Newsboy Sculpture

Sept 5th-7th, 2004—
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned about the meeting with the Texas Press Association.

If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.

I stopped by Dusty’s to get the model release form signed by his mom and to take some more measurements. I take measurements of his basic body type, ankle to knee, knee to hip etc. Then I also go ahead and take all the portrait measurements. I don’t often need all of these measurements, but it does help to have them.

SCULPTING
Today I made a wire armature for the small sculpture. I have decided to use the scale of 2 inches equals 1 foot. Basically, Dusty ends up being about 10 inches tall. In sculpting, the armature makes a big deference. They are especially important when I start doing the large piece. This armature is made with flexible wire. I utilize my measurements to help me be sure I have made it correctly. The armature should be slightly smaller so that I can add clay.

After the armature is complete I will begin adding clay to it. I have two types of clay that I work in consistently. I prefer using wet clay, however, I opt for using a wax based clay on this project. Both have their advantages—the wet clay lets me sculpt differently and adds so much to the sculpting process. The wax based clay is harder to put on and needs to be heated in a crock pot, but I do not have to keep it wet like a sculpture created in wet clay, nor is there any shrinkage. When creating a sculpture that will be around the studio for a while, wax based clay is the choice. Some day I will find the best of both clays, a wet clay that has the good characteristics of wet clay, while retaining the longevity of the wax clay.

Creating the form over the armature is a lot like frosting a cake. However, you don’t want to drip this cake batter on you. It causes a nasty burn.

Today I alternate between the armature, the small Dusty, and the other commissions that are at my studio and need to be completed.

COSTUME
I am a stickler for detail. I mentioned before that I did not particularly care for the costume that we had for our first photo sitting. The bottom of the pants seems wrong. They should be buckles or buttons and not elastic. I have researched the period clothing and found this wonderful web site totally dedicated to historical boys clothing. There is an entire page about knickers. My interest, once again, was peaked when I read that little boys wore shorts and older boys wore knickers. However, when boys matured to manhood they often put away their knickers in an almost ritualistic manner as a sign of going from boyhood to manhood. I could float around on the Historical Boys Clothing website forever, but I sure wish their photos came up. I have e-mailed the webmaster for help in my research.

There is wonderful story in the page about knickers about a man who immigrated to this country from Greece in 1925. He recounts wearing knickers.

Pockets? There must be pockets. How would the boys collect their money? It would be great if I could somehow show coins in the pocket of the newsboy.

Type of material? Even though this sculpture will be bronze, the type of material does matter. If you think about it, the folds in velvet, as compared to corduroy, silk or wool, all appear to be different. A good sculptor can capture the material by the way the folds are sculpted.

Suspenders? I will have to find the correct suspenders for the project. The search is on.

Sleeves? I sure wish the sleeves had some give to them, so they could either be pushed up or rolled up, if I decided it added to the sculpture. I know all of this sounds like a lot of work to go through, but the preparation for this is important. I could begin the sculpture process without the reference, however, taking time here will make my job easier down the road. It will also add life to the piece.

I am perplexed by not being able to find the absolute correct costume. So I take a trip to Joanne’s fabric shop. I’ll make what I am looking for if I can not find it. But, to my dismay, there are not any patterns for a newsboy costume, not even knickers! Back to the Internet. The women at Joanne’s tells me that you can get all sorts of patterns from e bay on the Internet. My quick search leaves me feeling a little more restless so I decide to sleep on it. Unlike many other commissions, I am not rushed. This gives me time to do what is necessary, and in the mean time the sculpture ferments in the creative intuitive part of my brain.

An artist friend hears about my costume dilemma through e-mail and offers the terrific suggestion of contacting the costume, department of the local university. If they don’t have a costume maybe a student will help me to prepare one.

…Contacting the local university doesn’t seem to be working. They have odd hours and we keep playing telephone tag. An actor friend of mine suggests the Alley Theater, and she said she would see what she could do. I would love to have my reference photos yesterday, but I am forced to wait. So I begin to think…is the other costume that bad? It is only the knickers and the straps that are a problem. I can modify the pants legs in clay, but I must have those suspenders. Having the two button suspenders in the front will create an entirely different pattern of folds and tension. I am counting on the tension, especially in the left leg. The tension of those folds draws the eye up to the hand, the face, and the paper. It is an essential design element. I believe I can find the suspenders and use them with the original costume modifying the pockets and below the knee as necessary. But I must first exhaust all options.

