Inspiring Young Women
For the last 3 years I have been asked to participate in encouraging young girls in math and science through a program called Expanding your Horizons in Math and Science. Of course my rusty right arm Allison Faith Gonzalez has always come with me. Together we try to explore STEAM. We talk to the girls about Science, Technology Engineering, Art and Math . Most people focus on STEM, but to me the Art component is very important.
What is an artist doing at a conference where pilots, biologists, engineers, and the others that are presenting? Well, you know if you have read my book 3D Technology In Fine Art and Craft, Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling that we work with math, and technology in the creation of my art.
I love the dinners that the Association of University Women, (AAUW) the organizers of this event, put on for the presenters. I was also glad to have a new intern with me Gabriel Martinez.
It was a fine time tonight. I’ll have to post more about our presentation titled Adventures Down the Rabbit Hole: Match Technology, Art and Alice in Wonderland, but that will come after we do present. For now, I’m just basking in the wonderful meal and wonderful people of (AAUW) and our exciting things we will doing. So glad to take this journey with Allison and now Gabby, a new intern. Let’s go inspire.
Here is what we did last year, talking to the girls about the math of Lewis CArroll and the technology we use with 3d Printing, 3D scanning, and 3D milling. The girls have to have a hands on activity so we created these coolDodecahedron. Links provided in the post.
The year before that we did 3D scans of the girls hands and feet using a program called 123D Catch. They also got to see a wonderful video from Coco, a girl their age who built a 3D printer. Here is a video that I created about our first year.
Measurements And Photos
I don’t always have the luxury of measuring and taking photographs of my clients. Often the photographs are provided by a client and the subject matter is not available. I took some measurements of Eben and John and spent a few minutes in the drizzle and cold to try and get some action shots. When ever I’m doing this and think, “that is enough photographs, ” I remember that I can never have too many photographs. Linda, John’s wife, will be sending me some more photographs of John at a different age as we have decided to sculpt John at a younger age.
While taking measurements of Eben he decided to became a bit more intimate than I would have liked and gave me a very wet kiss. I felt like Lucy from Charlie Brown and the expression in this video pretty much sums it up.
Getting To Know My Subject
and recognitions look over a dog who love and now have
a challenge of helping the blind to see.
I have thought of this photo often as I think of the many memories they have had.
After arriving in Dallas, John and Linda took me to their home. I love visiting a subjects home. I have always said, “you really don’t know someone until you run your finger along their bookshelves.”
This type of interaction though brief is important. While trying not to be intrusive and asking permission to take photographs I try to absorb a life time of memories. I often wish I could be alone in these spaces to run my finger along the shelves and envision a past. These pictures remind me of another commission of a former professor at my undergraduate college in Vermont and visiting Richard Hathaway’s home, or spending time in his office.
I have a book about casting faces
of famous people so the blind
can “see” their faces. I cast faces
and hands, as well as digitally scan
them. My favorite personal possession
is the casts of my mom’s and dad’s hands.
Reviewing The Space For The Sculpture
under a water color Texas evening sky.
The Texas sky streaked into watercolor purples and the wind bit through my poncho as we explored the area where the sculpture celebrating a man, a journey and possibilities would be placed. The Heritage center and the Heritage Museum is located at 6455 Page Street Frisco, Texas 75034.
“The mission of the Frisco Heritage Museum is to collect, preserve, study, interpret, exhibit, and stimulate appreciation for and knowledge of the history and culture of Frisco, Texas and the North Texas region to all the people of the region and to the visitors attracted to the area”
The Patrons of this project Linda and David Griffin
John Turner and his wife Linda Turner and Ebon
A Visit To Frisco Texas
I knew I had to take time away from Wonderland, and visit Shirley and David. I looked forward to the opportunity of meeting John Turner. A date was set, and on January 5th, I made a quick trip from my Houston, studio to fly to Dallas and then drive over to Frisco, Texas to see sculpture was to be placed.
