IS NO JOKE.
>> IT'S SCARY.
IT'S LIKE WALKING A TIGHTROPE,
AND THERE'S NO SAFETY NET.
>> SCULPTING METAL FABRIC A
>> THERE'S SO MUCH TO LOOK AT
AND SO MANY WAYS TO EXPRESS AN
IDEA.
HOW CAN YOU DO IT WITH JUST ONE
MEDIUM?
>> A MURAL MARATHON.
>> THEY CAME TO THE MARKETING
DEPARTMENT HERE AT CIRCUS CIRCUS
AND SAID, HEY, WHAT IF WE HAVE
OUR GREAT MURALISTS COME DOWN
HERE AND PAINT MURALS?
>> AND THE INTRICATE ART OF
BEADING.
>> YOU COMBINE THE SIMPLE BEADS.
YOU COMBINE WATER ELEMENT.
AND THEY LOOK ALL, I WOULD SAY,
REALLY NICE, GORGEOUS.
>> IT'S ALL AHEAD ON THIS
EDITION OF "ARTS."
>> BUT FOR THREE LOCAL
COMEDIANS, IT'S A JOB THEY LOVE,
THE CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH THE
AUDIENCE AND MAKE THEM LAUGH.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
HARD WORK, AND BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, INTROSPECTION.
OUR DONNA PARKER INTRODUCES US
TO THREE COMICS COMMITTED TO THE
ART OF COMEDY.
>> COMEDIANS TELLING STORIES.
IT'S PERFORMANCE ART, AND LIKE
ANY OTHER ART FORM, REQUIRES
DISCIPLINE OF CRAFT.
>> IT'S ONLY AWESOME WHEN I
THINK WE'RE GETTING REACTIONS
RIGHT THEN AND THERE AS FAR AS
LAUGHTER OR LIKE A GASP TYPE
THING.
IT'S UP TO THE COMIC TO KNOW
WHAT HE'S GOING FOR.
>> GEORGE, JOEY McCORMICK, AND
RAUL SANCHEZ ARE WORKING
COMEDIANS AND THE STARS OF
ONSLAUGHT.
>> I REACH FOR MY WALLET, AND
THE GIRL GOES, NO, NO, NO, RAUL,
DON'T DO THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT THE CHECK.
AND THE LADY JUST KIND OF LOOKED
AT ME LIKE OOH.
>> DO THESE TALENTED COMEDIANS
CONSIDER THEMSELVES ARTISTS?
>> NO, NOT IN THE SAME WAY OF
LIKE A PAINTER AND A SINGER.
I THINK COMEDY HAS ITS OWN
CATEGORY OF ART.
I THINK IT'S -- IT CAN BE AN ART
FORM, BUT ALSO YOU TALK ABOUT
THE STUPIDEST THINGS SOMETIMES
TO GET PEOPLE TO LAUGH.
I'M VISIBLY UPSET ABOUT THIS.
I TELL HIM I'M UPSET.
AND SHE GOES, NO, WHAT'S WRONG.
I ASKED YOU OUT ON A DATE AND
TELL THIS LADY SPLIT THE CHECK,
AND SHE GETS A PAINFUL LOOK ON
HER FACE AND LIKE, OH, I KNOW
YOU'RE BROKE.
>> IT'S JUST FUN TO FORCE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ON PEOPLE,
UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
I LIKE THE PROCESS.
I LIKE THE REACTIONS.
I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
>> LIKE EVERY GREAT ARTIST, THEY
FOLLOW A DISCIPLINED PATH AND
SCRIPT AND DELIVERY OF MATERIAL.
>> I HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH A
NOTE PAD AND WRITE IDEAS,
CERTAIN PHRASES THAT I THINK ARE
FUNNY ON THE IDEA, AND THEN I
HAVE TO STAND UP AND WORK THEM
THROUGH IN MY HEAD.
>> I KNOW YOU'RE BROKE.
AND THE ELDERLY COUPLE IS
LOOKING AT ME.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S MAKING ME
FEEL GOOD BECAUSE I'M
DECONSTRUCTING SOMETHING THAT'S
BOTHERING ME.
SO THIS THING RIGHT HERE MAKES
ME MAD, LIKE I TAKE IT IN FRONT
OF THE AUDIENCE, AND I TURN IT
ON ITS HEAD AND GO, THIS IS
STUPID.
THIS IS WHY.
>> THE MORE HONESTY YOU HAVE IN
SOMETHING, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO RELATE TO IT
AND EVEN RESPECT IT AND SEE YOUR
POINT OF VIEW ON IT.
