Art conservator Patty West and her team have spent the last three months cleaning every inch of the Mural Room’s wall space after an attic fire left it covered in sticky soot. In this slideshow, West discusses not only the painstaking care taken to bring the vibrant and historical space back to its former self, but also the much-needed repairs made on neglected areas. The project was paid for by a $450,000 insurance claim.
At this point, the bulk of the work is complete, and there are plans to soon remove the scaffolding and open the room back up to events. While West said she’s pleased with how the restoration went, she stressed that the walls desperately need to be consolidated in order to protect the delicate paint and make future cleanings much easier. To make that happen, though, the Santa Barbara Courthouse Legacy Foundation must raise enough funds to pay for the task. Click here for information on making donations.