Artist Is Searching For 3D Printer to Promote in A New Book
Bridgette Mongeon, is the author of the new book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling – Focal Press Sept 2015 and the host of the Art and Technology Podcasts. She is embarking on a new sculpture and book project and is searching for the perfect home 3D Printer to review and promote in the book and in the creation of a high profile monumental sculpture.
The sculpture is a monumental bronze of Alice In Wonderland’s Mad Hatter tea party. July 4th 2015 is the 150th anniversary of Lewis and Carroll’s story of Alice in Wonderland. The media opportunities on the project alone are monumental.
The artist is also creating a new book project associated with the monumental sculpture tentatively called Finding Alice- Incorporating 3D Technology and Traditional Sculpture in Creating a Monumental Bronze Sculpture. Finding Alice is similar to her previous book but instead focuses on one sculpting project and the technology used to create the art.
Just how is 3D printing being used in a monumental bronze sculpture? The artist is creating 150 elements that will be hidden in the bark of the sculpted bronze table, benches and nearly 20 foot scene. These items will be created using a combination of 3D scanning, sculpting and 3D Printing and then embedded into the clay before the artwork is made into a bronze.
The Duration of this Arrangement
The artist is searching for a 3D printer for the duration of the sculpting of the project which is approximately 12 months. The printer will need to be available March 2015 and preferably come pre assembled, unless there is someone in the Houston, Texas area that can put the printer together at no cost.
What is the artist looking for in a 3D printer?
- Good Communication with Technical Support
Creating a monumental bronze sculpture, and writing a book is not a “quick” task. That is why a clear channel of communication with the manufacturer of the 3D printer and their technical support team is essential. Reviews and tutorials need to be written and clearing a channel of communication can help the artist reach her “monumental deadline “of the sculpture project and clearly write the details of the 3D printing process.
- Ease of Use
Because the author/artist will be writing extensively about using the printer it is important that the 3D printer work properly. Of course with all technology—things happen. That is why the first criteria in this project is good communication with technical support. - Type of 3D Printer?
In writing the 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft and creating her 3D printed artwork the artist is aware that designs need revising and often more than one 3D print is required. That is why the artist would prefer to have two 3D printers to review. One fused deposition modeling printer and another printer that uses stereolithography. With the stereolithography printer it is especially beneficial if the 3D printer also use castable resin for further experiments and promotion. - Great Resolution Each of the 3D printed pieces will be embedded into the clay. The deadline to complete this project is tight and therefore the best resolution with the least amount of post processing is preferred.
The Promotion Opportunities
- Inclusion in Mongeon’s book Finding Alice
- Inclusion in the media press that features the combination of new technology with age old sculpting for creating this legacy of a story.
- Possible inclusion in the next edition of 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft—if the publisher Focal Press requests a follow up edition.
- Inclusion and mention on Ms Mongeon’s book tour- Providers of the 3D printers are welcome to supply their own printed collateral material for distribution. Mongeon is scheduling a book tour with universities, maker spaces and communities dealing with 3D Technology. She is a returning speaker at 3D Printer World Expo, was the cochair of 3D Camp 2012-2013 and is involved in the educational initiative of STEAM which encourages the combination of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math in education.
- Add space on the book’s accompanying website.
- A podcast episode with the host of the Art and Technology Podcast featuring the companies 3D printer and artist that use it.
If you are interested in this arrangement please contact the artist through the contact form on her website.
Other information about Bridgette Mongeon
FINE ART/WRITING/SPEAKING
Sculptor’s fine art website
BOOKS
Digital Sculpting With Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists.
NEW BOOK
3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploration of 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling. Sept 2015
Join the conversation and share your own work on 3D Technology and Fine Art on LinkeIn
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ART AND TECHNOLOGY
Art and Technology Podcast
Help Wanted-Personal Assistant With Public Relations And Marketing Background
I am a an author, sculptor and speaker and I am searching for a personal assistant with public relations and marketing background to assist me in my Houston, Texas art studio-part time, but may turn into full time. Hours are flexible.
Duties will include:
- Your duties will include helping me to promote the Alice in Wonderland Monumental Bronze Sculpture. This is a huge amount of work since the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland is July 4th, 2015. (There is a good chance that the park that is hosting this sculpture will also need publicity and more work will follow.)
