A Sculpture Created In Loving Memory of Dick Hathaway

New photographs of interactions with Professor Hathaway. I LOVE IT!

2011-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

These came into my inbox. I get so excited when someone sends me pictures of interactions with my sculpture of Professor Richard Hathaway. How cute are these? If you go to the sculpture you will notice that Dick's foot has the patination worn off of it. I hear this is because little children like to climb on his foot and ride it. Some how I think that would make Dick smile.

Someone also sent me a video of a dog barking at a statue trying to get the statue to throw the stick. I wish I had one of these with Dick. O.k. Vermonters. Here is the challenge with all of your dogs- a video of your dog with Dick.

Many thanks to the person who sent these to me. You made me smile!

Visiting Richard Hathaway in very deep snow.

2011-02-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

Each time I come up to my graduate residency at Goddard College in Plainfield Vermont I stop by Montpelier to say hello to the Richard Hathaway sculpture. This was the first time there was so much snow. We had to crawl to Richard and when we did Roxi was afraid she would fall in the snow. It was a humorous visit. Each of us took turns taking pictures of the group. I left a snowball, though really wished I could have brought Dick a scarf.

Interestingly enough, our foot prints were not the only ones. Others have visited.

Memories of Richard Hathaway.

2010-08-22T12:54:00.001-07:00

While checking out the Goddard library I found this print donated by Richard Hathaway.

It is becoming a tradition.

2010-08-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Graduate school is at Goddard, just a short drive from Montpelier. Our tradition continues as we stop and see Richard Hathaway each residency- twice a year. I think that Roxy has a thing for the professor. My word it was cold last winter. I was afraid her lips would stick. I so wanted to sneaker skate on the rink made near the sculpture, but it was too cold. None of my classmates would sneaker skate.

Thanks Laura.

2010-08-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Inspired by greatness.

visitors

2010-07-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

I love it when people send pictures of themselves with Dick Hathaway. thank you very much.

An article about the unveiling in the Times Argus

2008-10-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

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

Please send us your photographs and thoughts about the sculpture

2008-10-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-09-30T06:20:00.000-07:00

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 Hathway excursion comes to a close and I head back to Texas

2008-09-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

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.

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!

2008-09-27T08:54:00.001-07:00

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.

Stopped at a stand to get mac apples. I love them! It was on the honor system and I just had to show how this worked. Impressive!

We Took a different ferry out of Vermont to NY. I made sure I got some good shots of the trees before leaving Vermont. My favorite is the PUMPKINS AHEAD photograph.

Rain in the Adirondack mountains is not fun to drive through, could not enjoy the ride out as much as I did going up. I did stop and get a picture of the Gloria, bridgette, bear proof garbage cans. This one had instructions. It was a long rainy ride back to Buffalo and we did not arrive until about 8:30. But as soon as I came back into Buffalo I stopped to eat one of my favorite foods from home roast beef on kimmelweck rolls. YUMMMM.

A day filled with spirit and friends. The Unveiling

2008-09-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

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 of a sculpture

2008-09-25T19:30:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

I failed to mention the auction items from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Pennsylvania auction item is a small coffee cup. Ohio is a corkscrew from another winery, no we are not winos we just could not find anything at the last minute. I'll have to post pictures of the coffee cup later.

New York's auction is... I believe Jam, but I'll have to look and post that photograph later.

UPDATE
It took much longer to get to Vermont than we thought. we had estimated 7 hours but the ferry from NY to Vermont runs on the hour and we missed it. Then it took an hour on the ferry before arriving in Burlington and another 30 minutes to Montpelier. Dick at this moment is home in his green mountain state.

Prior to getting to Vermont we drove through the Adirondack mountains. I learned so much like, "never sleep in the clothes that you cook in." It is a black bear thing. Gloria and I tried to dump the trash from our cars but could not open the trash cans. It dawned on me that they are bear proof, apparently they are also Gloria and Bridgette Proof. If there was a hidden camera taking pictures I am sure the rangers would have a good laugh at the humans. Cell phones don't work in those mountains either. God forbid something should happen to the car, we have food for those black bears and it also occur ed to me that we could not get to the spare tire for the weight of Dick Hathaway. No more worries about that, we are here now!

The "send help" poster was on the back of a map of the Adirondack mountains.

Tomorrow we install the sculpture. This is what I have worked so hard for the last two years. Can't wait.

Leaves were beautiful in the Adirondack mountains. I think they will even be better by Friday when we leave. We got in so late that we had to stay at Betsy's B. and B.' s in Montpelier for the night.

More later

through Ohio, resting in NY- Vermont in the morning!

2008-09-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing special about traveling through Ohio. I'm glad to be in Buffalo, NY. It is my home town and the resting spot is my sisters house before we go on to Vermont. I'm looking forward to the last leg of drive to Vermont. It will be during the day and hopefully a little more leisurely. I'll post the Dick Hathaway state auction pieces in the next day or so. Just 7 or 8 hours of driving, but still so tired.

Tennessee, Kentucky and more about the Dick Hathaway travels.

2008-09-22T05:11:00.000-07:00

We are just outside of Columbus Ohio, on our way to bring Dick Hathaway to Vermont and Jenna to her mom. Stopped in Memphis the night before last night and was so glad that I had a friend that lived there so we could get some much needed rest—thanks Sunny. Went through Tennessee and before leaving the state picked up another auction item for the Dick Hathaway auction. We found it at a winery. Great place to stop and the blackberry wine was yum. I'll post the name of this winery later, as it is buried in the SUV, along with the wine glasses I bought for myself. Here we picked up a bottle of Tennessee whiskey jelly. The two ladies at the winery posed with Dick. Driving through Tennessee was uneventful but pretty. The Tennessee auction item is a pack of playing cards, with of course the name of the state. One of the criteria for these auction items. Dick and I took a time out from the trip to play a hand or two. A wonderful person at this Holiday Inn express introduced us to the security guard who watched the SUV last night. Thanks Holiday Inn. We are off for a hot meal. I am surprised at how excited I am about toast. Remember we were out of electricity for a while. Through Ohio and next stop is Western New York. More updates later.

In memphis headed to NY- Dick keeps me from getting a speeding ticket!

2008-09-21T08:18:00.001-07:00

We made it to Memphis. 10 + hour drive. Couldn't leave Houston until Dick and Jenna were completely secure. Which meant not getting on the road until 3:00. It was a long day, but my traveling companion is great and helps keep me awake and alert. Dick fit into the SUV, which I was thankful for. jenna is kind of tucked into his lap area feet up in the air. That is the way Jenna would travel anyway. I think I can hear here giggling in the back, under the covers.

We counted 63 electric trucks coming in on 59 as we were headed out. I am thankful for them as I was the electric company from Tampa that was at our home/studio the day before I left. Thank you to all of the states that have helped Houston/Galveston area. 59 is one of those roads that you have to go through a lot of little towns. We could not go highway because, well frankly we were not sure what the towns or roads would be like east of Houston, so north it was. Just outside of a small town a police car stopped me to "remind me to do the speed limit" my traveling companion, Gloria said, "they are going to think we have a dead body back there." The officer heard her and glanced back and then jumped. She was so intrigued with the sculpture and taking pictures of it that "remind" us was all that she did. I took a picture of the office, but unfortunately it did not come out. I think I was nervous about the possibility of getting a ticket. I did not, Thank you Dick!

Our route was apparently an evacuation route and it felt appropriate to get a picture of the SUV under one of the signs. The other pictures shows Dick and the souvenirs that we bought for him. In Texas he purchased a thimble, and in Arkansas, Arkansas to be exact, birthplace of Clinton. I wonder what Dick would think about that? In hope we bought a key chain toothpick holder. Can you see these souvenirs in the pictures? We are going to give them to the Dick Hathaway auction that is held regularly at Vermont College in hopes of raising money. I think Dick would like that.

More posts next time we get to
WI FI along the way.

Travel mercies!

Bridgette

We are leaving in two days!

2008-09-17T19:10:00.002-07:00

It will take some time to get to Vermont with two stops on the way. My original traveling companion, besides Dick and Jenna was going to be my daughter, but she could not make it. Luckily I have found a friend to help keep me awake along the way.

Went to the foundry today to check on last details and make sure they would have everything ready. I thought I should get a picture of the three of us together.

I know I look like I have the hurricane fog. Yes it is true. I can't tell you how stressful this last week has been. Went to the bank to get money for the trip. The entire roof was blown off of the bank. In the mall next door the entire side of the mall was gone. Had to stop to get more gas containers for the generator. I feel bad leaving my family in this situation but I am very glad to be leaving Houston and the stress of the post hurricane and survival mode.

Soon we will be in Vermont. Can't wait to see the changing of the leaves! Dick Hathaway is coming home, along with an angel!

Dick Hathaway is a Hurricane IKE survivor!

2008-09-17T19:10:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to report the studio, the foundry and most of all the Dick Hathaway bronze sculpture are all intact. I spoke to Budget rental car this morning and they said that their SUV's are intact and that one will be ready for me on Saturday. We are leaving then for the long trip up to Vermont. Unveiling is still on schedule for Thursday the 25th.

We still don't have electricity at the home/studio so I don't know if I'll post again before arriving in the North. Wish us well. I'll take lots of photographs of our adventures.

Bridgette

Completion at the foundry!

2008-09-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Though a storm is raging out in the Gulf of Mexico we were able to finish the sculpture. He looks great.

