>>Coming up on "Legacy
List With Matt Paxton,"
Matt and the team
travel to Connecticut
where they help a man
clear out an old barn
filled with artwork.
>>Wow.
>>That's a lot of art.
>>The goal,
convert the space
into a living memorial
that celebrates his
father's artistic legacy.
>>How many times have
you heard someone say,
"Oh, my house is
gonna be a museum?"
>>I'm holding an actual Picasso.
I'm Matt Paxton.
Let's do it, man.
My team of specialists,
Jaime, Mike and Avi,
help me help people
downsize their homes
and settle estates.
As the largest population
of baby boomers
in American history
transition towards retirement,
they and their families
face the overwhelming task
of emptying their homes to move.
We help them sift through
a lifetime of possessions-
>>Bingo!
>>Heirlooms and collectibles.
>>Oh my gosh.
>>She's gonna love that.
>>To help them find the
missing family treasures
that mean the most to them.
>>Oh my goodness
>>Jackie Robinson.
And along the way,
they'll discover that the most
important museum in the world
may be in their
family's basement.
>>Oh.
>>Oh.
>>I've never seen that,
that is cool looking.
>>From attics to cellars,
closets to cupboards,
we uncover the memories
they want to preserve.
This is living history.
This is what we're here to find.
Let's go.
And discover the
compelling, personal
and often historical stories
spanning generations that
are their family's legacy.
(bright upbeat music)
>>[Female Announcer]
Support for Legacy List
comes from MakeSpace.
MakeSpace picks up, stores and
return your items on demand.
Available for home or business.
MakeSpace provides
professional movers,
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digital photo inventory.
You can find us
at makespace.com.
And by ensure long-term care
where we believe aging at
home near friends and family
is ever more possible
for more people.
Learn more at insureltc.com.
AARP Virginia offering
family caregiving support
with prepare to care and
down sizing and decluttering
on
line workshops designed
to help organize and
assess family needs
Find the complete online
workshop schedule
At AARP.org/virtual VA
The Ruth Camp Campbell
Foundation
(bright lifting music)
>>Today, I'm in
the historic town
of Coventry, Connecticut,
and I'm going to meet a
gentleman named David Hayes.
He was introduced to me by a
good friend of mine, Denise,
who's a local move manager.
She said he's got a really
unique downsizing situation
and they need my help.
>>Denise.
>>Hey, Matt.
>>How are you?
>>Good how you doing?
>>Good to see you.
>>Welcome to rainy
Coventry, Connecticut.
>>Thank you.
Yeah, it's a little yucky
>>It's getting better
>>All right, so what
am I doing here?
>>We have a huge property,
it's David Hayes
Sculpture Fields here.
The house is called Stonewalls
and they're everywhere.
This is a huge property
with a lot of things, so-
>>It looks like it
just keeps going
forever.
>>It just keeps going
54 acres of property
and a big house.
They have a huge barn
here with a lot of artwork
that they're
looking to relocate.
So, we need to clean that out.
>>So, we've got to find
some things in the barn,
we've got to relocate
a lot of stuff.
>>Oh yeah, it'll be fun.
>>I can see why you called me.
All right, I'ma go meet David
and I'll probably
call you mid-week
if we need some more help.
>>Cool, let me know if
you find anything good.
>>I will, all right.
Thank you.
>>Bye.
>>I had done a little
bit of research
about the Hayes family
and I'd learned a
little bit about David,
but I had no idea how big
this collection really was.
>>Hey, Matt, welcome
to Stonewalls.
>>How are you, dude?
>>Really well, come on ahead.
Come on and get on in.
>>Thank you, man.
>>Thanks for being here.
>>Let's check it out.
Wow.
>>Glad you're here.
>>How old is this house?
>>Oh, it was built in 1720.
>>So, it's old.
We've lived here since '71.
I grew up here.
>>And do you remember
ever using the fireplace?
>>Yeah, my mom used it,
especially during
the ice storms.
When the power would go out,
she would actually
cook in the fireplace.
>>It would probably
heat the whole house,
I'm sure.
>>Yeah.
That little alcove off to
the left is for baking bread
what's upon a time.
>>I'd make pizza in that thing.
All right, I see a lot of art.
(bright music)
>>Obviously, your
dad was an artist.
Did your dad do the paintings?
I know he was a sculptor.
>>He did everything
you see here.
He was a sculptor,
but he also painted,
he worked on all media.
We've got stained glass here,
canvases in the barn,
there's no shortage of art
and we grew up with this
>>So, is the goal to
turn this property
into kind of a place
where people can come?
>>Exactly, the foundation
is turning this
into an outdoor museum.
It's open to the public.
We don't charge admission
and if this place
is run in 50 years,
I'll be perfectly happy.
>>So, the apple
doesn't fall that far
from the tree, David.
David's goal was to clean out
his dad's workshop and house
and make it really a living
museum for his dad's work.
So, it was a little
different type of downsizing,
but it is downsizing.
All right, cool, where
else should we go?
>>Hey, let me show
you the next room.
(bright music) So, Matt,
we got a bunch of stuff
that I can show off to you.
So, guess who that is?
>>I'm guessing that's
your dad.
>>That's my dad.
He had a really
robust 60-year career
and boy, he had a
lot of fun doing it.
>>All right, tell
me about this table.
>>My dad would have made
this in the early '70s,
I'm thinking about '73.
The edge is mahogany,
the frames of steel frame
that my father would
have welded, it's unique,
it's the only one that he did
that's like this.
>>This house is
really interesting' cause like,
I know that he was an artist,
but he made a lot
of the furniture.
So, the wood, all
of these tiles,
that's your dad.
>>Exactly.
>>Whose is that?
[David] This is a
forged steel piece
that my dad would have
made before I was born.
He saw a woman carrying
lamb on her shoulders.
He made a bunch of
sketches and forged this,
actually standing
at a steel forge
pounding the hot
metal into curves
and then welding the
individual pieces together,
one piece at a time.
>>Your dad's a legit artist.