GETTING TO KNOW A SUBJECT
To meet a subject in person is so very important and really a luxury in my creative journey. I work on many different types of projects. People are my favorite thing to sculpt, along with dogs and especially children. Though, over the last few years, more people have been calling me “the cat lady” after creating the panther for Prairie View A & M and the Grambling tiger for Grambling State University, Louisiana. But many of my subjects I never meet. This is either because they are far away or they are deceased. This is a wonderful treat to be able to meet John.
John and his wife Linda met me at the airport. To my surprise they walked up to me inside the airport Now, for many people that may not seem like anything special, but for me it was a treat. I have traveled often and my hometown is not Houston, though I have lived here over 35 years. When I would fly home in years gone by, I remember how people could greet you at the gate. I remember my mom waiting anxiously to greet me with my baby girl, or my sister and brother waiting for hugs. It occurred to me, that over the years, with the extra security and people not going down to the gate, that things have gotten very lax and when traveling and visiting used to be a treat, the process has become impersonal. Many times in my travels, I find myself taking taxis, or maybe waiting at the curb for family to drive by, open their door and I jump in before some guy in a yellow vest shouts at us and waves us off. So seeing these friendly faces greet me with a hug, meant more to me than I even realized at the time. It was the perfect way to start this adventure.
Do You Want A Signed Book? A Virtual Book Signing
more things to the box.
Today I created my first virtual book signing, thanks to an old friend. How was this done? Well they contacted me and asked me to sell them a signed copy of my new book “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling.”
I was delighted, and wondered if other family, friends and those in the arts might like one. You can, of course, purchase a copy from Amazon, but it won’t be signed by me, and if that matters to you then I would really like to accommodate you. I have made up this Pay Pal button for your convenience. Let’s see how this works.
Click on the image and let me know how you would like me to sign the book. The price includes shipping and handling and is about the same price as purchasing 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling
I would love to combine this sort of thing with an online lecture. Anyone interested? Let’s talk.
Alice in Wonderland and Technology in Kenmore West High School
Last week I returned to my hometown in Western New York, searching for familiarities of crunchy colored leaves, chestnuts, and savoring tastes of Concord grapes. Amid the streets and on the deep porches I hear voices of childhood that fill my heart.
I feel sorry for those who can’t “go home” and experience this. One can return home many times, but returning to your high school as a featured presenter gave me that curious feeling that Alice must have had as she jumped down the rabbit hole.
Someone commented on a picture that I snapped and posted of the halls of Kenmore West High School, “Looks like a scene from Alice in Wonderland.” This comment seems very fitting as at this point in my career as an artist, for my reputation is growing with Alice.
I have been commissioned to create a monumental sculpture of Alice In Wonderlands Mad Hatter Tea Party. It has been a milestone few months as articles are coming out of Italy about my project, and I’m receiving emails from Prague and China, and last week an article was printed in French. If jumping down that rabbit hole was not exciting enough, my first solo book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling
I use much of the same technology that I wrote about in the book to creating Alice and her friends. In fact, I’m pushing the use of those technologies to new heights as I plan on making this Alice project my next book project.
I didn’t want just to visit Kenmore West. My hopes were to inspire the students. My career and life are typically interdisciplinary. I am a sculptor but, as I describe in my book, the technology that I use, is used also by many different areas such as science, architecture, engineering, industrial design and more. It is interesting, I would not consider myself a “math” person, but indirectly I work with math every day in the underlying geometry of my work. I knew my lecture would be cross-disciplinary. 3d Technology does that. Also, the sculpture is the art component and with Alice, the lecture even includes a twist of literature. I desire to promote these interdisciplinary studies in education. I was glad to see that Superintendent is Dawn Mirand could see these possibilities.