- Also, I need help in promoting my new book that is coming out in Sept. I will be booking speaking engagements in various parts of the US.
You will also:
- Create, deliver, edit, and optimize PR materials.
- Ensure that messages are supportive of and consistent with marketing strategies.
- Supervise social media outreach.
- Deliver content via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, email, or direct mail.
- Coordinate and deliver email campaigns.
- Manage video content –
- Create and deliver press releases, media relations content, social media content, and speaking proposals.
- Creative Thinker
- Strong organizational, written, verbal, presentation and interpersonal skills. Excellent computer skills, including a working knowledge of the Internet.
- Degree in public relations, marketing or communications is preferred but may not be necessary if all other qualifications are met.
- Book and organize my speaking engagements.
A person with connections with national and international media is a plus.
If you are interested and would like to apply please use my contact form on my website with “Personal PR Assistant” as the main subject. Send me your resume and information about yourself with any appropriate links. Please also let me know your availability.
How the Alice Sculpture Began
In 2011, Amy Freeman of Freeman Design Associates was working with Jerry Rubenstein on signage for the newly named Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center. She contacted sculptor Bridgette Mongeon about a possible sculpture of Evelyn for the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center. The Rubensteins were looking for an artist to create a bronze sculpture of their mother for the Jewish Community Center. Bridgette documented the creation of Evelyn on a website blog. The Rubensteins and Amy came to her studio, and they all hit it off. At this time, the Rubensteins were also talking about a possible second sculpture of Evelyn for a park. The artist’s focus was on the sculpture for the Jewish Community Center, but she was curious about this mention of a sculpture for a park.
Over the many visits to her studio, Jerry and Linda would share artwork and artists that they discovered. Bridgette assumed these were ideas for the park. One such piece was the Alice In Wonderland sculpture in central park. Over the years, she has received numerous photographs from the Rubensteins of this sculpture, but she has yet to see it for herself. Her wheels began to turn about Alice. She was delighted to find that the story and illustrations were in the public domain. She was even more delighted to find that the story would be celebrating 150 years in 2015. She immediately purchased an The Annotated Alice,which features both stories of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Later she purchased another copy of the annotated Alice. She created a book mark, with the most recent image suggested for the park, strung charms of a tea party to it and presented it to Jerry. Her daughter who is the owner of Diliberto Photo and Design helped. She had so much fun searching for all of these elements and putting them together in this very classy package.
She has sculpted quite a few deceased loved ones. It is her specialty, and she develops a certain connection to the loved ones. In 2014 the Texas Country Reporter came out and created a wonderful segment on this part of her artwork. You can see it on this YouTube video. You could say when doing this type of artwork… she develops a relationship with the deceased, and though she had never known Evelyn, she became friends with her as she created the sculpture for the Jewish Community Center.
Not long after beginning the sculpture of Evelyn in 2012 she began to create digital designs to present to the Rubensteins. She had several designs that she spent hours on and never presented. The one design that had her was Alice. She just kept coming back to Alice.
The interesting thing is that, originally the Rubensteins did not want just a random sculpture, they wanted another portrait of Evelyn. Over time, Bridgette’s thoughts about Alice and her friends won the heart of the Rubensteins. The sculpture has morphed between she and her client, will be a destination spot when people come to Houston. Visitors will enjoy the interaction and the most coveted dining experience in Texas. Evelyn would be proud for all that it represents, family, imagination, literature, creativity, and fun.
Over the next three years, Bridgette modified the designs, and Alice grew from a life-size sculpture to a monumental sculpture with the mad hatter being 8-9 feet tall. At one point she and the Rubensteins talked about making the table much, much larger to accomodate more guests, but instead they brought the size down to this intimate size. Originally she had designed the sculpture to be a mix of materials-bronze and faux bois. Faux bois is concrete that is made to look like wood. The table and benches would be this faux bois. The first designs of the project were going to be a collaboration between Bridgette and two master faux bois artists Donald Tucker and Cindee Klement. The work of these masters is nothing less than yummy, but the client changed the material, desiring all bronze.