>>He was a serious guy, yeah.
He had early shows at
the Museum of Modern Art
and those shows would have been
forged steel sculptures
like this one.
>>So, your dad had
shows at the MoMA?
>>Well, yeah, he showed at
the Museum of Modern Art.
Most of the major museums
around this country
have my dad's work
in their collection.
>>I've worked with so many
families where the house
is full because the
person's brain is so full.
What was your dad's brain like?
>>With him, it was
always, always on.
The fountain of ideas
was always just gushing.
He would use a
word called triage.
Of all these things he's
working on simultaneously,
which one does he
move forward with?
Which one does he
move to completion?
>>I understand that.
>>Just the hardest
work man I know,
just absolutely nonstop.
Let's go to the next room,
how's that?
>>Okay.
Really the first three rooms
that I saw in the house
were really nice and in order.
>>This is the
formal dining room.
My parents would have given
dinners around this table.
>>There's a lot of art,
it's a beautiful house.
Where's the mess?
[David] Let me show you
something, here you go.
>>And then as soon as he
opened the door to the foyer
I was like, oh, this
is what I'm here to do.
You couldn't even
get to the front door
because it was filled with junk.
One of the beauties
about an artist is
they see the good in everything.
There's nothing that's
done, it's all usable.
They can turn it into art.
And David Hayes kept it all.
>>So, that's your job, Matt.
>>That is the job.
This is what, the vestibule?
>>The vestibule.
It's a formal
entryway to the house.
I've not seen that
wallpaper in 40 years,
I'd love to see it again.
>>Okay.
(bright upbeat music)
Yeah, there's a lot
of stuff in there.
The goal here is
this would be empty.
>>Clear it up.
>>All right and then
what is upstairs?
>>My dad's studio
is right above us.
That's where the bulk of the
art is. You've seen nothing.
Art storage, their bedrooms,
there's a lower attic
and upper attic,
all kinds of little places
where you can find
your treasures.
>>Anything else we need to be
looking at?
>>Yeah, sure is.
There's this big
19th century barn,
it's just loaded with stuff.
Wait until you see that,
your eyes are gonna go wide.
(bright music)
So, here's the
entrance to the barn.
It was built in the 1800s,
it used to house sheep.
But if you look around you now,
all you see is art.
>>The volume of work that your
dad did is just amazing
and it's pretty overwhelming
and amazing at the same time.
Statues and then
miniature forms of statues
and lots of paintings
in all these colors
in this big massive barn.
And it's just a huge
collage of everything.
And I knew this was
gonna be a massive job.
>>I need to pull this stuff out,
get it photographed
and cataloged,
put that into the cloud
so that any arts college
that wants to do
research on my dad's work
will have it there.
>>So operationally,
you just need me to
basically empty the barn?
>>And then, the foundation
takes it from there.
>>Okay, all right.
Wow, I think we can do that.
I'm gonna leave the styrofoam.
>>All right.
>>So, I'm gonna get my guys
and I'm gonna try to put
a really big dent in it.
>>That'd be great.
>>I've only got so many days.
Is there anything
else I need to see
before we put our
whole plan together?
>>There sure is, I got one
more thing to show you.
>>All right, what is it?
>>Let's take a look.
>>Okay.
I was really lucky, I got
to walk the whole grounds,
really soak in all this artwork
and I can really
see David's goal now
after I walked the property.
I see why he wants to
make this a living museum.
>>You're getting the grand tour.
So, these are my dad's grounds.
>>When did your dad pass?
>>2013, so he's been
gone seven years.
>>So, man, but not
that long really.
So, this is where you grew up.
>>Yep.
>>Yeah, this is a
killer property.
>>My dad's hanging pieces,
they start twirling
gently in the wind.
There's literally
motion right there.
I gotta show you something
you've never seen before.
We're gonna dip into
here, this is the orchard.
[Matt] The orchard?
>>Yeah,
it's where my dad put
his screen sculptures.
>>I have never seen
anything like this.
>>I told you you were
in for something fun.
>>You were right.
>>The whole grounds
are sculpture fields.
Here, you're just
seeing one small piece.
We have grounds that go
back acres and acres.
>>Man, this is amazing.
Do you even know how
many sculptures you have?
>>Easily several hundred
and everything you see here,
he did with his own hand.
He created the
sculptures by himself,
he moved them here by himself
with the help of a pickup truck.
>>This is all him?
>>Yeah.
>>You think your
dad had that vision?
>>He always had that vision.
School groups, college
students could come,
walk the grounds and
enjoy art face to face
the way we're seeing it now.
>>He really wants
people to experience
all the amazing work
that his dad created.
My job is to help you go
through the legacy list.
And what's interesting
about this situation is
this is physically
your dad's legacy.
>>Yeah, it is.
It's the product of 60
years of really hard work.
>>I've never actually walked
through somebody's life-
>>Well here you
are-- here you are.
>>All right, well, let's
get inside and find a place
to sit and we'll go
through the legacy list.
>>Let's go do it, after you.
>>Thank you.
(bright music)
[Matt] I'm used to
helping people downsize,
but this one is a little unique.
I have no idea what
you're gonna ask for.
This is about you
and what items you want,
what are special to you.
>>I've thought about this, Matt,
and my parents had
pretty eclectic lives.
Everything you see
around here is art.
I'm thinking about some
items that are maybe not art,
things that were significant
to us as children
as we were growing up.
When my dad was young, 12, 13,
he made these model
airplanes by hand
and this is pre-radio days.
So, he would actually actuate it
with wires from his hand.
They're somewhere in this house,
I don't know where they are.
>>These are from
when he was a kid,
not when you were.
>>Correct, yap.
>>Did you get to play with
them when you were a kid?
>>We never got
the motor working,
but I saw them and
I handled them.
These model planes exist
somewhere in the house.
If you can find those,
that'd be great.
There's another item
that comes to mind.
When I was growing up,
I remember he always used
a badger hair shaving brush
to shave with.
He probably started
that in the Navy,
and that brush is probably
somewhere in the house.