>> AND WHEN THE PERFORMANCE DOES
RESONATE WITH THE CROWD.
>> OH, MAN, I THINK IT'S YOUR
DRUG, AND IT'S THE CURE.
YOU HAVE THESE EXPECTATIONS FOR
YOURSELF.
YOU HAVE EXPECTATIONS FOR A
SHOW.
AND ALL OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS
ARE MET AND ALL THE STARS ALIGN.
YES, WE DID GOOD COMEDY TONIGHT,
GUYS.
GOOD COMEDY.
AND IF NOT, ALL RIGHT.
>> IF YOU UNDERSTAND, AT LEAST
50% BOMBS.
>> IT'S SCARY.
IT'S LIKE WALKING A TIGHTROPE.
IT'S LIKE EVERY CUSTOMER SERVICE
JOB I'VE HAD.
IT'S PATHETIC IN A LOT OF WAYS.
YEAH, THAT'S WHY I FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH MAKING PEOPLE
LAUGH.
ARE YOU GUYS HAPPY SO I CAN BE
HAPPY?
IT'S JUST PEOPLE PLEASING THAT I
DO, AND I AM.
I'M HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAPPY
AND LAUGHING.
COMEDY MAKES SENSE TO ME.
>> THANKS, DONNA.
YOU CAN ENJOY LIVE COMEDY AT THE
BLIND TIGER OR SEVERAL OTHER
COMEDY CLUBS AROUND TOWN.
>> OVER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE
MEET AN ARTIST WHO BREAKS THE
RULES.
HE EXPRESSES HIS CREATIVITY
THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT ART
FORMS, FROM STONE SCULPTURES TO
UNDERWATER ART.
HAVE A LOOK.
>> I STARTED OUT WORKING VERY
YOUNG IN LEATHER AND ALWAYS
LOVED THE MAKING OF THINGS.
AND THEN LATER I STARTED TO
CARVE MARBLE WHICH I FOUND
FASCINATING AND HAVE SINCE GONE
TO WORK IN MANY OTHER MATERIALS
WITH WHAT I DO.
THERE'S SO MANY INTERESTING WAYS
TO APPROACH SOMETHING AS WELL AS
SO MANY INTERESTING IDEAS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE JUST DOING IT
WITH THE SAME THING OVER AND
OVER.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE ABOUT
CARVING STONE IS THAT IT'S ONLY
YOU AND THE STONE.
THERE'S NO FOUNDERING INVOLVED,
THERE'S NO PERSON RESPONSIBLE
FOR PROVIDING HARDWARE.
THERE'S NO ELEMENT OF PAINTS OR
ADDITIVES.
IT'S JUST A BLOCK OF STONE AND
YOU CARVE DOWN TO THE OBJECT
THAT'S IN IT.
IT'S A VERY PURE FORM OF
SCULPTURE.
SO IN THE METHOD WHERE I WORK IN
CULTIVATING ART WORKS IN THE
OCEAN, SINCE THE MID 80'S I'VE
BEEN WORKING WITH A MARINE
SCIENTIST WHO IN THE KEYS, NAMED
CHRIS ULSTAT.
WE USE ELECTRIC CURRENT PRODUCED
FROM PHOTO VOTAIC ZONES AND WE
PROVOKE THE DEPOSITION OF
MINERALS.
THESE ARE ALL UNIQUE TO THE
BIOLOGY TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY
WERE MADE.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATERIAL FROM
THE OCEAN WAS VERY INTERESTING
IN THAT THE MARINE ORGANISMS
WERE VERY HAPPY TO COLONIZE IT
AND HERE IT'S TRANSFORMED INTO
LIKE AN ARTIFACT WHICH SHOULD
EARN IT SOME RESPECT.
I WORKED A LOT IN CAST METALS
AND ALSO IN BUILT METALS WHICH
IS WHEN WE CUT AND WELD THINGS
TOGETHER.
ONCE I DISCOVERED THIS MATERIAL
OF WIRE FABRIC, I HAVE
CONCENTRATED ON THAT PRETTY
EXCLUSIVELY.
THIS PIECE IS A TRAILER.
I THINK THAT IT HAS AN APPEAL
KIND OF TO THE COLLECTIVE MEMORY
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
SOME ASSOCIATION WITH THIS
SHAPE.
WE'VE ALSO TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
THE FACT THAT IT'S AN OBJECT
THAT YOU CAN INHABIT TO DO
PERFORMANCE IN THE PIECE.
I'VE HAD ACTORS INSTALLED IN
HERE, AND OBSERVERS WILL COME UP
TO IT AND WANT TO TALK TO THEM
AND IT HAS AN INTERESTING EFFECT
ON PEOPLE.
