Richard Hathaway

Charlotte Hastings had a signed release form from Ruth and was helping to gather information for the sculpture.  She was so pleased that this sculpture was going to happen and I was devastated when I heard of Charlotte’s passing.  It was then that I realized that my motivation of doing the sculpture was in part for Charlotte. 

This past semester was busy.  I was trying to attempt fifty-one credits to be able to culminate in November of 2006.  I had no time to work on the Dick Hathaway project or to mourn Charlotte’s death.  My grief over Charlotte passing was as deep as hers over Dick’s.  It was not until the last residency in April of 2006. We were in the school’s memorial service for Charlotte. I expressed my longing for Charlotte to be here working on this with me, and I heard the words spoken by Blythe Silano, “But Charlotte loved Dick”.  Those thoughts began to ring in my heart and renewed the sculpture.  For me this sculpture is not just in memory of Dick Hathaway it is also in memory of my friend and advisor, Charlotte Hastings. 

A picture of Charlotte and myself, residency 2005. This was the semester residency that we planned the sculpture of Dick.

I find myself yearning for something to compare.  Nancy said she had a picture of herself with Dick.  I was so intrigued.  If Dick is on the same plane as Nancy’s face then I can utilize her face to get the size of Dick’s head.  Funny, the more I think about Dick’s head the more I ask myself, “Wasn’t it larger than normal?”  I laugh thinking that maybe I am imagining his intelligence and replacing it for the actual size of his head, but then again I can’t help but wonder.  Did Dick Hathaway’s head larger than normal?

            I wished I had my sculpting calipers and could have measured Nancy’s head to compare it to Dick’s, but because I was the one initiating the project I wondered if I was intruding too much on Nancy, even if Nancy seemed very comfortable with my requests. 

            I am grateful of her acceptance of the project because I have found there are two totally different views about posthumous sculpture; you either love it or hate it. Having a three dimensional figure of a loved one that you can touch is difficult for some people, it may be difficult for some of the readers of this blog who see the sculpture.  For others it is the greatest tribute. I think about Patsy and I hope her grandchildren will come to her sculpture and talk with her.  Maybe slip love notes or flowers in her bronze hands.

            And with the sculpture of Dick I hope people ask, “Who is the man that is motioning to me from across the green?” If people ask then those knowing and loving Dick can tell them what a great man he was, describe his passions and in turn the they and Dick live on.

            I asked Nancy, Dick’s step-daughter, if someone could take a photograph of her holding a ruler under her chin.  What a silly question to ask someone.  But to the artist this is so important.  Does anyone reading this blog have a picture of himself or herself with Dick both on the same plane?  If so, could they send it to me and would they mind helping me with measurements?  I need this ASAP.

            I found some photographs in the memorial photographs with Dick next to the podium at Vermont College.  Before leaving I went and measured the podium.  Maybe I can utilize this to help me to find Dick’s measurements.  Compare, Compare, Compare.

I still find myself yearning for the clothes. Shoes….

Last residency in April of 2006 I spent a great deal of time trying to find Dick.  I met his step daughter Nancy and introduced myself. I asked her for photographs and tried to impress the importance of finding Dick’s clothes.  Someone said I could find the most modest of clothes and that would work, but for me it would lack something, they would not be Dick’s.  I think of each time I have received articles of clothing from the families that commission me.  Examining the clothes has always been an important part of the commission process.  The moments I spent with Patsy’s Dress and shoes, and Lucas’ shorts, shirt and sneakers, help me to“feel” something that somehow is translated into the clay.

The element of a person’s clothing also give me a concrete item to work from when I am trying to pull something from the abstract.  I know how long a leg is by the length of the pants.  With Patsy’s dress I was able to figure out measurements on her face and body from the space between the buttons on her dress.
I could compare this to photographs of her with the same dress and know her proportions.  Ah, to have Dicks’ clothes and a photograph of him in those clothes; that would be the ultimate.

I have noticed that often the sculpture seems to grow from the feet upward.  I can copy a shoe in clay exactly and then move on through the sculpture. Here is a picture is of the newsboy sculpture shoe, I added real brads to the clay and shoelaces.