Spoke to the college about installation and that is underway. All arangements are made to travel. Still hoping the balance of delivering of the sculpture will happen. Those wishing to donate can do so through the T.W. Wood Gallery.

Here you see the sandblasted version of Dick, the foundry man darkening Dick's glasses, and the patina being put on Dick. All my attention must turn to the Hurricane that is headed toward Houston. Pray that winds don't damage the foundry where Dick and Jenna are, nor our home.

Another trip to the foundry.

2008-09-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Between the bronze of Dick and the bronze of Jenna I have been going back and forth to the foundry every few days. Here is a view of the Hathaway piece upon last visit. Tuesday is patina day. I can't wait.

I have heard it takes three men to lift this sculpture. Not sure how he is going to fit in an SUV but we will do our best.

An update-

2008-08-30T17:16:00.001-07:00

Approval of the metal is one of the final steps. Dick Hathaway is no longer in pieces. Just a few weeks now and Dick will be back in Vermont. Can't wait!

Who is coming up with Dick?

2008-07-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I would introduce you to Jenna, she is a sculpture that will be traveling on the road from Houston, Texas to Vermont. I need to deliver her to Main. Jenna's mom is coming to the opening to pick up "her little angel." I love the idea that we will be coming up to Vermont with an angel. I wonder if Jenna and Dick have met in heaven?

saying good bye

2008-07-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Saying good bye-

When I was searching for reference for the Dick Hathaway memorial, I went through the collection of his books and found this page. It seemed so appropriate for what I do, what transpires with the deceased. I think of it often when I am trying to capture the essence of those I have never met and who are now gone.

The poem

Out on the end of an apple tree bough
A birdie was singing a song just now.
And when it was ended
the birdie pretended
to say good-bye,
But he did not know how!

"My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

2008-07-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

"My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

The foundry e-mailed today, wanting the bench that Dick Hathaway was created on. I had it loaded into the van and brought it over to them. When arriving to the foundry the Hathaway sculpture was everywhere! Pull yourself together Professor! Miguel the master foundry man was diligently working on putting him together. It won't be long. What was that quote that the professor used to say, "My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

PLEASE MAKE PLANS FOR THE UNVEILING!

2008-06-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

August 25th 2008, TW Wood Gallery. ( not sure of the time)

DATE IS BEING MOVED TO SEPTEMBER 25th 2008 5:30

There is nothing like molten bronze!

2008-06-12T05:40:00.000-07:00

I had posted these on my home page blog, but thought I should update anyone watching the process of crating the Dick Hathaway memorial.

June 10
The professors glasses are all fogged up!
While at the foundry dropping off the Jenna waxes and picking up wax two, I snapped these pictures of Dick Hathaway. Here you can see his head foot and...? The white stuff on the metal is the ceramic shell. The foundry will now break this away and begin to weld him back together again. Quite a process!

While at the foundry dropping of the Jenna waxes and picking up wax two I snapped these pictures of Dick Hathaway. Here you can see his head foot and...? The white stuff on the metal is the ceramic shell. The foundry will now break this away and begin to weld him back together again. Quite a process!
June 05
today I went to see the pour of pieces of the Dick Hathaway sculpture. Here you see them pouring the head, in the background are the some other parts of the sculpture. You could say Dick Hathaway has a hot foot.

June 03

Richard Hathaway
Meanwhile I was able to take some pictures of Dick Hathaway, or at least pieces of him that have gone through the dip process. They are a bit different than the last pictures of the head.

Quite a shell around those wax pieces. If you have followed documentation process before you will note that inside these shells are the waxes. On Thursday the wax will be burned out of these shells until only a cavity remains. The molten bronze will be carefully poured within that cavity. The pour is scheduled for Thursday. I hope to get some good video footage of it for the upcoming video. I just love to watch a pour! There is something very entrancing about that glow!

May 29th
On with the bronze process of Professor Richard Hathaway
The next step, after the creating the waxes, is the gating of the waxes. Pour cups and wax sprues are added to the waxes that came from the Dick Hathaway molds. These are then dipped into a mixture coating the waxes both inside and out. Each of the many pieces will need to be dipped creating a ceramic shell. I went to the foundry today to take some pictures and video of the dip process for the next video that I will be creating about this sculpture. This part of the bronze process will take the foundry about a week.

1/2 way through the foundry process

2008-05-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Once all the molds were made they were sent to the foundry and waxes were poured. The waxes are then brought back to the studio to be cleaned up. So here is Dick, gone to pieces! Now that the wax pieces are cleaned they are sent back to the foundry and they are gated up to get ready for the next steps in the lost wax method of bronze casting. I am so excited that Richard Hathaway is well on his way to becoming a bronze sculpture.

Off to the foundry!

2008-04-30T17:13:00.001-07:00

The 6 molds went to the foundry today. I always like taking a picture of the inside of the mold of the face. It looks so strange. I still have 3 more to make. Can't wait for this week to be over with.

Messy, Messy, Messy!

2008-04-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

Once shims are put into the sculpture to create a parting line the rubber is painted on. Then each side receives the mother mold made of plaster. My hands go through a dry week as I mix each batch of plaster with my hands. When it kicks and begins to cure it does so very quickly. The means haste in putting on the coat of plaster. This is why my studio is an absolute disaster right now. Plaster is everywhere, including spots on the cabinets, the phone, the tv remote and all over me. Just a few more days of this mess. That is not a birds nest on professor Hathaway's rubber face, it is hemp that is added to the plaster to make it strong.

Professor Hathaway has gone to pieces! This is not for the weak of heart.

2008-04-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

It is all part of the process. Not for the weak of heart. We have spent many months perfecting the sculpture only to cut it to pieces in the end. Each of these pieces will have rubber painted on top of them. Then a mother mold is added on top. They call it a mother mold because it holds the rubber in place. This process is grueling work. It will probably take me an entire week of long hours to complete all of the molds. The sculpture is cut up into 9 pieces.

Off with his head, his arms and...

2008-04-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

My apprentice, Russo, and I began the mold making process of the Dick Hathaway sculpture which consists of cutting him up into smaller sections. This freaked Russo out, especially when we cut off the head of the sculpture. My favorite tool in this process is my reciprocating saw. I love this tool, it also comes in handy when trying to divide plants in the garden! I laughed so hard at the expression on Russo's face as we cut off the body parts and she handed them to me.

The completed sculpture before the mold making

2008-04-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a photograph of the Dick Hathaway sculpture just before he went into mold.

The money has arrived from the TW Wood

2008-04-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

and so I can begin the process of creating the molds for the sculpture and getting Dick Hathaway to the foundry which means he can soon come home!

It is a lot of work. Here is the process in a nutshell. By the way. WE STILL NEED MONEY TO GET THE SCULPTURE HOME. So please send your pennies to the TW WOOD gallery. Our target date is August 25th. I went to the foundry today to deliver a portion of the molds and they have agreed that this is enough time to complete the sculpture. Now for the process....

I have plaster under my finger nails.

2008-04-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is grueling work creating this mold of Richard Hathaway. About day 4 I say to myself, " Yes, the foundry should get $6-7,000. to make such a mold!" But it is part of my donation. I'll post pictures soon, well as soon as I can get the clay, rubber, plaster off of my fingers and shoes to be able to spend some time up here at the computer.

It is all in the details

2008-04-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Just finishing up the details on this sculpture.

I hold off on creating all of the fine detail until just before it goes to the foundry, otherwise the detail might be ruined as it is touched, or accidentally bumped. This is the sculpture that is also featured in my videos. The next step come on Thursday. Professor Hathaway will go to pieces. Literally as he is cut up into sections and prepared for the bronze casting.

Who can forget those expressive hands.
I love this shot. The door is there. The pond behind it, and Dick looks like he is saying goodbye. Time to go home!

Why is it taking so long?

2008-04-21T10:24:00.001-07:00

Someone called and posed that question. A normal bronze life-size commission can take anywhere from six months to a year depending on the schedule of the foundry. However, the memorial sculpture of Richard Hathaway is not normal. The sculpting and half of the foundry fees were donated by myself. The balance of the foundry fees was raised through the efforts of the TW Wood gallery and the loving people of Vermont. That took some time. Now they we are both working on finding the money to bring him home. Meanwhile... I would not proceed with the bronze process until I had the money from the TW Wood gallery. I have been told it is going to be mailed this week. So Dick Hathaway is being all spruced up to go into the mold making process. I expect this to happen next week. I'll record it and of course create another video of the process as promised.

Need a bit more money to get Dick Hathaway home.

2008-04-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

We had a misscommunication about the money raised. The total amount of casting Dick has been raised (I'm praying my foundry will stick with the price they told me 2 years ago). The money for getting Dick Hathaway home was not raised. So we are scrambling trying to get this money in. I have an estimate from a shipping company, but I have decided to take Professor Hathaway home myself. Therefore we are just looking for a few more donations to cover the cost of the trip. If anyone is interested in donating to this please contact the TW Wood Gallery. And if anyone lives between Houston and Vermont and wants to host us and see Dick himself, please contact me.

It is time to go home!

2008-04-19T15:12:00.001-07:00

Now I have become quite used to having Dick Hathaway around, greeting me in that perpetual pose. But, he has simply worn out his welcome. The TW wood Gallery is sending the money for casting this next week. That means we are putting the finishing touches on Professor Hathaway, preparing him for the mold making process. We have a tentative date for the end of August for installation, but I will be firming that up with the foundry in the next couple of weeks.