Let’s move onto the next section about sculpting the small newsboy.

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

History
• What do the Dutch settlers have to do with the pants of the Newsboy? (Hint check out the link above for knickers)
• What was the Knickerbocker Number Nine?
• What happened to the boy that immigrated to the United States. Why couldn’t he wear his knicker any longer? Has that ever happened to you?

Art
• If you had to do this research, where would you look?

Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned how I pick a pose.

If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.

Getting Ready for the Meeting
The photos are in the album, the contract is ready, and I have picked up the studio enough to be able to walk around without getting clay stuck to your shoes. I am ready for my meeting with the committee members from the Texas Press.

Visiting the Studio
Mr. Hodges and Ms. Garner Cash spent some time at the studio looking around and then we used the opportunity to shoot some photos. I explained the bronze process by showing them Ellie, a sculpture of a little girl. The first bronze was placed at the cemetery on Washington Avenue in Houston, Texas. The second one is intended for St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. After sculpting Ellie, a mold was made of her and then a wax poured in that mold. The wax is hollow and the same thickness that the bronze will be. This ‘lost wax method’ is one that we will be recording here with the sculpture of the newsboy. Oftentimes the sculpture is cut into different pieces to facilitate the foundry process.

Did he Break it?
Yes, it looks like Mr. Hodges broke Ellie, but real, she is all right.

Lunch and a Review of the Pose!
After the studio, we proceeded to my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Peco’s, to discuss the schedule, the contract, and most importantly to look at the photos of Dusty. Each of us had our favorite photos and we all raised our hands at different times emulating the pose and the raising of the newspaper trying to get a feel for it. In fact we did it so often I think the waitresses, thinking that we were calling them, began to ignore us entirely.

And the Finalist is…
While everyone was eating I pulled all of the photos that were finalists together onto one page. There were about 5. After a careful look at those, it was unanimous. With a little modification to the feet of one pose, we had our newsboy!

“Meeting you, visiting your studio, seeing examples of your artistry heightened my excitement about working with you on this project. It was solid affirmation that TPA made the right choice of a sculptor for our anniversary project. Bridgette’s style perfectly captures the innocence and vitality we hope to portray with our ‘newsboy’ statue.”

Wanda Garner Cash,
President, Texas Press Association

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Art and History
The lost wax method of sculpting is very old. We will get to see the documentation of the lost wax method of casting with the newsboy sculpture, however you can read a little more about it under the sculpture process link at the top of this page. There is a bit of information about the history of lost wax on other web sites as well. Following this link will lead you to an animated guide to bronze casting.

Later you will see that as the work progresses, chemistry will also become a part of the artistic process.
Vocabulary
A person who works in the lost wax method and in metal is called a metallurgist.

Let’s move onto the next steps in this process- Beginning the Small Sculpture.

Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about the beginning of this project.
If you are lost and want to go back to the chronological running list of posts, follow this link.

I keep thinking about the boys that I have read about. Barney Flaherty, the first paperboy hired by the New York Sun in 1833. That anniversary is coming up September 4th. I never knew that until I started this project. Though Dustin is the name of the boy that I have found for the first preliminary photo shoot, I wonder who I am sculpting? Is it Little Joe, Johnny Waffles, Skinny, Mickey, or any of the other children recounted in Death of a Newsboy? I will be thinking of them all, their entrepreneurial ability, tenacity, their struggle, and their place in history.

The photo sitting was so much fun!
I was able to find a newsboy outfit at a local costume company. It is not exactly what I want. The suspenders are wrong. I’d prefer the old leather ones that button to two buttons in the front. I also don’t like that the sleeves won’t roll up. But what do I want from a costume company? This one will do for this preliminary photo shoot. After all, what I am looking for is a pose. The costume is good enough not to cause distractions when trying to pick a pose. Later I’ll modify this costume, sew my own or find authentic clothing. But I want to have this sitting done before our Thursday meeting so that those attending the meeting can help me narrow down a pose.

I was elated when I first laid eyes on the model, Dustin Lee, in his costume. Dustin is the son of a friend of mine. I have known him since he was born but have not kept up with the family. I thought he would be around 11 years of age. When the Texas Press Association contacted me and said they would like an 11-year-old boy, I drove to my friend’s home to see if his mother would be interested.

