ITHACA — An artist and a conservator from the area are part of an effort to preserve eight sculptures located outside the Cayuga Medical Center, which date back to the 1930’s.

Under the Works Progress Administration during President Franklin Roosevelt’s administration, artists were hired across the country to create paintings, murals, and sculptures, just like the ones that are located outside of the hospital.

Those sculptures depict animals such as bears and hippos in various poses, and are located in a garden area just off the emergency room of the facility. They were initially part of a children’s playground on the property of what was then known as the Biggs Memorial Hospital.

When artist Steve Carver moved to the Ithaca area years ago, he started doing some research to find out what the pieces were all about.

“They’re interesting on an artistic basis, but from a historical basis, too,” Carver said. “As far as we know, these are the only existing pieces of Federal Art Project and WPA pieces in Tompkins County.”

Conservator Kasia Maroney of Trumansburg was at the hospital Thursday to start the process of cleaning up the sculptures. She said she was “astonished” when she heard the sculptures were located there.

“They’ve been here for a while, and they need a really good, solid cleaning,” Maroney said. “Not just because it helps the aesthetic read of the artwork itself, but also because it protects the structural integrity of the material. We want them to be here for as long as possible, so that future generations can continue to enjoy them.”

Carver and Maroney spent the afternoon Thursday using special solutions to try and remove moss and other substances that have grown on the sculptures.

“This is an effort to try and bring these WPA-era sculptures back to life, brighten them up, do some conservation, and hopefully give the community a heads-up that they’re actually here,” Carver said.

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