An Introduction
( From the Dick Hathaway project blog.) I should probably start by introducing myself. My name is Bridgette Mongeon I am a sculptor and writer living in Houston, Texas and I am a student at Vermont College Union Institute in Vermont. ( Since the writing of this blog post Vermont College as it was known has been sold. I believe Goddard College has a similar program. ) I am presently in my culminating semester and will be graduating on November 1, 2006.
My study through my three semesters has been continuous; I am working on a book titled “Bringing to life the Spirit of the Deceased – A Sculptor’s Journey”. I have been a sculptor for over twenty years and one of the things that I specialize in is posthumous sculpture. After Dick Hathaway’s passing at residency in October of 2005 I proposed to Vermont College to do a sculpture of Dick Hathaway. At first it was going to be a bust, but I longed for a life size bronze to be placed on the green outside of the historical building of College Hall. I am donating my sculpting time, and because I often do part of the casting process including mold making and wax I can also donate that part of the foundry fees if necessary. I am in need of further funding for casting and shipping the sculpture to Vermont. The details of the costs of creating this memorial are found on my website. You will also find information there, on how you can donate to the project and help to raise the minimum amount of $9,000 that is needed for casting Dick in Bronze.
My heart’s desire is to have this sculpture done and received by Vermont College by November 1, 2006, the date of my culmination. My culminating presentation will be on finding and capturing the spirit of Dick Hathaway in sculpture. Though it is a quick turn around for sculpting and casting a bronze, I do expect to meet the challenge and extend my personal invitation to each of you for the unveiling of the Dick Hathaway sculpture and my presentation
Given that six months is a short amount of time for sculpting, casting and shipping a bronze, much depends upon my having the necessary funding to finish the job before that date. If for some reason it is postponed, then Dick will have to sit in my studio until the rest of the money is raised. I can think of worse things than having Dick Hathaway hanging around.
Those interested in viewing my work can see it on my web site at https://creativesculpture.com.
My most recent commissions was a life size newsboy commissioned by the Texas Press Association and intended for the state capitol in Austin. I have documented the process of sculpting the newsboy on my blog as well.
I have also just finished a life size bronze of Patsy-a posthumous commission of a 60-year-old sitting on a bench. In addition, I’m finishing up a life size bronze of Lucas-a five year old running, and life size bronze bust of Jeanine a twenty six year old, both of which are posthumous sculptures.
The purpose of this blog is to share the adventure of the sculpting Dick Hathaway so that everyone can be a part of it. I would love to hear your stories about Dick. I am also very excited to hear the “Hathawayisms.” And please, if you have photographs of Dick they would be extremely helpful to the sculpture process. You can mail your copies to my mailing address: Bridgette Mongeon, P.O. Box 10562, Houston, Texas 77206 or you can send them digitally through e-mail.
I also hope to raise awareness of the project through this blog to encourage the donation of funds. I have set up a separate account at Whitney Bank in Houston, Texas. Unfortunately, donations are not tax deductible. I am sorry that I could not get a not-for -profit organization involved so that the donations would be tax deductible. There was just not enough time.
If you would like to view the financials and schedule for the project you can do so at on these blog pages.
Back to Work
After what seems like a very long time, I am back to work. I actually was able to work on Patsy. The process feels so much more inviting and comfortable since I am working on her in the new place. There are still many boxes around but the energy seems good, and that is what is important. I am surprised how much of my own emotional state goes into the clay and seeps into the process.
The offices upstairs need a second coat of paint, Air conditioning units put in and carpeting. With a good days worth of work we could be finished and another day of moving we could be moved in. However, both my husband and I had to get back to work. It was difficult taking almost 4 weeks off. Time to get some money into the household, maybe in the next week we can finish.
Sculpture is everywhere. It is in the front yard, the side yard, the back yard, the den, the living room. Every time I go into the house for something I try to bring something back to the studio. I know it will be weeks before our house is back to normal. In the mean time I have a very wonderful place to work. When I need a break I just take a walk to the pond, or watch the dragonfly’s dance upon the water. Their courtship is continuous.
Goodbye 1048, Thanks For The Memories
It was an exciting but sad day. There have been so many memories and creations at 1048. My daughter grew up watching her mom create and my artwork grew as well. But the new studio is so nice and offers so many opportunities.