A video on the creation of the Dick Hathaway Sculpture

2007-12-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

I hope to add the bronze process next.

If you can't view the video...

2007-12-15T11:32:00.001-08:00

Here is a page at you tube that tells you what to do.

Wanted to share my inspiration

2007-12-14T16:30:00.000-08:00

Vermont College Union Institute provided me with this video taken at the completion Ceremonies—April 3, 2004. Richard Hathaway was the speaker. There is a lot more to the video but I edited it down to show Dick talking about progressive education. Listening to his talk, watching his hand motion and animation helped me to remember him, and I hope it allowed me to capture that in the clay. It is a shame that this video is not made available to more people to see. Especially those who loved him and need a little Professor Hathaway fix.

As I finish up the details on the sculpture, preparing it for the foundry share with me for a moment the wonder wit and charm of Professor Richard Hathaway.

Appearance on local FOX station for my up and coming book.

2007-10-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was featured on the local fox news cast for my book "Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased-A Sculptor's Journey." I am presently looking for a publisher, but because of the topic, the halloween season, and the press release that I sent out they featured me. I wish it were a longer segment and I could get into the research behind the science and the psychic and the science behind the emotion with art. Also about the strange occurrences in the book. I am thankful for the segment, but I have to say they were not very organized. I sent a ton of photographs but they did not use them. Oh well, there are always more appearances to come. There is not much you can do in two minutes. ( really there is if you are organized) If you would like to see it you hopefully this link will work. IF not you can go to the FOX website and type in Mongeon in the search. The video should come up.

I look forward to getting my new computer so that I can compile some of these topics in audio podcasts and in video. Maybe that will help the producers see the interesting elements and how they go together.

Ah, I wish for someone with the creativity Like producer Manny Santos. He did the channel 8 segment on me years ago. With the right producer this topic would be extremely interesting! I'm trying to get Manny's channel 8 segment ready to show on the web. It was really great and he won best artist documentary for it.

By the way, I am not sure where they got the God's Word piece to show, As I did not give it to them and it did not go with this segment. Yet it kept coming up. For those of you who don't know, God's Word is a collectible series that I sculpt. ( please note if you go to the God's Word web site and it is down it is going under a total face lift this week!)

If you are interested in seeing the press release that was sent to get this gig, here is a link

Another notch in the belt, another thing to put on my media page

A younger Dick Hathaway

2007-10-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well a younger Dick Hathaway is coming to life. I have attached the head of the sculpture and I am working on pulling everything all together. I changed the arm, raising it a bit. I was not sure I could do this, because the armature is rebar. Standing on the bench I pulled up. It worked. I also reattached the hand. Dick's right leg is still removed so that we can get in close the finish some details. I keep moving around the shirt trying to get things just right. Shoulders, left arm and back. Every now and again I look up at the face and change a thing here and there.

The satchel is almost complete

2007-10-21T18:21:00.001-07:00

The satchel is almost complete. The books, with their titles are carved and even the sheet of paper on the top of the satchel has been done.

It reads, Dear Richard Hathaway,
may all that come after you emanate your love of family, history, education, and philanthropy. With great appreciation your family, friends, colleagues and students.

The elephant and feather are pouring out of the bag. Funny thing is that I have an irresistible urge to put in something round next to the elephant. I don't know if this is a design thing or an intuitive thing. I don't know why a round thing? Either coins or marbles. Why would I pick either one of these? I don't know. Anyone have a clue? Anyone know anything about either coins or marbles relating to Dick Hathaway?

My apprentice needs to do some work on this satchel yet. Not much just clean up some areas, but she is busy smoothing out the Dick's shrit If we could get it done we could actually put this satchel into the mold process. Then on to the bronze.

Sculpting the face of professor Hathaway

2007-09-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

As I mention so many times in my new book “Bringing to Life the spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”, the essence of the individual comes from the face. Of course many have “felt” Dick even though his face was not complete. When presenting the pictures of him a year ago at the TW Wood Gallery I had roughed in Dick’s face as well as his body. Many looking at it ‘felt” Dick Hathaway. The glasses I placed on Dick's face were his glasses that were sent by his daughter. They were however covered with clear acetate to protect the lenses. I had not yet sculpted the eyes.

Now I have removed the head and have been focusing on the face of Dick Hathaway. This has been a very difficult task. When you look at someone who has glasses on their eyes have shrunken because of the glass. If you are looking at them from a ¾ view you might even notice that the side of their face, through the glass, is smaller than their actual face. All of these things are things to consider when sculpting the face of Richard Hathaway. There will be no glass, and so I must give the impression of what everyone sees with the glass, so that when they look at him they will say, “ah, yes that is the person I know.” And this will create an emotional bond with the piece. The scientific process of empathy that I describe in my book will take place.

I have removed the glass from the frames and have been working on the eyes. All the while I keep wondering, “Where are you?” I feel I am getting there, I am close.

Old or young? I ask myself as I move from photograph to photograph. There are a couple of very good younger photographs of his eyes and therefore I am leaning toward that. Hairline changes, jowls change. I hope to have the face complete this weekend and may try to reattach it to the body to finish the upper torso.

A new press release and a new photographer

2007-09-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful new photographer her name is Georgina Longoria. We are working on some editorial pictures and other creative endeavors together. Here is a new press release that will be going out this week.

and a few of the photographs that she has taken for me. These are in the cemetery.

focusing on the face!

2007-09-20T20:24:00.001-07:00

I heard someone say that Dick said something like "My body is just something that I use to carry around my head." well not right now. The head has been removed from the torso so that I can focus on the finishing of his face. How old are you? Maida wanted him younger and he definitely appears to be younger. How much younger I don't know. Seems like some photographs have him in a much heavier period and then thinner again.

"Come out, come out where ever you are!" This sculpture is so different than the others I have worked on because once again I don't really have a client. No one to say- I want it this way! So I probe to see what is coming out.

Nancy said she did not want Dick's glasses back and that was so much help. I could pop the lenses out of the frame and work on his face. It is very difficult working on someone who has glasses. The illusion of how the eyes appear because of the glasses is what I am trying to get. Their is of course no glass in a bronze sculpture, just the frame. These glasses have been one of the most important things for me to have.

The books in the satchel

2007-09-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

This week my new apprentice has worked diligently on the satchel. The question is what books are pouring out of the satchel. I have given this quite a bit of thought. Remember not all the titles can be seen.

If you are to look at the spine of each book this is what you see

PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

A Book for You!

VERMONT

History

I toyed with the idea of actual books but I thought this is best. Dick would always have a book for you, no matter who you are. Anyone who has ever seen his office would know why.

I listen often to the video of Dick's lecture on progressive education. It is all I have of him.

I find myself needing the stimulation of those who knew him. It is interesting how important that is for me to be able to pull that emotion into the piece. Charlotte, you helped with this before!

I also wish I had something for the satchel that represented his auctions. An auction ticket? Any suggestions? I still don't know what the letter will say on the top of the satchel. I think it will be from all of us.

Thats the update for now.

A sign that Dick Hathaway wants to come home?

2007-09-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

I feel an urgency to get the life-size sculpture of Dick ready for the foundry. Not that I don't like having him around, but when it got up to a couple of days of 100 something degrees here in Texas, the old Vermonter could not handle the heat and went to pieces. Literally! Yes, I came in and Dick's leg had come off, then it was his hand. I quickly turned on the AC and told myself it was a sign, a sign that it was time to let go of Dick and get him into the next stage of bronze casting. So now we are going to finalize the details of our beloved Professor Hathaway, right now I am completing his back which never could be reached before. Then, as I add the appendages that have fallen off I am finalizing the details. It was great to have the hand cast of my dad, something I recently did while on a trip back home, the reference helped me with the details in Dick's hands. You could say my dad lent a hand to the process, LOL!

I also have a new apprentice in the studio lending a hand a real one. She is taking over where the last apprentice, Bryan had left off. She is finishing up his satchel as we speak. A wonderful young girl who is a student and Lamar High school. I think Dick would have liked that idea that so many young people have utilized the sculpture of him as a experiential learning experience.

As the sculpture details are finished Dick will go to pieces again. This time pieces that are intentional. I'll have to cut him apart to begin the mold making process. My goal is to have all of this done and Dick Hathaway to the foundry by the end of this year. I can only hope the gallery has good news about the raising of the funds. At least enough to put the deposit down on the bronze.

satchel is coming along

2007-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Bryan and I have been working diligently on the overflowing satchel that sits at the feet of Dick Hathaway.

Meanwile I have been adding the details to Professors Hathaway beckoning hands

The sculpture goes back to center stage

2007-08-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Bryan has been working diligently on Dick Hathaway's satchel. and we moved the sculpture back to the center of the room. It is time to finish Dick Hathaway and get him home to Vermont.

2007-08-03T03:54:00.000-07:00

Here is Bryan, my new apprentice working diligently on the cleaning up the books and the clay satchel that will be at the feet of the sculpture of Dick Hathaway. The elements of the satchel are pertinent to the history of the creation of this sculpture and the memory of both Dick and Charlotte Hastings, my professor who began this project with me and passed away. Stay tune for the creation of the satchel and its meaning.

Does anyone know what Dick Hathaway might have said about history or the recording of history? I had wondered if there was some quote on history that would also be pertinent to this sculpture. I may incorporate it on a piece of paper coming out of the satchel. Plus I just love to hear about Dick Hathaway, it inspires me.

