Grand Bahama, Bahamas – When Toby Smith set out to help his daughter with a school project; he had no idea that it would turn into restoring iconic sculptures. While helping his daughter Bianca with a school project, Smith decided to restore Stephen Burrows’ iconic sculptures, which are recognised throughout the islands of The Bahamas.

The conch sculpture is one of several sculptures made by Stephen Burrows (originally of Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera) in the 80s and 90s to highlight Bahamian culture.  His works can be found in Nassau, Exuma, San Salvador and Abaco.  It was created into its iconic conch shell shape in 1980, and was displayed on the roundabout near the Nassau International Airport, but was moved once construction began on the roads. The conch started to rust due to rain seeping into the welding holes and it had been placed behind the Ministry of Works until Smith began his restoration project.


The conch  sculpture before its restoration is seen on the left  (Photo courtesy of Toby Smith for Barefoot Marketing)

 
While attempting to restore the famous conch, Smith said, “I sought to try and find a company that could sand blast the shell, as a conventional sand blaster would not be able to remove all the filler and layers of paint.”  After realising that the Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) was the only company in The Bahamas that had the necessary equipment to restore the sculpture and remove layers of paint, rust and fillers, he was able to talk to Reuben Byrd, Vice President of Operations at GBS.  “Mr. Byrd agreed to help with just one phone call, and never having met me, his willingness to help moved me deeply,” said Smith, who owns and operates Bahamas Mosquito Fogging Company and took the project on as part of their ‘Giving Back Program’.

Byrd compiled a dedicated team of four Bahamians to work on the conch restoration project.  The team put a great deal of sweat, elbow grease and positive energy into restoring the conch sculpture to its former glory. “When Smith explained that the sculpture was an icon in Bahamian history and made by a Bahamian artist, that was all I needed to hear,” said Byrd.

The conch shell arrived at the yard covered in layer upon layer of paint; the team at the Shipyard proceeded to ultra high-pressure wash the shell, and blasted it down to the bare metal.  Repairs were also made to the shell, as some deteriorated areas were found once the conch was stripped down to the bare metal.  After the cleaning and repairs were made to the conch, it was shipped back to Nassau courtesy of Bahamas Ferries.

Byrd commented, “We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of restoring a piece of Bahamian history.  The Shipyard strives every day to be a good corporate citizen here on the island of Grand Bahama and all the islands of The Bahamas.”

Other sculptures by Burrows include the Flamingo, Lobster, Rooster, Rat Bat, White Crown Pigeon, Parrot and the Pompey.  Burrows also created two other sculptures, the Triton Trumpet and Dragon, which while completed, have never reached the public’s eyes.  Smith plans to restore all of the sculptures, and help raise awareness of these incredible works of art. “It is a privilege to work with Grand Bahama Shipyard and I believe that any company that has such principles in giving back to the community will succeed,” said Smith.