I also had ulterior motives in my return to Ken West. I have had such great milestones in my life. There have been terrific accomplishments, from sculpting entertainers like B. B. King to being commissioned to create a sculpture of Neil Armstrong for Russia. I graduated with one of the first MFA degrees that incorporated digital technology in Fine art. I have been contributing author on several books, the co-author on Digital Sculpting with Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists
and now flying solo with 3D Technology In Fine Art and Craft, and have four new books including a novel the works. I have spoken at large prestigious conferences in technology and education, but the one life accomplishment I cannot claim is that I never graduated from Kenmore West. One day I will use the details of that part of my life in a young adult novel. But for reasons beyond my control, I left Ken West in 10th grade, a high school drop out, and cannot “officially” call it “my home.” Though, as of this trip, I am adopting it as my own. I shared a smidgen of that story with the kids, including how the adults at Ken West were stellar in their help in that very difficult part of my life. I figure students are talked at enough in school, I hope that my story can somehow give them courage and fortitude in their difficulties. I wish I could have focused more on options, and opportunities- in my lecture instead of just talking about technology but that is a different lecture entirely.
In my life as a professional, I embrace helping others to follow their passion and look for ways to help. A motivational speaker for those in the arts, taking on interns and apprentices and recently creating a long distance mentoring program for students are a few of the ways I satisfy that desire to help. It seemed only fitting that I create a special opportunity for some of the students of Kenmore West. This is how Dave Rigolski, my host and the art and technology teacher at Kenmore West and I accomplished that.
In the scene of the Hatter’s tea party, I will need tea cups. I had planned on 3d scanning my grandmother’s tea ups, 3D printing them, enhancing the cups if necessary and using them in the scene. Mr. Rigolski’s class is working with 3D sculpting and 3D printing. I sent him a digital file of a teacup with the challenge to the students to help me recreate the cup to put in the bronze sculpture. Three students seem to have taken on the challenge. I’m happy to say they are all young women. I’m very passionate and supportive of tech girls!
I was thrilled that the maker space Buffalo Lab in The Foundry sent Rob Peters to assist the school with the 3D files. This entire project is a true collaboration.
I’ll be talking more about the students progress in up and coming posts and on also on the finding Alice’s sculpture Facebook page where I am documenting the project. .
If my visit was not exciting enough, another important element for me in this engagement was the book dedication.
My book dedication states:
I would like to dedicate this book to those many pioneers who have gone before me and encouraged individuals to merge traditional and digital technologies to create incredible fine artwork.I’d also like to dedicate this book to Mike de la Flor, who said,
“Maybe you should look at digital sculpting.”To Debbie Lloyd, who is one of my favorite art teachers. And to all of
the art teachers who spend countless hours sharing their passion and being advocates for learners, especially those who break new ground with new tools and techniques.
Debbie Lloyd was my art teacher at Kenmore West, she went on to be one of my closest friends, and we still see each other upon my returns to Buffalo. She was also one of those stellar individuals that helped me through that difficult time. I was so proud to present her with the book at the lecture. She had no idea. I only cried one tear or two maybe, but I held it together.
I also donated a book to the library of Kenmore West, I also donated a book to the Kenmore Library as well as the North Tonawanda Library. To my delight, the Albright-Knox where I first was exposed to art as a child also received my book in their collection.
After the lecture, some of the students examined the 3D prints that I brought to show. I visited them in their computer lab and saw their excitement over learning Mudbox.
It was a delightful and incredible experience with Ken West. I do hope there are other opportunities to help in the future.
From my lecture at Penn State to my visit with Kenmore West and Buffalo Lab it was an exciting and rewarding journey to the North. I can’t wait to see the final tea cup from a Kenmore west student and place it in the scene.
My hope is that one day one of my bronzes will be in my home town, until that time, I hope my books and visit inspire others, and I’ll be looking for other ways to share.
Thanks also to:
Kenmore West Art Teachers Amy Veltri, Patti Wallace and Darryl Swanson for introducing themselves and their students. Keep up the good work! The book is also dedicated to you.
____
A recent article from the Ken Ton Bee
If you want to see what the Alice project is all about, check out this video.