THEY'LL COME UP, AND EVEN THOUGH
YOU CAN SEE IN ANYWHERE, THEY'LL
COME UP AND ACTUALLY LOOK
THROUGH THE WINDOWS.
LIKE THAT'S HOW YOU WOULD SEE
INSIDE.
THE FENCE PIECE THAT WE'VE JUST
INSTALLED THIS LAST MONTH IS
KIND OF INTERESTING AND A LITTLE
BIT OF A DEPARTURE FOR ME
BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES SEEK TO
COMMUNICATE WITH JUST AN AVERAGE
PERSON IN THEIR AVERAGE DAY.
THE PIECE BORDERS A CAR PACK AND
YOU LOOK AT IT CLOSELY AND IT
DOES GET YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE
OF THE SCENES THERE THAT ARE
DEPICTED.
EACH OF THE PANELS IN IT,
ILLUSTRATE ANIMALS USING CARS
AND TRUCKS FOR THEIR PURPOSES.
IT'S JUST BECOME ANOTHER PIECE
OF FURNITURE DOWN TOWN.
MATERIAL I'LL ACQUIRE AND LEARN
HOW TO USE IS USUALLY DRIVEN BY
THE IDEA AND HOW I THINK IT
WOULD BEST BE EXPRESSED.
AND WHATEVER MATERIALS SEEMS TO
WORK FOR THAT IDEA IS WHERE I
WILL TAKE IT.
TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM MATERIAL
TO MATERIAL I THINK YOU'RE MORE
LIKE A WRITER THAN YOU ARE A
PRACTICER OF WATER COLOR OR A
PERSON THAT ONLY WORKS IN CLAY.
THERE'S SO MUCH ART WORK TO LOOK
HAD
AT AND SO MANY WAYS TO EXPRESS
AN IDEA.
HOW CAN YOU DO IT WITH JUST ONE
MEDIUM?
SOMEONE CERTAINLY CAN, BUT
THERE'S JUST TOO MANY
INTERESTING THINGS TO DEAL WITH.
TOO MANY INTERESTING THINGS TO
WANT TO EXPLORE.
A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I DO,
PARTICULARLY THE WORK IN THE
OCEAN ARE EVERYDAY OBJECTS.
BUT HERE THE ORDINARY HAS BEEN
TRANSFORMED INTO THE EXTRA
ORDINARY TO DRAW ATTENTION TO
IT.
I THINK FOR MY PURPOSE IS TO
MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AND
WONDER HOW IT WAS MADE AND
PRESUMABLY WHY IT WAS MADE.
>> UP NEXT, WE HEAD OUT WEST,
WHERE SEVERAL OF THE NATION'S
TOP MURALISTS DESCEND UPON THE
WALLS OF CIRCUS CIRCUS CASINO IN
DOWNTOWN RENO, NEVADA, TO
COMPETE IN A 24-HOUR MURAL
MARATHON.
THE CLOCK IS RUNNING.
LET'S WATCH THE RACE.
[ MUSIC ]
>> THE CIRCUS CIRCUS MURAL
MARATHON IS SOMETHING THAT WAS
STARTED THREE YEARS AGO TO GIVE
ARTISTS A CHANCE TO DO THEIR
STREET ART.
THEY HAVE 24 HOURS TO DO THEIR
PIECE ON THE SIDE OF CIRCUS
CIRCUS.
AND THEN IT GETS JUDGED THE NEXT
DAY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE
REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR DOWNTOWN.
THE REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR
DOWNTOWN IS A MEMBERSHIP GROUP
OF BUSINESS OWNERS, PROPERTY
OWNERS, RESIDENTS AND ANYBODY
THAT HAS ANY INTEREST IN
DOWNTOWN.
>> WE WERE LOOKING TO TIE IN THE
UNIVERSITY WITH DOWNTOWN.
>> THE MURAL MARATHON STARTED AS
AN IDEA BY ONE OF OUR RAD BOARD
MEMBERS AND A MEMBER OF THE
UNIVERSITY, HOWARD ROSENBURG AND
DICK.
I GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM
DICK.
HE SAID WOULD YOU WALK DOWNTOWN
WITH ME, SEE IF WE CAN COME UP
WITH A COUPLE OF IDEAS TO MAKE
IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WE STARTED OUT AT THE RIVER.
AND WE STARTED WALKING NORTH.
AND WE CAME ALONG HERE.
AND HE SAID WHAT ABOUT CIRCUS
CIRCUS?