Dick Hathaway takes center stage...

2007-08-03T03:26:00.000-07:00

It has been months since I have worked on the sculpture of Dick. I have put him aside waiting for the rest of the funding to come through. I heard the T.W. Woods Gallery is getting very close to having the funding. As I have said before, I will have to cut the sculpture up into pieces to cast it into bronze. I hate the idea of Dick going to pieces without knowing he will soon be put back together.

I have pulled Dick center stage for a couple of reasons. The first is that my new apprentice Bryan is doing such a wonderful job I know we can work through this quickly with his help. And I’m feeling that it is way beyond the time of sending Dick home to the Green Mountain State. Maybe he can be there by fall, and if not maybe by sugaring. Though we would have to be sure the ground was not sill ice so that we could install the sculpture. I can’t wait!

It is sometimes good to get away from a sculpture for a while. Rarely do I have the opportunity to do so. Commissions come and have deadlines and it means working one after another. But walking away from a sculpture and coming back gives you an entirely different perspective. I can’t wait, give me the pot of hot clay, the large tools. Time to finish the upper torso of Dick Hathaway and then the details in the face.

A wonderful link and picture of the sculpture

2007-05-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

I found this link today http://www.twwoodgallery.org/hathaway.html

A section of the TW Woods gallery website. Thanks ladies, for making such an effort to bring Dick Hathaway back to the woods.

Fundraising for the Dick Hathaway project almost complete

2007-05-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

I’ve been busy here in the studio creating other sculpture, both posthumous and living subjects. You can see some pictures of those pieces on my other blog located at http://www.creativesculpture.com/blog

I just spoke with the TW Woods Gallery and the fundraising committee about the Dick Hathaway project. It has been on hold for a while. I am hesitant to continue the sculpting process unless there is money to bronze the sculpture. I just cannot handle Professor Hathaway in pieces in the studio. I would much rather have him in the corner on the bench. I am told that this month is the final push to have the funds for the project. It will be wonderful to have him complete. Though I will be sad to have him go. I suppose I should really give a push to find another apprentice. Florencia has taken a job and that leaves me alone to finish Dick Hathaway. More later.

How much did DIck make for others?

2007-03-14T15:04:00.001-07:00

Somewhere I heard a quote about how much money Dick raised in his life
time as an auctioneer. Anyone know that answer?

How did Dick call to others?

2007-03-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

I sent this out to some that new Dick. I have been working on the chapters in the book about Dick and Sarah Hooker was kind enough to reply.

"I picture Dick sitting on the bench at Vermont College hand in the air as if he is beckoning to the person passing by or across the green. Greetings from Dick were not just average hello’s as Sarah Hooker states, “Well, it was more that me had a megaphone with his hands as if to announce whoever it was, but it was personalized—so, for example, he'd say, "Heeeer's Miss Sunshine herself, Sarah Jo Hooker" or "I give you the goddest of the Adult Degree Program, Sarah Jo Hooker", or it might be "Here's Portland Maine's most renowned druid, Susan Hammond!"--"

A couple of questions about Dick

2007-03-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

I have a couple questions about dick Hathaway.

I am writing the chapters on the sculpture of Dick Hathaway for my book "Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—a Sculptor's Journey" and wanted to ask a few questions. Can anyone help?

Can you please give me a few suggestions of things to write instead of etc. In the following statement

While attending his exploratory meeting to discuss my study and this book project he said, “I’m not sure why you are here, we really don’t go together.” I knew his expertise in such things, as social reform, history, (etc). Did not really go with sculpting the deceased but, I was too embarrassed to tell him that I found him absolutely charming and I just wanted to spend time with him. I don’t remember what I murmured; it may have been something like… “Just trying to get to know the professors.”

Also,

I know for the school auctions Dick would find unusual items that he would purchase somehow from obscure places. Artisans from around the world. There was a man that was always at the school auctions with him, what was that mans name, they seemed to get this stuff together. Also from what areas, tribes or countries did Dick get these things?

Also,
Somewhere I heard a quote about how much money Dick raised in his life time as an auctioneer. Anyone know that answer?

Thanks in advance,
Bridgette

Updates on the progress of the sculpture are still being posted at http://dickhathaway.blogspot.com

Letter from the campus, looks like Dick will stay

2007-03-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

I have just received the following letter from Vermont College Union Institute. You may have remembered that we were all a bit worried what would happen to College Hall if it were sold, and then what would happen to the Dick Hathaway sculpture. It looks like the MFA is going to purchase the entire property. I assume that this secures the TW Woods gallery and Dick on the campus. I am thrilled. He should be here.

LETTER RECEIVED FROM VERMONT COLLEGE UNION INSTITUTE
February 26, 2007

Dear faculty, staff, learners, and alumni,
I’m pleased to announce that this past Friday, February 23, 2007 I signed of a Letter of Intent to transfer the historic Vermont College campus and three MFA programs to the newly formed Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). After a period of due diligence, we project that the sale will be completed by July 1, 2007. UI&U will continue to operate its undergraduate adult degree program, as well as the Master of Education and Master of Arts programs, without interruption, in leased facilities on the campus.
Included in the proposed sale to VCFA are the campus’s 11 buildings and 33.5 acres, as well as the Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts program, the Master of Arts in Writing program, and the Master of Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. The Vermont College of Fine Arts, under the leadership of MFA alumnus Tom Greene, a longtime administrator with Vermont College, and William Kaplan, an expert in real estate acquisition and conservation, is committed to a seamless transition for the three MFA programs. According to Tom, the vision of the new non-profit entity is that the “historic campus and renowned academic programs will form the foundation for a new college, one that not only plays a critical role in arts and letters in this country, but also is firmly and forever anchored in central Vermont.”
For the past months, we have made concerted efforts to appropriately staff the Montpelier-based programs in anticipation of this sale. We are pleased that academic and academic support staff associated with the programs retained by UI&U will not lose their positions because of this transfer. Academic support staff and faculty related to the MFA programs will most likely become employees of VCFA. Discussions are still in the very early stages regarding facilities, housekeeping, and security staff, but VCFA officials are quoted as saying that they are committed to operate the campus and the MFA programs without disruption.
In the proposed framework, UI&U will lease office, classroom, dormitory, and meeting space from VCFA and operate its educational offerings as one of UI&U’s five national academic centers. All current programs will continue to operate out of the Stone Science building, including the undergraduate adult degree program; the MA and new MA Online; and the MEd. The Gary Library will also continue to operate under UI&U auspices, serving all UI&U and VCFA students in a shared arrangement. UI&U’s Brattleboro Center will also continue to operate without interruption. UI&U has also recently leased offices in Brattleboro to house its new Psy.D. program which will operate pending approval of the Vermont Department of Education.
Alumni of the three MFA programs, as well as alumni of the historic programs housed on the campus (Montpelier Seminary, Vermont Junior College, etc.) will transfer under the auspices of the VCFA. All alumni who earned UI&U degrees since the 2001 acquisition, including all those who earned degrees from the programs staying with UI&U and alumni of the Adult Degree program, MEd program, and MA program will remain with UI&U.
This Letter of Intent moves us closer to our goals, stated clearly last spring, to divest all real property at its Cincinnati headquarters and Montpelier campus in order to focus resources on our core mission based on our founders’ vision to be “learner-centered” rather than “building-centered.” The decision to sell the historic Montpelier campus as well as other property is part of an institution-wide re-visioning that redirects the university’s assets away from owned real estate to focus on creating innovative programs for adults, investing in our people, enhancing learner services, and providing state-of-the-art technology.
We are proud to have been stewards of the Vermont College campus and its academic programs for the past five years, and gratified that our substantial investments in the buildings, the campus, the programs, and the people have given birth to the new and promising entity of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. We are particularly pleased that VCFA will not only continue to operate but also enhance the nationally renowned MFA programs in Writing, Visual Arts, and Writing for Children. We are also very much looking forward to continuing to operate our undergraduate and master’s programs on the campus without interruption.
UI&U remains wholly committed to learners, staff, faculty, and alumni in Vermont, providing strong and viable educational opportunities. It is our intention and the intention of VCFA that this transfer is contingent upon being a seamless transition similar to when UI&U purchased the campus and programs from Norwich University in 2001. There is no foreseen alteration of the academic experience: the learning model will continue, and even improve; faculty will be retained; and residencies will continue without interruption. While there are still details to work out, officials from both organizations are working diligently with federal, state, and local agencies.
I express my deepest appreciation to all of you for your patience throughout this past months. I know that the uncertainty about the campus and program caused rumors and unrest, but I hope you understand that these are serious negotiations and the level of detail is such that much of the information must remain protected in order to safeguard the eventual outcome. I thank you for allowing us the time to make this transition a reality. We owe it to our learners, alumni, and ourselves to continue to work every day to serve our learners and continue the legacies created by both Union and Vermont College.
I also thank officials in the city of Montpelier and the state of Vermont for their warm hospitality and support throughout the past five years. We all look forward to what promises to be a fruitful and lasting partnership on a beautiful and unique campus.
I’m sure that you will have questions in the coming weeks and months. We will do our best to answer them and to provide as much information as possible to ensure that we are serving our learners, our alumni and friends, our staff, and our faculty. We will continue to stay in touch as we know more.