In the last of the project designs, Bridgette had created and suggested an additional sculpture of Evelyn on a faux bois bench petting a large grey poodle. The Rubensteins had just lost their long time furry companion and because she loves dogs and also specialize in pet memorials. She thought this might be a good addition to the park. She still hope that one day this additional piece will be added to the park. She loves the idea of Evelyn sitting back and watching everything that was taking place in her special wonderland, and she thought kids would love to interact with the dog as much as the other art. But budget and time were an issue, and they narrowed it down to the characters, table, benches, and podium with the book. To sculpt all of this in such a short amount of time is still a massive undertaking. You can watch the creation of this through this blog and the Finding Alice Facebook Page
The idea of hiding things in the wood was an early decision of the artist. At first she was not going to tell anyone. When she found out it was the 150th anniversary of the story, the “150” becomes a personal challenge for her. Plus, after reading the annotated Alice she realized there were so many hidden things in Lewis Carroll’s original story that she would have much from which to choose. She is delighted to be writing two books on this project one about he process from start to finish and documenting all of the technology used in the creation. The Alice Process book will be very similar to her new book coming called 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling. Unlike the 3D Tech in Fine art book, which features artists and work from all over the world, this new book will feature just the art and technology used in Alice, She can’t wait to show you, as it is pretty incredible.
The other book she will create, after the sculpture is done being sculpted and off to the foundry, is a field guide written in Rhyme and riddle. It is about the 150 hidden elements. Note: this does not mean just 150 hidden things. There are meanings behind the pieces that are a part of the hidden elements. So, take out your Annotated Alice,and watch the process of creating this sculpture. You will have to brush up on these things to be able to completely fill in all of the spaces in the field guide. She will talk about that more on that in a later blog post.
A design is only a design. An artist must sell the idea to their client, and help their client to become so much a part of the creative process that they are invested. In the a case like “Move One Place On” for Evelyn’s Park, which is the title of this sculpture, there are many other things that play a part in when a job can begin. There were committee meetings, city council, permits, budgets, revising designs, modifying estimates, finding vendors, etc, etc. Many of these things were totally out of the artist’s hands. All these needed to be taken care of before things could be finalized with the sculpture. These final details took place on July 3rd,
That means that Bridgette worked for three years on designs, proposals, presentations, budgets, estimates, and revised estimates, enlargements, and changes. She had thought and proclaimed that the project would start “next month” for these three years. There were so many hold ups that she was sure all of her friends and family thought she had made the entire commission up. Believe me, she like Alice, began to wonder if it were all just a part of a dream. She is elated to pronounce that the project officially began on July 3, 2015 the day before the actual 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. What a fitting tribute.
So now you know the morphing and history of this project. Stay tuned to the blog and to the Finding Alice Page to see how we progress from here. If you have not seen the YouTube video on the project, it describes some of the ins and outs of the project and technology better than can be explained right here. Get ready… this should be a curious adventure. Thanks for coming down the rabbit hole with me.
Expanding Your Horizons In Math And Science – Lewis Carroll And Art
This past weekend I had the opportunity, once again, to present with my wonderful friend and studio helper Allison Gonzalez at the Houston Expanding Your Horizon’s Conference for teenage girls.
“Expanding Your Horizons Network is known as the preeminent source for resources and experiences that provide focused engagement of middle school girls from all backgrounds in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).” Of course–I am an artist and understand the importance of having an A (art) in the STEM curriculum. I am a proponent of STEAM.
I titled my topic- “Art, Technology, Medicine, Math, and Literature”
There is geometry behind my digital sculptures. A great resource for learning about this is through Guerrilla CG videos such as this one on Subdivision Surface Overview.
It was a lot to cover but with my newest art project I could cover it all. I am creating a monumnetal sculpture of the Mad Hatter’s Tea party. I talked about how I created this presentation in the computer using digital programs and also how I work in the studio using traditional and digital processes just as I featured in my new book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling Focal Press 2015.
We talked a bit about Lewis Carroll and that this is the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland and about how Charles Dodgson ,the real man behind the pen name of Lewis Carroll, was a mathematician. I shared some of the secret math and other things that are in his cool stories. I then shared the math/geometry and code behind my digital artwork.
with code and created in layers.
They played with a layer puzzle.
The girls learned about 3D printing and how it works in layers and the many different applications of 3D printing.
We looked at how 3D scanning works with both laser and light and used pin art to see how the pins made a replica of our hand.I posed the question, if I had smaller and more pins would the detail of the hand be better or worse?