It's an important memory to me
because that's how he
started every morning.
>>So, he did shave
every morning.
>>Correct.
>>So, your dad who really
debunked societal norms
his entire life,
still got up, shaved
every morning.
>>He took his work
really seriously.
He was a very professional man.
He was as serious about
this as a surgeon would be
opening somebody up.
>>All right, what's
another item?
>>Somewhere in this house
is a beautiful old
carved wooden grouse.
It's a painted grouse,
it's something they
would have bought
at a local auction house.
>>So, we're talking a
lot about your dad stuff.
You have anything on
the list for your mom?
>>I sure do.
My mother was a remarkable
person in her own right.
One thing, she kept the family
on the straight and narrow.
She was also an
accomplished French chef.
One of the reasons we had all
these lunches and dinners here
is because people
came for her cooking.
There's a book that she
published, it's French-
>>Your mom was a
published author?
>>Correct, she
tested the recipes
on us as little kids.
If we liked it, it
went into the book.
That book is somewhere
in this house.
>>What's the title of the book?
>>"French Cooking For
People Who Can't".
>>There seems to be
a theme of inclusion
from your parents, a desire
for everyone to participate.
>>Isn't that a nice idea?
>>It's awesome.
>>To share the good stuff.
>>So, what was it like to
be a kid on this property?
>>I didn't think it
was at all unusual.
I think it was a perfectly
normal way to grow up
and my parents were
certainly not wealthy.
My father was a full-time
professional sculptor
and my mom taught
high school science.
What was different in growing up
and this is something
I remember vividly
were the guests who
came to the house.
My parents had dinner
parties with writers
and poets and musicians
and talented people.
>>I love it.
All right, what else have
you got on your list?
>>If you can find something
that's gonna surprise me
any piece of art in this
house or on the property
that's gonna surprise me.
>>Maybe your dad's, maybe not?
>>Anything that's gonna
make me say, "Wow."
So, that's a challenge.
>>You are really proud
of your parents.
>>Yeah, with good reason.
Most accomplished artists
happen to have, as a rule,
pretty big egos.
So, the art comes first
and then everything
else comes second.
That was not the
case with my father.
With my father, the
four of us came first
and then the art and
he worked and worked
and worked to give us
an interesting life.
>>What would your parents
be proud of you for?
>>That means talking
about myself.
>>Which you don't like to do.
You literally run a
museum about your parents,
which means you don't
wanna talk about yourself.
>>I hope they're
proud of the work
that we collectively,
the four children,
are doing to show the
good work that they did,
to take that work and
show it off to the world.
>>So, it looks like majority
of these items, we find
inside any idea
where I should go?
>>My dad's office,
my mom's office,
maybe my parents' bedroom.
>>They stored stuff everywhere.
Yeah, the artist is
gonna make that decision.
All right, cool, man. I
think I got my hands full,
but I think I know what to do.
>>Thanks, Matt.
(upbeat music)
>>I got you guys here safe.
>>Thank you, Jaime.
>>You're welcome.
>>Thanks for driving.
>>What's up, guys?
>>What's up, what's happening?
>>There he is.
>>Welcome to the
historic Stonewalls.
So, this is a big one y'all,
really, really, really big one.
The client is David Hayes.
His father was David Hayes,
he was a very famous sculptor.
Extremely, I think, the word
prolific keeps coming up
and I sent you guys
a bunch of research
more than I normally would.
>>I read it this time.
>>You did read, good.
All right.
Lex, you're gonna be busy, man.
That's why you're here
for the whole job.
>>All right.
>>There is art everywhere,
every corner of the house
and everywhere you
go on this property,
you're gonna see it.
>>Fantastic.
>>That sounds awesome.
>>David Hayes did
pass away in 2013.
How many times have
you heard someone say,
"Oh, my house is gonna
be a museum," right?
They're actually pulling it off.
>>Awesome.
>>Cool.
>>So, it's really cool,
we're gonna downsize a couple
rooms in the house, the barn.
So, we definitely have our
work ahead of us this week.
The legacy list
is very emotional,
it's things that remind them
of their father
and their mother.
The father was very well known,
but their mother was obviously
very accomplished as well.
She was a chef.
And so, there are some cookbooks
that she actually wrote one
and then there's some
cookbooks that inspired her.
And there's some old model
airplanes that are really cool.
There's an old shaving
brush made of badger hair.
We're looking for a wood
grouse, an old carved grouse.
So, Lex, Jaime and myself,
we're gonna go to the barn.
I'll let you guys
get the whole house,
not just the attic
and the basement.
You will get to
pick those areas.
All right, you guys
wanna get started?
>>Yeah.
>>See you guys
in a little bit.
>>All right, good luck.
>>All right, Avi.
>>I'm thinking we
work the house.
>>Absolutely.
You can say that...
Oh geez!
>>Oh!
And it gets better.
David's dad was so prolific.
I mean, it felt like
there was artwork
on every inch of this house.
Check this table out,
I am digging it.
>>Check these out.
I mean, come on.
Everywhere you look,
there's something cool.
But I don't think
any of these things
are on the legacy list.
Now, the question is
who's gonna find the most?
>>I don't even know
why that's a question.
>>Divide and conquer?
>>Yep, so
>>Why don't I go in here
and you go check out
the other office?
>>Have you seen
these rooms already?
>>We're walking in together.
>>I'm just asking,
I'm just asking.
All right.
>>You'd think I'd cheat ya?
Come on, man.
>>Good luck.
>>All right, no,
you need the luck.
(bright music)
>>So, this is the one I'm
kind of excited about.
This was one of his workspaces.
>>Oh, wow.
>>Wow.
>>And we've got
pretty specific things
we need to do here today.
>>Wow.
>>All right.
Check this out.
>>Wow.
>>Come on in.
>>That's a lot of art.
>>I knew a little bit
about David Hayes.
To see an artist's studio
that really was untouched
was a great opportunity to see
how an artist worked
and the environment
that they worked in.
