PRESS RELEASE- Up and Coming Sculptor Embraces The Lost Art of Mentorship

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 14, 2018

Up and Coming Sculptor Embraces The Lost Art of Mentorship:

Tiffany  Carmouche Receives a One Year Mentorship Under Master Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon.

Many thirst after someone that can help move them forward in their dreams and desires. They yearn for a guide with experience and connections that can propel them into their dreams. It is true we can learn from our mistakes, but we also can learn from the mistakes of others. The heart and time of caring professionals are restoring the lost art of mentorship. Finding such guidance may feel like an impossible task, but Tiffany Carmouche found just that—a mentor that is invested in her success. Master Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon is the individual that will encourage Tiffany’s experiential learning, incite questions, encourage debates, and challenge her while providing intellectual and emotional stimulation and accountability. Bridgette does this through her Creative Endeavors Mentorship program.  

Tiffany- a Maryland artist,  has been accepted into the 2018 Bridgette Mongeon- Creative Endeavors Mentorship program.  She has traveled the world working with the marginalized and has begun a blossoming career as a sculptor.  “I have been sculpting for years. To me to sculpt is to breath. I love honoring life and perseverance in my pieces. My favorite mediums are clay and bronze and charcoal. To me, the creation of art is such a beautiful metaphor for life,” states Tiffany.

When asked what criteria Bridgette looks for in applicants Bridgette replied, “A heart for their dreams is at the center. One can teach principles of the arts or business, but passion is another thing entirely. I have been impressed with Tiffany’s tenacity, both in her new creative endeavors and those many accomplishments that she has made along the way.  After many years, you come to know which applicants truly want it. But that is only part of a mentorship program. Mutual respect is an important element as well.”

Bridgette offered Tiffany a three-month mentorship program that can renew for up to one year. Bridgette, who has mentored sculptors, writers, musicians and small business owners says it is rare that she provides such an extended mentorship opportunity, but she feels that Tiffany has the desire, direction, talent and tenacity that can make a difference in her career.

“When I heard about the opportunity to work with Bridgette I couldn’t believe it. Being an artist is a constant evolution, and we must continue to grow and challenge ourselves to reach our full potential. I love the human form and doing realistic art. I want to create monumental sculptures in bronze, and one evening, I saw her work. Beautiful. I knew the goals I had set for myself were challenging and I needed someone who had created what I wanted to create. That relationship could save me years of growing pains. I called her to see if I could intern for her to learn to scale up my sculptures in the most efficient manner. She was so encouraging, and as soon as I learned of this mentorship, I applied. We had an instant rapport, and I was amazed at how much we had in common. We are both female sculptors, writers, and motivational speakers who love to dance the bachata. I Look forward to working with her and can’t wait to push myself. I know that I will grow in the business of art and as an artist, in ways I had never imagined.

WHAT IS A CREATIVE ENDEAVORS MENTORSHIP

At the heart of Bridgette’s creativity is the desire to give back and to inspire others on their creative journey. She does this through her books, lectures, and workshops, and also acts as a personal consultant for artists, writers, musicians and those entering a small business.  But for her, the Creative Endeavors Mentorship program is unique. The one-on-one interactions between mentor and mentee are like having your own personal creative or business coach.  Bridgette only accepts one or two mentees into the mentorship program a year.

She based the Creative Endeavors Mentorship program on the self-directed study that she received in her progressive education that she obtained with her Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College in Vermont. It is great to have physical access to your mentee, but in the age of technology, mentees can live anywhere, and mentor and mentee communicate through the phone, skype, mail, and the internet.  Many mentees feel like there is no extra work involved in a mentorship program. They are merely documenting and having accountability for their dreams and goals while being given guidance and suggestions from a professional in the field.

 However, the mentorship program is serious business. Mentees enter into a contract with the artist and are, required to do extra work. They must document their expected process by creating a Statement of Purpose for each three-month term. They are also responsible for sending monthly packets to their mentor to document their progress and work. At the culmination of a term, they are reviewing their progress.  Bridgette has found that the extra work of documentation is essential. “I do this without pay, and the time I’m spending mentoring is time I could spend writing and sculpting. My time is precious. I need to know the other person is serious and disciplined enough to document their dreams and progress. Plus studies have shown that goals not written down are only wishes, writing down your expectations of yourself help you to meet those expectations.”

Bridgette would like to see others become mentors. “I’d love to see this mentorship program grow. I would be delighted if other individuals, that are seasoned in the arts, volunteered their time to mentor one other person. I can think of a hand full of colleges who would be great at this, but for the last several years, it is me mentoring one or two other people a year.”  

If you are interested in applying for the mentorship program, you can find the application on Bridgette’s website. She will be review new applicants  April- May 2018 and September-October 2018.  

ABOUT BRIDGETTE MONGEON

Bridgette Mongeon is a master sculptor who has sculpted such entertainers as B. B  King, Willie Nelson, Bill Monroe, numerous sculpture of children and monumental sculptures of school mascots. Her most recent works are the monumental sculpture of Alice In Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party complete with 150 hidden elements created in honor of the 150th anniversary of the story. Evelyn’s Park, in Bellaire Texas, is the home for “Move One Place On,” with a designated spring 2018 installation.  She is also creating a sculpture of Neil Armstrong – a gift from Americans that will be placed outside of Moscow in Russia, and she is working on a sculpture of a beloved Latin Jazz Singer Norma Zenteno for Houston, Texas.  Mongeon is known as one of 30 most influential women in 3D Printing and the author of “3D Technology In Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling.” She is passionate about STEAM Education, an interdisciplinary education that combines Science, Technology Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). As a speaker on motivational topics and subjects in the arts and business, she enjoys helping others achieve their goals. She is presently writing a book titled “The Zen of Business and Carving a Creative Life” which she hopes will help others to achieve success and happiness in their creative life, art, and business.