RHEA: COMING UP:
AN ARTWORKS SPECIAL...
THE 2016 BAKER ARTIST AWARDS!
FIND OUT WHO WON.
NEXT.
*
CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE
POSSIBLE BY MARYLAND RELAY,
EMPOWERING THOSE WHO WHO ARE
DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR SPEECH
DISABLED TO STAY CONNECTED
BY PHONE.
RHEA: WELCOME TO THE 2016 BAKER
ARTIST AWARDS.
NOW THIS IS A SPECIAL EDITION
OF ARTWORKS AND IT'S AN MPT
EXCLUSIVE!
I'M YOUR HOST,
RHEA FEIKIN.
EVERY YEAR WE ANNOUNCE THE
WINNERS OF THE PRESTIGIOUS
BAKER ARTIST AWARDS
AND TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!
THE AWARD WINNERS ARE CHOSEN BY
AN INDEPENDENT JURY FROM
HUNDREDS OF AREA ARTISTS WHO
POST THEIR WORK AT THE BAKER
ARTIST PORTFOLIO WEBSITE.
THIS ONLINE GALLERY OF AREA
TALENT IS VISITED BY HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF VIEWERS AROUND
THE WHOLE WORLD.
AND THIS YEAR,
FIVE OUTSTANDING ARTISTS WERE
SELECTED TO RECEIVE A TOTAL OF
$85,000 IN BAKER ARTIST PRIZES.
BUT, BEFORE WE REVEAL THEIR
IDENTITIES,
LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK
AT LAST YEAR'S THREE MARY
SAWYERS BAKER PRIZE WINNERS.
*
REALLY EVERYTHING I DO
STEMS FROM CURIOSITY.
EITHER SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN
INTERESTED IN TRYING,
AND THEN I TRY IT AND WANT TO
LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE
INTRICACIES OF IT AS POSSIBLE.
OR JUST,
I THINK MAYBE DIVE IN A LITTLE
BIT DEEPER INTO THINGS THAT I
ALREADY DO,
ALREADY KNOW VERY WELL.
WINNING THE BAKER AWARD WAS
REALLY HUGE FOR ME.
IT'S ALLOWED ME TO SHARE MY WORK
WITH A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE.
FINANCIALLY IT'S ALLOWED ME TO
INVEST IN MYSELF AS AN ARTIST.
I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME NEW
EQUIPMENT FOR MY STUDIO.
SO ULTIMATELY THE BAKER AWARD
HAS IN MANY RESPECTS SET ME UP
FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF MY CAREER.
ERIC DYER: I'M ERIC DYER AND
I'M AN ARTIST, FILMMAKER,
ANIMATOR, AND I TEACH ANIMATION
AT UMBC.
I THINK I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN
INNOVATION AND FINDING NEW
DEFINITIONS OF ANIMATION.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IMMERSIVE
ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THE PUBLIC
FINDS THEMSELVES WITHIN THE
SPACE OF THE ANIMATION.
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK
AT THIS LARGER SCALE,
THAT MEANS MORE MONEY,
MORE RESOURCES, MORE EXPENSE.
AND THE BAKER AWARD HAS MEANT
FREEDOM IN TRYING TO CREATE SOME
OF THESE LARGER WORKS.
*
PAUL RUCKER: I THINK MY ROLE AS
AN ARTIST IS TO MAKE THE UNSEEN
SEEN.
OR AT LEAST BE VISIBLE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY.
BEING SOME KIND OF CATALYST FOR
CONVERSATION.
WHEN I WALKED INTO THE BALTIMORE
MUSEUM OF ART FOR THE BAKER SHOW
I FELT REALLY PROUD THAT THE
WORK WAS IN AN INSTITUTION SUCH
AS THIS MAJOR MUSEUM.
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR AUDIENCES TO SEE
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ART THAN
THEY WOULD NORMALLY SEE YOU KNOW
WHEN THEY WENT TO THE MUSEUM.
SO I WAS VERY PROUD THAT IT WAS
IN AN INSTITUTION WHERE IT WAS
GOING TO BE SEEN BY MORE FOLKS
THAN NORMAL.
RHEA: CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN
TO THESE REMARKABLE ARTISTS!
