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.
Introducing Dick Hathaway
Another project that I have in my studio right now is of Professor Richard Hathaway. He was a teacher at Vermont College Union institute, and Goddard College. He passed away not long ago. I am working on a sculpture of him to be placed outside the green on the Vermont College Campus. The keeper of the Dick Hathaway sculpture is officially the T.W. Wood Gallery. They are also helping to raise some of the money that is needed for the casting of this sculpture.
My Apprentices
I wanted to take a moment and introduce you to my apprentices. 
Jennifer worked in the studio through the summer. She was an incredible worker and on the ball. So dependable! Unfortunately she was a high school student and her job is now to study and get ready for graduation. Jennifer helped me with the beginning of a life size sculpture and making the mold of Lucas.
Florencia is Jennifer’s replacement. An aspiring artist and mom she enjoys getting away from the house and getting her hands in clay. She is a great worker. Florencia is learning to work on the waxes, work on a life size sculpture and help me with other things.
Miguel is a constant in the studio, helping with waxes and mold making.
The job of an apprentice… prepare armatures, put clay on armatures, help keep the studio clean, help make molds, clean waxes, and lots of the time they pick up after me. I work late into the evening. My intimate alone time with my subject. I scrape on the large pieces and add to the sculpture. When I am done the apprentice comes in and cleans up all of my mess from the previous nights scraping and helps to smooth out the clay. Smoothing the wax base clay is a physical undertaking. Without the help of these people my arms and hands would not be able to withstand everything I put them through. It probably does not help that in my off time from the studio I do carpentry work and work in the garden. I guess the apprentices help to give my hands some rest.
It is a great opportunity to work with an artist in the studio. I wish I would have had it when I was younger.
Much thanks to the people behind the artist.
My Dear One -Jeanine
Jeanine is the third posthumous commission that is write about in the book “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey” I learned a tremendous amount from this commission and she helped me with my epiphany! Thank you Jeanine
Jeanine is also at the foundry and is expected to go home before Christmas. It is a life size bronze bust.
I have also been asked to create a casting of Jeanine’s face from a life mold that her mother had created when she was young. 
Update on Patsy Sculpture
Patsy was approved and completed. I have not yet seen her placed yet. The project became part of a book that I have been writing in conjunction with my studies at Vermont College Union Institute. The book title is “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”
I began the book with the question of “How do I capture the spirit of those I have never met?” Many people comment that my work has a tremendous amount of emotion and spirit in it. Is this just because I am highly trained? Or is there something else? I know many sculptors that have the mechanics of the work down, yet their pieces seem hollow-soulless. How do I do it? That is the question I asked myself at the beginning of the book and I have found some incredible answers.
The book is the personal journey of the artist and the documentation of 4 commissions, Patsy being one of the first. I am finishing up the book now and hope to have it to a publisher within the next 6 months. I am indebted to my clients for allowing me to be a part of their lives and the lives of their loved ones. I have learned so much through this journey.
Trying To Catch Up!
It has been a tremendous amount of time since I last posted on this blog. Mostly because I had several other blogs and journals going at the same time, and returning to school I have been a full time student. The perpetual learner blog is my blog on going back to school. I documents my process through undergraduate and this study and on to graduate school.
I also have another project that I am working on. The blog for that project can be found at http://www.dickhathaway.blogspot.com
Great News!
By the way, it was approved by the TW Woods Gallery. All donations can now go to them, designated for the memorial. They are now tax deductible. THANK YOU!
Also, the TW Woods called the day before yesterday and said that they received an anonymous donation toward the sculpting project.
Here is a financial update
$7,000 needed for balance of bronze
$2,000 needed for delivery (though I might be able to bring this cost down if I rent a car and put Dick in the front seat. How about a road trip Dick? Any friends of Dicks between Texas and Vermont? )
$9,000 Total needed
$4,060 received to date
$4,940 needed
WE ARE ALMOST ½ WAY THERE!
( PHOTOGRAPH- from the memorial photographs, Dick Hathaway with an ADP packet)
Travel To Vermont
I traveled up to Vermont College for several reasons. The Dick Hathaway sculpture that I am creating was a part of my study at Vermont College. I graduated on November 1st. I presented two lectures one at Vermont College and one for the T.W. Wood Gallery. Both were about sculpting the deceased, the process and the research for my book “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”. I especially liked the TW Wood lecture as many friends of Dick Hathaway were there. It was good to have their inspiration. To be fed stories about Dick Hathaway refreshed me. I’m looking forward to getting back to the sculpture. It should be done in about a month or so.
One was for school and the other for the gallery.
The photograph that I created of the progress on Dick Hathaway now resides at the TW Woods. The sculpture needs a bit of work and there is going to be a pile of books near his foot. The question is, “What are the names of the books?”
The other rose was for my sweet instructor Charlotte Hastings.
It Is a Touchy Feely Thing!
While instructing Florencia today I, once again, began to realize that much of my work is done by touch as well as by seeing. I can feel the way something is supposed to be. I don’t think I really separate the two senses much. It is definitely a touchy feely thing!