Today I went to get the last of my sculpture. To my surprise the studio was broken into and several pieces were stolen. In 16 years the studio has never been broken into. At least I think they were stolen. I would hate to think that anyone I know would go in there and take things without asking me. Maybe they thought I was done. Most of the sculptures that were stolen were nudes; one was an unfired nude, something that would break before it could be handed off over the locked gate. What a sad note to leave on.
My kiln was untouched and still there! I am thankful, it would have been expensive to replace. I loaded the van for the last time and I said goodbye.
My daughter asked if I retrieved the house number 1048. I said, “no” and she told me she planned on going back for it. I have this strange feeling that I have left something important behind. Chris agreed. After taking down the 1048 she too said her goodbyes. I think it is sad for both of us, but we know good things are ahead.
Thank you 1048.
MOVING DAY
to the new place.
The move was grueling. Even with the help of the company across the street, their 20-foot flatbed and two of their employees. The owner had ulterior motives as I gave him quite a bit of sculpture that I just did not feel like moving.
Don Shaw, an artist and my previous landlord of 16 years left all of his sculptures behind. I wanted one very badly and moved her. Most of his sculpture is abstract and just not my taste. But there was one that was more figurative and reminded me of a little girl with pigtails, her face a great big circle. It looked like she is waving from behind a picket fence. Now I understand that this is only my own interpretation, but I can not tell you how many of my writing students, over the years, wrote about her. I immediately called dibbs on this sculpture. She was moved in the first load, I had stayed behind at the studio to pack boxes. The men left the sculpture in the front yard of my house. David took all the rest of Shaw’s artwork they were very large pieces. I am glad that he took them. I can hardly believe that they were left behind. If left on the property they would end up in a landfill.
Upon my return to the new house I found Shaws sculpture, the little girl, standing. She was waving at me and smiling. I kind of felt like she was saying welcome home! I moved her into the back yard that evening, not wanting to take a chance that she would be stolen. On Saturday we are going to get the few things that remain, my kiln, some plants and a few sculpture left behind. I am anxious to get everything out. Today when I went to pick up some paint from the building next store it looked like someone tried to break into the lock. The entire place sure looks strange.
On the original move many of the items were moved to the back yard, so I had to bring many things in to the new studio. It was a lot of work. I have so much work putting everything away.
The business across the street also helped me take down this old, somewhat rusted metal beam-shelving unit that was in the back of the studio. I had no idea how to get it down, or how to put it back together. But they helped and now the 9’x 9′ x 4′ shelving unit holds all of my molds for all of my sculptures in the new studio
Today the cable guy came and hooked up roadrunner in the offices. Now Mike feels like he can move. But the drywall needs to be sanded and my office needs the second part of floating the drywall and then sanding.
I need to work on the upstairs offices but I am so ready to get the downstairs organized and get ready to work. That is the update. We are almost moved in. I have been so busy I have yet to really absorb the entire thing. It does feel good to be able to work so late and then walk home. The last couple of nights I worked until I would drop, then locked up the studio, walked past the pond and stream and turned it off as well as the twinkle lights that I plugged in earlier in the evening. Then took the 40′ walk home.
This is great!
A Balancing Act
Downstairs is sculpting space upstairs office.
Love the 40′ commute
This weekend I learned to balance a ladder on a sloped 10-foot high roof, using a piece of foam on the roofing tiles to keep the ladder from
slipping. Then I proceeded to climb up another 9 feet to paint the dormers. Did I tell you I am afraid of heights? I was pretty proud of myself; I was walking around atop that roof like a regular roofer.
Staining handrails, painting the back of the building and trim, and trying to hang a French door were the goal of our weekend. I was very thankful to have my daughter pitch in on Sunday. This is where I wish I had 12 strong friends. I think we will have to do the drywall ourselves. We just don’t have it in the budget. It is a massive job that I am not looking forward to it. Today I am wiring the building for the phone, and packing and moving.
The building does look cute though. I still have to paint the stairs going up stairs, but trying to find 48 hours of drying time where no one can go up or down is almost impossible.
I’m also going to take photographs of all of the interior walls before the insulation. I have done this before on other projects. It is a handy thing to have when you are trying to figure out studs or wiring or plumbing in the future.
All in all the building and moving are coming along, but I am tired and sore most of the time and thought it is only 3 weeks away, it is hard to see myself through these last few weeks. Breathe, and proceed to the next thing and keep going until it is time for bed. That is all I can do. Breathe, Breathe.