Warm regards,
Roger H. Sublett, Ph.D.
President

Murmuring of an artist

2007-01-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

For two years I have been writing this book “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased- A Sculptor’s Journey” I have taken a close look a the four commissions documented within the book. Now I have this posthumous commission of Mr. Hockett. It feels funny not to be documenting it. After two years of paying such close attention I feel like somehow Mr. Hocket is being excluded, not a part of the process. I am back to doing what I do in the process without much consciousness of it.

IT does not help that the commission is on a tight deadline. I have no time to ponder. I think Patsy, Lucas, Dick, and Jeanine came to me in those times between. The time spent doing something else, the place that thoughts linger. With such a quick deadline I lose the ability to linger. Does that affect the process?

Few photographs. I cringe at this process without numerous photographs. At one point I even said to myself, “perhaps I will not take any more commissions without many photographs.” My supply in this commission is limited. It not only ties my hands as a sculptor but also leaves me craving more emotionally from the subject. The photographs are what lead me to the personality and the emotion of the individual, with a limited supply the emotion is limited, which may in turn affect the sculpture.

Now that the deadline is looming, and no more photographs are available I pray. Mr Hockett, God, show me his peace. Ii think about the sculpture of Jeanine and remember that some of the photographs of Jeanine actually made me sick. When copying the eyes of one photograph I copied the pain, when another photograph was available I transferred that peace in the photograph to the sculpture. I wonder what has happened in the day the time of the photographs of Hockett? My client’s friend did not see the peace.

This is not a mystical process. My feeling of the emotions in the photograph even those emotions that may leak through is scientific and documented. I have an entire chapter on it in my book. Picking up these emotions is apparently one of my abilities. Sculpting and trying to make something beyond what is in the photograph is mystical.

Getting back to work

2007-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

The double boiler is cooking with wax and the crock-pot with clay.

The stack of books and satchel that I bought are now covered with wax. Florencia will be cleaning the stack of books and covering them with clay, so that I can add the details. Meanwhile the sculpture of Dick sits patiently waiting for me to return. Two commissions have a tight deadline and I'll get back to Dick as soon as they are complete.

I miss them, and I never knew them.

2006-12-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

I don’t think I would call it melancholy, it is definitely reflective. I have spent a year of my life with Lucas and Jeanine. I have swum in my thoughts and feelings about them and searched desperately for them. Together we developed a relationship and they brought me to some really surprising discoveries about my process and myself.

I commented on my other blog that a parent who had lost a child looked at the Jeanine sculpture at the christmas party and said I have sculpted so much peace in her. His comment meant a great deal to me, because he too has suffered this loss. I documented the entire process of sculpting Jeanine for the book that I am writing, and shared it with the readers but in the end I step back and look at the piece and still wonder, how did we do this? I rejoice in thinking that the sculpture emits peace. Considering the pain in her life and the way that she died, finding this peace and capturing it has been very important to me. I know the parents will then see the peace in the sculpture and that will somehow help them.

But again, Lucas and Jeanine will soon be gone. They will be with their parents and for that I am happy. I will have the memories of creating and loving them.

A desire to sit and chat?

2006-12-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine that was at the party said that she so wanted to sit down with Dick and chat. Her comment made me smile. She said she would catch a glimpse of him and think he was alive. That his mannerism made her feel comfortable and like having a conversation. The comment made me feel wonderful. I wondered what others would do when he is placed on the campus at Vermont College. I can only imagine.

I can't wait to get back to sculpting Dick after the holidays.

Dick and the Christmas party

2006-12-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had a Christmas party at my art studio. It is called the upside down Christmas party because we hang the tree upside down from the ceiling. The guests that come can decorate our tree from a found object, or anything that is on their person or in their car. It is fun to see what others come up with. I have posted some of the party pictures at my other blog. http://www.creativesculpture.com/blog . It is a creative event. Everyone enjoyed the tree and the sculptures.

It was fun to see people interact with Dick.

The Jeanine and Lucas sculptures came home from the foundry for the show. Soon they will be with their parents. The holidays are always difficult for those who have lost a loved one. It is a time of continuous prayer for me. I feel compelled to lift up each one. Jeanine and Lucas will soon be home with their families.

Books for Dick

2006-12-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

Last week I went to the thrift store and looked for some books to set at Dick's feet. The title of these books will change as they will be covered with clay and the form of the books actually become an armature. I'll carve the titles in the book so they will be seen in the cover and spine. I may utilize the book bag as well, covering it with wax to stiffen it up.

I am still searching for the title of the books that would be at Dick's feet. You may notice there are a few other elements that are spilling out of the bag. To be specific they will be an elephant carving, a feather and their will be a piece of paper a letter on top of the bag.
Here is the significance of these items.

The first is an elephant. I received this elephant from my professor Charlotte Hastings. It was in regard to something I mentioned while I was writing the book "Bringing to Life the Spirit of the DeceasedÂA Sculptor's Journey"

THE ELEPHANT
I commented in my writing of the book the book
"I have always been intrigued with the story that I heard of elephants, marveling at the bones of their ancestors that they never knew. I remember seeing an elephant documentary that said that elephants that came across bones of their ancestors would pick them up and caress them, passing them from one to another in a respectful but mourning ritual. By doing so, it helped them come to terms with death. I feel that this action, this simple action by a wonderful and majestic creature is what I feel when I create posthumous portraiture. When the box of personal affects comes to my studio and I examine it, from that day forward until the day that the sculpture is complete I have spent time lovingly caressing the life that I have had a pleasure to be introduced to. I turn that life over and over in my hands and heart as lovingly as those majestic elephants did with the bones of their ancestors. It is through my ritual and my art that my experience is enhanced and the healing process and letting go occur for my client. "

THE FEATHER
There will also be a feather pouring out of the book bag, another symbol that is mentioned in my book -

" While sitting at dinner with several classmates on the Vermont College Campus, we were discussing posthumous portraiture and my journey. They were all interested in my topic. Again I state, "How do I do this? It is a difficult thing for me to look at, do you think that somehow I communicate with my subject" Communicating with those who are dead is not an easy thing for me to comprehend. I have a strong Christian background and communication with the deceased would be frowned on by some people. "Besides", I tell myself, "this is just art." As we talk the eyes of one of my classmates tears up. I have just met all of these people within the last day, and these women at this very dinner. I discover that Helen has just lost her mother seven days earlier. " Great." I think to myself, "You have done it again talking about death like it is an everyday thing."
I apologize to Helen, "I am sorry if I am being insensitive." It would not be the first time that I have had to do this" apologize. Just last year I was visiting a friend who lost her son. She and I had had our children months apart, and I could not begin to comprehend the incredible pain of losing a child who is only 19. She inquired about my work, artist that she is, and I told her about my most recent commissions, all which surrounded death. I truly was not trying to be insensitive to the pain of others, this work is my job, my life. I work with death almost every day.
Helen tells me that it is all right and proceeds to tell me a story about her mother. "I did a study on the Native American Indians," she begins. "Within this study I discovered the strong symbolism that a feather has to the Native American Indian culture and while my mom was in the hospital, I gave her a feather." We all listened intently to the story. She told us how unsure she was about coming to residency, but she knew that her mother would want her to come. So she packed her bags. She left the room where her bags were sitting and upon returning she looked and on top of the bags was a feather. She quickly stated that she collects feathers and has cats and maybe one of the cats could have gotten into her feathers and brought one to the suitcase. All three of her classmates concurred: it did not matter how the feather got there, it meant something to her, and so we believed it was from her mom.
After our conversation that evening, I was overwhelmed with the amount of interaction with people in the last few days. It was so unlike me, but I decided to skip the next lecture and take a long walk up the mountain. Just before dark I returned to the campus. As I turned to enter the dorm building, there on the ground was a feather. I stepped over the feather at first saying, "Hmm here is a feather". Then I realized the significance and backed up and said, "HERE IS A FEATHER!" I picked up the feather and then searched for Helen. When I found her I handed her the feather and said, "Maybe they do communicate; if so, I think your mom says hi."
It was not the only feather Helen received throughout the six-day residency. In total she received five feathers."

There were many more strange things invloved in these two symbols, but I suppose you will have to read the book to find out.

THE LETTER
The letter will be a statement about Dick, a letter to him from those who loved him, all of us. I'll carve this into the wax or clay.

Sending the money to the TW Woods

2006-12-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

As reported before the TW Woods gallery is now taking the donations toward the Dick Hathaway memorial project. That means that the donations are tax deductible. Today I closed out the Houston account and sent them a check for what was in this account. It was a whopping 60.70!

I am glad that we have a total of 20,060. toward the proejct with just a balance of 4,940 needed.

Great News!

2006-11-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

By the way, it was approved by the TW Woods Gallery. All donations can now go to them, designated for the memorial. They are now tax deductible. THANK YOU!

Also, the TW Woods called the day before yesterday and said that they received an anonymous donation toward the sculpting project.

Here is a financial update

$7,000 needed for balance of bronze
$2,000 needed for delivery (though I might be able to bring this cost down if I rent a car and put Dick in the front seat. How about a road trip Dick? Any friends of Dicks between Texas and Vermont? )
$9,000 Total needed

$4,060 received to date
$4,940 needed

WE ARE ALMOST ½ WAY THERE!
( PHOTOGRAPH- from the memorial photographs, Dick Hathaway with an ADP packet)

Travel to Vermont

2006-11-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

I traveled up to Vermont College for several reasons. The Dick Hathaway sculpture that I am creating was a part of my study at Vermont College. I graduated on November 1st. I presented two lectures one at Vermont College and one for the T.W. Woods Gallery. Both were about sculpting the deceased, the process and the research for my book “ “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”. I especially liked the TW Woods lecture as many friends of Dick Hathaway were there. It was good to have their inspiration. To be fed stories about Dick Hathaway refreshed me. I’m looking forward to getting back to the sculpture. It should be done in about a month or so.