>>Right, what do you know
about David as an artist?
>>This is his later work
he worked on canvas.
And so, this is the
latter part of his life.
The plaster pieces
you see around,
those are from, I believe,
the '60s and '70s.
>>It's all in the rafters.
>>It's the small maquettes
that are up there.
>>Yeah,
>>I didn't even see those.
>>David has a huge task at hand
to really honor his
father's legacy.
I mean, it was like
I was walking into
his father's mind,
his artistic brain.
Shelves of canvases over there.
>>Our goals are
pretty clear here.
All the canvases need to go.
There's another
property in this town.
It's a temperature
controlled area
and we're gonna take it there.
>>We're clearing this area out,
but is there anything
we're looking for
specifically in here?
>>Yes, actually,
I'm glad you asked.
I really like David because
this is all about
the feels for him.
He wants us to find
somewhere on this property
a piece of art that
he doesn't know about.
He just wants to be surprised.
>>Okay.
>>Okay.
>>Well, I'm leaning
heavy on you.
You got the brain on this.
So, I wanna be able
to give that to him.
(bright funky music)
>>Hey, Mike, do you know
what a grouse looks like?
>>I think a grouse is
like a big fat chicken.
>>A big fat chicken, all right.
You know if Dave
played football?
>>No.
>>Dave Hayes.
It must be his grandfather.
>>Avi couldn't
get to that shelf.
>>Found some fossils, man.
>>I mean, are we
talking Triceratops?
>>Not Triceratops level.
>>Oh, now this is cool.
For the bride.
From Dean to Mother,
1922.
All right, these are cool.
I gotta set these aside.
Avi, I found a bird, but I
don't think it's a grouse.
>>I mean, there's
just so much art here.
>>It's daunting.
>>This may not be
his dad's work,
but I mean, it's
still pretty cool.
>>Oh, clarinet, well,
this is pretty cool.
>>It's overwhelming
in some ways.
There have to be a hundred
of these studies here.
I had no idea what I was
gonna be arriving to.
Jaime, these retail
for about $5000
for that size.
>>In that condition?
>>This could be cleaned up.
It looks like it's got
a little bit of rust,
that's inherent in steel.
So, it's gonna happen.
>>Gosh, there are just
like canvases everywhere.
>>Yeah, let's get all
this properly packed up.
It was a little
daunting at first,
but it was exciting to
get into an artist studio.
It was as if he
was there yesterday
and we were able to
walk in the day after.
All right, I'll move some
of this stuff out of here,
get back in there.
>>Cool.
Got that?
>>Kind of.
>>Watch out, Lex.
>>Oh, nice.
>>This project was
a little bit unique.
Usually I'm in the
attic or the basement,
but this time, I
got to be in a barn.
There was artwork everywhere.
And not just one
type of artwork,
there were all different
types of mediums.
>>So, this would
have been one that
he didn't shave down.
This is how it would
have started molded
and then he would
have taken a tool,
shaved it down,
smoothed it up, yeah.
So, that's kinda neat to
be able to see the process.
>>It's like all the steps
in his process are right here.
>>And I hope we've
got some good sheets.
Some of these are quite large,
like 40 by 60 inches, roughly.
>>Wow.
>>Yeah.
That's probably his largest work
and it looks like
they're all down here.
>>Man, there is so
much to look through.
Canister of film that I
don't know what it is.
Most of these books
seem to be cookbooks,
but I don't see the
one his mom made.
Cooking, cooking, cooking.
How's it going over there, Avi?
>>Hey, Mike?
I think I found
a legacy list item.
>>What'd you find?
>>I think I found our grouse.
>>Awesome.
>>Not surprisingly,
his parents loved to
collect unique antiques.
(bright country music)
>>Oh, wow, that's cool.
Man, I'm finding all
these really old cookbooks
and recipe books.
Oh, Avi.
Avi, I think I've got
something here, buddy.
"French Cooking For People
Who Can't", by Julia Hayes.
He's gonna love
that we found this.
Most of this property is
related to David's dad.
So, I was really excited
to look for something
that represented his mother.
Lo and behold, there it is.
(bright country music)
>>This is definitely
the tool section.
Some of his tools
are over here too.
>>Oh, neat.
So, these would
have been probably
some of his quick sketches.
And actually, I know
where that work is,
that's very close to that form.
So, this will be
nice to show them
and to go into the archive.
>>All right, so
we found a lot of
really great stuff in here.
>>Oh, this is cool.
>>Wait a second,
there's more great stuff.
>>Yeah, okay.
>>Got it?
>>Yeah.
This is kinda a cool
last thing to find.
So, these are some
of his carving tools,
which is pretty neat.
He valued these
probably very much
'cause this was his
daily working tools
and artists tend to
have a favorite tool
and he's got his
name on this one.
Yeah, we definitely
should pull this out.
So, let's put that aside.
>>Okay.
(bright music)
>>What's the painter
without a brush,
or a sculptor without a chisel?
Since antiquity, the
best friends of an artist
are their tools.
Ancient Egyptians used the
crushed ends of reeds as brushes
and the Chinese
General Meng Tian
makes calligraphy brushes from
rabbit hair around 200 BC.
Before the invention
of the paintbrush,
Stone Age artists at Lascaux
Cave in present day France
use pads of moss or
hair to spread color.
They also used a prehistoric
spray painting technique,
blowing paint through
hollow bones or reeds
to fill out the
form of this horse.
One tool completely
changed art history.
In the early 19th century,
oil paint was not
easy to work with.
In 1841, American painter, John
G. Rand, has a better idea,
pack paint in a tin tube.
Suddenly, the budding
impressionists
can take their oils and
easel into the field
and finish paintings
on the street,
by the water or in the park.
Today, the finest art tools
are still made by hand.
The Kolinsky Series 7
Sable watercolor brush
in the largest size takes
a master craftsperson
over a week to make.
Made with prized
Siberian weasel hair,
it'll run you over $400.
Pick one up today and start
painting your masterpiece.
(bright music)
>>Really good artists,
they like to trade
their art to each other.
