Writing
A Conglomeration Of Things…
A conglomeration of things…
I’m excited about some of the up and coming interviews that are happening with both podcasts. For the inspiration Generations podcast we will be talking to Budapest. Yes, first France and now Budapest! How exciting.
The Art and technology podcasts have some exciting possibilities as well. Now to fit all of these people into production schedules.
The office has been busy with some tech problems and am trying desperately to fix them- crashed hard drive. I’m falling behind on things but will get back on track soon.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
How to Prepare For A Writers Conference
Anyone who knows me knows that I have never been shy about meeting people. When it comes to sculpting, I’m not shy or intimidated about showing my work, but a writers conference opens up a different ball game!
Most conferences offer opportunities for individuals to have their work critiqued or even to sign up for consultations with agents, or publishers. To take full advantage of the money that you are spending at a conference, I would assume that you should also jump over this cliff. There is no fear there, right?
So I could not help but wonder, How do I prepare?
Searching online I found a couple of helpful articles.
In A way with Word Writing blog Rene Gray Wilburn offers suggestions in her article Preparing for a Writer’s Conference.
Of course some of the items in this article seem simple enough. Research the publishers, editors and authors who will be present. I would like to do this, and if possible interview a couple of them for the online creative Christians podcast before the workshop.
Interviewing a publisher, especially a Christian publisher, as well as an agent is something that I have wanted to do for my podcast. For those of you who don’t know I have been podcasting since 2008. I have an inspirational podcast. I also recently developed and we a Creative Christians podcast where we interview people about the subject of Creativity. We have had some great names on the podcast Author of The love Languages books, Dr. Gary Chapman, Billy Graham’s Daughter, Ruth Graham, Olympic gold metal winner and author, Scott Hamilton and just recently conducted a podcast all the way to Taize France. There are, of course, many more influential and not so influential, but very inspirational guests. For a complete list, you can find them at my collectibles website. God’s Word Collectibles is the sponsor of the podcast.
Digging a little deeper, I found this article written by Ginny Wiehardt about Conference pitches as she interviews an Editorial Director of Random House children’s books.
So it is on. I have almost two months to prepare for my first writers conference. Here we go.
My goals
1. Write 2-3 pitches. This is also called the “Elevator pitch.”
2. Memorize this pitch and practice giving it.
3. Create a one sheet
4. Research publishers and editors, and if possible interview them.
5. Create thank you cards for those that I meet. Have them ready for my return.
Attending My First Writer’s Conference
I’m planning on attending my first writer’s conference. The C.S. Lewis Retreat and Writers Conference is Thursday October 28, 2010 at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas.
Most people know me as a sculptor or speaker. Some know me as a writer for magazines. I have written nonfiction for nearly 25 years. In 2004, I assisted Mike de la Flor on his book, The Biomedical Digital Illustration Handbook. I enjoyed writing the chapters on the schools, education and professionals in the industry. This past year Mike and I worked on a book together, Digital Sculpting in Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques.
Fiction book writing is, however, a new journey for me. But over the years, secretly I have been writing other things as well. I have numerous children’s books that I have written. I have often described myself as a mix of Dr. Suess, Shel Silversteine and Jim Hanson. I like nonsensical fun children’s stories, but often they come with a lesson. Usually with a more educational, psychological or spiritual lesson.
And this past year and a half I have been working on two young adult novels.
As part of this new journey and commitment, I have done the following
If I was asked, who I’d like to have been.
I’d aspire to be Shel Silverstein….
Mixed with another I could deduce
A helping smidgen of Dr. Seuss
Educating children would be sweet
I wish I’d created Sesame Street.
So truly if asked who I’d like to have been
My reply would then be seussyhensstein.
- Committed to writing 20-30 minutes every day- For the most part, I write much more than that, but I have been trying commit that much time to the novels and creative writing.
- Joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators organization. I have been trying to attend as many meetings as possible. http://www.scbwi-houston.org
- I’m also working on illustrating my own children’s books. This I feel, is the biggest hindrance to me submitting the works. I am, after all, an artist. It is difficult for me to let someone else illustrate them.
The results of my first two commitments lead into this next commitment- Attend writers conferences.
Our first writer’s conference was the ApalloCon Houston. It is a science fiction, fantasy and horror conference.