WITH ME NOW TO PROVIDE MORE
BACKGROUND ON THE BAKER ARTIST
AWARDS IS A MAJOR FORCE IN OUR
CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
THE BAKER ARTIST AWARDS AND THE
BAKER ARTIST PORTFOLIO SITE ARE
PROGRAMS OF THE GREATER
BALTIMORE CULTURAL ALLIANCE.
AND SO I AM REALLY DELIGHTED TO
WELCOME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JEANNIE HOWE.
JEANNIE HOWE: THANK YOU, RHEA.
ARTIST AWARDS ARE REALLY A MAJOR
CATALYST IN OUR WHOLE AREA'S
CULTURAL MAKEUP,
BUT THE AWARDS THIS YEAR HAVE A
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION
DON'T THEY?
JEANNIE: THEY DO, THEY DO.
UM WHAT HAS CHANGED THIS YEAR
WAS AN EFFORT TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT BE GOSH THEY'VE BEEN
REALLY IMPORTANT AWARDS,
BUT WHAT MIGHT REALLY BE
TRANSFORMATIONAL.
SO THE AWARDS STRUCTURE CHANGED.
SO WE HAVE ONE $50,000 AWARD.
WE HAVE A $20,000 AWARD
AND WE HAVE THREE $5,000.
SO THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.
AND WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THAT
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS FROM
ALL OVER THE THE REGION WHO ARE
PUTTING THEIR WORK UP ON THE
SITE.
IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM
TO BE SEEN BY FOLKS ALL OVER THE
WORLD AS YOU SAID.
RHEA: IT'S REALLY MAJOR.
OBVIOUSLY THE MONETARY AWARDS
ARE REALLY WONDERFUL AND
BENEFICIAL,
BUT THERE'RE REALLY ARE OTHER
BENEFITS FOR THE ARTISTS, RIGHT?
JEANNIE: OH MY GOSH, YES.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE WONDERFUL
OPPORTUNITIES LIKE BEING ON
MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION,
AND UH THERE IS AN EXHIBITION AT
THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART.
THE SITE IS ALSO USED BY
CURATORS AND THEY LOOK AT THE
SITE TO CURATE SHOWS.
ARTISTS GET INTRODUCED TO OTHER
ARTISTS THROUGH THE SITE AND
FORM COLLABORATIONS.
WE SEE THIS HAPPENING QUITE A
BIT.
AND UM THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM
MAJOR INSTITUTIONS AND
BUSINESSES FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY WHO ARE ALSO LOOKING AT
THE SITE, LOOKING FOR TALENT,
AND REALLY GETTING A SENSE OF
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS AREA.
RHEA: JEANNIE ART IS ALWAYS
IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY,
BUT PROBABLY NOW IT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO THE BALTIMORE AREA,
DON'T YOU THINK?
JEANNIE: IT REALLY IS.
IT'S ONE OF OUR STRONGEST
ASSETS.
IT'S ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE
SHINE IN THE GREATER,
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BUT ALSO IN A MOMENT WHEN WE'RE
REALLY NEEDING TO THINK DEEPLY
ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE
RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER IT CREATES
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCOURSE
THAT'S REALLY REALLY DESPERATELY
NEEDED IN THESE TIMES.
RHEA: WELL JEANNIE THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
YOU DO JUST A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
JEANNIE: THANK YOU RHEA.
RHEA: AND NOW IT'S TIME TO
ANNOUNCE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE
$5,000 BAKER ARTIST AWARDS.
AND THERE ARE THREE:
FIRST,
THE SEMMES G. WALSH AWARD,
WHICH GOES TO VISUAL ARTIST AND
MUSICIAN BILL SCHMIDT.
HE'S AS GIFTED WITH A PAINTBRUSH
AS HE IS WITH THE BANJO.
NEXT, THE NANCY HARAGAN AWARD,
WHICH GOES TO INDEPENDENT
FILMMAKER MATTHEW PORTERFIELD,
WRITER, DIRECTOR OF THREE
ACCLAIMED FEATURE FILMS ALL SET
IN BALTIMORE.
AND MATT'S FOURTH SHORT FILM,
"TAKE WHAT YOU CAN CARRY,
" RECENTLY PREMIERED AT THE
BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM
FESTIVAL.
AND FINALLY,
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS AWARD,
WHICH GOES TO
DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
NAOKO MAESHIBA HER WORK IS
INTENSELY PERSONAL...
AUTHENTIC...
