Posts by Bridgette
A Christmas Party!
We are busy at the studio trying to get ready for an upside down Christmas. I used to have these type of parties at the studio regularly. It has been over 12 years since we had one. What is an upside Christmas party consist of? Well the biggest thing is the tree is flipped upside down and hung from the ceiling. Where does the tree skirt go? Well, on the ceiling of course.
You would be amazed at how easy it is to wire lights on an upside down tree. The gifts go under the tree which is now on the floor.
I’ll have to post pictures of the entire thing. If you are reading this and have not received an invitation please email me privately and I’ll be sure to send you your invite.
Another Order For a Small” Newsboy
Some lucky newspaper publisher will be getting a copy of the small bronze newsboy as a gift. This sculpture is a limited edition of 100 and the cost is $1,350 plus shipping. 
How Do You Do That?
I started with my sitting where I took measurements and photographs. If I am working with children then I spend lots of time playing with them while we do this. It is also important that with children I am sure of their good time of the day. With this commission I don’t have those stipulations.
My apprentice helps me by putting clay on a wire armature. I am using a water base clay. I love the feel of this clay and it has so many advantages compared to the wax based clay, but, it will dry out if not kept wet. It can also sag. That is why I use the other types of clay on sculpture that will be around a while.
The measurements help me to get the size of the person. I have reduced my subject 90%. If a portrait bust is going in an average size room it is better to reduce it or it will look monstrously large. There will also be a bit more shrinkage as this is going to the foundry and that process also has a bit more shrinkage.
slowly you can see the sculpture begin to morph into a person. If I am not mistaken is also has some emotion. Relationships are all about intimacy and I think that with my research into creating posthumous portraits and with art and emotion I realize I become intimate with the piece. It is funny but looking at the pictures of us together you can “feel” that intimacy.
Still I search for my subject. Who are you? What part of you do your children want me to capture? There is a camaraderie between my clay, the muses and myself. A ritualistic dance to find the hidden soul.
Many wonder how do I create a portrait bust.
SIZES
There are two sizes of portrait busts just below the shoulders and more chest. More chest will cost more money in bronze. I can not seem to get away from it though. My subject reminds me a lot of the B. B. King sculpture and sitting. They both have wide shoulders. To cut my subject just below the shoulders seems to decrease who he is. Like B’ they both seem to have that emotional stature. I have decided to continue with a larger bronze and see what my client thinks. I can always show the client,” we can cut it here.” I’ll post more later.
I think I also love my clients handerchief coming out of the pocket. To get down that far is costly, but we will see.
I have had to stop until I get more clay. 50lbs later. Oh yes, with the wax based clay it is reusable, but the water base clay is not.
A New Commission
I am beginning a new sculpture commission today. I move away from death, which I have been working in regularly for the last year and a half and for a change I have a live subject. I even get to see this subject in person, something that is a rarity in my work these days. I always tell people, “The first sitting will take about an hour or so, I take photographs and measurements and try to get to know my subject.” But I am reminded that to capture the essence of someone is deeper than what one can obtain in an hour. I have not thought about it until this very moment, but I do the same process in sculpting the person from life as I do those who are no longer here. I try to find them long after they are gone from my studio. I count on the love of those that know them, and I search for the essence, the special look that the family wants captured and shared with the world. No easy task.
I guess if I could have my way I would stay with a person at least for a weekend. I had that opportunity once with two children. Though even then we are all on our guard. My job is to try and catch a glimpse behind the veils or walls that we unknowingly construct and show to others.
Today I shared With Jeanine’s Mom
It made me smile, and it made me cry, but most of all it made me know how profound life and death are.
Jeanine, one of my posthumous commissions is just coming to an end. Finalizing the details I shared with Jeanines mom the wonderful lessons that I learned through this sculpture. I hope to share it in my book and will try to put some of the writing here. The connection between Jeanine, myself and her mom was strong. I wonder, ” What made that happen?” As is relationships in life I think it was the sharing. The sharing of ourselves and our intimate details of our lives. I learned about Jeanine through her mom. Her mom was open and shared quite a bit. I wish all posthumous commissions were like the relationship that was developed here. I can never have too much, I can never have too many photographs or e-mails that just ramble about the person and the love. It is strange to think that I develop a relationship with the deceased. When it was first brought to my attention I though it was impossible, but then as I mulled it over I realized, it is true. Through my work and through death my friendships grow.
The picture above is one of Jeanine’s moms favorite pictures. She says it shows her spirit.
