Group hosting pony restoration workshop

SANDPOINT — The community continues to be a crucial aspect of the restoration of the historic Carousel of Smiles, as the nonprofit is hosting the first of its pony restoration workshops next Friday.

"The character of our carousel is going to start to re-emerge, as we get some of the ponies painted, and as artists create original artwork for the inside art panels — part of the Art Panel Project recently launched," said Reno Hutchison in an email to the Daily Bee. "This is the really exciting part of the project for me, and I can’t wait to see the colors and artistry bring the personalities of the ponies back to life."

Hutchison and her husband Clay Hutchison brought the 1920 Allan Herschell carousel to Sandpoint in 2016, where it was unveiled after 64 years of storage. At the close of the Kansas State Fair In 1952, the carousel was packed away into two trailers and abandoned in a farmer’s field. When restoration is complete of the fully intact Golden Age carousel, its home will be in Sandpoint where it will operate in a public venue for all to enjoy, the Hutchisons said in a statement.

Clay Hutchison said more than 200 people have signed up to volunteer on various aspects of the multifaceted project, with 107 signed up to work on the wood restoration and/or painting of the ponies.

"This enthusiastic response is almost overwhelming," Hutchison said in an email. "One of our goals during this restoration is to try and provide a 'hands-on' opportunity for everyone who wants one; it is important that people feel this is 'their' carousel. Now that we have restored the first of our ponies and know our methodology, it is time to let our talented group know what is involved, and really get to work."

The workshop will be split into two presentations — a wood restoration presentation and a pony painting presentation.

The pony painting presentation will feature guest speaker Bette Largent, curator of Spokane’s 1909 Looff Carousel. Largent will present examples of her work, along with techniques and color schemes to be used on the 36 ponies that are the main attraction of The Carousel of Smiles. 

With more than 30 years of experience, Largent has been involved in the saving and restoration of dozens of carousels around the USA and abroad, and has personally painted hundreds of carousel horses and menagerie animals, according to the statement. She recently finished the refreshing of Spokane’s 1909 Looff Carousel, which reopened in May 2018, is a board member of The Carousel of Smiles project, and will be overseeing the painting efforts on "Sandpoint’s carousel."

Each presentation will start with an overview of the Carousel of Smiles project, "where we have been, where we are, where we are going," followed by specific techniques and methodology of the wood restoration or painting, followed by information on how to become involved with the project and a question-and-answer session. The Carousel of Smiles project is accomplishing the ambitious and multifaceted restoration using volunteers, drawing from the "tremendous" talent of all kinds from the Inland Northwest and particularly here in Bonner County, according to the statement. The carousel was assembled in its unrestored state and unveiled to the public last December at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

"We will have some substantial and wonderful progress by this time next year, and are planning a second unveiling event at the end of 2019," Clay Hutchison said.

The Friday evening presentations are open to all who are interested, and either one or both may be attended. Held at the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library on Oct. 12, the wood restoration presentation is scheduled from 5:15-6:30 p.m., with the pony painting presentation from 7-8 p.m.

For information, email inbox@thecarouselofsmiles.org or visit the website at thecarouselofsmiles.org.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.