This sculpture commission is somewhat different from those that I am used to.  Usually I have a contact, a client who approaches me to do a bronze of their loved one.  In the case of the sculpture of Dick Hathaway this sculpture has come to be because of my own enthusiasm and desire. 

In some ways I am my own client.  This makes much more work for me.  Usually the personal affects and photographs are provided to me.  Instead I have to go seeking out these items. Of course my clients provide the funds,  but not so in the case of the Dick Hathaway Memorial.  I am trying to raise the balance of at least $ 9,000 after my personal donation of $16,00+

 No matter what the posthumous sculpture subject, I still spend a great deal of time trying to find my subject, immersing myself in who they were.  Whether it is like the last three commissions; Patsy, a mother in Texas, Lucas, a five year old in Arkansas or  Jeanine, twenty-six year old form Alaska, my work is finding them. I spend time meditating and searching for each one.  In some ways there are advantages to my initiating this project.   For one thing I had the pleasure of meeting Dick Hathaway, however short our interaction was. I was still able to know a part of him in life that in most of my posthumous sculpture projects I never have that luxury.

( From the Dick Hathaway project blog.) I should probably start by introducing myself.  My name is Bridgette Mongeon I am a sculptor and writer living in Houston, Texas and I am a student at Vermont College Union Institute in Vermont. ( Since the writing of this blog post Vermont College as it was known has been sold. I believe Goddard College has a similar program. ) I am presently in my culminating semester and will be graduating on November 1, 2006. 

My study through my three semesters has been continuous; I am working on a book titled “Bringing to life the Spirit of the Deceased – A Sculptor’s Journey”.  I have been a sculptor for over twenty years and one of the things that I specialize in is posthumous sculpture.  After Dick Hathaway’s passing at residency in October of 2005 I proposed to Vermont College to do a sculpture of Dick Hathaway.  At first it was going to be a bust, but I longed for a life size bronze to be placed on the green outside of the historical building of College Hall. I am donating my sculpting time, and because I often do part of the casting process including mold making and wax I can also donate that part of the foundry fees if necessary.  I am in need of further funding for casting and shipping the sculpture to Vermont. The details of the costs of creating this memorial are found on my website. You will also find information there, on how you can donate to the project and help to raise the minimum amount of $9,000 that is needed for casting Dick in Bronze. 

            My heart’s desire is to have this sculpture done and received by Vermont College by November 1, 2006, the date of my culmination.  My culminating presentation will be on finding and capturing the spirit of Dick Hathaway in sculpture. Though it is a quick turn around for sculpting and casting a bronze, I do expect to meet the challenge and extend my personal invitation to each of you for the unveiling of the Dick Hathaway sculpture and my presentation

 Given that six months is a short amount of time for sculpting, casting and shipping a bronze, much depends upon my having the necessary funding to finish the job before that date.  If for some reason it is postponed, then Dick will have to sit in my studio until the rest of the money is raised.  I can think of worse things than having Dick Hathaway hanging around.
Those interested in viewing my work can see it on my web site at http://www.creativesculpture.com.

My most recent commissions was a life size newsboy commissioned by the Texas Press Association and intended for the state capitol in Austin. I have documented the process of sculpting the newsboy on my blog as well.

I have also just finished a life size bronze of Patsy-a posthumous commission of a 60-year-old sitting on a bench. In addition, I’m finishing up a life size bronze of Lucas-a five year old running, and life size bronze bust of Jeanine a twenty six year old, both of which are posthumous sculptures.  

            The purpose of this blog is to share the adventure of the sculpting Dick Hathaway so that everyone can be a part of it.  I would love to hear your stories about Dick.  I am also very excited to hear the “Hathawayisms.”  And please, if you have photographs of Dick they would be extremely helpful to the sculpture process.  You can mail your copies to my mailing address: Bridgette Mongeon, P.O. Box 10562, Houston, Texas 77206 or you can send them digitally through e-mail.

            I also hope to raise awareness of the project through this blog to encourage the donation of funds.  I have set up a separate account at Whitney Bank in Houston, Texas.  Unfortunately, donations are not tax deductible. I am sorry that I could not get a not-for -profit organization involved so that the donations would be tax deductible. There was just not enough time.

            If you would like to view the financials and schedule for the project you can do so at on these blog pages.