I SAID WHAT ABOUT IT?
NEVER DAWNED ON ME THAT IT'S
CIRCUS CIRCUS, SO, WHAT ARE YOU
GOING TO DO, CLOWNS?
HE SAID NO, COULD WE DO
SOMETHING ALONG HERE.
I SAID MURALS.
>> THEY CAME TO THE MARKETING
DEPARTMENT HERE AT CIRCUS
CIRCUS.
AND SAID, HEY, WHAT IF WE HAVE
SOME OF OUR GREAT MURALISTS COME
DOWN HERE AND PAINT MURALS.
SO THE WHOLE MURAL MARATHON WAS
BORN.
>> THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER
REALLY ENTERING INTO A
COMPETITION LIKE THIS AND
COMPETING WITH OTHER ARTISTS.
>> THERE'S ONLY SEVEN SPACES.
ONCE THEY GET THOSE SEVEN
THEY'RE INVITED DOWN HERE TO
COMPETE 24 HOURS PAINTING THEIR
MURAL FOR PRIZES.
>> IT WAS JUST AN HONOR TO BE
CHOSEN TO COME OUT HERE AND BE A
PARTICIPANT.
>> THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR BEING
INVOLVED WITH THE MURAL
COMPETITION.
>> SO I'M FROM CONNECTICUT.
AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN
RENO.
THANKS TO CIRCUS CIRCUS.
GIVING ME THIS AWESOME
OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THIS
EVENT.
MY MURALS ARE HIGHLY INFLUENCED
IN THE GRAFFITI ART CULTURE
YOU'LL SEE RAW SPLATTER AND
PAINT SPLASHES AND COLOR.
>> I'M FROM SACRAMENTO.
I'VE PAINTED A LOT OF MURALS
WITH A LOT OF ARTISTS WITH
VARYING SKILL LEVELS.
BUT NEVER ON SUCH A CRUCIAL TIME
CRUNCH.
>> I'M A LOCAL ARTIST FROM RENO,
NEVADA.
AND I DO MURAL WORK AS MY
FULL-TIME JOB.
I FEEL LIKE ANYTHING THAT REALLY
PROMOTES ART AND MURAL ART AND
ANYTHING IN GENERAL THAT WE'RE
DOING IS GREAT.
AND THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO KEEP
IT FRESH AND UPDATED EVERY YEAR.
>> CIRCUS CIRCUS KEEPS THESE
MURALS UP FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.
IN FACT, ONLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS
AGO WE HAD A BIG EVENT DOWN HERE
WHERE WE STARTED PAINTING OVER
LAST YEAR'S MURALS WHICH IS A
HARD THING TO DO TO PAINT OVER
SOME REALLY GOOD ART.
BUT THEY'RE UP HERE FOR A YEAR
THEN THEY PAINT OVER THEM AND
THE SAME SEVEN PANELS ARE DONE
EVERY YEAR.
>> THEY'RE ALMOST TAKEN FOR
GRANTED WHEN WE HAVE TO TELL
EVERYBODY THEY'RE COMING DOWN.
THEN WE GET A BIG MAD RUSH FOR
EVERYBODY TO COME TAKE PICTURES
OF THEM.
>> THE NEAT THING ABOUT THIS IS
THERE'S ONE DOWN THERE THAT'S
JUST GOT THE UNDERPAINTING ON
IT.
AND IT'S A LANDSCAPE.
>> IT IS GORGEOUS.
NOW, IT'S AN UNDERPAINTING.
HE'S NOT CONCERNED WITH WHERE
THE BRUSH STROKES ARE GOING AND
ALL THAT KIND OF BUSINESS.
BUT HE HAS CREATED AN
IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS IN AND OF
ITSELF.
>> I'M ABOUT AT THE NINE-HOUR
POINT NOW AND TIME IS THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE.
BUT ALSO PEOPLE TALK TO YOU AND
WE WANT TO TALK BACK AND
SOCIALIZE AS WELL.
[ MUSIC ]
>> IT PUSHED ME TO THE LIMITS
FOR SURE.
I PAINTED FOR LIKE 18 HOURS.
I TOOK AN HOUR BREAK.
SO, YEAH, I STILL PROBABLY HAVE
BLOODSHOT EYES I DID NOT GET ANY
SLEEP.
IT WAS A VERY GRUELING PROCESS.
BUT I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY AND
SATISFIED WITH HOW THE END
RESULT CAME OUT.
>> IT WAS REALLY COOL TO WATCH
LIKE EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT
PROCESS.
AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT FROM ONE WALL TO THE
NEXT.
[ MUSIC ]
>> FIRST PLACE, $2,000, RYAN
DARCY CHRISTENSEN.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> IT'S BRINGING RENO NATIONWIDE
EXPOSURE AS AN ARTIST COMMUNITY
AS WELL, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE
ARTISTS TRAVEL AND THEY HAVE
REALLY WIDE AUDIENCES AND ARE
WORLD FAMOUS AS WELL.
SO IT'S JUST A WIN-WIN FOR
EVERYBODY.
>> FINALLY, WE MEET A
RUSSIAN-BORN CINCINNATI, OHIO,
ARTIST WHO TURNS HER COLLECTION
OF FOUND OBJECTS INTO FINE
JEWELRY.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE
SOME JEWELRY.
BUT FOLLOWING MY INSTINCTS AND
FOLLOWING MY IDEAS IS LOTS OF
FUN.
I STARTED TO COLLECT MANY
DIFFERENT SMALL THINGS.
AND IT WAS OVERWHELMING
BOXES, BAGS, TINY, NOT SO TINY
EVERYWHERE.
THE PEN HAS DIFFERENT SMALL
DETAILS LIKE CIRCLES, ENDS, THE
SPRING SO I SAVED SOME OF THEM
AND I USED THEM TO MAKE UNIQUE
DIFFERENT LOOKING PIECES.
I WAS PORN AT A TIME WHEN WE
WERE SAVING ALMOST EVERYTHING.
THERE WAS NO SUCH THING LIKE
THROW AWAY.
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.
EVERYTHING HAD A PURPOSE.
JEWELRY IS ART AND THE JEWELRY
SOMETIMES IT'S SIMPLE PIECES,
SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFERENT,
SOMEBODY WILL THINK WHO IS GOING
TO WEAR IT.
BUT MY VIEW IS THAT'S BEAUTIFUL,
IT'S DIFFERENT, AND YOU ARE NOT
ABLE TO SEE IN OTHER PLACES
BECAUSE IT'S UNIQUE, I MADE IT.
SO BEADS, THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT
AND VARIETY IS ENDLESS.
I HAVE TO THINK WHAT IS BETTER
FOR ME TO USE, SMALL, LARGE,
MEDIUM, SO I AM -- IF I HAVE
THEM, I WILL JUST LAY DOWN THEM
ON THE TABLE WITHOUT THREAD,
WITHOUT WIRE, JUST LAY THEM DOWN
AND I MIXING COLORS LIKE THAT,
BY MY HAND.
I WORK WITH GEMSTONES, I WIRED
THEM UP, I MAKE NECKLACES OF
THEM, BRACELETS.
THE WIRING IS VERY ATTRACTIVE
THING.
AND GOOD ELEMENT YOU COMBINE
WITH SIMPLE BEADS, YOU COMBINE
WIRE ELEMENTS AND THEY LOOK, OH,
I WOULD SAY REALLY NICE,
GORGEOUS.
TO MAKE NICE PIECE, BEAUTIFUL
PIECE YOU OUGHT TO HAVE GOOD
TOOLS.
I USE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
PLIERS, FLAT NOSE PLIERS,
ROUNDED NOSE PLIERS, AND I NAME
THEM DUCK NOSE PLIERS.
SO THOSE ARE THE ENDS I TAPER
IT.
THEY ARE GOOD FOR MAKING WIRE
DETAILS.
CUTTERS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE CUTTERS TO CUT
WIRE.
WHEN YOU WORK ONLY WITH BEADS,
WE HAVE TO HAVE NICE VARIETY OF
NEEDLES, NEEDLES THEN ENOUGH TO
GO THROUGH TINIEST HOLE AND
LAYING THE THREAD WITH IT, LIKE
THROUGH.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME GLUE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SUPPORTING
MATERIALS LIKE YOUR PAD, JEWELRY
PAD TO PREVENT BEADS ROLLING
DOWN FROM THE TABLE.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE INVENTIVE
ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO USE THEM
IN WHAT ORDER.
IF YOU HAVE INTENTION, IF YOU
HAVE DESIRE TO USE IT, YOU WILL
LEARN A LOT, AND YOU WILL LEARN
WHAT TOOLS ARE WORKING FOR YOU.
>> AND THAT WRAPS IT UP FOR THIS
EDITION OF "ARTS."
FOR MORE ARTS AND CULTURE, VISIT
KLRN.ORG/ARTS, WHERE YOU CAN
FIND INFORMATION, BLOGS, AND
INFORMATION FOR UPCOMING EVENTS.
I'M APRIL ANCIRA.
I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.