Posts by Bridgette
Learning New Information To Share With Others
I have been very busy working on the Mudbox book. I have also pitched a second book all on my graduate studies of 3D digital printing, milling and scanning as it pertains to the traditional art studio. I’ll let you know as soon as the publisher bites. Meanwhile it is on to finishing the Mudbox book and continuing my studies and research. I have found some great videos on a wonderful site called Guerilla CG. I would highly recommend it.
Since I am now working on retopologizing and writing about that huge word. This video was important to me. As you will learn, quads are better than triangles when it comes to sculpting or animating. So I am learning how to take my artwork that is scanned and retopologize it so that I can change it in Mudbox and then print it out. I have an article about the scanning process that should be coming out soon on my Best of Artists and Artisan’s Sculpture column. I’ll be sure to put the link here when it comes out. Now back to research.
Our Interviews with Creative Christians.
For those of you who do not know, besides sculpting and writing I also create a podcast that is sponsored by my God’s Word Collectible gift line. Inspirations/Generations has added a new segment called Inspirations Creative Christians. We are interviewing creative Christians to learn about their faith, process, inspiration and other things. You can find all of our podcasts on the God’s Word Collectibles website. Or on our God’s Word Collectibles Facebook Fans page.
Here is a description of our first Creative Christians podcasts. If you would like to listen, just click on the links.
October 2009
Creative Christian Interview- Brad Stine Part 2
Christian Comedian Brad Stine talks about his creativity as a child, his creative process and the importance of creativity in the Body of Christ Part 2 (Inspirations_Creative Christians 0045 45 minutes)
Creative Christians Interview- Brad Stine Part 1
Christian Comedian Brad Stine talks about his creativity as a child, his creative process and the importance of creativity in the Body of Christ Part 2 (Inspirations_Creative Christians 0045 31 minutes)
September
Creative Christian Interview- Strand of Pearls
Kellie Copeland Swisher has been a creative Christian her entire life— working at Kenneth Copeland Ministries, making movies, developing children’s curriculum and her recent creative endeavor of Blue Grass Gospel singing group Strand of Pearls. In this interview she shares her thoughts on creativity and her inspiration. (Inspirations_00043 55.47 minutes)
July
Creative Christians- interview with actor, speaker and award winning author Donna VanLier
This is the first podcast of a new series called Creative Christians. Here we will interview many different individuals on their creativity process, their faith and the struggles and inspiration. The first creative Christians Segment is with Donna VanLiere Speaker, actress and award winning author. (Inspirations_0037 43 minutes)
3D Printing In Ceramic! So Cool!
Too cool, 3D printing in ceramics! Yes. I love this idea. I love where the technology is going. Check out Ceramic Arts Daily article The Printed Pot. Solheim is on my list for interviews.
3d Printing In Sand And Metal!
I was invited by Bob wood to the proMetal shop here in Houston. We have another engagement for Bob to come to the studio as soon as my schedule frees up a bit.
I was thrilled to be able to see the process of printing in sand. Yes, there you have it… 3D printing in sand! As usual this technology was first developed for manufacturing as you see by this casting of this fly wheel thing.
I’m also putting some pictures up of their 3D digital printing in metal. This is another part of of the company. The skull was created that way. Yes, they say they can print in bronze or gold! I’ll be describing this process in an up and coming book.
The sand is like the investment cast on the mold. and it is printed in this huge machine that Bob Wood and I are standing in front of. If this process can be perfected to get smooth surfaces it can really take over the investment casting of bronze casting. The lost wax method would literally be history, and there would be no more storing all of those molds! YEAH TO THAT! plus once the art is computerized it could be made to fit piece to piece. In other words, the seams would be put together like a puzzle. in the computer aiding in the welding together. So cool. The possibilities of this are incredible.
I have to get through the Mudbox book first. But am chomping at the bit about starting this other book. It will cover all of the new technology of output from the computer, as well as getting items into the computer— Digital scanning. So excited!
Television coverage of the unveiling of the Newsboy sculpture.
Here is a link to the television coverage on the Newsboy sculpture.
Recent Media on The Newsboy Sculpture
‘Newsboy’ sculpture unveiled
By Dori O’Neal, Herald staff writer -September 4, 2009
When it comes to hawking newspapers, the first thing most people think of is the paperboy from yesteryear.
You know the one. He sported a Gatsby hat and wool knickers and stood on street corners waving the latest edition while hollering, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”
The Downtown Kennewick Merchants Association thought the same thing and paid homage to that historic newsboy by adding its latest public sculpture — aptly titled Newsboy — to the corner of Dayton Street and Kennewick Avenue.
The unveiling was Thursday and kicked off Kennewick’s monthly art walk festivities.
The 4-foot-tall bronze was created by artist Bridgette Mongeon of Texas. She has two other similar newsboy sculptures on display in Austin, Texas, and in North Carolina, said Tim Dalton, executive director of the merchants association.
“We wanted to add a piece of public art like this to our collection because of the historic aspect the newspaper has played here for many, many years,” Dalton said.
The statue is a block south of the Tri-City Herald which has been in downtown Kennewick since 1948, when it moved into a former cannery.
The sculpture depicts a young man holding a newspaper high over his head. The newspaper’s flag reads “Tri-City Herald” above the top story about a Grapefest celebration.
“Grapefest started in 1910,” Dalton said. “It’s not the most continuous festival in the Tri-Cities but it is the oldest so it seemed appropriate to have it be the lead story on the newspaper.”
Several dozen people gathered Thursday for the unveiling as Mark Blotz, president of the downtown association, touted the volunteerism that went into the planning of the project.
Nicole Stewart, 33, lives across the street from the sculpture’s new home and likes the idea of having a piece of art to look at from her kitchen window each day.
