Which Medium Do You Think Is More Flexible, Digital or Analog Clay? An Austrian Student Interview Cont.
2. Which medium do you think is more flexible, digital or analog clay?
I have described a bit of this in a previous post, however, in defense of digital sculpting, the tools that are available intrigues me. For example, sculpting symmetrically, though no person is symmetrical, I can change that at the end. But in digital I don’t have to sculpt two eyes, or two ears, etc. When I can shorten the amount of time of getting the shape and instead focus on the detail the technical process allows me more time for creativity.
By far the most hindering part of the digital process is the output. There are still a few factors that interfere with my process in this area. One is cost, and the other is the medium, also the build envelope or size. I’m finishing a bust in traditional clay right now, but I would much rather have created it digitally. However, my resources for out put would have been milling in foam, a good armature for larger pieces, but I would have still had to do the details again, and I do not like the stiff look that a piece of foam covered in clay has.
I could mill it out in stone; I must say I anxious to have a project where I can explore this more. All my life I have sculpted in clay, concrete, bronze or pourable mediums. Now with digital milling in stone I can extend my tool set to “stone carver”. With the Digital Stone project, I can create artwork in this medium, as well. This excites me to no end. When I think of the possibilities I also consider the many projects I have given up over the years not having this skill set.
I also love the idea of doing more architectural sculpting work using the digital tools. Creating a finial and being to enlarge it 20% or anything in steps of enlargement is huge. There is no price that can be put on that.
However, digital printing in any other medium is not a viable option, either because of the build envelope or the cost.
Im intrigued with the research at Solheim Additive Manufacturing Laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Department on the University of Washington campus. If only I could create in the computer and then digitally print out my form in clay in my own studio, like they are doing at this lab. I think this would be a viable resource for me. I know that the open source “free” 3d printers like Rep Rap or maker bot have some attachments to digitally print in clay, and I’m waiting to see how these evolve.
I think another resources is materialize by .mGX for going directly to bronze, though very expensive. I have visions of using them on an intricate piece similar to Alfred Gilbert’s Virgin Mary or St. Michael. Pieces that would be a nightmare to recreate in a triditional bronze process but could easily be done with .MGX.
The very near future will drastically change the way I work. As many of the patents have ended on 3D printing, I believe you will begin to see a change in the cost factor and availability of home 3D printers. I still may be limited by the build size, unless, of course, I can figure out how to change a machine to accommodate my needs. I’m not sure I am that mechanically savvy.
As I write this, I find an aching. To go from screen to finished project without touching it leaves a hole inside of me. I am afraid I will not be able to “feel” the emotion of the piece unless I touch it. Oh, this is a strange thought.
Though looking at the quick sketches in my Mudbox video I can feel the emotion without touch. Will it feel the same digitally printed?
Remember, I am still a traditional artist. I get paid for a tangible piece of art. I need to get the sculptures out of the computer. I must base my choices on that final output.
This is an interview of 10 questions by Mathias Herbster of FH Vorarlberg University in Austria directed to Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon about the comparison of digital and traditional sculpture.
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-Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
What Makes Sculpting In Clay Appealing To You? An Austrian Student Interview Cont.
1. What makes sculpting in clay appealing to you?
I am a tactile person. I love the feel of clay in my hands, the softness of wet clay out of the bag allowing me to quickly rough in the general shape, the leather hard stage providing the perfect texture for carving in intricate details. The smell of earth, the sound of the water as it is sucked into dry clay in a cup— regenerating it into a malleable medium.
Working in this medium for over 25 years there is more. My brain has developed synapsis that are strictly 3 dimensional. I can quickly rough in a figure and gesture, bringing emotion to an object in clay, much faster than I can in a 2d sketch. In fact, I have noticed that my brain misfires, skips, or bluntly—farts when I am trying to bring thoughts from my brain into two dimensions, though I have continued to sketch my entire life, working in clay or a 3D form helps me to express that creativity quicker. My study of emotion in art, especially facial expression and psychology and science behind that, is exhibited in my sculptural forms and my creations of posthumous sculptures. I have trained myself in the precision of finding the emotion and transferring it to the clay. I’m not sure if this transpires in digital form. It probably does, and I do my best to explain it in my lectures, but it is a very abstruse, imperceptible process.