The photograph that I created of the progress on Dick Hathaway now resides at the TW Woods. The sculpture needs a bit of work and there is going to be a pile of books near his foot. The question is, "What are the names of the books?"

It is a touchy feely thing!

2006-10-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

While instructing florencia today I, once again, began to realize that much of my work is done by touch as well as by seeing. I can feel the way something is supposed to be. I don't think I really separate the two senses much. It is definitely a touchy feely thing!

Turning the corner into October

2006-10-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here I am turning the corner into October. There is still a lot to do before graduation on November 1st and I leave for school on the 24th. I wish that Dick were coming with me, but I still need to raise money to cast this donation. As I prepare for my lecture for the school, actually two one for the TW Woods Gallery and another for my culmination, I am reminded of all of the absolutely incredible and unusual things that have happened in the posthumous sculpting of Patsy, Lucas, Jeanine and Dick Hathaway. And through the death and remembranceof Charlotte Hastings.

I am convinced, that the energy of a living person stays with us long after their death. I have proven that through some of my study and my research for school. I am amazed at my study, and am thankful for the opportunity to have done such a study through Vermont College Union Institute!

Proceeding with Dick

2006-09-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that since I have finished writing my black book Dick Hathaway is receiving a lot of attention. I am down in the studio until late at night usually leaving around 11:30. My apprentice comes in at 9 and stays until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Then I take over. It feels good to have Dick's hands and feet all attached. Still need to do a lot of detail but now that I have him all together it is much easier to see things. Here are some photograph that my hsuband took for press purposes. The sculpture goes through its completion from the feet upward. Notice there are no ties on the shoe laces. The foundry fabricates these in metal. I work my way up the socks to the pant legs. The fold in the pants and the hands will take a tremendous amount of time. Once I work my way up the entire torso I will take off the head and work the details seperately from the torso.

When the sculpture is cast in metal the entire thing will shrink about an inch, making Dick appear a bit smaller.

More photos of Dicks Office

2006-09-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

While at the campus last October I was taking pictures of things that were Dick Hathaways

Here is his mailbox, with incoming mail.
and the phone in his office with 12 messages.

No Feet, But He Has A Hand!

2006-09-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have been focusing on Dick Hathaway’s sneakers. I took his right sneaker off and replaced it with a Folgers can for the time being. I love working on shoes. Florencia has been helping and in the studio just about every day. I am so thankful for her assistance. I don’t know how I would be able to finish the project on time. Though until we have further funding for casting I have no real deadline. I just want to be able to show the completed sculpting for my graduation scheduled for November 1, 2006.

I miss working on Dick but find that I need to work on the proportions alone. My brain goes so fast and I jump around so much that I need the focus and concentration. At night is a good time to work. But I have yet to really get back to the torso. I did put on the left hand; at least I began to rough it in. I hesitate in putting pictures of it on the web because I don’t know if others can see the finished product, but then that is what process writing is all about. Strange now that the hand is on he feels more alive, more talkative. The previous photo that I took of myself where Dick appeared in the background proved that.

A rod attaches the hand. You can see the rod sticking out of Dick’s hand. If you remember the entire arm has rebar in it. So I stuck this rod through his hand and then pounded it into the arm. Quickly adding wax and clay between the two to secure the hand. I hate to get in the studio in the morning to find that the hand is fallen off.

The rebar in the arm causes me some concern. I wish I could reposition it a bit, but instead I try to manipulate the foam and rubber around it to bring his elbow in and down a bit.

This entire left side of Dick has been difficult because of not having good reference photographs but now that I have them it should move along quickly, if I could find the time to get downstairs to the studio.

A Continuous Dick Hathaway Lecture

2006-09-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

I seem to be overcome with this black book writing. I am writing the final pages today and hope to get the rest of it off to the proofreader this weekend. My it is a great deal of work. I get down into the studio to work on Dick in the evenings. It was interesting that when this picture was taken I thought, "Hmmm looks like an never ending lecture from Dick Hathaway." I like working downstairs in the evenings, I can turn the TV on and put myself in a different position than sitting in front of the screen working on the black book all day long. I can hardly believe this final semester is coming to an end.

My New Apprentice And Getting Back To Dick Hathaway

2006-08-16T14:30:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since the last Dick Hathaway post. I have been busy doing my writing for graduation. Still not done, but Dick was getting lonely down in the studio and my new apprentice Florencia was anxious to get going. So I have taken a break today to get back to Dick Hathaway. I sat down with Dick and had a chat, he understood perfectly. Getting my work done for residency is a priority.

Have I said how much I jump around while working on a sculpture? I think it made Florencia a bit nervous. Add a bit here and then work on this section, and yet there are section of Dick that have not been touched and in those cases I force myself not to look at them until I need to or until they affect something else that I am working on. When there are no more spots to jumps around to, I know I will be finished.

How Did Dick Feel About Time And Watches?

2006-07-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

While working on Dick’s arms I began to notice that he wore a watch. Opposite wrist as mine, he wore his on his right wrist. I wondered what type of watch Dick Hathaway would have, would it be a Mickey Mouse watch, or would he be more formal? I also wondered how he felt about time. Are there any hathawayisms concerning time?

More Hathawayisms

2006-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hathawayisms provided with permission from Tom Slayton

It was that amazing combination of brilliant wit, deep learning, and blather, that would turn a cymbidium orchid into what he called, “An iris that’s gone Episcopalian,” a bottle of ginseng tablets into “a placebo for intellectuals,” a plastic case for Star Wars figures as “a post-industrial fantasy item,”

( picture is a book in Dick's office)

Hathawayism

2006-07-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

"It is my job to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

Hathawayism provided by Linda G

(Picture is a jar from Dick's office)

Dick's Smile Makes Me Smile

2006-07-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hathawayism
"My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

A comment Dick used concerning exercise

I hope I have that hathawayism correct

Hey Dick, What's Cooking?

2006-07-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

I have not been back to work on the sculpture of Dick in over a week, instead I am writing about the process of finding Dick Hathaway and sculpting the deceased. Hopefully Dick and I will be reunited in a week or so. Until then I thought it appropriate to post a picture or two of our beloved friend and professor. Hey Dick, what’s cooking?

More Than Half Way

2006-07-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

Jennifer is gone but, before she left she and I were able to make our way ½ way around Dick- his right hand and foot, right arm and leg.

I’m taking a break from the sculpting to spend my days writing my black book for school- writing and sculpting. I have had this little dance my entire life. When I am sculpting I think of things I want to write and when writing I wish I were back sculpting. The push pull is not as bad as it used to be when I was younger. Now I enjoy the time doing each, and know the other ferments inside of me. It builds my passion to write or to sculpt.

This writing does give me less time to think on Dick and on Charlotte. I feel myself emotionally and physically distancing myself from them when I am upstairs in the office writing instead of down in the studio.

I have interviewed a new apprentice. We will see how that works out.

Goodbye Jennifer- I'm Now In The Market For A New Apprentice

2006-07-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

My apprentice, Jennifer, had her last day today. I will miss her greatly! She was such a trooper, working diligently to improve my creation. Have fun in Key West Jennifer! A well deserved vacation.

Now I hope I can find someone to replace her. Someone who loves art and wants to learn. I love having apprentices. It is such an informal way to instruct and to learn. For the life of me I don't know why we don't have more of that sort of things these days. The lost art of apprenticeship.

Moving Around Dick Hathaway

2006-07-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

The shirt on the side and part of back, as well as part of the pants on the right side of Dick have been roughed in and are ready for Jennifer to smooth out. The legs are far from being done.

I have added the roughed in right hand to see how the entire side works together. I am debating about making the right hand a bit higher and need to decide this, but major reconstruction and cutting of the underlying metal will have to be done to accommodate this. I have put the roughed in shoe under Dick. When the shoe is not there a coffee can supports the weight of Dick Hathaway. I can’t wait to get going on this lower leg. Now, with the shoe in place, I’ll be thinking about the entire area, shoe, pants, leg and right arm/hand. Everything is worked on while I look at my reference photographs of my fellow classmate that posed for me. YOU NEVER HAVE ENOUGH REFERENCE! Plus some of the pictures of the classmate pose has small changes that probably only I notice. And the left arm is not in the position that I would like so I have to be very creative with the other arm and hand. Presently no work has been done on the left arm and hand.

Jennifer groaned a little as she began to smooth out Dick. She is off on Tuesday so I am anxious to see how far she will get with smoothing out Dick through the week before her last day on Friday. Jennifer’s internship is a nonpaid internship and this has helped me tremendously in being able to donate my $16,000 to this project.

Beginning the Finalization of Dick Hathaway

2006-07-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I said the mass of clay now really needs detail and attention. Prior to this Dicks front looked pouched and fat, but as I begin to carve the details of each fold, using the photographs of my classmate in the position, I can see things shaping up. I have placed real buttons on the clay to help me as a visual guide. Slowly I’ll move around the shirt and pants looking, comparing carving and adding. Somehow it all adds up. There is a good chance that the areas that I spent so much time on this week will be changed or modified as the rest of the sculpture takes shape.