I'm really glad we had Lex here,
not because of David Hayes' art,
but because we had no idea
some of the art that
we were gonna find.
I asked you to kinda walk the
house and just pick around
'cause I know there's a lot of
just more art than I'm used to.
>>I'ma show you what I found.
>>Okay, good.
>>So, what I first
wanted to show you,
this is pretty neat.
So, this is-
>>A robot.
>>It does look like a robot.
I didn't know he didn't
assemblages for found objects.
So, that means he would
see everything as art.
I mean, he might see a nail
on the ground and be like,
"All right, I think
I'll use this hinge
and then I'll weld a
little human figure."
>>Upcycling would
be the new term,
I hear it all the time.
>>Right, right, right, right.
So, I'll bring you
right over here.
This is kind of exciting.
David had said it's a Picasso.
>>Actual Picasso.
>>An actual Picasso.
Now, it's not signed,
we haven't taken it
out of the frame.
Now, could there be
a signature on there?
It's possible, but just knowing
the artist and who
is working with
and certainly was of the era,
it's possible.
I mean, I would never say
it's not without a signature
and without a photograph
of them handing it,
we're not sure.
So, is it a Picasso?
Hmm, it very well could be,
we would just have
to research it.
But if you look at it,
it relates a lot
to his sculpture.
It has the vegetal
forms or leaves.
And then, you see that in a lot
of his way out in the field.
And this relates kind
of to his own work.
>>This is huge.
I mean, I'm holding
an actual Picasso.
This is a "Legacy List's" first.
>>If it's a Picasso.
(bright music)
>>Up we go.
Oh.
I mean, there is some art,
but you can tell there's
like other things in here
to look at too.
>>Absolutely.
>>All right, let's dig in,
see what we find.
>>All right.
>>He even made the lamps.
>>Did he really?
>>Yeah.
>>He made this?
>>Yes.
>>Wow.
>>How about this?
>>Okay, can you
hold this for me?
>>Beautiful, but it's tools.
>>It is tools.
>>Let's see what these are.
>>Oh, Jaime, come on.
You gotta see this.
>>All right, all right.
>>I'm digging through the closet
and out of the corner of my eye,
I see this really
cool work shirt.
I didn't know how it
tied into the family.
>>Look at that.
>>But it was still a really cool
piece of vintage clothing.
Here we go.
How about that?
>>That's cool.
>>Moriarty Bros.
And it says, Lincoln Mercury.
So, that's what it was.
>>Yeah.
>>An auto dealership.
So, these were the
work shirts of the day.
>>They're classic old shirts.
Great condition.
Yeah, they're awesome.
I mean, I would wear that today.
>>It just shows the
character of the business.
>>Yeah, I'd be
curious to find out
why they've held on
to them for this long.
While we know David's
father as an artist,
it's these personal things
that we were finding
that really were gonna
mean the most to David.
Oh, here's some shaving cream.
I might have the shaving brush.
It is a shaving brush,
I'm not sure if it's the
one we're looking for,
but there's shaving
cream with it
and then this brush.
>>Okay.
>>I mean, you're the expert.
Do you use something like this
nowadays?
>>I have.
>>Okay.
>>Definitely badger hair,
100%.
Yeah, there's this
whole renaissance
of grooming facial hair.
So, stuff that's
50, 60, 70 years old
is pretty sought after.
>>Yeah.
I found a lot of
interesting things before,
but this is the first
time that I found
a badger hair shaving brush.
>>We are halfway through.
Enjoy the sculpture garden
'cause we never get to do that.
>>This is beautiful.
>>It is kinda cool.
Inside, what have
you guys found?
>>Well, I found a grouse.
>>You found the wooden grouse.
>>The wooden grouse.
It's wood-carved, probably
over 100 years old.
Pretty cool find.
>>All right, anybody
else find anything?
>>I found the cookbook.
>>You found the cookbook?
>>Yeah.
>>We're surrounded
by very valuable,
very expensive art.
Lex, you taught me a lot
about his different phases.
>>Right.
>>He did do a lot of mediums,
but it also coincided
with raising his kids.
>>Sure, sure.
>>I mean, the nice
or the most amazing stuff was
before the kids were born.
>>Well, that's the ones that
appeal to you, for sure.
And that's from the '50s.
So, they're the more figurative,
more representational.
So, you can see each period
and watch the progression,
but they all kind of move
forward to abstraction.
Holding on to, as I
said, nature forms,
they're not pure abstraction.
>>David just keeps talking about
how involved his dad
was in raising them.
>>Right.
>>Yeah, it reminds you
of what's really important.
All the time that he spent
creating his sculptures
and the value in
these sculptures
and how the outside world might
I see the value in his dad,
but yet, he's
looking for a brush
and
a grouse and cookbooks.
>>They're not very
valuable items,
there's just a sentimental
attachment to them,
that's important.
The memories that they
have with those items,
>>I think it's really cool.
>>We found this in the barn.
>>Thank you.
>>God.
>>This, check this out, this is
all his old wood tools.
>>That one in your hand
actually has his
name carved in it.
>>Yeah.
Look at that.
>>Wow.
>>Yeah.
>>Look at that, he put
his name on everything.
Well, I wanted you guys to
relax just for a few minutes
'cause we actually have
a lot more work to do.
Still need to find
the model airplane.
I'm guessing that's
upstairs somewhere.
And I still need you to find
some type of really cool art.
>>Okay, well, I think
I may have found
something interesting.
>>Okay all right and
then, Mike, we've
gotta really hustle.
>>Mike is always in
charge of the move,
but this one was
really different.
I mean, just to have so much art
and they're all one of a kind.
When you're working
with this much art,
a 99 is an F.
Do you need us to kinda help?
>>If I said yes, would you help?
>>We're not going
to, I'm just kidding.
(they all laugh)
All right, good,
thanks, there you go.
All right, let's do it.
I'll see you guys
in a little bit.
>>Thank you
(bright upbeat music)
(truck beeping)
>>This is not an easy move
for Mike and his team.