While completing my study and writing the book “Brining to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey” my beloved instructor Charlotte Hastings passed away. I had taken this picture of her while at an art show. I was surprised at how similar Charlotte’s picture and Jeanine’s picture are. It is good to remember on those we love, to think about their energy and their affect on our life even after death. Thank you Jeanine, thank you charlotte.
More On a Foundry Visit
While at the foundry and making sure Lucas was going together correctly I had this picture taken of the two of us. He is still all glowing from the raw metal. Soon he will be ready to patina and to go home.
The Winners Of a Student Art Show That I Judged
I am very involved in Culture shapers. It is an organization that has been put together by some of the businesses around Houston. They award very wonderful cash prizes to art students. I have judged in Culture Shapers since the beginning 7 years ago and love it. The prizes are pretty hefty $5,000 being the top prize. I judged over a month ago and the banquet was last night. Students and their parents were fluttering around wondering who had one what. Here are some of the pictures I took of the some of the winners in my sculpture category. I always tell the students that judging is subjective. What one judge may put as number one or move up, another might not. If you did not make it into the top 10 of culture Shapers, don’t be disheartened. Try again, maybe another contest, another area, but most of all keep creating!
What I would change about Culture Shapers or my wish list.
A. The student work must show. I would love to see all of the winning pieces hang in a gallery for a while.
B. I would love to see a judges night, where the judges could display their work- real professional artists, and students could come and view it. A panel of judges would also be available for a question and answer period. (this is important to encourage and motivate the students and to give them more exposure to the real thing)
C. There are a few things I would change about the judging, but I’m working on that
Another Newsboy to Be Created
Many times when I create a sculpture I reserve the rights to pour additional castings of the sculpture. That is the case with the newsboy. I had a client that contacted me and asked if they could purchase the sculpture and could I change the newspaper.
I think the idea is marvelous. Each newsboy with the headline and masthead of the newspaper that is pertinent to their history. I am sorry I can not reveal the purchaser or the headline, though it is fascinating. The sculpture is a being created as a gift for someone who used to work in the publishing industry. Just in case that person happens to be surfing the net and finds my litte obscure blog, I’ll hold off on the details until the gift is presented. I am thrilled that another newsboy is being cast. It is at the foundry now.
If anyone is interested in one of the life size newsboy sculptures, the price, at this date is $20,000. If you would like the newspaper changed to fit your headline and masthead there is an additional $2,000 charge. To do this I hand carve each of the papers, and there are many. There is one in the newsboys hand, one under his other arm, and several on the ground. My client sent me a copy of the newspaper that they wanted to produce and I created a mock up to show them what it would look like. OF couse we can’t put all of the copy, there is greeking or scribbles where the body copy is. There is however the masthead, the headline and the look of their paper.
I also won’t change the back of the paper. The copy reads “in memory of Skinney and others” If you are interested in the history and the hidden meaning behind the back page of the newspaper check out this part of the journal by following the newsboy category, and then read the link to the death of a newsboy.
The Newsboy Placed
A couple of months ago my husband and I were in Austin, Texas for a wedding. While there I had the opportunity to see my sculpture of the newsboy that was installed at the Texas Press Association. It was created to be placed at the capitol grounds in Austin, however it must go through legislation to do so. Until it is passed it will reside at the Texas Press Association building. You can read about the process of this commission by following the newsboy category in this blog.
The Texas Press Messenger covered the story of its placement.
Lucas is Flying Like Batman!
I love it when the foundry calls and says that a sculpture is ready for completion and can ship home to its rightful owner. I especially love it when it is a posthumous sculpture. I have worked for months trying to find and get to know my subject. Once found the sculpture must go through the bronze process. This means that the work that I labored on and enjoyed for so many months is now cut into pieces. When those pieces finally come back together in bronze and I see it, it feels like seeing an old friend.
Today I went to the foundry to look at Lucas. I still need to go back in the next week for one final look over. The foundry is checking out all of the final details. We decided that this sculpture should have a base, especially because the client wants to put it in their home. Though it would be best if they secured it to their floor just to be sure that Lucas does not “run” into anyone. The base is created and engineered to accommodate the weight of the sculpture, the cape and the action of the piece.
A bar was welded on the back of Lucas so that he could be hoisted in the air. It will be cut off after the foundry is done with the sculpture. Miguel takes a piece of wood cut in a shape for the base and shows me what that same piece, created in metal will look like. As he hoists Lucas in the air, I can’t help but think, “he really is flying like batman!” I know it is strange but I can feel Lucas with me when we are at the foundry looking at the piece. I took a wax replica of that wooden piece back to my studio to put a sort of grass texture on it. Now that will be cast and everything will be welded together.
