty.edu.

The first iteration of this workshop was held October 24–26, 2023 at the Getty Center. The twelve participants included conservators in private practice, in museums, and in educational institutions from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Norway, and the United States. The second iteration of this was October 14-16, 2025 at the Getty Center. The eighteen participants included conservators in private practice, in museums, and in educational institutions from France, Sweden, Canada, Mexico, and the United States.