Dustin or Dusty, as I have known him all his life, was a natural. His mom, a professional photographer, had groomed him well in the concept of modeling sessions. He was also quite animated. “EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!” he yelled as we tried pose after pose, paper in the air, holding papers, walking, and pointing. Prior to our sitting, I explained to him the importance of a newsboy and some of the history. I thought it might help him get into his part. “Your mouth is closing too quickly” I stated, “Can you hold the A in extra like your singing? Dusty bellowed “EXTRAAAAAAAAA” as I snapped the camera. When I felt we had exhausted all possibilities, our photo session ended. The outfit went back to the costume rental, and I waited anxiously for the photos to be developed.

September 1, 2004
The photos are back, and as I am looking at them, I am searching for movement, action, something to tell a story. Though I was unsure of the pose when the feet were so far a part, I am beginning to see a hidden meaning behind it-stability, being grounded, which represents the newspaper industry in itself. I am looking at those poses differently. The ones with the twist add motion; some, where the back is arched, add a different movement. I put all the photos in a resources photo album and mark my favorites with post-its, then I hand the photo album to my an artist friend, to get his opinion.

Meanwhile, seeing Dusty, in the outfit looking at the photos and getting closer to a pose, stirs up my creativity. Now the anticipation of actually getting my hands in the clay and working on the piece is beginning to build inside me. I can even feel the little flutters in my chest as I think of it. It is a great feeling! Allowing it to ferment there is a good thing. This stage of the creative process is called saturation.

While speaking to Dusty’s mom I learn that Dusty’s grandfather is elated over the idea of the sculpture of the newsboy and Dusty’s participation. Dusty’s grandfather was a newsboy for many years. These little elements add to the personal excitement of the sculpture, to the fermenting.

Next week I sculpt. But before that, let’s look at the next post about The Meeting.

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Art and History
• Why did the newsboys scream, “Extra, Extra Read all About It!”
• The sculpture that I am creating is in honor of the Texas Press Association’s 125th anniversary. Can you think of some big events that happened in the last 125 years that would have been headlines in the newspapers that the newsboys carried? Here is a website that can help you- Digital History.

Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work through these posts. In this blog, she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post, we learned a little about the history of the artist and newspapers.

If you are lost in the chronological order and want to go back to the running list of posts, follow this link.

I woke up early with newsboy on my brain. So, I thought I would do some research on them. I googled newsboy to see what came up. As I find information about newsboys I will add it to the Newsboy Links page.

Before I even begin the sculpture I can feel the passion for this piece stirring in me. These newsboys were the delivery system for news. At this time period there was no other form of delivery. I am always thrilled when I find young people who make a difference in the world. Maybe that is why I have such a desire to help youth. They can realize their potential, and, in turn, make a difference.

These young entrepreneurs made a huge difference. In the beginning, they were the only way for news to get to the public. As I google and read about things people wrote about them, I stumbled on the topic of Thomas Edison as a newsboy. He sold papers on the train as a youth. “Certainly,” I thought, “there were probably many famous people who started out as newsboys.”

I couldn’t help but imagine what it was like to be a newsboy. Yes there were newsgirls, a little unknown item of history. Newsboys needed to sell the paper, but how tempting it would be to want to keep one to read. In some cases I am sure the paper was the only source of reading material for these youth, if they could read.

THE POSE
I am waiting on a phone call from someone who has an 11 year old boy, and am hoping that he fits my image of what I think this sculpture should look like. I think I might be able to get my hands on some period clothing, though I am wondering how difficult it will be to find shoes. My plan is to set up a photo shoot to try some different ideas for the sculpture. I’m hoping, by doing this photo shoot, that I can finalize some different poses and present these photos on Thursday Sept 2, when I meet with members of the committee. Once we decide on a pose I’ll set up another photo shoot focusing on that one pose alone, taking many rolls of film. This reference will be necessary to focus on the details.

Sunday August 29, 2004
I Googled once again! This time for photos of newsboys. I came up with several different items that I will put in a reference book to refer to while sculpting. I especially love the old photos, but there is nothing new about my loving old photos, I could spend hours looking at old photos. In fact I love the research on a project just as much as I love doing the project. It is also what I love about writing.

Because this sculpture is a part of history it makes it all the more fascinating for me. Though I will count on the photos from my own photo shoot, these stories and the images inspire me. If I look very closely I can look into the eyes of real children!

