I Love My New Chair!
I bought this new chair to place in my office. We found it at a used office supply store here in Houston. I know it is just an office chair, but I really like it. This is the chair that many sit in when they come to meet with me in my office.
Sculpting the Face of Professor Hathaway
As I mention so many times in my new book “Bringing to Life the spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”, the essence of the individual comes from the face. Of course many have “felt” Dick even though his face was not complete. When presenting the pictures of him a year ago at the TW Wood Gallery I had roughed in Dick’s face as well as his body. Many looking at it ‘felt” Dick Hathaway. The glasses I placed on Dick’s face were his glasses that were sent by his daughter. They were however covered with clear acetate to protect the lenses. I had not yet sculpted the eyes
Now I have removed the head and have been focusing on the face of Dick Hathaway. This has been a very difficult task. When you look at someone who has glasses on their eyes have shrunken because of the glass. If you are looking at them from a ¾ view you might even notice that the side of their face, through the glass, is smaller than their actual face. All of these things are things to consider when sculpting the face of Richard Hathaway. There will be no glass, and so I must give the impression of what everyone sees with the glass, so that when they look at him they will say, “ah, yes that is the person I know.” And this will create an emotional bond with the piece. The scientific process of empathy that I describe in my book will take place.
I have removed the glass from the frames and have been working on the eyes. All the while I keep wondering, “Where are you?” I feel I am getting there, I am close.
Old or young? I ask myself as I move from photograph to photograph. There are a couple of very good younger photographs of his eyes and therefore I am leaning toward that. Hairline changes, jowls change. I hope to have the face complete this weekend and may try to reattach it to the body to finish the upper torso.
I Will Be Speaking October 6th at The ECVA
It is for the Episcopal Church in Visual Arts.
I am one of 5 speakers, free lunch is provided with RSVP.
A Wonderful New Photographer and Press Release
I have a wonderful new photographer her name is Georgina Longoria. We are working on some editorial pictures and other creative endeavors together. A few of the photographs that she has taken for me. These were taken in the cemetery.
Focusing on The Face!
I heard someone say that Dick said something like “My body is just something that I use to carry around my head.” well not right now. The head has been removed from the torso so that I can focus on the finishing of his face. How old are you? Maida wanted him younger and he definitely appears to be younger. How much younger I don’t know. Seems like some photographs have him in a much heavier period and then thinner again.
“Come out, come out where ever you are!” This sculpture is so different than the others I have worked on because once again I don’t really have a client. No one to say- I want it this way! So I probe to see what is coming out.
Nancy said she did not want Dick’s glasses back and that was so much help. I could pop the lenses out of the frame and work on his face. It is very difficult working on someone who has glasses. The illusion of how the eyes appear because of the glasses is what I am trying to get. Their is of course no glass in a bronze sculpture, just the frame. These glasses have been one of the most important things for me to have.
The Books in the Satchel
This week my new apprentice has worked diligently on the satchel. The question is what books are pouring out of the satchel. I have given this quite a bit of thought. Remember not all the titles can be seen.
If you are to look at the spine of each book this is what you see
A Book for You!
VERMONT
History
I toyed with the idea of actual books but I thought this is best. Dick would always have a book for you, no matter who you are. Anyone who has ever seen his office would know why.
I listen often to the video of Dick’s lecture on progressive education. It is all I have of him.
I find myself needing the stimulation of those who knew him. It is interesting how important that is for me to be able to pull that emotion into the piece. Charlotte, you helped with this before!
I also wish I had something for the satchel that represented his auctions. An auction ticket? Any suggestions? I still don’t know what the letter will say on the top of the satchel. I think it will be from all of us.
That’s the update for now.
Best of Artist and Artisans- Article
“As a figurative sculptor I am entranced with the human form, male, female, young or old.”
Created for Best of Artists and Artisans web site
By Bridgette Mongeon © 2007
Recently the editors of this column wrote me concerned that people were shying away from sending in nudes to the Best of Artists and Artisans art competitions. Are nudes a controversial subject to submit? As an artist I would certainly have to evaluate each competition carefully, before entering a nude. I posted this same topic on the sculpture community forum and received some enlightening responses.
Here are some of my own experiences with nude/naked art.
The human form is an important element of focus for any artist. My husband, who is also an artist, and I are always telling art students, “Draw from life, and make sure you can draw the human form.”
Working with nude models and creating paintings and sculptures of nudes are all part of the learning process. There was a time when there were more nudes in my repertoire of art. Although I rarely sculpt a nude these days, it is not because I have outgrown them. It is because of my very busy schedule, working with a live model would be a luxury; working from a live nude model would be a way to relax. All my work is through commission and I keep very busy doing just that. Unless someone commissioned me to create a nude, and I have had a few of those, then you won’t see many nudes coming out of my studio.