We were invited by a friend, Marilyn Schindler Carren. Her husband, a screenwriter, was on a panel at the conference. My husband has always wanted to write science fiction. Attending was something we could do together. It was also an exploration into a new, creative direction.
The C.S. Lewis writer’s conference seems like a good fit for me. For one thing, I like C.S. Lewis. To me, the name stands for someone who has an imagination, who can think outside of the box, and who is willing to entertain “different” ideas. That is a good fit for the most recent novel, as it is quite edgy.
Now, on to figure out how to prepare for this conference.
Back to Business!
A short hiatus this summer for several things–
Last month I took the plunge and had surgery on my right hand. Over the years traditional sculpting had taken a toll on my thumb. ( I used to boast that I had the strongest thumb muscles of anyone I know.) The surgery was done at the Brown Hand center by a wonderful doctor. I’m thrilled that they have given me my career back. My hand was pretty much useless for the couple of weeks that it healed, and there is still swelling, but I am working much better than I did before surgery and will be 100+ percent in no time at all. So I am back in the studio getting clay under my nails.
Then it was off to Vermont for a graduate school residency. I was also presenting a lecture on writing.
I’m back in the studio working and looking forward to also getting back to zbrush.
A Writer’s Prayer
The Writer’s Prayer
By Sandy Tritt
Open my mind, Lord. Grant me the talent to write with clarity and style, so my words go down rich and smooth, like fine wine, and leave my reader thirsty for more.
Open my heart, Lord. Grant me the sensitivity to understand my characters—their hopes, their wants, their dreams—and help me to confer that empathy to my reader.
Open my soul, Lord, so I may be a channel to wisdom and creativity from beyond my Self. Stoke my imagination with vivid imagery and vibrant perception.
But most of all, Lord, help me to know the Truth, so my fiction is more honest than actuality and reaches the depths of my reader’s soul.
Wrap these gifts with opportunity, perseverance, and the strength to resist those who insist it can’t be done.
Amen. ~ Sandy Tritt
© 1999 Sandy Tritt. All rights reserved. www.InspirationForWriters.com
The Writer’s Prayer may be reproduced if this entire copyright permission notice and web address (InspirationForWriters.com) is included. If you’d like a glossy ormagnetic copy of the Writer’s Prayer for yourself, or multiple copies for your writer’s workshop or conference, please email Sandy. There’s no charge as long as the shipping address is within the US.
New Posts To Come!
Sorry for the lull in posting. I took the plunge to have that needed hand surgery. Will be good as new very soon. Looking forward to sculpting and writing again without pain.
A Creative Way to Use Change To Your Artistic Advantage
In my past post titled Are You A Starving Artist? Art In The Times of Change. In the articles I talked about how our art, and the use of our art must change. I examined four stories. The Second story talked about infringement of copyright and how artists were using it to their advantage instead of freaking out. How? That is a question I ask myself regularly. I’m intrigued with how artists are doing this. I’m inspired by it and so I found this TED video that I thought depicts this quite well. How YouTube thinks about copyright by Margaret Gould Stewart
A New Book Proposal
I just sent a new book proposal to the publisher. Art and Technology- Exploration of resources and advancements in digital sculpting, printing, milling and scanning. I know, I am just able to breath after fishing Digital Sculpting with Mudbox Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists.
I’m also knee deep in the Art and Technology podcast and the new website at http://www.digitalsculpting.net
The new book project is terribly exciting. It will feature a great deal of the research I am doing on this subject for my graduate studies. As I stated in the book proposal.
Art and Technology- Exploration of resources and advancements in digital sculpting, printing, milling and scanning. Finally, a resource guide for understanding and accessing tools in digital printing, milling and scanning. This technology is not just for manufacturing or engineering but can be embraced by designers, traditional and graphic artists who want to utilize these technologies in their creativity and in their workflow. This resource breaks down the process and possibilities for artists.
This book helps to inspire, as artists can see what others have created and push their imagination utilizing new technology. The technology can help save artists time and help artists create in ways that have never been conceivable until this time. Inspiration- strengthens your creativity and enlarges your artistic tool set.
I should know something in two – three weeks.