AND IMPROVISATIONAL.
HERE'S A SHORT PROFILE OF EACH:
*
BILL SCHMIDT: WHEN I'M OUT AND
ABOUT I NOTICE PATTERN,
I NOTICE STRUCTURE,
I NOTICE COLOR RELATIONSHIPS.
ALL THE LITTLE COMPONENTS OF
EACH PAINTING HAS THEIR OWN
INTERNAL LOGIC AND I REALIZE
THAT MY JOB IS TO GET THOSE
PLAYERS TOGETHER AND TO ACHIEVE
SOME KIND OF,
IF NOT EQUILIBRIUM,
A KIND OF STAND-OFF WHERE
THEY'RE SORT OF HELD IN PLACE
FOR A MOMENT.
THEY'RE MADE WITH GOUACHE WHICH
IS AN OPAQUE WATERCOLOR.
UH A VERY OLD TRADITIONAL
MEDIUM.
THE PAINTINGS WIND UP BEING VERY
DIFFERENT FROM WHERE THEY
STARTED OUT.
THEY CHANGE DRAMATICALLY -
RECTANGLE ARE ROTATED AND
INVERTED,
AND WHAT WAS THE TOP COULD BE
THE BOTTOM ULTIMATELY.
GETTING ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS
CAN BE,
IT CAN BE KIND OF MESMERIZING,
TRANCE INDUCING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FORMAL
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN UH THE MUSIC
THAT I PLAY AND THE PAINTINGS
THAT I MAKE.
IF YOU HAVE A FIDDLE,
BANJO AND GUITAR THE MUSIC IS
VERY LAYERED, VERY INTRICATE.
AND I FEEL THAT MY PAINTINGS ARE
FULL OF ALL THOSE THINGS.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN A PAINTING IS
FINISHED?
HOW DOES ANY ARTIST KNOW?
MATT PORTERFIELD: ON A THURSDAY
AFTERNOON,
I'M UH SCOUTING LOCATIONS FOR A
FILM I'M PUTTING TOGETHER THIS
SUMMER.
WE'RE SHOOTING IN DUNDALK.
*
DUNDALK FOR ME IS A PLACE THAT
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TELL A
STORY BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF
REMOVED FROM THE CITY PROPER
ANNEX IF YOU WILL.
ON THE EDGE OF THE LAND.
*
BALTIMORE IS A CITY OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND EACH
NEIGHBORHOOD IS A DISTINCT
CHARACTER.
IT'S ALSO A STRATIFIED CITY
ALONG LINES OF RACE AND CLASS.
AND PAINTING A PORTRAIT OF A
DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY
CRUCIAL TO ME.
"HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO
CALIFORNIA?
NO!
IT'S DIFFERENT!
PLACE CAN TELL US A LOT ABOUT
CHARACTER.
...I DON'T EVEN KNOW MY FAMILY.
I DON'T LIKE TRUST LANGUAGE SO
MUCH SO I'M ALWAYS THINKING OF
WAYS TO EXPLORE CHARACTER
THROUGH MEANS OTHER THAN WORDS
OR DIALOGUE;
HOW THEY CARRY THEMSELVES,
THE CHOICES THEY MAKE,
BUT ALSO THE THINGS THAT THEY
SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH THE
PHYSICAL OBJECTS.
*
I'M AS INTERESTED, I THINK,
IN EVERYTHING INSIDE THE FRAME
AS EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE
FRAME.
YOU KNOW YOU SET YOUR FRAME IT
LIMITS THE WORLD.
I HOPE MY AUDIENCES ARE THINKING
ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEYOND
THOSE BORDERS.
*
NAOKO MAESHIBA: YES,
THE CREATIVE PROCESS IS I'M
ALWAYS IN PROCESS.
PERFORMANCE IT HAS A SHAPE,
A CERTAIN CONTOUR.
IN THIS FORM,
I CAN LEARN HOW TO APPROACH
MYSELF.
I TEND TO RESEARCH EVERYDAY
LIFE, WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS,
OR WHAT I SAW,
AND THAT ALL BECOMES A PART OF
THE MATERIAL.
*
I'M A VESSEL THAT'S ACTIVATING
ALL THESE THINGS THAT I COME IN
CONTACT WITH.
WHAT I'M AIMING FOR IS MY LIFE
AND ART THERE IS NO BOUNDARY.