August 30, 2004
While pulling together the contract, I stopped at TITLE. I filled in Newsboy but I know that all sculptures tend to find their names as they progress. As I work, I will await those whispers that tell me the secret of what it should be called.

I am continuing to read the stories and history of the newsboys that I find on the Internet. I first struggled about reading Death of a Newsboy, but the massive amounts of information that was in this article written by Vincent DeGirolamo, in the Journal of Social History, is amazing. It has drawn me closer to the meaning behind the newsboys as a whole and this special boy. It will directly affect the personality of the sculpture and its spirit. Maybe this element is something that only I see or feel, or maybe it is part of what others notice and comment on when I hear them say, “Your work is so life like, or it has so much personality, or the faces, there is just something about the faces.”

I wish I had time to research some of the articles mentioned in Death of a Newsboy. I always like to saturate myself with the subject as much as possible.|

I have found a period costume for the photo shoot. Although there are some things about the outfit that I don’t like, I can change these things in the sculpture. Taking these preliminary photos will help me to define a pose. It enables me to look at alternatives that I have not seen and to notice the sculpture pose from other directions. I have found other sculptures of newsboys on the Internet. I certainly don’t want to copy them. I am waiting for this sculpture to unfold itself, though I know that ultimately the scene will come alive within the clay.

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Art and History
• What is the difference between a newsboy and a newscarrier?
• Do you know anyone who was a newsboy or newscarrier?
• Which character in Death of a Newsboy is your favorite and why?
• In the article, A History of Newboys in America the Spanish-American war affected the newsboys. How did it affect the newsboys in a positive way, and what affect did the end of the war have on the newsboys?

Let’s go to the next page in this chronological order of the creating of a Newsboy Sculpture and to The Beginning.

The above photos
The top two are by Hines and were found at:

http://web.mala.bc.ca/davies/H132/Hine.newsboy.street.photo.jpg
http://web.mala.bc.ca/davies/H132/Hine.newsboy.streetcar.photo.jpg
http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/oetca/cra2_files/newsboy.jpg

Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon has documented the entire process of creating both a figurine of a newsboy and a life-size bronze sculpture. Watch the artist work, through these posts. In this blog she has also included information for students and teachers. In the previous post we learned a little of history of the artist and newspapers.
If you are lost and want to go back to the running list of posts, simply follow this link.

August 26, 2004- The News
The committee met today and Mr. Hodges called me with the good news. I was flattered when he told me what he said to the committee. I believe he said something like…

“There is no doubt that all of the artists that we are looking at are more than qualified to do this sculpture, but if you are looking for a sculptor who has a passion for children then I think you will be pleased with Bridgette Mongeon.”

Passion for Children
Mr. Hodges is correct. I do have a passion, not only for sculpting children but also helping children. I work regularly with organizations like I Have a Dream, who help children with their education and I was thrilled to donate their Dream Maker Award.

I have made it a practice to find one organization a year for which I donate a sculpture . My stipulation is that they work with children, the hungry or poor. That does indeed cover a wide gambit. When I create these sculptures, I give them to the organizations to do whatever they would like. They can produce them for awards or sell them to raise money. (I donate the sculpting and turn the award recipient over to my manufacturer for mold making and manufacturing.) Donating these awards is my way of giving back.

My involvement with children does not end with I Have a Dream. I also have a ministry that I am working with in South Africa. Through this ministry I find school sponsors as well as garden sponsors for the poor children in the squatter’s camps in South Africa.

Years ago I developed a program called Express Yourself that I brought into inner city schools to help children express their emotions through the arts.

Not all my work is of children. This is my second sculpture this year related to the newspaper industry. In the beginning of the year I was contracted by the Houston Chronicle to create their Jesse Award.

I’m looking forward to working with the Texas Press Association and sharing my creative inspiration in this great celebration.

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Art and History
• Can you name other artists from the past who sculpted children?
• What was special about the children that they sculpted?
• In the information above you can see a sculpture called the Jesse. Do you know who Jesse Jones was? Why was he so important to Houston and Texas?

Geography
• In the above page it mentions that I work with children in Africa. Look on a map can you find the area of Africa where I work?

You have a bit of history here. Now, let’s look at the next blog post on this journey of creating a newsboy. Here are some thoughts on the project.