No Interruptions Please…
While looking through Jenna’s box of personal effects the foster dog ( we foster animals from time to time, Sam short of Samantha is a big black lab puppy). Anyway… Sam came in wanting to smell Jenna’s clothes. I am so enthralled in the box, I hardly notice her at first. Then picking up a small moo can, an item from Jenna’s box, I turn it over and hear the sound of a small cow. Sam cocks her head. If Jenna were here she would be laughing so hard at Sam’s face. Again. I hear myself saying, as Sam turns her head again. We repeat this over and over and I feel I can hear Jenna giggling.
Soon I order Sam out of the studio. The game was fun, but I need to have time alone with these items. I am very possessive and don’t want anyone to touch the items until I have had my time with them, not even a very interested dog nose. I know that sounds strange. I’m not sure why I do this. I remember being short with a fellow student who tried to reach into the box of Dick Hathaway’s personal effects. It is very strange indeed.
Jenna’s Box of Personal Effects Arrived the Other Day
I could not wait for the time to open it. Open a box, which was packed in tears and memories of a special person who touched so many in her 14 months on earth. It is important that I carve out just the correct time to go through this ritual. I have opened many boxes before, in creating posthumous sculpture. IT is a ceremonial event, which consists of the same things but with drastically different “feelings”. It is the feelings that I am looking for, the feelings attached to each article by the loved one, the feelings of the person that belonged to these items. The feeling and essence of the individual that I will be desperately trying to coax into the clay sculpture.
I unwrapped the dress and stocking that were carefully wrapped in paper and tucked into a plastic bag marked “Jenna’s dress” and thought about how unusual it was that my 3D model baby is wearing similar dress. Marveled at how very tiny this dress looks in person, much smaller than in the online photographs that I have seen. “Oh look at these stockings!” I declare. With there little pattern, I could almost see her little chubby legs filling out the tights. “Toes or tights”, I wonder. Tights are easier to sculpt than toes, but those toes…
Then I surprise myself as I perform a ritual that I have done with a piece of clothing from Jenna’s box, a ritual that I have done with each box of each subject that has come before Jenna—Patsy, Lucas, Jeanine and others. I raised her tights to my face and breathed in the smell. “ Is this Jenna, her home smell, or laundry detergent,” I wonder?
a pause of contemplation…
Count Down…
To the sculpture of Jenna. I am trying to bring the Jenna Sculpture to Main when I bring the Dick Hathaway sculpture to Vermont. That is at the end of August. The foundry reports I must have Jeanna in mold for the bronze casting by the end of this month- May. It takes a while to go through the bronze process. I have ulterior motives in that I would really like Jenna’s mom to have her before Jenna’s birthday. That way they can celebrate, maybe have an unveiling at the gravesite.
This sculpture will be done a bit differently using new technology.. stay tuned.
White Pressed Clothes… I Could Dance…
Often after working on such a large project as the sculpture of Dick Hathaway, and the creating of the mold, the studio is a mess. Prior to that the studio is filled with sculpture, clay stained floors, the way a sculpture studio should be, I suppose.
My attire for the last few weeks has been grubby clothes that get even grubbier with putting the rubber and plaster on the molds.
NOT TODAY! The molds are done, the floor is clean (with a great deal of thanks to my apprentice Russo ). Today I put on pressed clothes. Of course I am working in the office instead of the studio. I am thrilled that the large studio floor is free from obstruction. What does that mean? I CAN DANCE! Literally!
I like to dance for exercise, turn on the tunes and start moving. Sometimes my husband joins me and we will practice our waltz, jitterbug, two step, fox trot or cha cha.
The Jenna sculpture needs to be in clay by next week. A quick turn around, but she is little and will take only a small amount of space. So… I HAVE PRESSED CLOTHES ON! A WHITE SHIRT, AND NOW I CAN DANCE!
New Online Article-
A new online article about using the computer program Poser to create presentations and reference for sculpture. The May issue of the online Magazine Best of Artists and Artisans online blog.
Article That I Wrote On “Optimizing Your Presence On The Internet”
Is now available in the new Sculptural Pursuit Magazine Summer 2008 “Optimize Your Presence on the Internet.” Vol.7 No.2 (Summer 2008) 53.
The Art Car Parade Is Coming….
