Off With Their Heads!
Yes, it is true that I have just come from sculpting Alice In Wonderland. So, OFF WITH THEIR HEADS! may sound like I am reiterating a story. But for me, off with their head, and turning things upside down is not just something in Wonderland, but something I do in my own studio.
Alice in Wonderland is at the foundry in Santa Fe and expected delivery is Spring of 2017 in Houston. Pieces of Alice and her friends are about the studio, heads are rolling. We are recouping the clay from Wonderland and using some of it on John Turner. So don’t be surprised if there is a bit or magic and curiosity surrounding John.
Getting to Know a Man and A Smile.
How to capture a look of a man over so many years of life? His face changes, he has so many expressions. I especially love this photograph. I love how he smiles with his entire face. I’m busy working on a head, elsewhere someone is working on his boots and briefcase, while others put clay on a torso. It is great to go ring in the new year with John Turner. A foam dog sits in pieces under an upside down Christmas tree in my studio. I can actually hear it whining for attention.
I hope I can post pictures soon.
The most animated photos are those with his daughter. My heart just jumps when I see them.
Getting to Know My Subject- Studying a Smile, a Gait, a Man
I’m spending a great deal of time getting to know John Turner. So glad I have these candids of John. I hope to make him younger, by a bit, in the sculpture. I was so surprised at how quickly he walks with his dogs. Thank you Linda for sending these scans. I love seeing the interaction and that smile.
John Turner in a Box
Well, we are on our way with John Tuner.
The first step is an armature, that armature came in this week. Yes, I have a John Turner in a box.
Inside this box are many pieces of foam similar to the digital model.
This foam is used as a basic armature for the sculpture. Now, I can really get into detail. I have been waiting for this moment for so long. I can hardly wait any longer.
There will be a lot more activity on this blog, now that this has come in. Please stay tuned. It is a long process. We will be busy, but I’ll try to post process pictures. You must promise to be patient, it goes through a process, and at first glance you will say, “What, the heck? This is not John Turner. ” But until you see me do my magic.
Seeking Literary Agent- Nonfiction
There is no doubt that there has been madness in this last year as I am finding my way out of the rabbit hole. I have been on a curious adventure of creating a monumental bronze sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party, complete with 150 hidden objects to honor the 150th anniversary of the endearing story. It was more than serendipity that I use both traditional sculpting and digital technology in creating Alice and that my new book, “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling” came out in November 2015 just a few months after signing the contract for Alice.
3D printing and 3D Technology are hot topics and Alice in Wonderland is loved by many. Put these things together and it is a Wonderland of adventure that the media is eating up. Now that I have completed the sculpting of the project, and we have set the unveiling for March 2017, I’m ready to begin writing a book I tentatively title, “Finding Alice: A Curious Adventure of Fine Art and Digital Technology.” In this book, I’ll document the creating of the monumental bronze that will be a coveted dining experience for all who visit Evelyn’s park in Bellaire Texas, outside of Houston.
I intentionally pushed the limits of combing traditional sculpture with digital technology in the entire creation. You could say Alice has gotten large and small more times than in the book, and she has done it not with elixirs and mushroom but with technology. This adventure of technology will culminate with a 3D scan created at the park after the installation. This scan will make a virtual reality tour of the sculpture experience that anyone from anywhere in the world can visit. When they do, it will continually promote my new book.
“I can’t wait to find the hidden objects. Will there be a list somewhere?” I am asked this question often. My response, “You will have to get my book.”
Marketing
Marketing is a hobby of mine, and I’m delighted that some of the major digital companies have agreed to do some co-marketing with me on the project and the technology. The marketing will begin very soon. I hope to have a publisher for this new book by the time this media goes out, and the whirlwind of media happens on the unveiling of the sculpture in March 2017.
Building upon speaking at maker spaces, colleges, national art organizations and 3D Printing World Expo, I’m already booking lectures for next year surrounding the topic of fine art and 3D technology. My hope is that this book, as my other, will be purchased not only as a coffee table book and for those who are intrigued and love Alice, but also as a textbook.
I would like to find a representative for this book project and the other books that I am creating. Being a writer and a sculptor who loves marketing is three full-time jobs, finding an agent helps to relieve me from that pressure and lets me focus on what I do best.