I Found Shoes

2006-07-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sculpting the shoes we start with foam. Jennifer carved the foam and glued pieces together with foundry wax and wooden dowels. Then we added the clay on top. It is important to match the sculpted shoes with the real shoes from all directions. Looking at them from top together, bottom together and the side. As I said before compare, compare compare!
Jennifer diligently worked on the shoes and I have to admit that I enjoyed working on them one day for three hours in front of the television. It felt good to work on something little for a while. We are modifying the design of the store bought shoes. I also could only find a size 11. I hope that works. Jennifer worked on them for a couple of hours and had to quit. It is mind-boggling trying to figure out what shoelace goes where. I love working on them and can’t wait for more time to make them looks old and worn

I have been trying to focus on getting everything roughed in on Dick. The reason being is that this coming week is my last week with Jennifer. Smoothing the clay once it is roughed in is a tremendous amount of work and is very hard on my wrists and hands. I want to be able to take advantage of her young hands. If I have my way the entire shirt and pants will be complete by the end of next week. Then I hope to take a week off of sculpting to focus on schoolwork and writing. After that it is just a matter of finished dicks hands, shoes and then of course taking his head back off of the sculpture and finalizing the head. We are so close to finishing! I sure wish I had another apprentice coming in.

I’m Lonely

2006-07-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

One thing that this commission has revealed to me is how much I miss the interaction with the surviving relatives. I sat in the studio thinking about it and became very lonely. I thought about Charlotte and pictured here there watching and I felt better. It is strange the person that gives me the most comfort in sculpting this deceased is the deceased.

11 Days Of Sculpting!

2006-07-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

I found shoes today; I had to spend $35.00 on them. They are new. I wrapped them with plastic in hopes that I can return them in a few weeks. It will be so helpful to have some three dimensional reference. Jennifer began by putting together some foam and is going to get a basic shape for the shoe. She is catching up with me. She has the hands roughed in for me and will soon have the shoes. I hope by the time the shoes are roughed in I can have some parts ready for her to do on the main torso. I only have her for a couple more weeks.

The details on the hands will probably take me two days, and the shoes about four. We cut off the other shoe from the main sculpture so that we could work on them both at the table. This is much easier than crawling around on the floor.

I wonder what others think when they see the sculpture. Can they see it yet? A friend came by and said that she does see it and that it is coming along. I do think it has come a long way in just eleven days. Here are some pictures of Dick and I. Once again everything is just roughed in and some parts not roughed in at all.

( my dog Emmy wanted to get in the photograph with Dick)

Shoes…..

2006-07-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am going nuts trying to find shoes. One would think I could find a simple pare of sneakers at the second hand store. After a few stops I was discouraged. Today I head off to Payless to buy a brand new pare of shoes. Or at least try to.

Why am I so obsessed with the shoes? Maybe I have just become used to having the shoes on my past commissions. It is such a wonderful reference to have and a great place to begin to capture detail. Besides, it is something that Jennifer can work on while I am busy trying to figure out the details on Dick’s torso.

BUSTED!

2006-06-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day.

LUCAS
First Jennifer pin pricked a Xerox copy of Lucas’ tea shirt so that we could transfer the image into the wax. I was grateful for her young eyes. When she is done I will carve it out of the wax. The pattern will then show up in the metal.

DICK
Later I had her working on Dick’s hands. They start with wire and then carefully Jennifer added clay for me until she had fingers formed. She seemed to enjoy the process. I showed her how to tip the underside of the fingertips upward, and then how to make knuckles. Later I’ll work on the hands myself. Dick Hathaway had big hands so I want to be sure that I have the correct size. Time to review the video clip again.

Frustrated with the body I asked Jennifer to hold Dick’s head near the torso so I could see the design of the entire piece.
She is such a great apprentice, such a hard worker and great attitude. She held it up and then I took pictures. Then I put his head back on the stand.

With frustration surfacing again I Later decided to actually secure his head to the body. I rarely do this until the bust is complete and the torso is complete. Later I will take it off again to work on the details of his face. It is roughed in enough so that I can work on the body and get an overall picture. In just a couple of weeks Dick is coming to life!

I sort of freaked inside of myself when rolling around on my stool and looking up at the sculpture. From a certain angle I saw my deceased grandfather. I mentioned something to Jennifer, she said sitting at her angle she saw her deceased great-grandfather who was a sculptor. I laughed and said, “Maybe they are all here helping.”

I Need Continuing Bonds!

2006-06-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that I am both client and artist. I miss Dick Hathaway and my beloved professor, Charlotte Hastings who started this project with me. I am both the artist that looks for the inspiration in the words and the client who wants to talk and celebrate their lives.

I NEED INSPIRATION!

2006-06-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

One of the elements that this commission lacks is personal contact. Because the process of sculpting Dick consists of raising money for casting and my donating the sculpting it is of a different nature than most of my other work. There are no loved ones that I can contact on a regular basis and talk with. I am beginning to see how much this is an important element of the process of sculpting the deceased. Those that are left behind are my inspiration. I draw on their love and energy to bring the work of art to life. They are mixed within the clay.

I loved e mailing Jeanine’s mom on a regular basis. Sometimes she would just send me stories, or writings and when the packages would come with video or tape recordings I was elated. I was able to celebrate her child with her. That is a tremendous part of the process. As I learned last semester as I studied this process it is also quiet healing for my clients. Where else can they go where they can continually talk about their loved one? Many times in our Western culture we are encouraged to “move on”. There is a wonderful book called Continuing Bonds by Phyllis R Silverman, that states that continuing bonds with the deceased is not only healthy but should be encouraged. That is what I do, I help my clients to continue bonds. Together through their love we create, and there is really no better way to express love than to create. The sculpture is not an idol to hold up on a pedestal but an actual and physical manifestation of the continuing bonds, the love. I am so blessed to be able to do this..

I do wish others who knew Dick would write, or send pictures. Maybe I’ll watch the video again, but this creativity it is not from just within me, it is somehow attached to those who knew and loved the person. I need more of that right now. It is truly my inspiration.

My Workstation

2006-06-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

I thought I might share a photograph of my workstation. There are several in the studio, but this is where I work on the bust of Dick Hathaway. My wonderful chair is my daughters Fisher Price high chair. I really must write them some day and tell them how great this chair is. Not only is it a great height, but it often lets me know when I am getting too wide in the hips. I have had it 21 years!

The photographs of Dick are spread out on the typewriting cart. Another very useful piece of furniture that is great in the studio. The pan is filled with hot clay that is replaced by the clay in the crockpot. The little marble slab lets me take some out and allow it to cool. There are always plenty of tools around in containers that will contain them. Jennifer will soon have a tin of different, heavy-duty tools hanging around the torso. The black case holds Dicks glasses when they are not being used.

Dick’s bust has wire that is forced into the pipe at my workstation. This pipe that the bust fits into is actually the top of my armature stand turned upside down. One of those things I found in a pinch and now it works for every portrait. The torch is nearby to heat up the bust should I need it, and I often do. I have a smaller torch that I use when I get closer to finishing the sculpture. But I have no need of that for at least another week.

Rolling Around Dick

2006-06-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last night I sat on my rolling gardening stool at Dick’s feet and began to look at the armature in an entirely different way. I noticed earlier while Jennifer was putting clay on the piece, it was hard to keep my hands off of it. I feel possessed, in a way. The creative and artistic person in me grabs the knife and I cut off an inch here add clay there.

Even in the afternoon I turned to Jennifer and asked where the armature now deep beneath foam and clay was welded. I instructed her to cut off the clay and foam and then I picked up the grinder and ground off pieces of rebar here, took the reciprocating saw and began to change the design, modest changes but changes all the same.

There is a knowing. I don’t know if this is an intuitive knowing as I know anatomy and this needs to go here and that there. Sometimes I feel like I am just a part of a process that is already done. The sculpture of Dick Hathaway already exists someplace else and I am no different than the clay or armature. I am just a part of the process. My mind jumps around elbow, to thigh, leg to shoulder. Certainly this must be attention deficit disorder.

I get frustrated when I misplace a tool for a second, “the knife I must cut where is the knife, and the torch this must come down, where is the torch?” My mind is going a mile a minute. I was going to try and do much of this while Jennifer was there so I could say, “Add about two inches here.” But I don’t know if she would be frustrated with me. I add, I take away, I add again, sometimes in the same spot or close to it. I’m working on Dick’s right side, but I must take all of Dick in, right side, top bottom left side, back. Jump around to make sure that it looks like it goes together. We have a long way before we are finalizing details.

I think of the shoes. I went to a thrift store to look for some shoes. Didn’t find the sneakers that I wanted. I’m going to go back. They won’t be Dicks but they are real and I can copy them. I love it when the sculpture seems to morph from the feet upward.

Today the foundry called. The waxes of Lucas are ready for pick up. Jennifer came along with me to have a tour of an art foundry. Upon returning we put Lucas on the table, in pieces ready for Miguel, my other apprentice to work on them. Some day Dick will be in this same shape. I look forward to that day, because that means that we have raised the $9,000. That is needed to finish this project.

We are still beating the torso into shape. Reciprocating saw, torch, bending this adding here taking off there taking and adding until we find Dick’s Torso.

Emotion Through All Of the Senses?

2006-06-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend after Sunday school some of the ladies invited me to lunch. I rarely get to attend these extra outings as I am so busy with school and work, but I felt I could go.