Speaking at Penn State
This past week, Penn State University, The Behrend College invited me to Erie PA to speak on my new book, “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling
My host was Heather Cole from Penn State’s new interdisciplinary degree major- Digital Media, Arts, and Technology. My visit was supported by the Endowment Fund. Penn States interdisciplinary degree combines the broad perspective of the liberal arts with technical skill. The Penn State website describes the Digital Media Arts, and Technology major. The students study technology history and theory at the same time they are learning to use the newest programming languages, digital tools, and computer systems. I’m thrilled that this program is looking at using my book as a textbook for Digital Media, Arts, and Technology major.
There were both students from the campus and others from art groups in the area that attended. Many students from the engineering department were also in attendance, in fact, when I asked how many students in the arts that there were in the audience, 1/3 of the audience raised their hands. There were, in fact, more people interested in engineering than those working in the arts. That is no surprise to me. The book and the lecture are very interdisciplinary. I cover such things as 3D printing, and computer numerically controlled machining, digital presentation, and the workflow of a project from digital concept to fabrication. It is a good lecture for both those in the art, those studying engineering, architecture, design, industrial design and more.
Along with the book signing, I had samples of the 3D prints created by 3D RP of the digital design that I used to create the 15-foot bronze sculpture of the Grambling Tiger. 3DRP also created a 3D print of the March Hare. He is a bit stained with clay as we have been looking at him constantly while we are making the 8-foot tall sculpture. Other examples that I brought of 3D printing were some 3d printed bronze by exone. Some 3d printed wax jewelry, articulated pieces and 3d prints that are examples of the great detail you can get from the different types of 3d printing and 3d printing of objects inside of other objects.
Of course, there were plenty of Alice in Wonderland pieces that I was showing and I encouraged attendees to follow along with this newest project on the Finding Alice Facebook Page. And I always try to have other materials that attendees can take home like a list of all of the contact information such as:
- A description of the website created for the book at digitalsculpting.net that has further information will hold tutorials and has podcasts about art and technology.
- There is also a Facebook page for the book. These are created for others to share their work. It is a place where others and I can address questions that people have about the technology and processes, I also encourage vendors to come and share their processes and expertise.
- Brochures from my vendors like Shidoni foundry, my ( CNC) Computer numerically controlled milling companies such Synappsys Digital Services and Across the Board Creations. The video of milling by Synappsys was a big hit in the presentation, and you can see it for yourself on you tube. (Fast forward to about the two minute mark.)
The Digital Media, Arts, and Technology Department brought their MakerBot fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3d printer and had it running. Many thanks to Heather’s Bread and Circus Club at Penn State who monitored the table while I was in giving the lecture.
My daughter created a wonderful banner for my new speaking engagements, and we had that outside the auditorium.
The attendance was great, the hospitality and the quaint campus a pleasure to visit. The next day on my way back to Buffalo for my next engagement, I took a short jaunt to Presque Isle state Park. It was a lovely little side trip. I drove through the park, looked at the wildlife and learned about the Battle of Lake Erie, from which came the saying “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.” The Penn State Library with their intriguing exhibit complete with a replica of the ship was my first introduction to the-the battle of Erie and Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry.
Thanks, Penn State University, The Behrend College. I look forward to helping your students through the various resources mentioned above. Who knows, maybe their work will be in the next edition of 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling
If you are interested in having me come to your University or group, please contact me through my fine art website. I am traveling around quite a bit and would love to come and talk.
Bridgette’s presentation excellently conveyed the practical aspect of 3D modeling. Being able to see the models she created come to life in a real physical project was very inspiring.
Will Gerould- Student
I was thrilled about the broad turn out of students and community members that were in attendance. Bridgette did a wonderful job of covering the subject from an interdisciplinary approach and I think many came out with a better understanding and appreciation of the work involved.
Heather Cole- Instructor Digital Media, Arts, and Technology
Heather, thanks for bringing Bridgette, it was a great glimpse into the life of a professional artist and some amazing technology.
Dr. Chris Coultson- Professor School of Engineering.