Antiquities, Masterpiece, Rights of Ownership and 3D Scanning
I have been spending some time looking at historical artifacts and the copyright and ownership issues surrounding them. The reason why this topic has created some interest to me is that I’m curious about the advancement and tremendous increase in 3D scanning of artifacts.
It seems there are benefits in the 3d scanning of these precious items. There may be information captured by the scanner that will help scientist know more about the item. It offers an opportunity to document and make accessible the information. For example, the tomb of Tutankhamun is being scanned in hopes of preserving it so that the experience and information can be made available to those interested without actually having to make it accessible for individuals to experience it. This is important because the experiencing of some artifacts causes more damage to them. And it can be an asset in the restoration of an artifact.
Recording the tomb of Tutankhamun from factum-arte on Vimeo.
I have been cautioned not to just embrace all of this new technology without trying to thoroughly examine it. So, I must ask myself, what are the cons of having the artifacts scanned in 3D? Before I answer that, I thought it would be appropriate to look at some of the issues and questions revolving around the artifacts themselves.
For example:
- Is it ownership that is important or access?
- If I own land and I dig something up on my land. To whom does it belong? It will depend on the country you are in and the laws within that country. The antiquity may not belong to you. If it did not, would I report it or would I be more inclined to cherish my treasure without saying a word ?
- Many laws are developed in hopes of preventing looting of antiquities. Do they actually accomplish this? How do these laws effect poorer countries?
- How do I feel about cultural property?
- If something is taken or looted what happens to “the loss of context?” Having a coin but knowing where it was found or what the people who had this coin did, ate, where they slept, is important. It is not just the object that is researched, but where it was found.
How important is it for individuals to be exposed to the cultures and antiquities of those around the world? Should countries horde their antiquities? If antiquities can be distributed through trade, what happens with countries that have nothing to trade? How do they expose their people to the cultures around the world?
According to an article that I read, if I happened upon a stolen or found object and it ended up on the desk of an archeologist and it had something of importance on it, that information cannot be published. How difficult it must be for the archeologist who happens upon this. The reason— it has no legitimate provenance and the Archeological Institute of America forbids it. Why? If the archeologists should transcribe it and publish it, then they would be determining its authentication and making it more valuable.
Identity, self esteem, illicit digging, artifacts, private/market all of these words initiate a tremendous amount of passionate opinion in the information that I was reading about this subject.
Should there be a cultural common? Shared information and artifacts between countries, museums and collectors. The Brooklyn museum is making some of their artifacts, for which they hold the copyright, available on a Creative Commons License. Those who want to use them for non commercial use can do so. But, how is this policed?
I would suppose that the same questions and concerns that are found with traditional masterpieces and antiquities will apply to 3D scanned artifacts. Who owns them? Should they be reproduced? And my biggest thought is, that it is much easier to steal a data file than it is a physical dated fossil.
I also wonder about the artists who might use these artifacts as part of their own work. In the case of artists Barry X Ball, whose work I absolutely love, I have questioned this. Ball has taken digital scans of two Braoque pieces, “Masterpieces in the permanent collection of Ca’Rezzonico, Venice— La Purità (Dama Velata), by Antonio Corradini, and La Invidia by Orazio Marinali, as well as Hermaphrodite Endormi from the Louvre, Paris.” and he has digitally scanned them. Then he recreates them using digital milling in another substance. Does he sell these? Can he sell these? Is this art? Can he copyright this as his own?
So I ask the question, What are the pro’s and con’s and more importantly, what are the questions I should be asking when looking at this new technology of 3D scanning as it pertains to masterpieces and artifacts?
( I do hope to cover more podcasts on this subject. Looking for lawyers working with antiquities)
If you are reading this blog post from facebook and do not see the videos and or photographs visit https://creativesculpture.com/blog
Some Wonderful Galveston Art Created From Devastation
Leave it to artists to take devastation and create art. I’m proud to be an artist when I see something like this. Not only are they wonderful pieces of art it is a way to encourage more tourism for our beloved Galveston. I can’t wait to see these. If anyone finds a map of where all of these are please forward me the link.