One friend had a box of items wrapped in a Hallmark bag. I noticed her neatly folding the bag over box in a ritualistic way.

She saw my intrigue.

Inside the box were letters that have been in her family for years. They were from the civil war.

Immediately upon opening the box I asked her if I could touch them. Carefully I took them out and observed the paper, the handwriting, and the words. I felt myself being swept away from the table at Piccadilly cafeteria into a vacant space. I desperately wanted to go away quietly with these letters into a place where I could be alone. “How strange.” I thought. After all I did not even know these people, why would this be so important to me?

I did feel that if I could be alone with them “feelings” images, flashing pictures would come to my mind that would make no sense to anyone else, and they would probably not even make sence to me but it would be a movie that I would have liked to have seen, something that in the space and time of Piccadilly cafeteria I felt deprived of. “I can make copies for you if you like,“ My fellow parishioner had said. But it was these old papers that I wanted to be with. I felt drawn to them.

After arriving home I thought about the experience. This empathic thing is not something that happens in one sense, but seems to involve all of my senses. I absorb the emotions of the people by touch, vision and smell. I hear the words of the loved ones. In spring when I was alone in Dick Hathaway’s office I came across his tie. Without thinking I smelt it. And then held it to my chest. In the same way that perhaps one cherishes the shirt of their deceased lover. Writing about it feels strange. When Jeanine’s personal affects came her shirt was in the box. Come to think of it I did this same thing with her shirt that I did with Dick's tie and I smelt Lucas’ shirt.

Alone time….

I am avoiding the studio. Jennifer is there working on the Torso of Dick and Miguel is there working on the wax of Jeanine. I want to be alone with Dick to watch the images and feel the flood of emotions, Nancy, Ruth, Maida, Charlotte, Victor, Susan. To hear the words of each individual play in my head.

To talk to Charlotte while I work, if I feel so inclined.

The emotion in the clay and this process is a total sensory thing.

Emotion Mixed In The Clay

2006-06-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

Jennifer has been at the studio today, once again putting clay on the armature. I laughed at myself this weekend thinking about how funny an armature looks in the beginning and how I will most likely have to beat it into submission. I want to get to work at putting the clay on the torso but I’ll let Jennifer do that. My job is to get going on the bust.

As I sit down to work on Dick I hear the voices of some of the other professors like Charlotte and Maida telling me about Dick. While at residency last spring I asked Maida about how Dick would sit. She approaches each answer cautiously but with such sincerity, love and admiration. I wonder can I kneed and massage those things into the clay? The love? It is exactly those types of encounters that I count on in capturing the deceased. I pull from the memories of those who knew and loved the one who is no longer here.

Thoughts of Charlotte come up. Sometimes I feel like she is there sculpting with me, or hanging out in the studio.

Luckily, with this commission, I have the added benefit of actually meeting Dick Hathaway. There is only one other man I have ever met in my life who had such charm, who was so totally endearing. It has to be over 20 years ago now. I was in Boca Raton and started to sculpt in the sand. The sand seemed so temporary. I did not have to worry about anyone approving my artwork. In the morning after the tide came it would be gone. Of course I sculpted people. While on this vacation I was introduced to a woman who had a bust of her deceased husband. I was so enthused by it. I had never really sculpted before and I wanted to know how it was done. ( I did create a bust of Christ in junior high and an elephant in grade school ) At this time in my life, 20+ years ago, I was working in the advertising industry and also painting. I had also been studying a great deal about creativity. I felt stifled as an artist and wanted to know why.

Peter Peach was the name of the man with all of that charm and charisma that Dick reminds me of. I had heard about him. Something about how creative he was and how he once had this great idea years ago about putting movies on TV, but the television people said, “Who would want to watch a movie on TV?” He also was one of the originators of the Bullwinkle Cartoon. He and his wife had been watching me sculpt in the sand as they stood on their balcony. When we finally met he looked at me very firmly and said. “You have a great talent, you must go forward with it.” At the time I had no idea it would be sculpting. I came home found some books and taught myself how to sculpt. It was amazing the first time I did. I felt so at home. Somehow Peter Peach knew something I didn’t. 20+ years later, here I am sculpting.

The clay that I am working with right now is nothing, a blob to some people; I take my knife and begin to carve away at the skull shape. Even though there is nothing of any resemblance, I can feel Dick. I slip his glasses on the shape and quickly add some ears and more of a nose. (I have added tape to protect to the lenses of the glass) The piece does not feel correct until I continue to add a neck and then a bit of a collar. The collar helps me to be able to compare the photographs of him with the clay. I'll take it off later. I am using many of the composite photographs from the video. Even at this stage I find myself talking to the clay, jokingly, I say, “Wear are you Dick?”

I think about the age of the man as I add the neck wattle and notice the sagging cheeks. I have several photographs of Dick when he was younger and Maida had expressed an interest in me doing Dick as a younger man. Again I hear her incredible love as she speaks the words. I feel her missing him. I realize that this sculpture is as much a part of everyone that loved Dick and expressed that to me, as it is about Dick. Maybe that is where the passion comes from in my work, why people say they “feel” so much about a certain piece.

I spoke with a friend this weekend about creating what I referred to as “the lovely”. She creates portraits and flowers in oil and I love-sculpting people. Some people have not learned or do not wish to tap into “the lovely” and instead they create out of angst and somehow that is transferred to the art. I am not sure how. I do know that my feelings while working on a piece are very important. If I am mad or angry or irritated somehow that transfers to the art. I have pieces that I have created that I just don’t like looking at, and others have expressed that though they feel the pieces are artistically correct, they are really not as appealing as my other work. They don’t know why, but I do. The negative emotion somehow gets mixed in the clay and resides there. When I think of Maida or Charlotte, Nancy, Dick’s daughter or Ruth, Dick’s wife, it is these feelings that I transfer.

I have already aged Dick even in this beginning stage. The wattle, the cheeks the receding hair line. It is funny because as I started, just 40 minutes ago, I knew I had a younger man, but an older Dick is emerging and it is just beginning. If I had more references of him at a younger age I would attempt a younger pose but it takes more focus on my part to work with age progression or in this case age regression.

Face To Face With Dick Hathaway

2006-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today I began on the portrait bust of Dick. It felt good to sit down and start. Meanwhile, Jennifer was putting clay on the torso of Dick for me and Miguel was working on the wax of Jeanine.

I will look forward to the early evening when everyone is out of the studio and I can spend alone time with the sculpture.

How On Earth Will This Thing Turn Into A Sculpture?

2006-06-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

Looking at the armature and seeing Dick takes some creative visualization. How will this ever turn into a wonderful sculpture of Dick Hathaway, the same way that this armature turned into a wonderful sculpture of Patsy.

It takes perseverance and a lot of work.

Am I Allergic To Dick Hathaway?

2006-06-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

I started putting the foam on the torso of Dick Hathaway. I had used this type of foam before, years ago and had forgotten what a mess it could be. Next time I will work on it I will put on long sleeves and pants. My neck seems to have a rash on it this morning. I’m not sure if it is the foam or not. I would assume it is from putting on and taking off my work apron.

I am so anxious to get to the bust of Dick. This is where we commune. This is where his essence first reveals itself. But I am forced to figure the details out on the torso first. Covering it with foam so that when Jennifer comes in on Friday she can coat the foam with wax and then begin to add the clay. It will expedite the sculpting process. But I have schoolwork to do and want to spend time alone with Dick’s portrait, and in doing so, I’ll also be spending time with my beloved Charlotte. Working on the bust will let me do that.

I look at these foam/wire/pipe armatures and wonder, “How can this ever turn into a nice sculpture?” But it does. Looking at the armature of a sculpture and the sculpture are two totally different things. Even as I begin to add the foam I can feel Dick emerging.

Inevitably, in the weeks to come, I will be sculpting on the torso or even the bust and will find I need to change something about the armature or the foam beneath. I’ll dig it out and pull, push or even hammer the entire thing into creative submission. Often I’ll say to the apprentice, See this here, get all of this out of here,” And in the end, before the mold is made we will be digging out blemishes of foam or wire or whatever to make the surface as smooth as possible.

The Bust Is Created Separately From The Torso Of Dick.

2006-06-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Here you see the foam, and wire. I created the foam by spraying it into plastic bag that surrounded armature wire. Once the foam has cured I cut away the pieces that I do not need. I then cover it with wax. The wax is so the little gritty things from cutting the foam won’t get caught into my clay. I am amazed at how much the texture of the clay bothers me. I like things smooth.

Once the wax dries the entire head is covered with clay. This clay that I use is wax base clay. It can be used over and over again. Of course my apprentices clean off any additional pieces of foam or things that are caught into the clay. The clay is melted in another crock-pot (I spend a lot of time combing thrift stores for crock pots, heating plates, and old kitchen utensils).

Once heated this clay can really burn your skin, so we all try to be extra careful when using it. My new apprentice, Jennifer, puts clay on Dick's bust for me.

I am so thankful for the glasses that I have of Dick. Not only will it help me with his face, but also it becomes something that I can compare everything else to. For example measuring the width of the glasses (five and one half inches) I can take a measurement of them in one of the photographs of Dick and decipher where other parts of his clothing and body fall ie. the length of Dick’s face is approximately two times the width of his glasses or approximately 11 inches long. Of course this is his face in the wedding photo. I notice it seems rounder than it was in some of the photographs taken as he is speaking, probably because he was older.