Sculpture
Sparks Commission- Update – Developing A Relationship With The Deceased
Here the process begins again, tapping into more than a likeness, but the life and essence of someone I have never known. As I get to know my subject, “develop a relationship with the deceased”, as a friend once said. I feel very honored to be the artist chosen to capture such a great man.
The other day I met Mr. Sparks’ daughter. I gravitated to her, felt bonded with her. She was real, caring, a grown women who had a part of her daddy in her. Her love of animals, her desire to help others. It is these elements that I see and feel in the living that helps me bond with the deceased.
I just finished watching the memorial video of Mr. Sparks. At first I could get no sound and i searched through the video instead looking for profiles, something that was lacking in the reference material that I was given. Screen shot after screen shot I longed to hear what was being said about the man. I’m interested in his life, his part in history.
I found a button on the computer that gave me sound and watched the entire segment the second time this time with volume. These comments of those who knew and loved the man are as important as the physical reference. They help me to tap into the essence of who he was. One video segment made me smile. I rewound the video, saying “Stop, stop, oh there you are”. The twinkle in the eye, the smile. Let me capture that essence.
Now to transfer this to clay. I’m ever reminded of the little boy in the movie Hook. Who smooshes the grown Peter’s face around until he says, “Oh there you are Peter Pan!” That wonder is how I begin.
The state of Oklahoma and the state of Tennessee sure were lucky to have such a man as Willard R. Sparks
New Commissions-Willard R Sparks
Willard R Sparks
Born in Dibble, Oklahoma October 10, 1936
Died in Memphis, Tennessee on January 30, 2005
It feels good to have a commission that I can talk about. I have so many secret ones going on right now. It is a Christmas thing. My newest Commission is of Willard R Sparks, for the University of Memphis. Here is a link to information about Mr Sparks. Another one of those quick turn around commissions, but I look forward to getting to know the man, and I’ll be blogging about the process for all of those UM alumni, students and faculty that care to watch.
An Article About The Unveiling In The Times Argus
Dick Hathaway unveiled
MONTPELIER – A sculpture created in memory of Dick Hathaway will be unveiled on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 5:30 p.m. Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon created a life-size bronze sculpture of Hathaway to be placed on the park bench in front of the fountain on the green at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Hathaway — Prof. Richard Hathaway, as he would almost never allow himself to be called — shocked all his friends when he left this world quickly and quietly the victim of a heart attack at age 71. Hathaway was a rare combination — an outgoing, happy scholar with a burning social conscience; a serious intellectual with a glad heart and a sense that life, even when difficult, was often slightly funny. Hathaway was born in Boston, educated at Bates College and Northwestern University. He taught at Bowdoin and came to Goddard College in Plainfield in 1965. When Goddard downsized, Hathaway moved to Vermont College and later Union Institute, where he became what one colleague described as “the spiritual core of the Adult Degree Program.” In 2004 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Union Institute for his role as a distinguished teacher, scholar, mentor, and civic leader. Hathaway was also a licensed auctioneer who used his talents to benefit many area non-profits. He combined the auctioneer’s street savvy with the eclectic intellect of a trained academic generalist, and the verbal skills of a natural stump orator. He was an intellectual salad bar, stocked with the ingredients of a lifetime of reading, a richly associative mind, and a fast tongue.
The public is invited to the unveiling.
Times Argus article- link no longer available
A Video About The Unveiling Of The Richard Hathaway Memorial Sculpture
On Thursday, September 25th 2008 the sculpture of Professor Richard Hathaway was installed and then unveiled in Montpelier, Vermont on the Vermont College of Fine Arts Campus outside of the TW Wood Gallery.
The Dick Hathaway sculpture along with an angel traveled 1,948 miles from the artist Bridgette Mongeon’s Houston, Texas sculpture studio to Montpelier, Vermont. The exit of the sculpture from Texas was not without travail as Hurricane Ike barreled down on the Gulf Coast causing great devastation. This video documents the travels of the sculptures, along with the delivery, unveiling and emotion surrounding the love of Professor Richard Hathaway and angel Baby Jenna Mangini.
The video is part three in the documentation of the creation of the Richard Hathaway memorial.
The mold and casting of the sculpture can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgZZjcHCW4
The sculpting of the sculpture can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faoWhdJt-wA
Professor Richard Hathaway, himself can be heard in a lecture about progressive education:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR0MxIpOB4s
Please Send Us Your Photographs And Thoughts About The Sculpture of Richard Hathaway
We would love to keep this blog alive with the memories and thoughts of those who loved Dick Hathaway. Please send us your photographs and memories. Also please send us your interactions with he Richard Hathaway sculpture.
Two Thousand Thirty Miles and Children Climb on The Sculpture
We added up the miles we put on the SUV. It is about 2,030. Good thing we are flying home. I heard reports from the gallery that Dick has children climbing on him. I forgot to ask how Dick felt about children. I can picture it now. I love the idea, interaction, creating memories. I hope people send pictures.