A little bit of information before the art:
On September 1, 2008 the Houston, Texas area received a blow from a Hurricane called Ike. The amount of devastation that happened in this area went pretty much unreported over the United States. As wiki says (… It also became the largest search-and-rescue operation in U.S. history) I know it was not covered at great extent because the week after the hurricane I was traveling up to deliver the Dick Hathaway memorial by car from Houston, Texas to Montpelier, Vermont. ( The link is my documentation of that sculpture as well as the travels as we delivered it. My September 2008 posts talk a bit also mention this trip along with our preparations for this hurricane. )
My traveling companion and I would check back home and on the internet to find out as much as we could about Houston, and our beloved Galveston. [ I’ll add this personal observation. Many people who did hear about the hurricane said, “Why didn’t those people leave?” For those not in a hurricane area I must tell you NO ONE realized the type of storm surge that was attached to this category 2 hurricane. For us a cat 2 is really not that big of a deal, but there was a storm surge of a category 5. I believe this storm and the devastation that was caused by it really caused those powers at be to think about the way they categorize these storms.
On to the art: Tree Stump Carvings In Galveston
What follows came into my inbox and I though I would share it. Photos are by Carlos Antonio Rios. It looks like this might be from an original article in the Chronicle By Lana Berkowitz. lana.berkowitz@chron.com.
Thank you Lana for sending this around. I definitely will be going to Galveston and checking these out. I have not asked permission to use this article , and hope there is no copyright infringement here, since it is distributed through e mail by a reputable source, I figure it is all right. If there are any problems please let me know and I will delete it.
Information provided through e-mail
The toad? The Tin Man? The Dalmatian?
It’s hard to choose a favorite among the tree sculptures that are carving a new beginning for Galveston Island .
The transformation of tree skeletons that were reminders of Hurricane Ike’s 2008 devastation is another sign of the island’s recovery. And tourists love the chain-saw and chisel artwork.
More than 20 tree-stump sculptures can be viewed from sidewalks and streets, and more are joining the list as commissions are completed. Many of the carvings are by Galveston artist Earl Jones, Houston artist Jim Phillips and Dayle Lewis of Richmond , Ind.
The artists have plenty of potential work. About 40,000 of the island’s trees died after they were swamped by storm waters. Contractors cut down the dead trees and left the stumps, which are becoming dogs, angels, dolphins, toads, mermaids and more.
Here’s a list of Galveston Island Tree Sculptures visible from the street, according to www.cityofgalveston.org: Need a map? download or print one of these Galvestohttps://galvestonislandguide.com/galveston-tree-sculptures/n maps to mark these works of art.
Geisha, 1717 Ball
Mermaid holding clam shell, 1428 Church
Large pelican, 1609 Post Office
Wildlife tree inside the castle playground at Schreiber Park, 83rd Street near Airport
Dalmatian and a fireplug at City Hall outside Central Fire Station, 823 25th
Toad, 1615 Ball
Angel cradling bunny, 511 17th
Sister angels, 1717 Ball
Squirrel with acorn, 1302 Ball
Tin Man from theWizard of Oz, 1702 Winnie
Monument to Galveston’s trees, 1028 Winnie
Yellow Lab, 1820 Winnie (inside chain-link fence)
Hand clutching diploma at Wright-Cuney Park, 718 41st
Two herons, 1316 Ball
Great Dane, 1228 Sealy (facing 13th)
Other tree sculptures in Galveston:
Wildlife totem pole, 1302 Ball
Dolphin, 828 Ball (facing Ninth)
Dolphin, eel and dorado, 1302 Ball
Owl, 1302 Ball
Pod of dolphins and mermaid, 902 Ball
Birds of Galveston, 1620 Sealy
Pelican sitting on piling, 1618 Church
Pelicans, 628 14th (behind the Mosquito Café)
If you would like a sculpture done from your tree stump.
I was able to track down the website of Jim phillips. Check out his work and give him a call.
If there are any other carvers that want me to list their web sites please feel free to contact me.
Map of the area
Here is a map of the locations of these tree stumps.
Other Articles on this subject
In Galveston, Dead trees see new life as art by Harvey Rice Houston Chronicle Aug 24, 2009
Dolphins and Sea Nymph- Glaveston, Texas
Galveston Dead tree sculptures
In Galveston, Texas, new Life for Dead trees This appears to be an interview with Donna Leibbert who starts a citizen led tree committee.