Sculpture
Harvey- Elation, Remorse, Numb
Today, after dealing with days of Harvey and surviving, then driving the dirt laden freeways down to the George R. Brown Convention Center to see what needed to be done, and then traveling side streets to the grocery store that is just yards away from the bayou that is no longer a threat and within its banks, I sat in my van and wept.
I wept for my elation for being safe. Though there are still those in other parts of Houston, who are being rescued. I wept for seeing all I saw today and how so many people were helping so many other people. I wept in gratitude; I wept from what might be exhaustion. I wept because I survived and that I lost nothing and so many others have and will. I wept because I’m taking my wine and my shrimp home and sitting in my house and eating and drinking that tonight. I wept because I will bring bags of freezer items home that I will place them in my freezer after I take out the many blocks of ice I made before the storm. I wept as I remembered the dazed look on the women still in her pj’s who just got to the GRB and kept saying, “My ceiling caved in, my ceiling caved in, it is all gone.” as her very mature ten-year-old son held her one 1/2-year-old. I directed her to the blankets and clothing, took her name in case I can find a place for her to go. Maybe I wept for her.
Is this survivors remorse? I don’t think it is technically survivors remorse, as that definition means I feel guilty for being alive. I don’t feel guilty for being alive; My heart is overflowing with gratitude.
I feel like I’m in a fog, kind of like I did when my mom died, and I would look at people differently. I would look at someone and think, you could have died, we could have died. You have your home; you are in a grocery store buying food from shelves, and not waiting in life at a rescue center. These are such opposites my brain can’t adjust; it can’t take it all in. I’m watching strangers greet each other with things like, “Is your home livable?” and “Did you lose everything?” There is not one person in this city who has not either lost their home or had a close friend or family member who has lost their home. Most will recover, some homes are a total loss. Most people are smiling- if they are not still in shock.
“Is your home livable?”
Our city and individuals are wounded. We are all in a daze and shock, and it is not over. I can’t believe I came home to turn on the news and hear about missiles and to learn we are now waiting for a chemical plant to blow up in Crosby, Texas. Yes, it will blow up, it is just a matter of time, and they have no idea what that will do to our air quality. I can’t comprehend this. Maybe I will have to leave my home. I may have survived the rain, winds, and flood, but not a chemical explosion with compromised air. Survival continues, don’t let your guard down yet. Maybe I’ll save the wine and celebrate another night.
SO EXCITED! A Seated Norma
of this lovely woman. I have always said, many artists can
create a likeness, but I am striving for the essence
of Norma as well.
I’m so excited. For weeks Norma’s sculpted upper torso and head have been separate from the rest of her body. There are a couple reasons for this. The face takes some time and Norma’s hair took forever. ( I’m still seeing her hair when I close my eyes. ) I’m still not done with the back of it. However, some of the hair will change once we get her torso together and her guitar. At times we have even taken Norma off of her pedestal and put her down flat. There is a great deal of smoothing that goes into the sculpting process. It is a tag team. I’ll sculpt and then an intern comes in and smooths.
I had other young interns helping in a creative process of creating some of Norma’s Jewelry. We have quite a bit of her jewelry that she wore and some we can use in the sculpture. We can make a mold of it and then cast it in bronze with her. Other pieces of jewelry are to delicate to use. So we used her jewelry as inspiration and recreated it. I’m sure the young interns will relish their part of being in the creative process. I love creating learning experiences through my art. I don’t know Norma, but I sense she would appreciate that.
If you remember back a few posts ago, a family member gave us a guitar for us to use in the project. We have to modify the guitar quite a bit. I’m surprised how hard it was emotionally for me to do that to a guitar. I play the guitar and can’t imagine destroying one on purpose. But it is for a good cause and Norma will play it forever more. ( I will remember that when I have to drill holes into it to secure it to Norma’s body armature.)
The first thing we did was to paint the guitar the same color as the clay that we used on Norma. I find this helps both myself and the client. It is less of a visual distraction while creating and when approving the sculpture. Of course, the few pieces of jewelry that we did use that were Norma’s we did not paint. It is a distraction to me, but the idea that it is “her” jewelry outweighs that distraction. The energy that jewelry adds to the piece is incredible. I’m sure you will recognize it when you see the sculpture
Back to the guitar.
We also have to be careful about the hole in the guitar. You can’t really have deep holes in bronze as it is a wonderful place for bugs to nest. So, we need a hole without a hole. This is less of a challenge than the other challenge- STRINGS. If you look at most bronze sculptures of musicians you will find there are no strings on the instruments. WHAT? here are artists coming from an artist point of view instead of a musicians point of view. Believe it or not strings are a challenge. They are thin and can be broken off, if created like a typical string. They have undercuts. Undercuts are areas that go in and around, which is difficult to cast. Could you put wire on the sculpture after it is cast? Yes, but lets guess how long that would last before a vandal came and clipped them off. So my goal is to create a guitar like it has strings, but they are part of the guitar body, no undercuts, and solid. Wish me luck, send me positive guitar string energy. It is a challenge, but I’m up for it.
grandchildren, Isabella and Noah Zapata
An intern is helping with the guitar while I work on Norma and we are making huge progress. The color or patina that will be put on the final sculpture when it is in metal will also help with us having a hole where there is no hole and showing strings.