I must say that I do love the immediacy of the medium. I love being able to quickly squeeze and pinch or pull a shape out of a blob. This was probably my most frustrating aspect of digital sculpting, but is quickly changing. I hated having to be bound by the geometry under a piece, it still pisses me off from time to time. Zbrush’s zsketch is more in tuned to my traditional process though I am still butting up against geometry every now and then. I would say the same with being able to pose or move a piece. For me, doing this digitally (Zbrush, Mudbox) is time consuming and leaves me fumbling. I want to play with the form before finalizing it, and I do not feel as comfortable digitally with that as I would like. Some say the geometry is the armature. To me, that is a poor analogy, it is more like grit that is caught in my traditional clay and totally irritating me as I try to dance my hand over it.
This is an interview of 10 questions by Mathias Herbster of FH Vorarlberg University in Austria directed to Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon about the comparison of digital and traditional sculpture.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
An Austrian Student Interviews Me On Comparison Of Digital And Traditional Sculpture
processes and the traditional sculpture studio.
I have worked hard over the last few years exploring the digital technology and trying to bridge the gap between digital sculpture and traditional sculpture. I have explored the process in my book Digital Sculpting inMudbox Essential Tools and Techniques for artists, with the Art and Technology podcasts, and in lectures that I have presented to organizations and institutions. Should your institution want me to come and talk about these topics, please feel free to contact me with the details.
My graduate studies and the writing of my first novel distracted me for the past year, but I’m looking forward to getting back to the topics surrounding digital technology. The technology continues to change. I really want to write a book about the technology and the processes. It would be wonderful to focus on the incredbiel artwork stemming from the use of this technology. I see it as a guidebook of resources, as well. There are also many new issues surrounding the use of digital technology that need to be addressed. I’m still looking for a publisher that will get behind the need for this information.
Today, I woke and found an e-mail in my in box from a student from FH Vorarlberg University in Austria. Mathias has the same desire and direction and focus that I have with sculpting/digitally and traditionally and wants to interview me. I’m flattered, but more than that I feel comforted. In my life, it is extremely important to pass on information and help others. I find it in all aspects of my life— a driving force. To see that my podcasts, articles, books and desire have reached half way around the world to someone else with the same passion and direction, is inspiring. I thought it would be interesting to answer these questions publicly on my forum.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Creative Angst- Step 1&2- Baby Steps
As promised, I have a regular segment for this blog titled “Creative Angst” where we will walk through the process of finding our creative selves or reaching a bit further with our creativity. In the first segment Introduction- Creative Angst I introduced this concept. Now on to our next steps.
Step One
Step one- Baby steps
I don’t think this can be emphasized enough. If you start by looking at the entire journey and plan it all out in your head it just feels too overwhelming to take the first steps. Start with baby steps. Start with one step a day. Your step for today can be making the decision to change. There, you have started. Take stock in how this feels. You are changing your life, you are becoming more creative just by taking this one step. Don’t trust yourself? Here, print out and sign this official commitment.
I_________________________on this _________ day of _________ in the year _______have made a decision to change my life and become more creative. I have no idea how that is going to happen and that is o.k. I just know I am opening myself up to that idea.
Your signature. _______________________________________
Step Two-
Now, go to the store and buy yourself a simple notebook. Splurge, get seomthing really creative with bright colors, if that fits your style. Wsrite your name on the cover in marker and the date. In the first page write your commitment out again, and date it. This will be so much fun to read when you achieve your goals. It will be great to see your progress along the way.
This journal will help you to write your creative thoughts, your process, it wil help for you to create a dialogue with your subconscious. If you are not a writer don’t fret. I have plenty of creative processes that will help with that.
Good job. See you are taking baby steps.
It’s hard for many to imagine, but having fun, feeding your passions, and engaging your talents are simple steps that will take you to the bigger answers you seek.