“It’s truly awesome,” she said. “Not many places offer this kind of outdoor art.”
Brothers Daxton, 6, and Clayton Doty, 11, thought the sculpture was cool, but didn’t find it inspiring enough to sign up for a paper route, they said.
The sculpture cost $22,000. About $10,000 was raised by the merchant association through fundraisers. The Herald donated $3,500 with several businesses and private citizens donating the rest, Dalton said.
Blotz hopes to see every corner in downtown Kennewick with a piece of public art one day. The downtown area now has eight pieces.
“To have one on every corner would be wonderful,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes.”
My Precious Mom and Cohost- Now Resides in Heaven- Press Release for God’s Word Collectibles
We are saddened that Barbara Ingersoll, one of the cohosts of the Inspiration/Generations Podcast that was known as Graham and was mother to cohost Bridgette Mongeon, grandmother to cohost Christina Sizemore, has gone to be with the Lord. Barbara was getting quite a following since the conception of the podcasts in 2008. The podcasts were born out of fervent prayer between the three women.
Barbara reports in one of the first podcasts, “Four years ago I fell and broke both of my hips so that has put an end to physically active ministry for me, but though I am in my 70’s and disabled, it does not put an end to the work of the Holy Spirit through me or through anyone really. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to do this podcast because I can’t do active ministry, but I can do this, talking on the phone and that is easy for me.”
Barbara suffered from osteoarthritis and several other ailments through her life. She lived almost every day of her life in pain, yet God sustained her and strengthened her faith. The three women discussed just before Barbara’s death that the Generational podcast can continue through the many journals that Barbara has written over her lifetime. In one of the last entries Barbara states, “ I proclaim to all the earth and all powers and principalities that these are healing podcasts —no matter where you are in your walk with the Lord… However far you have come in your journey.”
Before her passing Barbara participated in over 38 podcasts. Her last interview was with Ruth Graham, together they talked about healing hurting women. That was a yearning for Barbara throughout her entire life. In her younger days she developed support groups for hurting women and then trained leaders for support groups. She did this throughout western New York and Canada. The transition from life to life everlasting held its own blessings and are recorded in a podcast titled “What happens at Death.” Where the two cohosts report on the conversations and visitations that their mom and grandmother had from those who went before her. This part of death was a touching and healing process for all. On Thursday Augusts 20, 2009 a memorial service was held for Barbara. This too has also been added to this list of podcasts as her life and ministry were celebrated by many.
There is nothing more honoring for Barbara’s life to have her ministry continue to help women. To have her past, her fortitude and struggles make a difference in someone else’s life. We ask that you continue to pray for the Inspiration/Generations podcast, become a regular listener and share the links with others.
You can find the podcast at http://www.godsword.net and read the bios of the hosts. The site tells you how to subscribe in Itunes. You can also find the podcasts on the Gods’ Word Facebook Fans page.
If you would like to make a donation to the Inspiration/Generations podcast ministry you can do so through the secure servers at Pay Pal or by sending a check to God’s Word Collectible Sculptures Inspirations/Generations Podcast PO Box, 10562, Houston, Texas 77206. We would also like to encourage you to support our sponsor. God’s Word Collectibles.
The Newsboy Will Ship in The Morning!
Today was the day that we put color on the life-size newsboy sculpture that is headed to Kennewick, Washington. As I mentioned, the shipping company is picking it up in the morning.
The color on a bronze is referred to as the Patina. This sculpture has a traditional patina.
The client asked to see all of the papers that we created representing the Tri City Herald. There are some under the newsboys arm, one in his right hand and a stack at his feet. All have the headline and masthead of the client’s newspaper.
Upon arriving the sculpture has been sand blasted. It looks less shiny than it did when we were here just last week. The sculpture, once sand blasted is ready to receive the patina.
To create the patina the foundry man first heats up the sculpture and then sprays and brushed on different chemicals. He will rub back areas that are supposed to be lighter. I like to alternate color, shoes dark, socks light, pants dark, shirt light etc. Though once placed outdoors the traditional patina will continue to darken. The foundry puts a protective coat of lacquer on the sculpture one the entire patina is complete.
I’m including some close ups of the detail in the shoe. Yes, it is a sculpted shoe. And my signature and copyright on the piece is in the inside of the newspaper that the young man is holding under his arm. Of course there are other things in the newspapers that carry a story, but that is for another post.
Tomorrow the sculpture is crated and shipped. I can’t wait to see the newsboy placed.
What is a Metal Check?
In the very last stage of the foundry process the foundry will call me in for a metal check. I go over the sculpture looking for any imperfections in the metal and marking them with a marker. Of course the Foundry does a wonderful job. Miguel is a great worker and I trust him with my work implicitly. But I still give a once over. The next step is to patina or color the metal. That is scheduled for Tuesday and then the sculpture is off to Kennewick Washington through my shipping company. In 6-8 working days it will be there. Here are some photographs from today’s visit. One of the best workers in the foundry industry Miguel and his boss and owner of Fine Arts Foundry of Texas, Scott Yoast.
Newsboy Commemorates Journalism…Again!
Another life-size newsboy bronze has been sold! You may remember it started with “Dusty” in Austin, Texas, and Then “Billy” in Tabor City, North Carolina. Now another young boy will be hawking papers in the North West. The third in the edition of 10 has been sold to the historical town of Kennewick, Washington Delivery of this third newsboy is expected in August. We have been working on him diligently and thought I would show the progress.
The Foundry is working diligently to get this young man together for shipping to Washington. Legs have been chased and put together, as well as upper torso. A few more pieces to weld together then it is off to Patina. Looks like we are inline with our delivery date. So exciting. I can’t wait to see him installed.