Some of the girls that also attended my presentation last year remember using photogrammetry and a cell phone to scan their feet
We looked at how geometry works in the computer, about the underlying mesh of a 3d piece of art and how if we add more squares to a mesh we are able to sculpt more detail, but we must use more computer memory.
The girls got to see lots of 3D printed pieces and even took one home thanks to the generosity of Lulzbot.
Finally the girls made a Dodecahedron [doh-dek-uh-hee-druh n,]. We Provided a free printable on the Alice In Wonderland Website.
The girls were provided with a list of links that they could use to help them learn about math, 3D and explore on the computer. Below are the links I shared.
I met the people at Lulzbot. They are all
about education and generously donated
some 3D prints that I could give the girls.
The girls came in and out of the room to a series of videos. My choice videos for this presentation were
The Making of the movie Paranorman using 3D Printing
Derby the Dog how a dog got legs using a 3D printer
And another on how they are using 3D printers for body parts
3D Printer Replaces body parts
LINKS GIVEN TO GIRLS – These are from my book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft…
Art, Technology, Medicine, Math, and Literature –by Bridgette Mongeon
Be curious- Think Impossible things.
Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
If you want to investigate 3D Technology further, below you will find information and websites.
www.digitalsculpting.net My website on my book and digital technology
www.creativesculpture.com My fine art website.
Free or Inexpensive Gems that Encourage Individuals to Play with Math.
Knot Plot Helps to visualize knots http://www.knotplot.com/download
Surface Evolver Visualizes minimal surfaces http://www.susqu.edu/brakke/evolver/evolver.html
TopMod A topological mesh modeler http://www.viz.tamu.edu/faculty/ergun/research/topology
SeifertView Visualization of Seifert Surfaces http://www.win.tue.nl/~vanwijk/seifertview/
Excellent tutorials on geometry and computation http://www.christopherwhitelaw.us/?p=567
Software
Blender Free- open source 3D Modeling, animating and much more http://www.blender.org *Sculptris Free http://pixologic.com/sculptris Hard surface and organic.
*Daz Studio 3D Free http://www.daz3d.com
Other Free Fun Stuff
JWEEL Free browser based jewelry design program https://www.jweel.com/en/
Autodesk 123 Series Free http://www.123dapp.com/
123D Catch- Scan from your cell phone
123D CNC-Create files for CNC milling
123D Creature- Create creatures using this app
123D Design – Create 3D models using this free app
123D Make – Helps you to make physical models out of designs. 123D Sculpt – Sculpt using your iPad
123D Meshmixer – helps to prepare your files for 3D printing
123D Tinkercad- helps you to design 3D object for printing
Learn Code for Art Processing 2 http://processing.org/
The Annotated Alice Lewis Carroll, John Tenniel, Martin Gardner editor
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
Follow the artists on Twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter
A Sitting For Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Cont.
A Sitting For Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
As stated in a previous post, I have been working on a sculpture of Alice and the Mad Hatter. The sculpture called Move One Place On is a monumental bronze sculpture of the tea party featuring several figures from Lewis Carroll’s story. Families can come to the park, sit at the bronze table and have tea with the characters.
Whenever an artist creates a sculpture they need reference. This past weekend we had two photo sittings to obtain reference for the sculpture.
SITTING FOR MAD HATTER CONTINUED
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter
A Magnum Opus and Celebrating 150 years of Curiosity
I have been sculpting for thirty years, and am now embarking on what I refer to as my magnum opus.
Some readers may have heard me mention this sculpture over the last two years. The project is a larger than life size Mad Hatter Tea Party in bronze. Families can come to visit the sculpture and bring their lunch and join in the tea party. I’ll post more on the location of the park in another post.
I work both digitally, sculpting in the computer and traditionally sculpting in clay. Many times I use both. I just completed a book on these techniques titled 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling. Focal Press 2015. This project uses all of these techniques and more.
I started with a quick digital design. Over the last two years, the digital design has morphed into several different sizes and versions. The design will morph quite a bit more from the digital design, as I take each character and make them my own and sculpt them in clay.
The Scope of the Project
The characters are larger than life measuring approximately 8 feet tall. I revert to the original John Tenniel illustrations for my inspiration. However, the Hatter scene I am creating is really contrary to the original illustration of the Tea Party. In Tenniel’s illustrations, all of the characters are at one end. In my sculpture, Alice, the Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse are spaced out. In fact, each character interacts with a guest that is not yet present at the tea party. The scene needs interaction from visitors to be complete. The sculpture lures individuals to bring a meal and share at the table. The table seats between 6-8 guests. The sculpture titled “Move One Place On” entices visitors to change places in the middle of their visit, just as the characters did in the story.
