Newsboy-The News
for the Houston Chronicle
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.