*
I'M IMPROVISING ALL THE TIME.
THERE'S NOTHING SET REALLY.
*
IT'S NEVER FINISHED.
IN FACT, WHEN YOU PRESENT IT,
IT'S A BEGINNING.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS A BEGINNING.
BEGINNING, GOING GOING AGAIN,
THEN THERE'S A BEGINNING GOING
GOING, A BEGINNING.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEGINNING.
RHEA: EACH OF THESE ARTISTS HAS
SUCH A UNIQUE VISION,
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
AND NOW I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
THE WINNER OF THE $20,000
MARY SAWYERS BAKER PRIZE.
WRITER JEN GROW IS FICTION
EDITOR OF THE LITTLE PATUXENT
REVIEW.
HER WORK HAS APPEARED IN DOZENS
OF PUBLICATIONS AND SHE'S THE
RECIPIENT OF MANY AWARDS,
INCLUDING A RUBY ARTIST PROJECT
GRANT AND THE DZANC AWARD FOR
HER FIRST STORY COLLECTION.
WE'RE GONNA MEET JEN IN
A MOMENT,
BUT FIRST,
HERE'S A PROFILE OF THIS
PASSIONATE ARTIST.
JEN GROW: I LIKE TO THINK THAT
SOME PART OF CHEKOV IS HELPING
ME OUT.
WRITING IS BOTH EASY AS
DIFFICULT FOR ME.
WHEN IT'S FLOWING, I LOVE IT.
IT'S JUST GOLDEN.
IT ALL COMES OUT IN A PIECE.
AND THEN WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT,
I JUST HAVE TO CHIP AWAY AT
EVERY WORD, EVERY PARAGRAPH.
BUT I LIKE IT BOTH WHEN IT IS
EASY AND HARD.
*
THERE ARE PLOT-DRIVEN STORIES
AND THERE ARE CHARACTER-DRIVEN
STORIES,
AND I'M REALLY ALWAYS DRAWN TO
CHARACTER DRIVEN STORIES OR
THAT'S THE KIND I WRITE ANYWAY
BECAUSE I'M REALLY...
SOMEBODY SAID THIS THE
OTHER NIGHT.
THEY SAID, "OH, YOU'RE AN
INTROVERTED ACTRESS."
[LAUGHS]
AND THAT SORT OF
WHAT WRITING IS FOR ME.
I INHABIT DIFFERENT CHARACTERS
AND I WANT TO FEEL WHAT THEY
FEEL.
I WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY
EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW,
I REALLY DROP INTO A STORY FROM
THE PLACE OF EMOTION.
I THINK THE STORY IS IN THE
MOMENT.
I THINK THAT I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN THE VERY SMALL
MOMENTS THAT LIVES TURN ON.
THE SMALL INSTANCES THAT ARE
ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE.
I DO SURPRISE MYSELF WHEN I'M
WRITING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I
CAN'T KNOW ALL OF THE NUANCES OF
A STORY BEFORE I EVEN START.
THEY SORT OF REVEAL THEMSELVES
AS I'M GOING.
AND I MIGHT HAVE SENTENCE AND I
THINK, "OH, THAT SENTENCE ISN'T
QUITE COMPLETE."
SO I DIG DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND I
FIND THESE RUBIES UNDERNEATH
THAT, YOU KNOW,
I DIDN'T KNOW WERE THERE.
WRITING IS LIKE A CONSTANT STATE
OF REVELATION.
THINGS ARE ALWAYS BEING
REVEALED, AND IDEAS, METAPHORS,
IMAGES - THINGS THAT I CAN'T
INTELLECTUALLY KNOW BEFORE I
EVEN START.
*
I WRITE FOR MY OWN PEACE OF
MIND.
I WRITE TO CONSTANTLY DISCOVER
NEW THINGS ABOUT MYSELF AND
ABOUT OTHERS.
BUT REALLY, IF I DON'T WRITE,
I'M VERY UNHAPPY.
IT IS,
IT HAS A DEFINITE EFFECT ON
MY MOOD AND MY OUTLOOK.
AND SO I NEED TO WRITE.
IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT I WRITE
JUST TO KIND OF GET ALONG IN THE
WORLD.
*
RHEA: JEN CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU KNOW WRITING SEEMS TO BE
SUCH A SOLO ENDEAVOR.
HOW DO YOU STAY FOCUSED?