Headed to My Home Town To Speak- I’m So Excited
As my recent posts have said, I’m headed up north to speak. I’m especially excited that I will be speaking at my high school- Kenmore West, in Kenmore, New York. I have even found a way for the art students of that high school to get involved with the new monumental bronze sculpture of the Mad Hatter tea party. I am working on this in Texas, it is receiving world wide attention. It will be great to have the students of Kenmore West involved.
They will be creating one of the tea cups on the table. Actually they will be helping me to bring to life my grandmother’s antique tea cup that I scanned using the Next Engine Laser Scanner. More on that later.
I’ll also be speaking at Penn State September 28th at 7:00 and then my last gig in Buffalo is at the Buffalo Lab on the first of October to speak and have a book signing. October 1st. 7:00. Here is the press release that is coming out of The Foundry, Buffalo Lab and Ken Ton School district. They did a great job on collaborating. Penn State- Behrend has also done a great job. Thanks to you all.
PRESS RELEASE
Artist/Author Behind Highly Anticipated “Alice in Wonderland” Sculpture to Provide Engaging Educational Experience at Kenmore West High School and Buffalo Lab
The world is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and a nationally known artist, sculptor and author is bringing local students and artists into the celebration with her work on a one-of-a-kind monumental bronze sculpture capturing the iconic Mad Hatter’s tea party.
Bridgette Mongeon, a native of the Ken-Ton area, has been commissioned by the Rubenstein Foundation in Texas to create a monumental sculpture that will include an eight-foot-tall Mad Hatter, Alice, and March Hare in attendance. There will also be plenty of space for children and adults to join the characters at the table for a picnic and the most curious of dining experiences.
On Sept. 30, during a visit to Western New York, Mongeon will engage art students at Kenmore West High School in a cross-curricular educational experience that combines art, literature, technology, engineering, math and science. She has also been invited as a guest lecturer for adults interested in learning and jumping down the rabbit hole of art and technology during a visit to the Buffalo Lab, a community workshop space at The Foundry, located at 298 Northampton St., Buffalo, NY 14208, beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Mongeon combines both traditional sculpting processes with cutting edge computer and printing technology. A key part of her work is 3D modeling and 3D printing, an important subject for today’s art students at Kenmore West High School who benefit from the school’s advanced art programs and imaging technology.
Students in art teacher David Rogalski’s classes at Kenmore West will also have the chance to contribute toward the highly anticipated sculpture. Students will use 3D scans of antique teacups and tackle the extremely challenging task of enhancing the intricate decorative floral designs in a 3D environment using a software program called Mudbox. The sculptures will then be 3D printed and added to the scene before Mongeon sends the sculpture to Shidoni Foundry in New Mexico for bronze casting.
Mongeon is known for her bronze sculptures of children, as well as entertainers such as B. B. King, Willie Nelson and Bill Monroe. She has been commissioned to create school mascots such as the larger-than-life Prairie View Panther for Texas’ Prairie View A&M University and a 15-foot tiger for Grambling State University in Grambling, La. She will also soon be creating a sculpture of Neil Armstrong commissioned by Kindness Without Limits Education as a gift to Russia.
Mongeon’s work on the tea party sculpture coincides with the release of her new book, “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling.” In the book, she describes the digital and traditional processes that she and other artists all over the world are using in their art. She will incorporate these same processes in her sculpture of the Mad Hatter scene, using tools such as the Next Engine 3D Laser Scanner and digital sculpting programs such as Mudbox and ZBrush.
“You could say that Alice no longer needs mushrooms, cakes or elixirs to grow,” Mongeon said. “These tools help me generate a digital model that can then be crafted using computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machines. Alice and her friends grow to eight feet tall with technology. I then carve on the large foam pieces, adding a fine layer of clay and more detail before making molds that will be shipped to Shidoni Foundry.”