A true traveling exhibit-
The Houston, Texas Art Car Parade
By Bridgette Mongeon © 2008
For those of you who don’t know about this crazy event, we have an art car parade, the largest anywhere. Here is an article that I wrote several years ago about the parade, along with some cool pictures. For more information go to http://www.orangeshow.org/art-car/
This past month marked a celebration of a true traveling exhibit. The 2008 Houston, Texas, Art Car Parade is one of the oldest and largest art car parades in the world. 200,000 plus spectators and media from all over the world saw this year’s parade. The art car parade is part of The Orange Show’s Center for Visionary Art and began in 1988 with just 40 vehicles. This year, its 21st anniversary, boasts 280 entrys from over 15 states.
I decided to take my studio apprentice Russo, an exchange student from Georgia (the country between Europe and Asia, not the state) to see this Houston wonder. Everyone should experience these American artistic autos at least once in their life. While on the way to the parade, we were followed by “Shep The Rescued German Shepherd” art car. Or should I say, “We were tailed.” It was at that moment that Russo learned she was in for something quite unusual.
An early arrival to the parade allows for close inspection of each art car, along with some of the colorful characters that seem to accompany the cars and those that the parade draws out from the woodwork. Besides art cars, costumed roller skaters and art bikes are also welcome in the parade.
There is really no other experience like seeing the wild rides exhibited in the art car parade. Russo and I quickly found our favorite cars. On our list was the “Sashimi Tabernacle Choir” created by Richard Carter, John Schroeter and Team Sashimi. The creators of this car mounted singing fish novelties and wired them to the car to sing in unison. The car has over 250 computer-controlled lobsters, bass, trout, catfish, and sharks.
We were also quite fond of “Dekuntry Pedlur” by Rich and Pam Molden. The car made to look like an old fashion country peddler made me think of Ma and Pa Kettle or the Clampetts.
The “Phone Car” by Howard Davis was originally a 1975 Volkswagen Beetle and has a horn that rings like a telephone.
Amber Eagle was inspired by the patron saints of Mexico and created “Lady of Transportation” and won Mayor’s Cup and Participant’s Choice Awards in the parade.
People’s Choice went to a giant chicken car called “HEN-A-TRON II” by Pomponio Napumucino.
“Radio Flyer” by Bob Castaneda also caught our eye as well as the “Crapper Car” by Richard Simcik.
Woodworker Isaac Cohen created a work of art. His car “Splinter” is made of wood. According to the artists My Space Page, ”I built Splinter as a birthday present to myself for my 50th birthday. It took 5,600 hours to complete. Splinter is built on an 89 Honda Accord frame. The body is 21 ft. long and crafted from 4,985 linear strips of ash and walnut.”
It is rumored that Houston Grand Opera’s baritone Liam Bonner was the person singing in the mouth of the art car “Opera To Go” by Perryn Leech.
The parade is one of artistic wonderment, free expression, and a real head turner. Coming home I had the urge to glue, epoxy or create something for my own silver van. You could say it was an obsession that was driving me crazy.
“Keep America’s roads weird, build an art car”
Quote by Tom Jones curator of The Art Car Museum died May 10, 2008 killed by a drunk driver.
The Wining Pose And her Butterfly!
Here is the pose that we decided on for Jenna. Yesterday my husband helped me to create a 3D butterfly for her finger. I’m glad he did as it prompted me to take her hand out a bit further from her face. I’m going to be creating Jenna a bit differently than any other sculpture that I have done before, stay tuned for the details.
Off To The Foundry
The 6 molds went to the foundry today. I always like taking a picture of the inside of the mold of the face. It looks so strange. I still have 3 more to make. Can’t wait for this week to be over with.
Messy, Messy, Messy!
Once shims are put into the sculpture to create a parting line the rubber is painted on. Then each side receives the mother mold made of plaster. My hands go through a dry week as I mix each batch of plaster with my hands. When it kicks and begins to cure it does so very quickly. The means haste in putting on the coat of plaster. This is why my studio is an absolute disaster right now. Plaster is everywhere, including spots on the cabinets, the phone, the tv remote and all over me. Just a few more days of this mess. That is not a birds nest on professor Hathaway’s rubber face, it is hemp that is added to the plaster to make it strong.