JEN GROW: WHEN I SORT OF DROP
INTO THE WORLD OF OF THAT I'M
CREATING IT IS A LOT OF FUN.
IT JUST KINDA DRAWS ME IN.
IT MAKES THE SENTENCES,
THE IDEAS,
IT JUST I WANT TO KEEP DIGGING
UNTIL I CAN FIND WHAT IT IS I'M
AFTER.
RHEA: YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT
JUST OPENED UP MY EYES TO WHAT
BEING A WRITER IS ALL ABOUT.
YOU SAID YOU WERE AN
INTROVERTED ACTRESS.
JEN: YEAH.
RHEA: SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO
THINK THE THOUGHTS AND GET INTO
CHARACTER OF ALL THE PEOPLE
YOU'RE WRITING ABOUT.
JEN: I DO.
I INHABIT THEM.
UM, THEY, AN IDEA COMES TO ME,
AN EMOTION,
SOMETHING I WANT TO EXPLORE AND
I THINK WHAT CHARACTER WHAT
WOULD THEY BE THINKING,
WHAT WOULD THEY BE SAYING AND I
HAVE TO KIND OF DIVE INTO THEIR
THEIR MINDS.
YOU KNOW IF THEY WERE REAL.
AND SO I SORT OF ACT IT OUT ON
THE PAGE AS I'M WRITING.
RHEA: WELL THAT MAKES SO MUCH
SENSE TO ME.
AND I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU REALLY
ACT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
JEN: I'M NOT SURE.
RHEA: WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF
THIS AWARD, WHAT IS IT FOR YOU?
JEN: UH WELL FIRST AND
FOREMOST IT'S A LOT OF
VALIDATION.
UM BECAUSE WRITING IS SUCH A
SOLITARY PURSUIT.
SOMETIMES YOU'RE WRITING AND YOU
THINK IS ANYBODY GOING TO READ
THIS?
DO THEY WANT TO READ THIS?
AND SO IT REALLY IS A GREAT
VALIDATION.
BUT BESIDES THAT IT REALLY
ALLOWS ME THE TIME AND THE SPACE
TO TAKE ON MY OWN TAKE
SELF-DIRECTED RETREATS AND JUST
YOU KNOW DISAPPEAR IN A ROOM FOR
A WEEKEND,
FOR A WEEK AND JUST WRITE.
AND SO THAT IS REALLY A GREAT
BENEFIT OF THIS.
RHEA: AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS...
JEN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
RHEA: YOU ARE AN AMAZING ARTIST.
JEN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
RHEA: FINALLY, IT IS TIME TO
ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE
$50,000 MARY SAWYERS
IMBODEN PRIZE.
NOW THIS IS A MAJOR AWARD.
AND IT GOES TO A MAJOR ARTIST,
BORN IN BALTIMORE AND WHOSE
WHOLE LIFE IS A WORK OF ART.
HER CREATIVITY DEFIES ANY
SINGLE CLASSIFICATION:
PRINTMAKER,
FIBER ART,
SCULPTURE,
BEAD AND GLASSWORK,
PERFORMANCE ART.
AND WHATEVER THE MEDIUM,
HER WORK IS INFUSED WITH SHARP
WIT AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY.
IN A MOMENT,
YOU WILL MEET JOYCE J. SCOTT
BUT FIRST,
THIS INTRODUCTION:
*
*"I'M NOT SURE I EVER REALLY
BREATHED BEFORE..."*
JOYCE J SCOTT: TO LIVE A
CREATIVE AND FULFILLED LIFE
MEANS THAT YOU ARE NOT THROTTLED
BY THE RULES THAT PEOPLE
PUT AROUND YOU.
IT REALLY MEANS THAT ARTISTS
HAVE THE ABILITY GENERALLY TO
INSINUATE THEMSELVES INTO
CIRCUMSTANCES,
AND MOLD IT AND MODEL IT AND
PLAY WITH IT,
IN A WAY THAT NOT ONLY FREES AND
ENLIGHTENS THEMSELVES,
BUT EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND THEM.
FREEDOM IS AN AMAZING GIFT.
IN A WORLD SOMETIMES WHERE
FREEDOM IS A HARD THING TO HAVE.
WELL I HAVE MANY GENERATIONS OF
CRAFT ARTISTS ON MY MOTHER'S
SIDE.
