Ultimate Swimmers

The artwork depicts two dolphins swimming in tandem over a crest of waves. (Foundry, Bronze Services of Loveland Co.). Two life sized dolphins ride waves in this bronze sculpture located in a front courtyard at the Kennedy Shriver Aquatic Center in North Bethesda, MD. The water serves as a self base and the sculpture rests on the patio pavers. The dolphins have smooth surfaces, with a mid brown to golden patina and lacquer coating that is black on the back and sides in a pattern and clear on the rest of the body. The more roughly surfaced waves have a darker brown patina and lighter bluish green areas that appear to be paint or colored wax over the patina, and there may or may not be an Incralac coating over the patina on the water.According to email communication with patineur Patrick Kipper “the coloration of the patina first potassium sulfide liver of sulfur was used to blacken the entire bronze, then rinsed and highlighted back using #96 Scotchbrite pads. The black was left in place on the upper back patterns but removed from the belly areas of the animals and some here and there on the wave section below. Then the blue on the wave section at the bottom was sprayed on permanent light blue Liquitex brand acrylic paint.”