A Treasure Hunt
There is much more to this scene than meets the eye. Along with the tea party, there is a dedication plaque in the shape of an oversized storybook set upon an old tree trunk. There are small tree stump steps for children to climb to see the words. Sitting on a leaf of this storybook is a mouse that reads the dedication. Moving to the top of the storybook, you will see the feet of a small rabbit jumping into a hole. Move around the tree trunk, and you will not only see a rabbit in the cutaway section of the tree, but you will see a tiny Alice falling down the hole. And so… the treasure hunt begins. Found within all of the bronze pieces in Alice’s Wonderland are many different hidden objects and even more meanings behind each of those objects. How many of these can one find on this curious journey? Well, 150, of course. I have dedicated 150 in honor of the 150th anniversary. On July 4th of this year, the world celebrates the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
The Schedule
By the official anniversary date of July 4, 2015 I hope to have enough of the scene sculpted so that camera crews can come in and film. My team and I will continue the sculpting. I have awarded the bronze casting to Shidoni Foundry in New Mexico where more documentation of the process will take place. I am working diligently to hit the target date of installation scheduled for summer of 2016. It would be wonderful if that date were close to the 151st anniversary of the story.
New Book Projects
As you may know, I recently completed a book titled 3D Technology In Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling- Publisher Focal Press. I expect this book to come out Summer 2015. It is my goal to use this sculpture, Move One Place On and create two books- for which I am presently seeking a publisher. The first book, is tentatively titled Finding Alice: An Artist’s Curious Journey of Combining Traditional and Digital Art to Create a Monumental Bronze Sculpture. In my previous book, I focused on the many different types of digital technology that I and other artists around the world use to create art. This new book focuses on one job from conception to installation and all of the steps in between. I will be sculpting using the traditional sculpting processes and using some of the digital processes I cover in my previous book. I include even more technology in this project. For example, I created Humpty Dumpty digitally and will have him 3D printed. I will then embed the 3D printed piece in the clay before it goes to the foundry and is cast in bronze. There will be many treasures created this way. The second book in this project is Finding Alice- A Field Guide This book gives clues to the 150 different elements found in the scene. It is written in Carrollian style using such things as rhyme and riddle. In the light of that, let me give your first clues in the Finding Alice Field Guide.
Searching for Lily before the game
A mother to two- they are the same.
Here she reclines-facing east
Believing this many ‘fore morning feast.
This riddle holds four of the 150 elements in the field guide. The book contains a place for an individual to fill in the blanks. I’ll give you these answers. You will have to find the other 146 answers on your own.
1. Who is this character?
The White Queen
2. What is pertinent to the creation of this hidden object?- See Finding Alice- Process book.
She is the White Queen but is also in the image of the artist’s mother.
3. Where is this physical piece located?
I guess I can’t answer this for you as I have not placed her, and how on earth I will get her to face east is going to be a challenge.
4. What is the literary reference?
(Hint—it is a number. Include the sentence written by Carroll.)
Six “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Chapter 5)
Of course, I have been writing the books as I work on the commission. However, I need to place the bronze sculpture before the book is complete. That delay means I won’t have final images of the installation for the book until July 4th 2016 and it does take a while for a book to be published. Maybe the books will be ready by July 4th, 2017? I’ll let you know after I secure a publisher.
Media and Press Page
I am delighted with this project and the work it will entail. If you are interested in publishing a story about the project, I will soon have a media page with some images. I will be adding more images to the page as we progress on the project. If the media page is not up yet, it just means that I have been terribly busy. Just fill out the contact form and I’ll zip some images and information off to you. If you know of anyone who would like to document the creation of this sculpture as a film documentary, please let me know. I think it would make a very interesting film.
Speaking Engagements
I’d be delighted to share the project through speaking engagements and lectures. I’m already planning a speaking tour about art and technology and will be delighted to share this portion. Maybe I’ll even pass on a few more hints for the field guide.
Curriculum
There are many ways that educators can use this sculpture and the works of Lewis Carroll to encourage education in such things as history, literature, and math. Educators can also use the technology and art aspect of this project. The artist will be providing curriculmn associated with this project on this website.