The Richard Hathaway Excursion Comes to a Close And I Head Back to Texas
I grew up here but, my friend has never seen it.
It was wonderful being able to spend some time in Western New York after delivering the sculpture to Vermont. Traveling with someone who never has seen this part of the country offered me the opportunity to show her things like Niagara Falls and Historical North Tonawanda — home of the carousel. We went to the carousel museum while here. In fact, I grew up in the Hershel home on Christiana street. I wish I could have spent a bit more time doing touristy things, but I did get to spend time with family and living so far from them that is always good. Now it is back to Texas and the studio. I have listened to some reports on the Internet about the recovery from Hurricane Ike. Many are still trying to recover and many in my immediate neighborhood still do not have electricity after 19 days. My Southern home will never look the same with the devastation in our Beloved Galveston. I have been so removed from it both physically and emotionally.
I lived in the owners home.
On to the commissions in the studio and writing a book with my husband on digital techniques used in the traditional sculpting studio. A subject that I have been writing on quite a bit lately. The publisher is excited as are we. This is a subject that has not been written about.
Trip Back to Buffalo- All My Responsibilities Are Over, I Can Rest!
We are finished with all of the having to be someplace at sometime! It is great to relax. Yesterday was the trip back to Buffalo. We left Vermont early but spent some time stopping, eating a leisurely breakfast at a place called Bees Knees in Morrisville, Vermont. This little girl was there. I thought she might be an artist and hope that she finds my email and keeps in touch. Wonderful personality! I love her pose. It inspires me to paint or sketch or do something of her.
A Day Filled With Spirit And Friends—The Unveiling
Today was an incredible day. Spirit filled- with the honoring of Jenna, and Dick and Charlotte.
It started with a long walk in the mountains of Vermont.
Jenna’s parents met me in Vermont to pick up Jenna. Jenna was an incredible part of the unveiling of the Dick Hathaway memorial as she was “the angel that came from Texas with Dick.”
I loved spending time with Jenna’s mom. I am glad that we have our book project going as I can keep in touch with her and still have a connection.
The sculpture of Dick Hathaway was unveiled tonight. David, Dick’s son did the unveiling and posed with his dad on the bench. My client was actually the people of Vermont. Those who knew and loved Dick and who helped to raise money to cast the sculpture and bring Dick home. One of the local stations covered the event and I hope to be able to provide the video of this event on the blog at a later date. Several of Dick’s friends shared memories of the man, and then the unveiling. I waited to see the faces of those in the audience. The emotion would reveal if I had captured the essence of this incredible man. Tears where shed and the comments were all favorable. Not many people posed with Dick or even sat with him. One person mentioned, “I’ll come back when no one is around to spend some time with Dick.” I think it will be that way for many and I look forward to sharing the thoughts and experiences of many on the Dick Hathaway blog.
Ben Scotch put a magazine next to Dick stating that this would now be a new tradition. Leave a book for the next person to find. Dick would have liked that.
When the crowed had cleared three young students came up to the sculpture and commented on how incredible it was. “Who did this?” they asked, then next question was one that promoted me to create the sculpture, “who was the man, why did you make it.” This gave me the opportunity to tell of the works of Dick Hathaway and what a wonderful man he was, and how we could all be a little more like Dick Hathaway. I know those students will think about that each time that they go by, they may even tell their friends. That is exactly the goal that I wanted to achieve. the memory lives on.
Installation- Unveiling is Thursday!!!!
After eating a hardy breakfast at Betsy’s B & B I headed off to meet the maintenance crew of Vermont College to install Dick Hathaway. It went so easily. The guys had reinforced the bench, and did a great job. They had plenty of muscle to unload him and when placed on the bench his foot touched the ground. there can sometimes be shrinkage with bronze and I feared his foot would not touch. The satchel was placed next to him, holes drilled to secure him and he was actually welded onto the bench. when the gallery curator came she wept. That is the emotional reaction that I long for. It is a younger Dick Hathaway, after placing him the maintenance crew just stood on a looked.
They also took the plywood out of my car. This helped to secure Dick in the back of the SUV, it was also used to secure my windows during the hurricane. It is a reminder of what a long two weeks this has been.
Once the sculpture was placed I could not help but have a few shots of the two of us on the bench. I can’t wait to see others interact with the sculpture, and when you do, PLEASE SEND PICTURES. When the sculpture was installed, I covered him with the sheet that I sewed by generator in Houston after the storm. There he sits, a black ghosts awaiting the unveiling tomorrow evening. I can’t wait.
This evening I sit in yet another bed in another home, the home of the curator. I guess until now I was working on adrenaline. I feel quite tired now, but relieved! I hear I am hiking in the woods in the morning. I hope I can get up.
When it was all done I jumped for joy!