By far the piece that gets the most attention and always initiates comments from those who enter my studio is “Ethel” – a nude. It is also one of my favorites, and if I crave to do other nudes, it is because I have fallen in love with “Ethel” and want to see more of her, no pun intended. The Ethel sculpture startles individuals, but at the same time seems to make them secure within their own body.
Before the time of digital cameras, I would take pictures of the nude model, with their permission of course, and when they were not at the studio I could continue to work on the sculpture. There was a time when I was banned from coming to the local pharmacy photographic processing center, until they learned more about what I do, but even then they suggested I take these “type” of photographs to a professional lab.
The most controversial of nudes is the child nude. During the creation of “Le petit pollison,” individuals were concerned that you could tell the sex of the baby. It infuriated me that I should change my art to appease what others thought, but in the end I compromised by pushing down the child’s rear end.
I love sculpting children. I long to study that tiny little form, watch the process of the growth of the skull and bones, and yes I desire to sculpt nude children. To be perfectly honest I long to sculpt every human form. I’d love to find another Ethel, and would also love to sculpt a very old person as a nude. The thought of it immediately brings to mind the science behind what I am doing, how does the muscle and skeleton change over the years? But more than that, what emotion is exhibited from each form? The young child with his/her plump cheeks and swayed back, rear end sticking out and chin down initiates a feeling of innocence. On the contrary the frail form of the elderly, stature bent over with time, skin hanging, exhibits the ravages of life and in that wisdom. As a figurative sculptor I am entranced with the human form, male, female, young or old. When that longing is transmitted to the clay, accompanied by the emotion and the artistic passion, it can become an award-winning piece of art, one that, with the proper competition, could be submitted to without hesitation!
A Sign That Dick Hathaway Wants to Come Home?
I feel an urgency to get the life-size sculpture of Dick ready for the foundry. Not that I don’t like having him around, but when it got up to a couple of days of 100 something degrees here in Texas, the old Vermonter could not handle the heat and went to pieces. Literally! Yes, I came in and Dick’s leg had come off, then it was his hand. I quickly turned on the AC and told myself it was a sign, a sign that it was time to let go of Dick and get him into the next stage of bronze casting. So now we are going to finalize the details of our beloved Professor Hathaway, right now I am completing his back which never could be reached before. Then, as I add the appendages that have fallen off I am finalizing the details. It was great to have the hand cast of my dad, something I recently did while on a trip back home, the reference helped me with the details in Dick’s hands. You could say my dad lent a hand to the process, LOL!
I also have a new apprentice in the studio lending a hand a real one. She is taking over where the last apprentice, Bryan had left off. She is finishing up his satchel as we speak. A wonderful young girl who is a student and Lamar High school. I think Dick would have liked that idea that so many young people have utilized the sculpture of him as a experiential learning experience.
As the sculpture details are finished Dick will go to pieces again. This time pieces that are intentional. I’ll have to cut him apart to begin the mold making process. My goal is to have all of this done and Dick Hathaway to the foundry by the end of this year. I can only hope the gallery has good news about the raising of the funds. At least enough to put the deposit down on the bronze.
Welcome to The Studio Layne
Introducing my newest apprentice. This is Layne she is a senior at Lamar High School. She is also on the teen council at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston (CAM). That brings back memories. My daughter was on that council when she was in high school. I believe it was the first Teen council. It is a great opportunity for an artist. They put together events and host a youth art show. It is quite a feather in your cap to be able to say that you showed at CAM. My daughter Chris was on Teen council in 2000. In those two years the council hosted two shows. Faux, Foe, Pho and Lather Rinse and Repeat. Someday I must post the funny story that goes with Christina’s artwork.
When I asked Layne, why she wanted to work in the studio she said, “Good opportunity to expose myself to a different type of art, one that I have never done.”
Some exposure. Her first night I showed her how to scrape clay off of the floor. Yes, a mundane task, but it must be done regularly or clay gets tracked into my home. And there can come a point when you can’t walk in the studio because your feet stick. While I showed her how, she helped prepare some sculptures to leave the studio, and mounted a bronze on a wooden base.
All apprentices come in and clean up the mess I made the night before. I work diligently to get things ready for them to work on. Right now it is the life size sculpture of Dick Hathaway. That will be “our” project for the fall/winter. I try to be neat about it, but I guess the creative process takes over.
The clay that I work with is used over and over, so we are always cutting the clay off of the previous sculpture to be melted down, and once cut off we go through each piece to make sure it is clean enough to be put in the pot.
Once all of the mundane chores are done, Layne sets into sculpting the clay satchel that Bryan was working on. I could tell she enjoyed working in the clay, though the tools take some time to get used to.
Welcome Layne!
Satchel Is Coming Along
Bryan and I have been working diligently on the overflowing satchel that sits at the feet of Dick Hathaway.
Meanwhile, I have been adding the details to Professors Hathaway beckoning hands.