For now the guitar sits aside, waiting for me to put the rest of Norma’s body on her. I have two days alone in the studio! I love alone time in the studio. Norma and I bond and make such progress. By Tuesday or Wed I hope to have the torso of Norma roughed in and will be able to put her guitar in her lap. Hand, arms and fingers… that is another story. But she is coming along and I am SO EXCITED about getting to work for the next couple of days.
We are moving right along. I would expect that by the time of the Gala, the sculpture will be approved. I hope that we can reveal pictures of it at the Gala, if the family would like. We have our final push to get raise the money for casting. (Please help by spreading the word and donating now. There is a link to pay pal on the main page for the project. Or contact the family and send a check. ) I’m so excited. Sorry, I won’t show pictures of the final piece until the family approves it, but I will show sectional progress. Wish you could feel the bubbling I feel and the creative energy in the studio right now. Oh, Norma I can’t wait for you to be here serenading me regularly in the corner of my studio.
This is the documentation of Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon who created the Norma Zenteno Sculpture and Kippy for Zenteno Spirit and Barrio Dogs. You can find the process blog for this project at http://normasculpture.blogspot.com/
An Homage To a Man Who Started It All- Thanks Newell- Let’s Have Tea!
I have said time and time again. In my studio, Alice and her friends have gotten bigger and smaller, not with elixirs and mushrooms but with technology. I have had a foot in the digital world and another foot in the fine art field. I have created a niche for myself with my book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling. When creating the monumental sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea party for Evelyn’s Park in Bellaire, Texas, how could I not pay a tribute to the man who started the technology? After all, it all started with this and it should be at the famous tea party. So as one of the 150 hidden things that I put in this sculpture in honor of the 150th anniversary of the story, I have added a special one for us tech guys. Do you see it?
Oh and don’t forget the riddle. I’m trying my hand at riddles for many of the hidden object.
Tech marries clay in Wonderland,
The Hatter steps in and lends a hand.
Not from Texas but Utah it came.
Not victorian but rather plain.
Because Sandra and Martin liked their tea,
an homage to a man you now do see.
The Real Alice
The Studio Is Filled With Norma
The studio is filled with Norma. I have reference photos on the wall, and a blown up copy for inspiration. There are piles of Norma pictures everywhere. I’m also referring to online photographs of her provided by the family and ones I can find on the internet. If you have photographs, especially those of an older Norma, please sent them. So with all of my online reference my computer is perpetually covered with clay. I must remember to clean the bottom off of it before going to bed, as I usually write in the early or late hours and this dark clay smudged on sheets, well you can only imagine what that looks like.
I worked hard on getting Norma’s face. Sorry no views of that. I’m saving that for the family. I realized I couldn’t really get her face until I had her hair, and boy did Norma have a lot of that hair. An intern spent the entire day just smoothing hair that it took me 4 days to add. Multiply that by about 5 more areas and you have Norma’s hair.
Even without all of her hair, I’m real close to capturing her essence and I’m delighted. Meanwhile there are body parts everywhere. Hands with Norma’s jewelry are in one place, her sculpted boots in another and other appendages await to be attached. Norma is in pieces and I can’t wait to start to put her together.
It is pretty much Norma central, but at this rate we will have her complete before the September gathering. Then it is just a matter of having the funds to cast her. I can’t wait to see her and Kippy in the park.
Oh, Kippy. He sits on the other side of the room staring with vacant eyes, wondering when it will be his turn again. My granddaughter came to my studio, found a stick and walked around the yard with it for the entire day. We have given it to Kippy. It will be what he is waiting for Norma to toss.
Onward to Norma. Need more of her music. Did the band have a CD? It would be great to have it here in the studio as we work. The you tube songs are not very good. Some are, but then how many times can you listen to the same few songs? Love listening to her as we sculpt though.
Don’t forget to send in your donations so we can get Norma cast. More photos to come as we have time. Now I better stop as the 1/2 moons of clay are exiting my fingernails and are all over the computer.