>>The barn itself
was pretty special
and pretty dangerous
because as soon
as you walked in,
there was some
pretty sketchy floor.
So, we had to work
around this hazard.
[Matt] We have so much
potentially valuable artwork
that we have to
be really careful
and then wrap as much as we can.
>>There was metal sculptures,
foam sculptures,
there was canvases,
art that was in progress,
art that was finished.
It was a lot.
>>As I was cleaning
out the main bedroom,
I noticed by the fireplace,
there was kind of a secret door.
Hey, Avi.
>>What's up?
>>Come here.
>>Find something?
What you get?
>>I think maybe.
You know the family
folklore of possibly
this being on the route of
the Underground Railroad,
I'm thinking this might be it.
This might be one of the spots.
>>You know, from a
location standpoint,
we're really close to the
Connecticut Freedom Trail.
>>I mean, it's made to
look like the bookshelf.
>>Yeah, which I
noticed as I walked in.
One of the recognized
historical sites
is in Tolland, Connecticut,
which is probably about
a six or seven-hour walk.
I mean, imagine this
might be a stop in between
here and there.
I knew that this
part of Connecticut
played a significant
role in enslaved people
trying to get to Canada.
We've probably got a room
behind this wall here
and we need to get in there
and see what's going on.
>>All right,
let's get in there.
>>I mean,
can I get in there?
(junk rattles)
>>What do you see back there?
>>Oh, man.
>>Is there space?
>>Yeah, there's
some room in here.
>>Really?
>>Yeah, a small family
could definitely
spend some time back here.
>>They would hide here.
>>I mean, Connecticut
was one of those states
where a slave could run to,
but if their owner
chased them down,
they could take them back South.
>>So, if they came here
and their owner got them-
>>They had to go back, yeah.
You could tell no one had been
in the space for a long time,
but standing in this room and
actually being in that space,
it really hit home.
>>How are you feeling right now?
>>It's a pretty solemn
moment actually.
After I entered the space,
I began to realize what
it must have been like
to be an enslaved
person hiding out there.
I mean, this could really be
a possible Underground
Railroad stop.
It's always hard to tell though,
because it was
underground for a reason.
So, you didn't
really know exactly
what houses were and weren't
>>That's why it's
not documented.
>>Exactly, exactly.
>>'Cause you didn't want
people to know where it was.
(gentle pensive music)
>>Travel at night
and follow the North Star,
rules to live by if
you're an enslaved person
trying to avoid capture.
The journey north is
dangerous, but worth the risk.
At the end of the
line, freedom awaits.
By the mid 1800s,
there are over three
million enslaved people
in the American South.
The country's cotton empire is
built by their forced labor.
But many enslaved people
flee their bondage,
hoping to make it to
free states up north.
With bounty hunters
in hot pursuit,
they need all the help they
can get to make it there.
The Underground Railroad
provides that assistance.
Started in the early 1800s,
it's a loose network
of Black activists
with help from White
abolitionists and Quakers
who shelter, protect and guide
those who were on the run.
They offer up safe houses,
often designated by a
lantern in the window
where runaways can get food
and shelter for the night.
Sometimes, fugitives are
forced to hide in attics,
basements and even secret
rooms to avoid being caught.
The journey north can
take several weeks
and cover hundreds of miles.
And even if they
make it to a state
where slavery is abolished,
they can still be captured
and returned to their owner.
But despite the dangers,
the railroad remains busy.
Harriet Tubman, who herself
escaped the bondage,
makes 20 trips back to Maryland
to guide family and
friends to safety.
No one knows exactly
how many escape,
some estimate between 25
and 40,000 enslaved people
make their way north to freedom,
thanks to the
Underground Railroad.
(gentle pensive music)
>>The location of this house
and the land's
proximity to water
'cause you could run
the creek the whole way.
There's actually
a local historian
that I'm gonna go meet with.
I'm gonna try to find out
what else I can
find out about this.
Safely.
And I'm gonna go meet
the town historian
and see what I can find out.
>>Cool.
Sounds good.
Man.
(junk rattles)
Whoo!
>>That's something else.
(bright music)
>>Here we are, we're
up against the wall.
We've only got a couple
days and it was a tough job.
I mean, we really had to hustle
and I had to light a
fire under my guys.
(bright music)
(bright gentle music)
>>I always like to find
out a little more history
about the town and the family.
We found out this
town was absolutely
a stop on the
Underground Railroad
and there were many
houses throughout the town
where people could hide.
So, I went down to
the Nathan Hale Museum
to talk to the local town
manager to learn more.
[Matt] John, thanks for
meeting me here today.
You are the town
manager of Coventry.
It's a beautiful town
and we've just stumbled
upon a lot of history
and I wanna know
more about this area.
>>We go back into
the colonial times.
This is the Hale homestead.
So, Nathan Hale was raised here.
And Nathan Hale went to
Yale, became a school teacher
and actually taught women,
which was very
innovative at the time.
And then he felt a call
to service to the country
joining General Washington
and went up to Boston
and was recruited
to become the
nation's first spy.
>>Nathan Hale, school teacher,
patriot,
spy.
With the outbreak of
the American Revolution,
people are forced
to choose a side.
Do you stand with the
cane, an ocean away,
or fight for the
promise of independence?
Nathan Hale picks revolution
and at the age of 21,
joins the Continental
Army's first spy ring.
When George Washington
needs information,
Hale volunteers to go undercover
and report on the movements
of British troops in New York.
He knows the risk.
If caught, he will
certainly be put to death.
Disguised as a Dutch
school teacher,
Hale is stopped by the British
who find him carrying
incriminating papers.
On September 22nd, 1776,
the British hang Nathan
Hale without trial.
He reportedly declares
these famous last words,
"I only regret that I
have but one life to lose
for my country."
His sacrifice inspires
other patriots
who eventually
defeat the British.
Hale may have been one
of America's first spies,
but he certainly isn't the last.
During the Civil War,
both the north and the south
employ a complex
network of spies.