Jonathan H. Ellerby
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.
Henry Ford
Creative Angst- is a series of blog posts by sculptor Bridgette Mongeon that help individuals to get past their creative angst.
I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE
Do you need a little hand holding, somewhere to be accountable? There are two suggestions
1. Comment on the blog posts,
2 post on the forum. By joining the forum, you may meet other people that will be trying to do just what you are trying to do and you can encourage each other.
WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK?
How will I know when there are more posts? There are several ways-
- Check back to the blog
- Sign up for the RSS feed
- Follow me on Facebook
- Follow me on Twitter
And I will check the forum regularly
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
The Publishing Industry And Changes Concerning Faith?
As many of you know I also have a Collectibles Gift line. The God’s Word Collectible company is also the sponsor of two podcasts, of which I am the host. The guests on my podcasts are often reflective of my own personal journey. This month I contacted agent Chip MacGregor from MacGregor Literary Agency. Mr. MacGregor has worked in publishing for a long time. He has sold books to both (ABA) American Book Sellers Association and the (CBA) The Christian Book Sellers Association.
As I complete my young adult novel and begin to think about publishers I’m not quite sure it will fly with Christian publishers, though there is a strong message of faith.
Blessed not Possessed-
Developing a Relationship With the Deceased
“While exploring black magic, a family of witches, the dead, and atheism, 15 year old Caroline’s inquisitive nature and detective skills tests her faith and proves her mother is not possessed.”
the sculpting of the deceased, and the science behind them.
I have written about what I think is happening with the changes in readership of what others would call “Christian literature, ” and the desires of young readers in a recent article on this blog.
This podcast with Mr. MacGregor follows this same train of thought.
- Can Christian Authors cross over from Christian publishing to secular?
- How is secular publishing changing to accommodate a Christian message?
- Is Christian publishing changing, allowing things that are more “edgy?”
If you are interested in listening you can do so several ways.
1. You can find all of our podcasts on our Facebook Fans. http://www.facebook.com/godswordinspires
While there, please be sure to “like” our page.
2. A link is also on our God’s Word Blog
WANT TO LINK THE PODCAST ON YOUR OWN BLOG OR WEBSITE?
For those of you who are writers and may want to put this podcast on your own blog or website you are welcome to do so by using this link. When people click on the link it will bring up a new browser that plays the podcast.
( Spoiler alert: the novel is quite biographical, based on some of my own experiences with sculpting the deceased and helping people heal through the process. Yes, someone once called me possessed. )
Speaking at The Lone Star Art Guild
Houston, Texas Studio
Emotion and Gesture- In sculpture, painting and drawing.
I’m so glad to be a part of the opening sessions and workshops for the Lone Star Art Guild Convention, May 20th. I look forward to meeting some new creative friends. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a master sculptor with a studio in Houston, Texas.
We all create art to initiate an emotional involvement. It may start off as our own emotional investment, but we eventually entice the viewer into a similar relationship. I have studied the emotional aspect of art over the years and have come up with some wonderful things to share. I also feel that a great deal of emotion comes from the gesture. Is gesture just figurative? Not always, a tree can have a gesture, as well as a still life.
In this workshop we will examine this simple aspect of emotion and gesture in art as well as take time to create our own emotional investment into a 3d form with clay. Let’s start off the convention being creative. I look forward to meeting you all.
See you Friday evening 7:30-9:30 PM at the Lone Star Art Guild. Check the schedule for the location within the convention center.
For those of you interested—You can see some of my work at https://creativesculpture.com or see my most recent creative endeavors on my blog https://creativesculpture.com/blog
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
“Browsing The Archives?”
A fellow graduate classmate posted that “browsing the archives” of a blog is like “walking down memory lane”, she wondered if that would become a new saying. As I “brows the archives” of my life, I realize I don’t write just because I love to write, I write because I have a terrible memory. Documenting helps me to recall. In light of that, here are some of my blogs and recollections.
Creative Endeavors Blog—Began posting May 2005— 6 years of blogging
This blog documents my creative process in many different areas—sculpting, 3D, writing, teaching and marketing in the arts.