This is the documentation of Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon who created the Norma Zenteno Sculpture and Kippy for Zenteno Spirit and Barrio Dogs. You can find the process blog for this project at http://normasculpture.blogspot.com/
Visiting the Bellaire Library
I had fun at the library. My favorite part was meeting Ms. Teas. For those of you who don’t know, the park is placed on the land where Teas nursery used to sit. A long time ago, when I was first starting to sculpt, I had a line of gift items that I called Dandelions and doodlebugs. I sold them at the nursery and would come and sculpt in their gift area to bring attention to the pieces. I guess I have come full circle. I love to hear about the history of the place, the houses, and the teas. Mrs. Teas was the fan of the day. I think people enjoyed the adventure. Can’t wait for the next one. I’m so glad we could meet.
Posted onJuly 15, 2017CategoriesUncategorized
Hide And Seek
In all honesty I have been coming into the studio late. I work weekends, I work most days, but I love what I do. If I’m not writing, I’m sculpting, but this weekend I took time for family and I did something I have not done in a very long time. I made a pillow.
Anyway…In the afternoon evenings I’m coming in to the studio. I have a few days alone with Norma, no interns, nothing going on and I’m so excited. The dog Kippy sits on the other side of the room whimpering for me to get back to him. Norma’s boots are roughed in and I swear they are also tapping, waiting to be put on a body. Norma’s hands are in another part of the studio. But I keep coming back to Norma’s face.
I was talking to my sister yesterday and told her about a portrait that I did of a doctor. I felt so good about it all night long. I was having a grand time with it and felt confident. I closed up shop and in the morning when I came in, set my things down on the counter and turned around I found I had an entirely different man in my studio. What I had labored over for so long was my own deceased father. I spoke right out loud, “What on earth are you doing here dad and where is the doctor?”
So, though Norma is taking stage in the evening, I want to be sure she is there in the morning.
This is the documentation of Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon who created the Norma Zenteno Sculpture and Kippy for Zenteno Spirit and Barrio Dogs. You can find the process blog for this project at http://normasculpture.blogspot.com/
Norma’s Party And Making Friends
asked everyone to send pictures and stories.
I was delighted to attend Norma’s Birthday Party at Sambuca on Thursday. I planned on taking Friday off, away from my constant search for Norma. You see, I have body parts ready to be put together, but until I can capture the essence of Norma in her portrait bust, I can’t really put everything else together.
There is an old movie called Hook. In one part of the movie there is a magical moment when a little boy is smooshing around the face of Robin Williams trying to find Peter Pan. At one point he says, “there you are Peter.” I have that moment with each of the portraits that I sculpt.
Fnding my subject can be a challenge. Sometimes, I have to step away from the sculpture. This is extremely hard, especially when I have interns waiting to get to work on parts, but I cant go any further until I find Norma. So stepping away becomes part of the process. Thursday, when I stepped away I was delighted to be surrounded by the Zenteno family. I actually began to miss them. It is a bit odd, but I’m not sure if it is me missing them or Norma. I bond so much with my subject it is often hard to tell where they end and I begin, well emotionally.
It is Saturday night, I have sat with Norma’s head in my lap, flipping through images and trying to pull her into the clay. 4 hours later I mushed the clay around and finally said, “Oh, there you are Norma.” Now, I step away until tomorrow, to see how she will talk with me again. Finding the essence of Norma is a lot different than finishing the sculpture. There is SO much to do. We have actually just begun. But tonight I can sleep a little more at peace knowing that Norma is taking the stage in my studio.
This is the documentation of Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon who created the Norma Zenteno Sculpture and Kippy for Zenteno Spirit and Barrio Dogs. You can find the process blog for this project at http://normasculpture.blogspot.com/
Stepping Out
I love that this sculpture of Norma is starting with her feet. Whenever I create a sculpture I divide it up into pieces. Feet, hands, head torso- each are first roughed in, then put together and then detailed. I love working with the feet. Feet keep the rhythm they dance in times of celebration and they are raised when the day is done.
For me, right now, the idea of stepping out, moving forward and especially for strong independent women is important.
My personal journey of stepping out is stepping out to hike with other women in my hiking group and stepping out with helping others to learn salsa and bachata at SSQQ dance studio in Houston.
I see Norma as walking towards confidence, no matter what the challenge. I see her walking towards friends, to greet them, embrace them, to care. Stepping out… shoes are more than just an accessory.
Every piece of a posthumous sculpture is a connection.
For me right now it is the feet, and then I’ll move to her head and hands.
Other updates.
Along with sculpting of Norma’s feet, we have been preparing to begin the other parts of the sculpture. We need an armature for the placement of Norma which will be her seat. This was lovingly created by Johnny Rojas for me. We returned to the area on the East End of Houston, once again, to get a look at what was being done. It is fitting that Johnny would be helping with the armature. I’m not sure all the details, but Johnny recommended me to someone who I think recommended me to the family for this job. Thanks Johnny for bringing your energy into this project.
Whimsy into art. The clay that we used in each of the projects is reclaimed from previous projects. Interns have been busy on the sunny days, laying part of the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, and the feet of the mad Hatter, and the torso of a seeing eye dog for the last project of John Turner all outside on plastic. The sun melts the clay and the interns reclaim the clay for Norma. I love that the creative energy of the clay is infused and reused.