AND LOTS OF QUILTERS ON MY
FATHER'S SIDE.
AND PERFORMERS AS WELL.
I LIVED IN A HOUSE OF
CREATIVITY.
MY MOTHER ELIZABETH CALDWELL
TALFORD SCOTT IS A NATIONALLY
KNOWN QUILTER/FIBER ARTIST
ALTHOUGH SHE PASSED AWAY AT 95,
5 YEARS AGO.
SO I STARTED AS A FIBER ARTIST
AT MY MOTHER'S KNEE.
MEANING I MADE FIGURES AND OTHER
THINGS OUT OF FABRICS.
AND I WAS A WEAVER FOR YEARS.
I CHOOSE TO WORK IN A VARIETY OF
MEDIUMS 'CAUSE I'M ANTSY.
I GET BORED IF NOT BORED,
I DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT I
CAN AND CANNOT DO BECAUSE I'M
BLACK, OR I'M A WOMAN OR I'M
OLD OR I'M TOO SOMETHING.
GLASS BECAME WHAT I WANTED TO DO
AND THE WAY I DID IT WAS TO USE
MY OLD TIMEY TECHNIQUE WHICH WAS
BEADWORK.
OKAY, SO THE BIG QUESTION IS WHY
GLASS?
IT'S THAT ELECTRICITY,
IT'S THAT NEED,
IT'S THAT ENERGY,
IT'S THAT EXCITEMENT.
IT'S THE OLD, OLD, OLD MATERIAL.
I'M PLAYING WITH HISTORY AND I'M
HOPING TO INFUSE IT WITH SOME OF
ME.
I'M HOPING TO NOT CHANGE IT,
BUT JUST TO PUT A NEW TWIST ON
IT.
AND IT IS THAT TRANSLUCENCY.
*
I'VE TRAVELED ALL AROUND
THE WORLD.
ALL AROUND THE UNITED STATES
APPLYING MY TRADE AS AN ARTIST.
YOU KNOW I DON'T REALLY HAVE A
TRUE IDEA OF HOW MY ART'S GONNA
EVOLVE,
WHAT ROAD I'M GOING DOWN.
I'VE BEEN WRITING A LITTLE BIT
MORE, SINGING A LOT MORE.
BUT I'M BACK TO THE OLD WAYS OF
JUST NEEDLE,
THREAD AND BEADWORK AND BOY AM I
LOVING THAT.
SO IT MIGHT BE THAT KIND OF
CIRCLE THAT HAPPENS WHERE ALL
THE EXPERIMENTATION,
ALL THE ROADS YOU WALK DOWN,
ALL THE PEOPLE YOU MEET LEADS
YOU BACK TO THIS PURE ACT OF
JUST STITCHING.
SOMETIMES I PONDER ABOUT WHAT IT
IS TO BE AN ARTIST IN THIS
COMMUNITY AND IN THIS CITY THAT
CAN BE SO TROUBLED.
WELL, I'M ONE WHO BELIEVES YOU
HAVE TO STAY WHERE THE FIGHT IS.
I MEAN THAT I DON'T THINK THINGS
WILL GET BETTER IF I MOVE AWAY.
I THINK ONE OF THE STRONGEST
ENVIRONMENT,
ESPECIALLY FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS,
EVEN THOUGH IT EXISTED BECAUSE
OF SEGREGATION,
WAS A REALLY FERTILE ENVIRONMENT
FILLED WITH PEOPLE OF ALL ILKS.
YOU ALL EXISTED AND KIDS COULD
ALL HAVE A HOPE.
THERE'S A REAL LOSS OF HOPE FOR
MANY PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY
BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE OPTIONS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT I'M HERE
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I LOVE MY
COMMUNITY,
I LIKE THE IDEA THAT THERE'S
SOMEONE ELSE IN THE BLOCK.
*
ART IS POWERFUL.
IT'S EVEN HEALING FOR SOME.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT ART
IS EVERYTHING.
THE CLOTHING YOU WEAR,
THE SHOES,
THE CHAIRS YOU SIT ON,
THE UTENSILS,
THE COLOR OF YOUR ROOM,
IT'S EVERY DAY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE USE.
IT IS PRACTICAL AND WHIMSICAL.
IT'S FUN AND SAD.
IT'S A LIE AND IT'S THE TRUTH.
IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING AND THAT'S
THE POWER OF IT.
THE POWER OF ART.
RHEA: JOYCE SCOTT YOU
ARE A ONE AND ONLY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
JOYCE SCOTT: THANK YOU RHEA,
RIGHT BACK AT YOU.
RHEA: SO IT'S CLEAR YOU REALLY
BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ART.
JOYCE: YES.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE,
ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT'S
LASTED FROM THE BEGINNING OF
TIME SEEMINGLY.
PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING
EXPRESSIVE AND CREATIVE.
RHEA: SO YOU'VE GONE ALL
AROUND THE WORLD, UM,
HAVE YOU BEEN INFLUENCED IN YOUR
ART BY THESE OTHER CULTURES?
JOYCE: YES,
IT'S A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.
WE LIVE IN THE WEST,
HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO BUY PAINT
IN ANY HUE AND ANY KIND OF
MATERIALS,
BUT WHEN YOU SEE HOW PEOPLE WILL
TAKE A COAT HANGER,
AND SOME RUBBER AND PLASTIC AND
COME OUT WITH THIS MASTERPIECE
YOU REALLY REALIZE THE CREATIVE
FORCE AND HOW YOU CAN RETHINK
WHAT YOU DO.
RHEA: YOU ALSO ARE AN EDUCATOR.
SO IF WE HAVE SOME YOUNG ARTISTS
WHO ARE LISTENING,
WATCHING TODAY HOW CAN YOU HELP
THEM FIND THEIR VOICE?
JOYCE: THE THING THAT HAS HAS
ALWAYS KEPT ME VALIANT IS BEING
TRUE TO MYSELF.
AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IF I'M
LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE TO BE 75
YEARS,
I SHOULD FEEL THOSE 75 YEARS
WITH WHAT I FEEL IS THE BEST,
MOST BOMBASTIC,
DROP DEAD KICK BUTT ALIVE
EXISTENCE.
AND BEING TRUE TO MYSELF MEANS
THAT'S WHAT I'M RUNNING AFTER.
NOT WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE OKAY
LIFE TO LIVE.
BUT TO PUMP UP MY CREATIVITY SO
LOUDLY THAT I'M REINVIGORATED
EVERYDAY BY THAT AND THAT'S WHAT
I WOULD TELL ANY YOUNG PERSON TO
NOT BE DISSUADE BECAUSE IT'S NOT
EASY.
RHEA: VERY QUICKLY THE IMPACT
OF THIS AWARD FOR YOU?
JOYCE: IT'S GOING TO GIVE ME
THE ABILITY TO TAKE A TIME OUT
POSSIBLY.
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME
BREATHING TIME AND TO TAKE CARE
OF THOSE THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T
DONE YET.
RHEA: JOYCE THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ENRICHING
ALL OF OUR LIVES.
JOYCE: THANK YOU AND THANKS TO
THE BAKER.
RHEA: ABSOLUTELY.
AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AND
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GIVE TO
THIS COMMUNITY.
JOYCE: THANK YOU RHEA.
RHEA: AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR
JOINING US FOR THE 2016 BAKER
ARTIST AWARDS.
WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE
WINNERS AND WE WANT TO URGE YOU
TO VISIT THE BAKER ARTIST
PORTFOLIO WEBSITE FOR MORE
BACKGROUND ON THESE AND HUNDREDS
OF OTHER ARTISTS.
WE THANK THE "WILLIAM G. BAKER,
JR. MEMORIAL FUND" AND THE
"GREATER BALTIMORE CULTURAL
ALLIANCE" FOR THEIR GENEROUS
SUPPORT OF THE ARTS.
FOR MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION
AND "ARTWORKS",
I'M RHEA FEIKIN.
GOOD NIGHT!
WE'RE GONNA BE BACK NEXT WEEK.
CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE
POSSIBLE BY MARYLAND RELAY,
EMPOWERING THOSE WITH HEARING
AND SPEECH LOSE TO STAY
CONNECTED.
*I'M NOT SURE I EVER
REALLY BREATHED BEFORE.*
*LUNGS JUST FILLED WITH IT,
AIR JUST FULL OF IT.*
*IT CAN'T BE MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN IT WAS BEFORE.*
*AIRS JUST AIR,
I'M STILL ME.*
*BEFORE I DIDN'T BELIVE IN
LIFE...*