Interns
If you live in the Houston, Texas area and are an artist that is available from March- September and would like to intern on this project, contact me through my contact page. Be sure to let me know your availability and give me links to your work.
Publicist
I’m also looking for an assistant to help with the publicity for this project and will be interviewing individuals immediately.
I’ll share more later, but for now… I must jump in the hole with Alice.
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter
Having Fun With Alice In Wonderland- Morphing The March Hare
How does a sculpture morph? As I stated in previous posts, sometimes I will create a 3D digital model to work out the design process. This lets my client and I change and modify sizes, placement, interaction and poses. These digital models are done quickly usually using preexisting models that I can change to fit my needs. The photographs on this blog post show the morphing of the March Hare. For the monumental bronze sculpture of Move One Place On- a scene in Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
I would continue to create the sculpture digitally, but sometimes I just like the feel of the clay. So I then went back down to the traditional studio, my office is upstairs my studio is downstairs. Downstairs I worked on the March Hare, in clay. Besides making the monumental sculpture of this scene I will also be making a number of table-top versions in bronze for sale. Sculpting downstairs in traditional clay and seeing things in a physical form helps me to see how this smaller version will work as well as the interaction of pieces in a physical world.
Once I got something I was interested in, I brought the clay piece back upstairs and scanned him with a 3D scanner. I will need a digital model to enlarge him, but I also did not want to sculpt a tiny cup, saucer and watch traditionally. I put these items into the model in the computer.
I love the action of this piece. Remember also that he is interacting with the visitor, that will be seated on a bench next to him. You also remember that I mentioned in a previous post that I will be hiding things in the sculpture. When you see this sculpture be sure to check out the stump that he is sitting on. I am sure I will be hiding things there. I also have a bunch of other ideas for hidden objects in this piece of the March Hare. I can’t wait to sculpt him life-size. As soon as the other figures are ready I will send the 3D files off for enlargements. Stay tuned.
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
Follow the artists on Twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter
Inspiring Young Minds in Fine art and 3D Technology
Carol Andrews, Visual Arts Director Newspring Center in Spring Branch Texas, invited sculptor Bridgette Mongeon to speak at North Brook High School. New Spring Center and Mongeon have the same desire- inspire young minds to “define and achieve a bright economic future. A few different classes joined in for a creative and visually stimulating lecture by Mongeon. The facilitating teacher Scott Keairnes asked Newspring to find a sculptor to speak to the students, what he got was a bit more.
Mongeon is a well-known bronze sculptor has just finished writing a book titled “3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling.” She has been combining 3D technology in fine art for years and enjoyed talking to young people about the many different aspects of 3D. “A student who learns about 3D, whether it be 3D scanning, 3D printing or even 3D sculpting and Computer Numerically Controlled Milling, will find that their education is crosses disciplines. They can take these tools and use them in multiple different ways. The young people that embrace and learn this technology will put themselves ahead of others when it comes to looking for a job. The
government is also seeing the importance of the technology and is investing, exploring and supporting education in 3D. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to inspire the students,” states Mongeon.
The artist talked about a variety of subjects other than just fine art and technology. Architecture, science, and medicine and other disciplines use 3D technology.
“I want to encourage the students to understand that using their art as a career does not just mean being a studio artist. This is something I did not grasp in high school. There are a variety of careers that use the arts, and even more that incorporate 3D technology.” A variety of subjects other than just fine art and technology. Architecture, science, and medicine and other disciplines use 3D technology
The sculptor also announced that she uses interns at her studio on a regular basis. “ I love mentoring young people. Give me someone with a passion, and I can teach them the art. Internships are some of the best ways for young artists to get ahead.” Find someone who is doing what you think you might like to do and ask them how you can help. Tell them you will take out their trash if necessary. You just want to be in that environment.” Mongeon ends the lecture with a motivational conversation that she uses in many of her lectures when she teaches marketing in the arts. “There is something in the adage of ‘it is not what you know, but who you know.’ You may think that because you are young that is harder, but it gives you an advantage. She shares a story bout a girl who planned for her pony. She closes with the statement, ‘Plan for your Pony and you will become known by all of the pony keepers.'”