The installation and unveiling of this sculpture in Evelyn’s Park in Bellaire, Texas, a suburb of Houston, is scheduled for late 2016. Guests can try to find more than 150 hidden elements, including characters such as Humpty Dumpty and the White Queen, which will be carefully and covertly positioned throughout the scene. Many of these smaller items the artist will create using these digital tools. The highly anticipated sculpture is expected to make the park a tourism destination for visitors of Houston and lovers of the works of Lewis Carroll.
Just as in the story, the sculpture titled “Move One Place On” beckons visitors to change places upon their visit. Mongeon hopes visitors will develop a tradition of shouting the proclamation and change places at the bronze table as they visit the sculpture.
The sculpture has additional connections to Western New York. The likeness of the artist’s mother, the late Barbara Ingersoll, was used for the hidden White Queen. For much of her life, Ingersoll was involved with a ministry that helped hurting women in Western New York and Canada. Also, the inspiration for the Hatter comes from another family member, the late Jack Rzadkiewicz, a postal worker and Buffalo native. Finally, the likeness of the artist’s adult daughter, Christina Sizemore, who lives in Houston but works for Western New York’s Feel Rite Fresh Markets, was used for Alice.
“I love to have this personal and intimate family connection in the piece,” Mongeon said.
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IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE
__________
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Nationally known sculptor, artist, And author will be guest lecturer at ken-west/Buffalo Lab, Providing an engaging educational experience tied to highly anticipated Monumental “alice in wonderland” tea party sculpture
When & Where: 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 in the Kenmore West High School Auditorium, 33 Highland Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14223, and 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 at Buffalo Lab in The Foundry, 298 Northampton St., Buffalo, NY 14208.
Who: Bridgette Mongeon, a Western New York area native and nationally known sculptor, artist and author. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” the Rubenstein Foundation of Texas has commissioned Mongeon to create a monumental sculpture of the Mad Hatter’s tea party for Evelyn’s Park in Bellaire, Texas. The sculpture will include an eight-foot Mad Hatter, Alice, and March Hare, and provide seating for children and adults to join the characters at the table. The highly anticipated sculpture is expected to make the park a destination for tourist and lovers of the endearing works of Lewis Carroll. Mongeon sculpts traditionally and incorporates cutting-edge digital technology that she wrote about in her recently released book “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling.”
What: Mongeon will engage Ken-West art students in a cross-curricular educational experience that ties directly into their work on topics such as digital modeling and 3D printing. Students will have the chance to contribute by assisting with the decorative 3D floral patterns on a tea cup that will be a part of the bronze table setting at the Hatter’s tea party Mongeon will also speak and engage artists at Buffalo Lab at The Foundry the following day.
Why: Mongeon and her sculpture have many ties to the area. The inspiration for some of the characters come from family members who have lived their entire lives in Buffalo. She is returning to educate and inspire. She will enhance the educational experience of students in Ken-Ton’s advanced art programs and provide examples of how topics such as 3D digital modeling are used in the profession. In addition to talking about traditional sculpting techniques, she will also give students the chance to play a role in a one-of-a-kind, internationally known sculpture that is poised to become a tourist destination.
Speaking in Erie PA and Western New York
I’m headed up to the north next week. Won’t you join me?
SPEAKING SCHEDULE
Monday Sept 28. 7:00 p.m. I’m scheduled to speak at PennState Behrend, and I am delighted to share my new book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling
Wed Sept 30. 8:00 a.m. I’ll be headed to my home town of Buffalo New York and not only speaking to my high school, but the kids are helping me with one of the tea cups that will be made into a bronze and placed on the table of the monumental sculpture of the Mad Hatter Tea Party that I am creating. They will be using 3D technology and 3D printing to achieve this. I’m delighted to have this participation and make this art into a learning experience. Here is a press release for the Buffalo Trip.
Thursday Sept 31. 7:00 p.m. I wanted to have a place in Buffalo to present to the grown ups. On Thursday I’ll be at the maker space called Buffalo Lab 7-9 298 Northampton St, Buffalo NY 14208 inside The Foundry. How fun to have a book signing and a special lecture in my home town.
Please help me pass the word by posting this to your Facebook and other social media accounts