In Loving Memory Of Patsy… Packing Patsy
Making the decision to hold off on sculpting Patsy until I move into the studio has relieved me of quite a bit of pressure. For the first time I could go to the studio and just pack. I sat down at my sculpting table cleaned off all of my tools and packed them into a special box. I wrapped up Patsy dress, collected the many photos and tossed a working smock into the box. Then I marked the outside of the box “Patsy and tools”. Even as I packed it up I thought, “Maybe given a little time and space I can pull these tools and work on the bust while sitting on my new porch.” It will be a welcome reunion between Patsy and I as I open the box and begin to work. I look forward to having her be the first thing created in the new space.
A New Studio And A New Resident
I am so intrigued by my newest addition to my new studio. This turtle showed up in our fenced yard. She is a red eared slider. In doing some research this turtle could be quite old maybe even 10-15 years and is about 9-10” long. One night she showed up at the fence line. The next day I looked for her and she was under the brugmansia, 20 minutes later she disappeared. Then my husband found her in the pond. She comes out and suns on the sides, of the pond. When I can I sit on the new studio porch and watch her. It is a great way to relax. I tried to make her a bathing spot by piling a flat rock inside of the pond, but the builders and the very loud compressors they use seems to bother her.
The day before yesterday I was feeding the fish in the upper pond. And what did I see? The slider. I thought she must have had quite a little trip the night before, you see this upper pond is about 15 feet, an uphill trip, and has two waterfalls in between the two ponds.
I have not named her but I have thought about the name Techla. It was my grandmothers name and though “Tecla the turtle” does not exactly roll off your tongue it is fun to say.
Maybe grandmas other name, Tilly would be better. “Tilly the turtle. I love it!
In Loving Memory of Patsy… Holding off on Proceeding
building.The new studio without doors.
The new studio is so close to being finished. I wish it were done and I could move in. More than that, I wish I could be working on Patsy in the new studio. I may stop working on Patsy until I move her in. It is not unusual to move a sculpture in the process of sculpting or after finishing the sculpture. Many sculptors do this when it is finished and when they need to send it to the foundry to go into the bronze process; however, I want to get Patsy to the new studio because the feeling of the place is so good, where as the feeling of the other place is getting drearier and drearier by the day. I am not sure if it is the packing or knowing it is going to be torn down. It takes a lot of my energy not to have those “feelings’ transfer to the clay. I think it is best if I hold off on Patsy for the next 3 weeks and work on her when the move is final. It will be so refreshing and hopefully I can get the clay to hold that refreshing feeling. Once again, I am not sure if anyone else feels these things when they look at the clay, but I do.
Yesterday while over at the old studio I walked past the clay of Patsy’s torso. I must talk to Howard about changing the position of her legs. It just does not feel like Patsy. I feel she should have her legs crossed and her head cocked slightly. It seems to be something I have seen in several photos. This pose looks too stiff this way. Changing the pose at this point is a bit of a problem, but not impossible especially if it makes it “feel” better. I’ll have to cut off the clay, dig down to the armature and readjust that before proceeding.
In Loving Memory of Patsy… Torso and Clay
I have begun to put clay on the torso. The arms are just wires, covered with tinfoil and then with clay. The feet and legs are the same. The sculpture does not look like much right now, but it is on the way. I still am concerned about the feet. They just do not feel right, maybe her legs should be crossed?
In Loving Memory of Patsy… The Armature
The sculpture begins with the mundane mechanical process of creating an armature, but I cherish and guard my times alone with the sculpture. I often have an apprentice in the studio. I was glad I had alone time with Patsy even if it was just twisting wire and putting together pipe. This is a portion of the sculpture that people will never see. I begin with my armature, made of plumbing pipe and chicken wire. Usually a sculptures armature is mounted, but because Patsy is sitting on the bench I have opted for doing her “free standing”. Once the bodice was wired together I sprayed spray foam inside of the wire. This is the same foam that is used for insulation. If you plan on doing lots of these type of sculpture I would suggest getting a spray gun. You will need to buy the appropriate spray to go with a gun, and I would also suggest getting a cleaner spray. The foam gun allows you to use just as much as you want and it won’t clog up or the can won’t go bad. The spray will give me mass without much weight. I can cut away what I don’t need, and then I’ll cover the foam with foundry wax. This is for no other reason but to keep the grit of the foam out of my clay. I love smooth clay and can’t stand it when it gets gritty.
the armature of the memorial sculpture
Do note that some of the foam may need to expand so give it a day or two to get to its full expansion before putting your clay on the foam. Also, keep a spray water bottle handy. As it will help to cure the foam quicker. Always wear rubber gloves. This stuff is a mess.