I love reading about all of my projects, and I especially love that this blog documents our creation of the new studio space. A hug change from my old place
going back to school – finishing my
undergraduate at Vermont College and my
terminal degree at Goddard.
Perpetual Learner Blog – Began posting in March 2005-6 years of blogging
I began this blog when I decided to go back to undergraduate school as a nontraditional student. Nontraditional basically means—your old. The blog started in March of 2005 and documents the entire process of undergraduate school at Vermont College, and then graduate school at Goddard. I will finish graduate school in January of 2012. I have no idea where this blog will go from there. I am, however, a perpetual learner, so I doubt it will stop.
Richard Hathaway Blog– Began in March of 2006
This blog documents the sculptural process of creating a life-size bronze of Professor Richard Hathaway for the T.W. Wood Gallery in Vermont . The sculpture was installed in Vermont a few years back. I visit the bronze often and people send pictures and memories, which I continue to post.
The Newsboy PRE BLOG- If only I had known about blogs then, started 2004- 8 months. In 2020 these html blog pages where merged into this blog. Just follow the category Newsboy.
This is a documentation of the creating of a life-size newsboy sculpture for the Texas Press Association. The edition is an edition of 10, so when one is sold I document where the additional pieces in the sculpture has gone. If only there were blogs back then or I would have known about them. It was murder trying to create html pages for each of these posts, with links that worked to the next post.
newsboy sculpture was
documented on my website
prior to blogging. I love
the educational element that
I added. Materials for teachers
and students to use. I would
love to do more blogging
that can be used in education
either with art or travel.
What is next?
Blogging gives me the opportunity to invite individuals from all over the world to view my work in my studio. When a project comes up, I’m always thinking about blogging. Perhaps it is a personal commissions and the family that is around the world can watch it being created. I’d love to do something for a school or program that would incorporate my blogging and sculpting as an education for young people, especially if I could have the interaction of the students. Now that would be the icing on the cake. If you have a project and want to get lots of people involved in the creating of it, give me a call, we can create a blog especially for your project documenting the entire thing.
I’m not sure who reads the blogs. I try to have helpful information in them. Will there be more blogs? Yes, actually I just purchased another domain. I’m going to start a blog for just my writing projects. Thanks for sharing in my own walk in life. It is my goal to help and encourage as many people as I can along the way.
The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought,
this in turn makes us think more deeply about life,
which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
I Need 4 People In The Houston Area With A Novel To Edit
just need four people with a
novel written in the Houston area.
Any takers?
I hear this book Novel Metamorphosis by Darcy Pattison is incredible for revision. Already I think I like it because it is more of a visual revision. I know that sounds strange for a writer. I am presently searching for others who would like to go through this book with me on their own novel. The stipulation is you must have a novel that is complete.
I would like to find four people in the Houston area that would like to go through this process. It is kind of a critique group as well as we will each read each other’s novel. I would like to begin ASAP. If you are interested please contact me through my website at https://creativesculpture.com
Darcy suggests that a small group of four is good. Or course each needs the book. We all read each others novel as well. So, I’m putting it out there, anyone else ready? I am. We can do this in perhaps a Saturday all day thing, and then intensively until we get through the book once a week. I’m committed. Anyone else? Let’s get this process of revision underway.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Introduction To- Creative Angst
Creative angst comes in all forms.
Throughout my career as an artist, writer and speaker people have come to me and said, “I need a change. I have stifled my creative self too long.” Maybe they made a decision to go corporate years ago instead of doing what they love, writing, sculpting, painting, dancing, music (fill in the blank.) Now they feel it is time to change, to feed that creative side, but they ask, how do I make this change, what do I do? How do I become more creative? How do I change my life? I had always thought and hoped I would be creative, but it is slipping away.
Perhaps they made a decision years ago that they would make a good living and there would be no financial worries. They were convinced that they could do their creative projects on the side, but somehow they got lost, and now they feel… stuck.
How do I begin? How do I get out of this rut?
Perhaps something drastic has happened, a family death, an illness or God forbid a natural disaster. They say,
“My life must change, it is too short. I have lost time. HELP!”
Well here is the thing. You have just made that change by reading this blog. You have asked the question, “how do I begin.” You have allowed your stifled creative self to have a voice. You are listening to the hunger pains of your soul. You are changing!
I hear the chatter,
I’M OVERWHELMED!
Where do I start?
There is so much I can do to be creative;, there is so much I want to do. It is so easy to get lost in this thread of creativity.
Don’t I need some direction?
Without knowing what direction to go, again I feel stuck.
Can I make money with my creativity?
Can I make money doing what I want to do?
How do I change my life to fit this process?
And there are others who may need some guidance some hand holding. They think, “If I had someone to be accountable to, some place I could go to get help or encouragement. Someone to give me a step by step procedure.” I could do this. Now hand holding is not for everyone, but it is the best way for some.
Over the years, so many people have come to me and asked one or more of these questions, Let’s go, here is my hand, Here are the steps. I will blog regularly about this subject. The title along with the sub title Creative Angst will designate this thread of posts in the blog. Just follow along, or if you are coming in the middle of this writing then do a search on the blog to see all of the previous posts.
I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE
Do you need a little hand holding, somewhere to be accountable? There are two suggestions
1. Comment on the blog posts,
2 post on the forum. By joining the forum, you may meet other people that will be trying to do just what you are trying to do and you can encourage each other. (As of June 2002, whenever you take any of my free marketing workshops you will be invited to the Marketing in the Arts and Small Business Facebook Group. How do you find out about the workshops? Follow me on Facebook, or Instagram. I’m always posting about them. During Covid we made them available. Hopefully we can still do that.
WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK?
How will I know when there are more posts? There are several ways-
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Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Let’s Give Our Youth Some Honesty When It Comes To Literature And Faith
There are times when I happen upon a book in my reading that leads me into an entire adventure of exploration. Thus was the case with a small little book called Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson. Of course, my personal journey of exploration is already in full swing, questions are being asked, prompts are in my head, before I jump on the wagon for a journey that a book may take me upon.
My personal journey is surrounding a young adult novel that I am writing. Perhaps I should say that this is my first novel. Though I am a published nonfiction writer, writing a novel is an entirely different process. Instead of recording facts or processes, I am imagining, delving into my own psyche and also pulling from the experiences as well as the loved ones around me. So it would make perfect sense that my novel would entail some sort of exploration of faith. I have the bare bones of the novel written and I am in the revision stage of things when it strikes me that Caroline, the main character in my novel is pondering her own faith.
In a 1996 journal article titled Spiritual Themes in Young Adult Books by KL Mendt, Mendt talks about the “Psychosocial crisis of identity” that all young adults go through. We might describe this as the pulling away from their parents to figure out who the heck they are. I had been thinking about a simple expression of this as I was growing up. When I was a child I loved the color blue. I am not sure what day it was in my young life that I figured out that I might not like the color blue at all, but that because my mother loved the color blue I had taken that love on as my own. I know it sounds quite simple but, it was a struggle to figure out what color I really loved. Not only that, but I felt a great betrayal to my mother for choosing another color. How much more complicated it is when a young adult realizes that they now must choose their faith. That what they grew up with, in my case, the “Now I lay me,” and the “Our Father,” and communion and all of that, is now challenged as they mature. I was nine when I had my first communion. I wanted to know God, I mean really know God. I thought that would happen when I received my first communion. I was devastated when nothing happened. After communion I was the same as before. Even when I convinced myself that perhaps it was because I must digest Jesus before I would notice anything. Perhaps I am still looking, resolving, searching for my place in my own spiritual life. Aren’t we all?
In my journey of writing and reading, such authors as Anne Lamotte and Donald Miller have presently surprised me. Dubbed as ‘Christian’ authors their ability to give us real life struggles of belief, and in Anne’s case, even with a cuss word or two, has been refreshing. I was tired of reading books with a ton of scripture that seemed preachy, or like Sunday school. Or worse yet, a horrific testimony’s that lead to a cushy life in the lap of the Holy Spirit and God.
Can we expect any less for young adults? Wouldn’t it be better to broach these topics honestly in literature? I’m talking about difficult topics such as atheism and Christianity, the truth about the church history or being gay and desiring to be loved and accepted by our family and our God. How about broaching the difficulty of accepting others, the desire for sex, or the intrigue with the occult? Isn’t it better to confront the loneliness of this passage in time from childhood to adulthood, and discuss these difficult areas honestly?
I feel I am doing this in this novel.
Yet, when I was in my writers group I asked if I should look for a Christian agent or go elsewhere for this book? The novel definitely has a strong element of faith and belief in God, and might even talk about salvation, but it also talks about many other different controversial topics. No one likes editing, but it is an essential part of creating a book. I suppose my fear is having the publisher use editing as censorship. Several individuals at my writers group said, “if someone is saved or if it has that three letter word, G-O- D in your novel you may have to go to a Christian publisher.” However, I fear no Christian publisher would be caught dead actually talking about these things that I propose.
My main character has a strong faith, but, God forbid, she also has doubts. In some ways, she is like me, but this is more than choosing your favorite color. She is scared to death of the things she is feeling. Won’t someone let me publish that?
K. Mendt also states that the benefits of these type of novels “provide young adults with a point of contact between religion and history.” There is no doubt that this is of importance in history. After all, how many wars are created because of religion? Mendt also points out that many young adult book characters are “in search of good and evil, of the self, and the meaning and mysteries of life.” My 15-year-old character in my book is doing just that, so is the 50-year-old author.
Mendt concludes, “Many young adults are truly in crisis during the passage into adulthood for a variety of reasons, In addition many young adults are dealing with new understandings of concepts such as death, their own mortality, spiritual transcendence, and they should. Young adulthood can be a time of loneliness, emotional turmoil and confusions. However, it can also be a time of spiritual growth introspection, and values, clarification specially when young adults can exercise their capability for formal operational thought through spiritual themes in young adult literature.”
I should point out that Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson, the book that caused me to think in more detail about this is not a young adult novel, but instead is middle grade. This concept intrigues me even more. I asked my husband, “Why are we so guarded against other options with our children?” His viewpoint, “indoctrination.” It reminds me of the day we came home from our Episcopal church, I think my daughter was about 9. She said, “I don’t think I agree with what the minister said in the sermon.” I swirled around and wagged my finger at her. “Wonderful! I said, “question it all, bring it inside yourself and think about it, pray about what you hear, investigate other ideas, and then come to your own opinions.” It was so important for me to say. I would rather encourage my children and introduce them to all sorts of information, even faiths, and have them decide on their own, instead of indoctrinating them or coercing them into my belief system.
A parent might think they are protecting their child, but really aren’t they limiting them? Though in the Judy Blume middle grade book, Hello God it is Margaret. Are You There? Margaret is given a choice, and she finds the choice is too hard to make, she wishes she had not had the choice, and that she grew up with a faith. Still, I’m a proponent of exploration and acceptance. I’d like to see that in young adult literature. Even my character in this novel, in the end of the book says that she has learned more from those who are different from her than she has from those who are the same. She is presently seeking out others that she can friend and converse with that can challenge her intellect and her spiritual muscles, while teaching her tolerance of others.
And by the way, at this moment, I’m not really sure what my favorite color is. For a time it was black, which as I understand it is a noncolor. For a time it was cranberry. I was in a purple stage for a while and I really love teal, which is almost blue, just like mom.
In light of this parttern of thought, and as suggested by the mentioned journal article, I have been reading.
Paterson, Katherine. Jacob Have I Loved. Harper Trophy, 1980.
Potok, Chaim. The Chosen. Simon and Schuster, 1967.
Rylant, Cynthia. Missing May. Dell Yearling
Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. Berkeley: TQS, 1972.
Mendt, KL. “Spiritual Themes in Young Adult Books.” Alan Review 23.3 (1996): n. pag. Web. 24 Feb 2011. <http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring96/mendt.html>.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
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