I’m attaching a list of some recent publicity on the project and my art, with links. You need to see this sculpture in person to understand the magnitude of it. I’m looking forward to talking and will be putting together a book proposal as soon as the last pieces of Alice goes off to Shidoni foundry in October. I await your response.
Bridgette Mongeon
RECENT MEDIA
Houston Life- 3D Technology in Fine Art – September 9, 2016
Local Houston Arts Magazine– September 2016. Cover and page 46-47
30 Most Influential Women in 3D All 3DP June 9th 2016
Houston Public Broadcasting – Arts Insights Video April, 22, 2016
Houston Artist Creates a Wonderland CW39 February 2, 2016
ABC Houston Houston City Parks “Hidden Gems”: Inside Some Must see- Green Space February 15, 2016
CBS Houston Alice in Wonderland in Evelyn’s Park February 16, 2016 Segment 2
3D Printing is a Trip Down the Rabbit Hole 3D Printing Industry – Italy July 8, 2015
Welcome
Thank you for joining me on this adventure. My name is Bridgette Mongeon and I am delighted to be awarded the commission and the honor of bringing Norma to life in bronze.
I have been creating sculpture for many years. I love bringing to life the spirit of the deceased. One of the prime elements of being able to capture not only the likeness of an individual but the spirit or essence of that individual depends a great deal on the interactions that I have with those who knew and loved the deceased. The readers of this blog, the family and friends that share their stories and pictures will be helping me. This is what connects me to someone that I have never known. In a way, you all become co-creators.
A couple of years ago Texas Country Reporter came to my studio and created a segment on my sculptures of deceased loved ones. This kind of tells what I feel and think.
I’m looking forward to sharing my process on this blog and getting to know Norma, her family and friends. As one person once said, “You develop a relationship with the deceased.” It is true and I think Norma and I are going to get along very nicely.
If you have photographs or stories that you would like to share with me please do send them. If you would like to give me permission to share them here, please be sure to let me know.
Small images can be sent through email or through drop box or google drive. Please send them to: Bridgette (at) creativesculpture (dot) com.
Sculptor
Bridgette Mongeon.
What Is 3D Scanning And Why Is It Needed?
To start a project I often will create small maquettes or clay sculptures. To enlarge these using digital processes I use 3D scanning and CNC Milling. I talk about my process quite a bit in my new book 3D Technology In Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling.
Let me enlighten those who are new to my process.
I had a company that came in and scanned John for me. There is a new video of that scan in the previous post. I can’t wait to get to work on this. I can do a lot of things int he computer that are harder to do with the real clay. The first thing I did was enlarged the dog. I’ll play with both of these – the dog and John until I get it the way I want it. There is no reason to put a lot of detail in this part, it is proportions I’m after. The detail will come when we get the foam back.
The foam acts as an armature for our clay. I’m tickled to get started.
Waiting On The Scans
I decided to scan John with a different scanner, actually a scanning company that has been working with me on another project will be scanning the small clay figure of John. I’m patiently awaiting the scan of the maquette. I have some things that I want to do on the sculpture in the computer. After that, it will be sent to my enlarging company where they will enlarge John and his dog in urethan foam. Here is a video showing the CNC milling on the March Hare for the recent Alice in Wonderland sculpture. It is fascinating to see how it works.
Once milled the urethane foam of John will be shipped to my Houston studio, where we can begin the wonderful process of bringing the sculpture to life. Meanwhile, we have been dismantling the Alice in Wonderland sculpture so that we can repurpose the clay. You can say that John will have a little Wonderland in him. We now have room for John, and are just waiting on the scanning company. Can’t wait to get him here.
How to Create a Monumental Bronze?
This video was created for a home fundraising party for Evelyn’s Park. It describes the process of creating Alice.
John is On The Way To Getting Big
I have been working on the shape, form and movement of the John Turner sculpture. It is hard to get a lot of detail because this maquette is just about 17 inches high. I am trying to do what I can in clay and then I’m scanning this and will do work on it in the computer before sending it to enlarging. A ways to go, but I can’t wait to get the large armature of both of them so I can really work my magic.