Another intern pulled together a very rough armature of Kippy- photos to come.
This is the week I being to absorb all things Norma. It is a strange process sculpting deceased loved ones. I really want alone time with Norma. No interns, no distractions— just Norma and I. But first, the grudging work of getting armatures and clay on those armatures. All part of the process. More photos to come.
This is the documentation of Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon who created the Norma Zenteno Sculpture and Kippy for Zenteno Spirit and Barrio Dogs. You can find the process blog for this project at http://normasculpture.blogspot.com/
Making Friends With The Deceased- Being a Part of Family and History
When I’m not sculpting monumental Alice in Wonderland characters, you may often find me making friends with the deceased. That is what someone told me years ago. It took me aback, but I realized that is what I do. I create posthumous sculptures, and like the video for Texas Country Reporter states, I get to know my subject very personally and at special times I’m now realizing, I get adopted into a family. I can feel that now as I work with my new sculpture of Norma Zenteno, an incredible musician who died of breast cancer. The “feeling like family” and becoming friends also extends to those four-legged critters as part of the Norma project I’m sculpting Kippy, a rescue dog from Barrio Dogs. I feel the warmth of family in this new commission, and this weekend I felt the warmth of family as I visited an old friend.
I sculpted Patsy over 11 years ago in 2005/2006. Looking back it was an interesting time of transition. I had just built my new studio behind my home, began a regular blog on my website, and was writing a book on the process of sculpting the deceased- still unpublished.
A few years ago I began to receive invitations to a family party on the Patren Ranch. This is a ranch that has been in Patsy’s family for over 100 years. David, Patsy’s son and his wife Becky live on the property. David is also a musician so besides visiting the sculpture of Patsy under a large old oak, where “tree Whisky” hangs, there is always great live music. Though it is a long drive home, I had to stay late, just to hear David play his fiddle and see the family begin to join in on the revelry. If you know me, you know I’m all about the music, either dancing or joining in on harmony, it is one of those other favorite things that I do. The rolling hills and the old refurbished family home, now a museum complete with the German history of the area leaves me feeling nostalgic and sentimental. Clusters of Blacked-Eyed Susans crop up in wild areas, and crickets hop over my sneakers on patches of dry mowed lawn as I wonder the fields. An olive grove was put in by Patsy’s husband, Howard a few years back and I’m tickled to go see the progress. I ramble past the new old “kitchen” building. Howard tells me they are building it from reclaimed wood. I hear it will be the “music” building. I have longed for property for which to grow my business, and for which to grow historical relevance and pass on to the family. While walking through the main house, a charming young man grabs my hand, shakes it hard, and says, “I’m Cody, Howard’s grandson, I’m so pleased you are here.” His intensity, charm, and warmth radiate from him. I watch later as it spreads on stage with his singing. I know very few people invited to this gathering save for Howard, Patsy husband and Jennie, Patsy’s best friend who posed for the sculpture. But the family embraces me like I’m a relative who has been away on a journey. With the tight schedule of the Alice Project, I have been away and have not been able to attend a Patren Ranch party in a while. It is good to be back.
The story is told that Patsy’s
grandpa had a still. Grandma didn’t believe
in drink, so her grandpa
would hide the whiskey bottles
high up in the trees.
The workers could be found taking
more than a rest under one of these old trees
Howard and I sit by the new pool, as the sun sets over the rolled up bales of hay in the field, me dangling my toes in the water and talking as I watch the family dogs jump in and sit on the pool ledge slightly submerged in the water. I am sure this was built for them. They bound out, sniff me and Howard, and then chase after their mates clearing the small stone fence like graceful equine jumpers. It is a playful ritual that is repeated several times during our visit and endears me to the family, and property all the more. I sip a frozen margarita and Howard and I talk about the last ten years and my career. It forces me to reflect on my accomplishments. I’m glad I brought him a copy of my book. I’m extremely thankful for all of the commissions that have brought me to this point in my life.
Later, a young woman gathers around my prime seat in front of the stage, my space where I have parked my things for the last several hours. She says, “I need a chair like that. It looks so comfortable.” I tell her it is my camping chair and stool. “Do you go camping a lot,” she asks. “I love to,” I say. Her reply makes me laugh, ” Well I am not a camper but I like sitting and that is a fine chair for that.” Not long after that I pack up my “fine chair” and prepare for my long drive down the back country road to Houston.
The music, the family, the incredible refreshing property that is Patron and the memories have refreshed me. I think of all the people who have referred to my sculpture and said, “I’m so glad we have Patsy to visit.” I have become a part of a memory, a part of the history of this family and this property through my work. I’m so very honored. Thank you, Patsy.