One of the most famous is
Washington DC's socialite,
Wild Rose Greenhow,
who throws lavish parties
for union generals
and then passes along
what she overhears
to Confederate operatives.
Today, much of the spy
game has gone high tech.
Satellites circle the globe,
cell phone signals are monitored
and the internet combed
for intelligence.
These measures may or may
not help us sleep at night,
but let's not forget
the spies of yesteryear
who gathered information
the old fashioned way.
Dinner parties, disguises
and nerves of steel.
(bright music)
>>We just love it here,
we've fallen in
love with the town
and we've just learned
so much in the end.
I think anecdotal history
is the best way to say it.
We actually think we found part
of the Underground Railroad.
Do you think that's possible?
>>It is possible.
The town of Coventry,
as a lot of New England,
were really the hotbeds
of congregational churches
and the congregational churches
were very much abolitionists
and were against slavery.
We have some anecdotal
evidence of safe houses
for the Underground Railroad,
the houses and the secret rooms.
But we believe that
there's that heritage
and Stonewalls house could
certainly be part of that
because the family that lived
there were congregationalists.
>>As I've been on
the Hayes property,
it seems like a potential
unknown destination.
>>Until you walk
through the fields
and see the metal sculptures,
it becomes an
emotional experience,
you have to experience yourself.
>>How much of that story
does the city even know?
>>David Hayes, the sculptor,
was a very private person
Now working with his children,
we're enthusiastic about
building a new relationship
and opening up and
sharing that story.
Interesting story
about the house,
we talked about Nathan Hale.
The other part of town, we
have a Nathan Hale monument.
And the person that helped fund
and raise money
for that monument
actually lived in that house.
>>Really, small town, man,
everything's connected.
>>So, we're all excited
about learning more about
both the house and sharing
the Hayes family story.
There's a lot to learn and
explore in our community
and we welcome everyone to come.
(bright music)
>>David asked to find
a piece of artwork
that he didn't know
anything about,
which is usually a daunting task
when you have the
son of an artist.
And I went up and down at
least three or four times.
I saw a lot of
interesting things,
a lot of his father's work.
And then on the third pass by,
I found something that I knew
David was gonna
get excited about.
>>The upstairs of
the house is just
packed full of stuff.
On one side, you have an attic,
where there are just boxes
that probably haven't
been looked at in decades.
And on the other side,
you have rooms that are
just chock full of more art.
>>All right, so this is
the lower attic, I believe.
>>Yes.
Now, you're stepping
into my world.
>>I know, it has
been a long time.
>>So, one of the items
that we were looking for
was a model airplane
and I had a good feeling that
it might be in the attic.
All right.
>>I can feel the heat already.
>>It's been a minute since
you've been in an attic.
I can imagine.
>>Man, it's been a long time
since I've been
in an attic, yeah.
>>So, just be mindful of
the nails coming through.
>>These are old
Christmas tree ornaments
with mouse poop.
>>I have that exact one.
>>You know what, other
than a little art,
all these canvases,
it is a regular attic.
>>Yeah.
>>I see the Christmas
stuff, I see little books.
I don't even know where
to start over here.
>>I found their manger scene.
>>Look at that.
>>Yup.
>>These are old glass ornaments.
>>Those are beautiful.
>>Yeah.
(playful music)
(upbeat music)
>>When a property
is this packed,
it's almost impossible
to estimate how much time
you're really gonna need.
We had to make up
for a lot of time
to get the project done.
There's times when you
have to go to another gear
and this was one of those times.
(upbeat music)
(bright music)
>>Are you sweating yet?
>>Yeah.
And then, in the middle
of something, you find,
look at this.
Only in David's house
do you find a statue.
>>Yeah.
Oh.
Look at that.
>>Hey, look at that.
>>You wanna grab it?
>>Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Look at this.
Okay, this is exactly
what he described.
>>Wow.
This is unreal,
it's like wood and-
>>Wood and
it's paper.
This is really cool.
I don't know if you
see that with a wire.
Great find, good job.
>>That's why you always
send me up into the attic.
>>That is why you're here.
[Matt] With the last
legacy list item found,
it was finally time
for us to show David
all the work we had done.
All right, Dave, so we've
been here for a couple days.
We worked really hard,
specifically here in the barn.
>>I can't wait to
see this, Matt.
>>But it was still a downsize.
The last time you saw in here,
there were hundreds of
canvases just everywhere.
>>I've lived with them.
>>Hopefully you're gonna be
excited with what you see
All right, let's do this.
>>Whoa!
>>What do you think, man?
>>Wow!
Look at this!
Matt, what have you guys done?
>>We hustle, man.
We took a ton of
art out of here.
(upbeat music)
>>This is just fantastic.
>>Now, it's just a start.
We actually didn't
throw anything away,
we just reorganized.
>>Boy, oh, boy,
this is absolutely
extraordinary.
And you're doing a whole lot
of good for the foundation.
This means that protect,
preserve the work,
catalog it, get a documented,
get it photographed,
we could do some structural
repairs to the ground.
This is absolutely remarkable.
>>It's a start.
I think he was, one, excited
and two, relieved that
we got all this stuff
out of the barn.
>>Nice work.
>>All right, let's go
in and see the house
and see what else we got.
>>Really excited, let's see.
(laughs) Oh, man.
>>Whose room was this?
>>This was always a place
where my father just
kind of flopped down
his works on paper.
It's been storage
since we moved in here
and the problem is that
the art was damaging itself
because of so much weight.
>>Basically, your
house got a haircut.
>>Yeah, yeah, more
than a haircut.
>>David was thrilled because
we also cleaned out the foyer
and he can finally see
the wallpaper again.
>>Thank you, man, thank you.
>>Good, all right, now,
it's time for my favorite part.
We're gonna go back downstairs
and we're gonna go
through the legacy list
and I think it's only fitting
that we go sit amongst
all your dad's sculptures
in one of the fields.
>>Wouldn't that'd be great.
>>All right, let's go do it.
