Large Mermaid Decorative Sea Life Wall Hanging Art Nautical Theme Sculptures Home Decor Handmade in Haiti Form Recycled Steel Barrels 7 x 32 Inches

This sculpture has been treated with a weather-proof coating. Over time, however, the coating will wear away and rusting will occur if exposed to the elements. Rust is not necessarily a bad thing. Some people crave a weathered look. Others prefer a glossy finish. If that is you, simply take five minutes once a year to apply a spray-on clear coat enamel. In the village of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, the air rings with the sound of metal banging against metal. Workshops line the streets of the village and outside each are stacks of discarded 55-gallon drums awaiting transformation. To begin the process, the tops of the barrels are removed and the open barrel is stuffed with straw and dried banana leaves and then set ablaze. This burns out the residue and old paint and strengthens the metal. After the barrels have cooled, they are slit down the side, pried open, pounded flat and sanded down, giving the artist a smooth flat surface, much like a painter’s canvas. The artist chalks his design onto the metal and then, using a hammer and chisel, begins the work of cutting the sculpture and giving it form, detail and dimension. When he is satisfied with his results, he pounds his signature onto the sculpture and seals it with a protective, weather-proof finish. Hanging your metal art is easy, once you know how. Choose a place it within two design elements that are touching or notched toward the center of the piece and drive a nail into the wall at that point. Using a second and possibly a third nail, place those in other notched areas within the design to secure it firmly. Avoid placing nails in the eyes or mouth. A viewer's eye will go straight to those elements and a nail there will draw attention to itself. You don't want the nails to become part of the details - you want them to "disappear."