At the end of the session, one student out of the many approached the artist and asked, “how do I learn about an internship? This is the motivation the artist seeks. “ I have used interns for many of my projects over the last several years.” States Mongeon. “ The students are always changing; I would love to find that one passionate person who would be interested in making a career out of art. Someone that is dependable and a good worker and that I could work with for many years to come. I’ll still use other students, but I am open to finding that one special person.”
“When the book comes out I would like to create a book tour. I’ll be looking at other high schools and higher education to lecture at next year. I’m thrilled with the possibility of this book becoming a resource for inspiration and education of so many in the different disciplines that incorporate the arts and technology.“
Mongeon’s book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling will be coming out June 2015. The artist is thrilled that those reviewing the book have found it to be a good resource as a text book.
“Bridgette Mongeon has taken the complex subject of 3D printing and made its secrets available in clear readable form for the artist and the public. She has given the reader the most up to date and useful information along with the necessary little secrets to make the appropriate decisions in applying this new medium to the art of making sculptural forms. It is an informative and enjoyable book from start to finish. Her choice in examples gives the viewer some of the most contemporary sculptural works available. An excellent textbook for every level.”
Mary Visser, Professor of Art, Holder of the Herman Brown Chair
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts
Southwestern University
“This is a much needed comprehensive introduction to “state of the art” digital sculpture. The author is a professional sculptor whose practice bridges a wide range of traditional and contemporary, analogue and digital, approaches to creating and realising her work. With an extensive knowledge, experience, and understanding of her discipline, its history and current applications, she is ideally placed to impart of this knowledge to anyone with an interest in digital fine art sculpture. The text and illustrations are clear and instructive, taking the reader on a step- by-step journey through otherwise difficult to navigate technologies. Between its pages this publication covers a wide range of digital tools currently in use by fine artist and craftspeople. It does much to dispel a lot of the smoke and magic surrounding the technology, demystifying this in an easy to follow account of the pros and cons in all of the categories covered. Each chapter in turn offers an in-depth explanation of its topic, written with the first-time user in mind it is also an invaluable resource for the professional sculptor and educator….a must for anyone with an interest in 3D digital creation and fabrication.
Keith Brown
Director of Art & Computing Technologies
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Institute for Research & Innovation in Art & Design”
Literature, Life, Love and Thankfulness
Some of you know me as a writer of nonfiction. As I have been talking so much about the book I have just finished about 3D Technology in Fine Art. But, I also write fiction and especially enjoy middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) fiction. I read it almost every night. Sometimes, as was the case today, I am desperate for a book to read. I have been sick in bed and could not get to the library, which I often do in a frenzy as some people might go to the grocery store because they just have to have chocolate ice cream. I’m addicted to reading.
I have a new granddaughter and so, old books are coming down from the attic. In some of these boxes I found this treasure. It is my favorite children’s book. I sat this evening and read it right through and discovered I still love it just as much. I wondered about why I loved it so much. Opening the stained inside cover was an inscription it reads,
Christina,
This was my favorite book when I was your age. I hope some day you will share it with your little girl.
Remember… be adventurous and learn to find treasures in the simplest things.
Love Momma
Christmas 1991. (Christina was 6.)
I read the book and thought about why it resonates with me so. I have a saying, “It is not what you have, but what you do with what you have that matters.” Some peole might wonder, “doesn’t that thought pattern keep you stuck where you are?” But look at these children. They had a sense of adventure and every thing they found and discovered was precious to them. They had such joy in their hearts because with everything that happened to them they were so thankful. And that thankfulness just bubbled out of them. They were creative in their approach, and most importantly they had each other to take care of.
People used to describe me as someone who was like these children. I think over the last few years I have not expressed openly my absolute joy over certain things. I think that when you stop saying it openly, if it can’t bubble up, it kind of just fizzes. I am making the decision to go back to that old me. To absolutely become enthused with all of the little things, and I’m looking forward to doing it. You should have seen how excited I used to get about compost. No really I was giddy over the stuff.
So thanks to this little book for putting it into words. Thank you for enlivening something that was in me all along. I had just recently made this internal acclimation. It was good to have it confirmed in this little novel. In a few more years my daughter can share it with her daughter and I hope I can read it to her many times.
Sometimes you just have to hold up your pink cracked cup, filled with milk from the refrigerator in the stream behind the water fall , take a cold drink followed by a handful of berries and smile!
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter