Writing An Article About This
I’m writing an article about this subject right now. I thought I would post this video to explain the topic. VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
It is about something called the Orphan Works Bill. This bill is not supported by most artists and will really be detrimental to our lively hood. I can hardly believe that it is being considered. If anyone reads this and would like to help please e-mailyour senator and tell the you do not support the Bill S.2913
Update on Jenna, and Other Things
When I was at the foundry last week I had hoped to see Jenna. “She is in the dip room” said Miguel. The lights are usually off in there so I figured she was taking a nap and did not want to disturb her. Being that Dick was in pieces was difficult enough. I yearn to see everything back together the way they should be.
My apprentice has been diligently working on a second wax of Jenna for me. I had hoped to get that completed and together to have it ready for my meeting today. But Alas she sat there in pieces.
As stated I prepared for a meeting with a potential new client. I hope the job comes through. It is a sweet story and will be a fun commission. The studio was all clean- that is about the only time it gets clean. Once the new projects begin it is back to the mess.
My daughter’s boyfriend, is now fiance ( he proposed in a photo booth at the 59 diner, on Thursday, after asking the parents for her hand in marriage. The 59 diner photo booth is a perfect place for a person into photography ). Bill stayed in the studio while visiting last week. My son asked, “Does it freak you out sleeping in there?” I’m glad it did not. It does make my son a little weary, don’t know if it is the sculptures or because after the sculptures are done there are a lot of body parts. You see I can reuse the clay, so the clay that was used on Dick Hathaway and Jeanna has been used on Patsy, Lucas, and others. Lots of creative energy in that clay. But I have to get the clay off of the pieces. Right now Dick Hathaway is piled, in pieces in the corner. My apprentices will help take the clay off after he is complete.
After the week-long visit, the kids are gone, and the big meeting is over. Wish I could take time to sit and be still, but there is still a lot of work to do in the studio and office. I will post more photographs of the sculptures soon.
Bridgette
Mold Making And Bronze Casting- Part 1
Created for Best of Artists and Artisans web site By Bridgette Mongeon © 2008
There is one question that I receive on a regular basis, “How do you make a mold for bronze casting, or how can I make my clay artwork into bronze?”
Though the process is quite detailed, I have recently made this video of the Dick Hathaway mold and bronze casting. It is not instructional but it does show the process. Watch the video and I’ll share some hints, and tips as well as some of my resources for materials that I use. Mold making and bronze casting is much too much to cover in one article, so check back next month for part two.
I have been making molds for years; however, I still find myself saying, “I could have done this one better.” I learn from each process. Attempting to make your first mold will feel overwhelming, but start with something simple. The one thing I have found that keeps me from beginning a project is not just the learning process, but also the daunting task of finding all the materials and tools I need. So for this months article I thought I would give you a list of my tools and materials used in the mold process, some of which you will see in the video If you proceed with a mold and need any further assistance or have any questions just go to my forum on my website, https://creativesculpture.com/forum and post your question. I’d prefer to answer your question on a forum. Then others might find our conversation at a later date and gain some knowledge. I’ll list the contact information of my suppliers at the end of this article, though I do encourage you to research suppliers in your own area.
TOOLS
When I am claying up seams, I heat the clay up in a microwave, bang it out into thick slabs with a rubber mallet, and then put it on the sculpture while it is warm. Often I search around the studio for jars, cans, and other items to hold up this seam. Pressing hot Klean Klay against the base of a jar will help to hold it in place, and the jar helps hold up the seam. If I need to clean up a seam, I’ll use my favorite dental tool. I use a round ribbon tool to carve the groove in the Klean Klay. This creates the “key” to keep the two pieces of rubber together. Kitchen knives come in handy to cut the clay to make a clean edge.
As you can tell, making the seams and preparing each piece can take a lot of time. It probably took me three days to cut and prepare the entire sculpture.
Don’t forget to leave an area to pour your wax into the mold. This can be the cut area. For example, where the arm was cut. Sometimes I create a clay spout, adding it to the cut areas to give me a good pour. If you look at the lower torso in the video, I put rubber over the entire cut section, between waist and lower torso, and poured the wax into the rear area.
I love power tools. It is a reciprocating saw that I use for cutting apart the sculpture. Using this tool is something I learned from the foundry.
The metal shims used in creating the seams on the upper torso and head are from Wholesale Tool and they are taped together with scotch tape. I have also seen other sculptors use plastic for shims. One of my cans of shims says the size is .0005. The shims should be thin enough so as not to make too big a gap when the rubber pieces are put together and not too thin so that it bends when you push it into the clay.
HINT
Be careful when using metal shims. Throughout the process, the shims disappear after being covered with rubber and plaster, you may have an edge stick out that can slice your hand.
MOLD RELEASE
Each sculpture piece is sprayed with a couple of coats of mold release agent. I never seem to have enough of this around. Be sure to keep a few cans on hand. Universal Mold Release costs about $11.30 a can and is purchased from Reynolds.
RUBBER
RUBBER
I have tried several different rubbers, but right now I am using Reynolds Rubber Brush- On 40, gallon kit. It costs around $120.00. It took about four of these to do the Dick Hathaway sculpture, a big investment. Remember though, a foundry would charge you about $7,000 to make a mold this size. I’m open to investigating less expensive rubbers, but dependability and longevity of a rubber is something to consider when comparing rubbers and I know this rubber fits that bill.
RUBBER Mold making is messy. I put paper, plastic, or cardboard around the mixing area. Save all of your large plastic yogurt and sour cream containers. These can be used over and over again for mixing rubber. This entire process is not very earth friendly and reusing containers helps ease my conscience a bit.
Mixing sticks. I use a lot of these, so I try to pick them up from the hardware store whenever I go. Usually they give them when you buy paint. I also look for anyone throwing away old shutters or shutter doors. The slats work perfectly for stirring sticks. Yes, the word is out, I garbage pick.
HINT
Be sure to keep the catalyst (yellow container) of your rubber covered while working with it, it can go bad.
HINT
Keep a stick to scoop out Part A and a separate stick for Part B and then another clean mixing stick. You don’t want to get any of part A into part B until you are ready to mix. You will notice in the video that I save my containers from sushi to set the cups in so they don’t drip all over the work area.
HINT
You must have equal parts. You must also be sure to mix thoroughly. If you are using yogurt containers be careful of the groves in the bottom of the container. You will want to be sure to mix every bit of it from the bottom. If you falter on these two hints, you will lose your mold and maybe your original.
GLOVES
Have plenty of gloves on hand. Mold making is very wasteful, but working without rubber gloves is maddening. I usually try to keep both vinyl and latex, just in case an apprentice prefers one to the other.
PAINT BRUSHES
You will use quite a few paintbrushes. I change out paintbrushes after each coat of rubber. One inch chip brushes work best for me, and I get mine from Montalbano Lumber, $14.04 a box Even though this is a little item, I suggest looking around for a good price per piece on these. You will use a lot.
HINT
When applying the first coat of rubber, be sure to dab the rubber into all crevices. The second and third coat will go much faster than the first. I like to have several pieces to work on to keep the flow going. That way I am not waiting around a long time for something to cure for the next coat. If you touch the rubber and it feels sticky but kind of leaves a fingerprint, it is ready for the next coat.
UNDERCUT PREPARATION
This is a step that is not covered in the video. The video does not show how to make sure a mother mold will come off of the rubber. It is a vital step. Please contact me and I’ll explain this or I’ll be sure to video tape it in detail the next time I make a mold.
NEXT MONTH – Making the mother mold
SUPPLIES AND SUPPLIERS
Paper or plastic to cover floor
Recipricating saw
Klean Klay
Rubber
Mold Release
Stiring Sticks
Yogurt Containers
Gloves
Microwave
Rubber mallet and tools to clean up seams
Large garbage can for disposing of gloves and brushes
Paper towels
Ceramic Store Tools and water base clay
1002 West 11th St.
Houston TX 77008
1-800 290-8990
http://www.ceramicstoreinc.com/
Circle Supply in Houston Hydrastone
6401 Long Point Rd # 506
Houston, TX 77055
(713) 688-9803
http://circle-supply.com/
Fine Art Foundry of Texas wax and bronze casting
6107 W34th
Houston, TX 77092
713-686-5567
http://www.fineartsfoundrytexas.com/
Klean Klay Clay for claying up the seams
P.O. Box 678
1019 Salamonie Ave.
Huntington, IN 46750
260-356-2328
http://www.kleanklay.com/
Montalbano Lumber Chip brushes
5850 N Shepherd Dr
Houston, TX 77091
Phone: 713-691-6611
http://www.montalbanolumber.com/
Reynolds Advanced Material Rubber, clay, mold release
5 locations 1-800-421-4378
http://www.reynoldsam.com/
Wholesale Tool Shims
Several locations
1-800-521-3420
http://www.wttool.com/
A Living Sculpture
to the studio to discuss art.
This is my continuous work in progress. A living sculpture, a retreat and my commute to work. As I stated before this pond, stream and waterfall is something we have been working on for 10 years. This past week we finally finished it! O.k. there is still some things I would like to do.
First picture looks from the porch of our house to the small shed left, and the corner of the studio steps. When ever I come home from work ( 40′ commute) I take the long way!
Here is the view that clients see when they enter the backyard. The sculpture studio is downstairs and that is my office window in the loft. I can see the pond from my office. The stream runs along the walkway, as you walk to the studio. Tilly the turtle and her baby climb this stream and waterfall daily!
My husband hates the purple chairs, but I wanted to bring some color to this back yard and purple was my color of choice!
Tilly and her baby have come down to the lower pond after construction. I think they approve. Here Tilly is coming out of the pond ( lower right corner) There is rock that is supposed to stick out of the pond, but we had a lot of rain. Guess I’ll put my wet suit on and get back in to lift it up!
Stepping out of the office window onto the roof is the only way to get a picture like this. You can see a bit up the stream. The bench and chair in the middle of the yard is where my husband and I have our meetings, though I have to say we did take our shoes off and stick our feet in the pond the other day. We both thought that was a perfect meeting spot as well.
( you can see that about the middle of this picture is some liner. Here is the unfinished spot. A small beach is going here, for birds, easy out for Tilly, watering hole for dogs etc.)
It is my oasis, you could hardly tell that you are in the middle of the big city of Houston. Only downfall to this is getting a life size sculpture or bronze back and forth from the front, but we have done it and have tried to keep that in mind when putting together the walkways.
Certainly a living sculpture.
Was It An Angel In The Nativity Or A Dragon Fly?
Here is a little pond biology. Dragon fly nymphs climb from our pond onto stalks and then hang there. Soon the dragon fly burst forth and hangs to dry. Once dry, they fly away to come back later and mate with another dragon fly or lay eggs. They are one of my favorite things about the pond. While getting ready to work on the pond this garden container that I created called “nativity” was sitting by the pond. I think I used it to weight down something during the winter. I looked closely and just about the place that an angel would be hanging there was this dragon fly. I thought it was so cool, I just had to share it.
“My Body Is Just Something I Use To Carry Around My Head.”
The foundry e-mailed today, wanting the bench that Dick Hathaway was created on. I had it loaded into the van and brought it over to them. When arriving to the foundry the Hathaway sculpture was everywhere! Pull yourself together Professor! Miguel the master foundry man was diligently working on putting him together. It won’t be long. What was that quote that the professor used to say, “My body is just something I use to carry around my head.”
Saying Good Bye-
When I was searching for reference for the Dick Hathaway memorial, I went through the collection of his books and found this page. It seemed so appropriate for what I do, what transpires with the deceased. I think of it often when I am trying to capture the essence of those I have never met and who are now gone.
The poem
Out on the end of an apple tree bough
A birdie was singing a song just now.
And when it was ended
the birdie pretended
to say good-bye,
But he did not know how!
Word of The Day- Thanatology
With my work of sculpting posthumous sculpture, my study of sculpting the deceased, and the writing of the book, “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased- A Sculptor’s Journey” which I am still searching for a publisher, I cannot believe I did not come across this word.
It means the study of everything that has to do with dying, death, and grief. There is even an organization called The Center for Thanatology Research and Education Inc.
Once again I ask myself, why am I drawn to this area? For me it is a God thing. I know that creating a sculptor of a loved one can be very healing for the family. I am extremely thankful that I have a job that helps others. But even as a child I was drawn to the subject. I write about it in my book, and may even have mentioned it before. It was my job each spring to bury the baby birds that fell from the nest hidden in the rafters of our old Victorian home. I was the only 5 year old that I know that had their own baby bird cemetery. It is an uncontrollable desire to give credence to a life lived, to somehow establish a physical existence that others can see and say, “Who was this person?”
here is a portion from the book, “I have always been intrigued with the story that I heard about elephants, marveling at the bones of their ancestors that they never knew. I remember seeing an elephant documentary that said that elephants that came across bones of their ancestors would pick them up and caress them, passing them from one to another in a respectful but mourning ritual. By doing so, it helped them come to terms with death. I feel that this action, this simple action by a wonderful and majestic creature is what I feel when I create posthumous portraiture. When the box of personal affects comes to my studio and I examine its contents, from that day forward until the day that the sculpture is complete, I have spent time lovingly caressing the life that I have had the pleasure of being introduced to. I turn that life over and over in my hands and in my heart as lovingly as those majestic elephants did with the bones of their ancestors. It is through this ritual and my art that my experience is enhanced and the healing process and letting go occur for my client.”
Making Mud Pies- Nature or Nurture?
I was reminded that years ago I used to have regular art shows at my studio, monthly in fact. We would always have a creative thing for people to do. Once we had “shoot the sheet.” We put clothes dies in water pistols and let everyone create a joint piece of artwork, another time we had paper airplane contest, you should have seen all of the airplanes in my rafters. One time I had a mud pie contest. What surprised me was that so many people did not want to participate. They did not want to get their hands dirty. I am reminded of this as my newest apprentice said, she hates to have her hands dirty.
Is this a nature or nurture thing? Do some children just love playing in dirt and others can’t stand it? Did you make mud pies?
As I worked in the garden putting down the stone and pathways my tools were, a piece of foam to sit on, a small mallet that I often would use the wooden handle to push in the pebbles, a small hand shovel, and two small buckets one filled with pebbles or sand, the other to take things away. I also had two stones that I really need to paint a notice on , “mom’s caveman tool, do not misplace.” A simple triangle stone that fit perfectly in my hand and was great for smoothing or digging. I would sit on my foam mat, which has a wonderful Cezanne painting on the one side, my tools spread out about me and working on the space between my legs. ” You look like a little girl,” my husband commented. I often wonder were there characteristics that I had as a child that would have been an indication that I would have liked getting my hands dirty for a living? Playing in mud, clay, or digging in the dirt. I do know that I love the tactile feel of gardening. I know health wise I should probably put on gloves, but I don’t enjoy the experience as much. Was I born this way?
Tilly Came To Take A Look
This morning Tilly came to take a look. I found her in the” soon to be new bog area” looking up at the pink rock. She used to like to sit on the black liner. I asked, “Want me to build you some steps up from the bog? She just looked taking it all in. “It will look much different when I fill the pond back up.” I assured her, like she could really understand. “Did the baby come with you?”
Yesterday I put the waders on that my husband bought for me years ago. I choose to do this when I was straddling the bog and edge trying to sink a milk crate, put a concrete block on top and then what I now refer to as “the bathing stone.” A stone that has the perfect slope for baby and Tilly to get on and sun bath. The bottom of the pond was murky, thank god for my toes being covered. I balanced that milk crate with rocks that I shoved under the murk and between the crate, this I did with my toes and feet. I am sure I looked a site standing in the pond.
There is one small problem with the pond that I just cant figure out. You see I can’t use concrete on the pond liner as it is a living pond and it the concrete will play havoc with this perfect system that I have here. It could even kill all of the fish and turtles. I could not stand for that. So, once again. I’ll finish the edge and fill the pond, but the beach will have to stay just liner, until I come up with another solution.
originally I was going to, lower the pond level even more to expose the beach and stream, put in concrete with pebbles, scrub the concrete once cured with vinegar, this helps neutralize the concrete. While scrubbing it I was going to vacuum the vinegar up with my wet vac. YES! a lot of work, but I am not sure even that would keep the critters from being hurt. I can not stand the thought, and can’t find help. So… Fill her up and work with dilemma that another time. I really have to get back to the studio.