(bright music)
[Matt] David, here we are, man,
chilling in the field.
>>Back in the fields.
>>I love it.
It kind of just does feel
fitting to be out here.
>>It's appropriate.
>>Yeah.
Well, let's look in and
see what we learn here.
The very first item
was a model airplane.
>>You found it.
>>We did find it.
>>Yeah.
>>How old do you think your dad
was when he made this?
>>12 or 13, he was a kid.
This is all balsa wood
with textile over it.
Now, this was pre-radio
era, pre-servos.
>>The strings are there
and this was really interesting.
>>Here's how it worked.
That's how the plane
went up and down
by moving the wires up and down.
We never got it working.
>>You tell a 12-year old
boy to make an airplane.
Most of them are gonna grab
some paper and fold it.
Not your dad, he was
working with steel, right?
Putting together mechanisms.
>>He would have made
this in the mid 1930s.
So, this has been
around for a while.
>>What I think is
interesting here is
this sets the precedent
of your dad's brain.
>>This is great (laughs).
>>I love it.
>>This is great.
>>Second item, when
you said it to me,
I was like this, ah.
This one, I get.
>>Oh, look at that.
Look at that, man.
>>The badger hair shaving brush.
>>He probably would have
used this in the Navy.
Every morning, this
is what he used.
This brings back a lot of
memories from my childhood.
This is significant.
>>We're surrounded by
just massive structures
all over this property,
but it's the little things.
>>This is really symbolic.
This is a tangible
memory of my father.
So, thank you.
>>All right.
This is your carved
wooden grouse.
Tell me about this.
>>So, my parents
loved to go antiquing,
but I grew up with this.
I remember seen this
when I was a kid.
It's got glass eyes.
So, it's clearly hand-carved
and hand-painted.
And they would have picked it up
on one of their excursions
to Vermont is I guess.
Look at this guy.
Look at this guy.
Isn't he beautiful?
>>Yeah, what do you think
your dad liked about it?
>>Probably the natural form.
It's craft, but I think
it's well-made craft.
He appreciated
quality-made things.
>>We talk a lot about your dad.
>>Yeah.
>>But the old adage of
behind every great
man is a great woman,
I think that is very true here.
>>She kept the family in line.
and she more importantly
kept my dad in line.
I'll tell you a story.
My father was not allowed
anywhere near the checkbook.
My mom ran everything.
She ran the family
finances and everything.
And my mother had
a story of her own.
She had a significant
story of her own.
She taught high school
science for three decades.
She raised the four of us
for the first 10 years
in a foreign country
and she had this published
in the early '70s.
>>I mean, she made a book,
this is her name on there.
>>That's correct and she
tested the recipes on us
when we were little kids.
>>And I love the title,
"French Cooking For
People Who Can't".
I love that, I found
this other book.
This is a really
interesting book.
>>I have not seen this.
>>Two things with this.
Everywhere you look on
your mom's cookbooks,
she has filled
every blank page-
[David] oh, that's her writing
that's her writing.
>>Is that here handwriting?
>>Yeah, that's her writing.
>>But she's filled
all the empty space
with other recipes.
I love when I find writing
from people that I love
that are no longer with us.
So, this is a moment
in time with your mom
and I just love that.
>>This is wonderful, Matt,
this is wonderful.
>>I love this stuff.
>>This is absolutely touching.
>>The next one was a
really big challenge
and the last challenge was art
So, we found this.
I think you know what it is.
This is a Picasso.
>>Yeah, well, yes, it is.
>>This isn't like Alfred
Picasso, his brother.
I wanna thank you for this
opportunity, all right?
It's really amazing.
This is spectacular.
>>Thank you.
>>Until-
>>Uh-oh.
>>Until we found this.
>>Ooh.
>>Now, I don't know if you know
this was in the house or
not. It was in the attic.
>>It's the first
time I'm seeing this.
>>It is a limited edition print.
>>I see the number, right.
I've seen this signature before,
I can't tell you who it is.
>>This an original
Salvador Dali.
>>Oh, is it really?
Wow!
>>And there's another
one, I've got two.
>>I see the motif here.
>>Not every Dali is
insanely expensive,
but this is still
a Salvador Dali.
>>That's a surprise.
>>And we had another.
>>Ooh, what have
you got there, Matt?
>>Here we are, yet again.
>>Oh, man.
[Matt] This is another Dali.
>>Yeah and this is
probably Arches paper,
it feels like Arches paper.
Wow.
Knowing my father,
he may have bought this
at a benefit auction
'cause he would do
that kind of thing.
>>This is awesome.
>>Yeah, I'm impressed.
I'm impressed and this is
a typical theme for Dali.
>>Lex geeked out on this.
>>Oh, was he really?
>>Yeah and I think your dad
is probably the only guy
that's just gonna have some
Salvador Dali up in the attic.
>>So, these were
up in the attic.
>>Yeah, yeah
>>Wow.
>>So, this is a known piece.
It's called the
"Butterfly Bullfighter".
>>I was not aware of that.
>>I don't think it's a stretch.
>>I asked you to find
something that would
surprise me and I'm impressed.
(laughing) Oh, wow, wow.
>>So, I wanna talk
about folklores,
I wanna talk about stories
because this is interesting
with your family.
We found what we have been told
was possibly an entrance to
the Underground Railroad.
>>Right.
>>Right?
>>Yeah.
>>I was able to talk to
some historians today
and it's absolutely possible.
It's right on the way to Canada
and there's definitely
houses in this town
that were on the road.
So, it's very, very possible.
>>The story has
been passed along
from one order to the next.
>>I hear a lot of
tales in my job.
Usually, there's
years off, right?
It's not even
mathematically possible.
Everything adds
up on the Picasso,
everything adds up on these,
everything adds up on
the house probably being a stop
on the Underground Railroad.
The next one is not
a Dali, all right?
It's not a Picasso,
it's not a Hayes.
It's always fun for
me to find an item
that is not on the legacy list
and that usually
brings the most emotion
and we found this shirt
from David's
grandfather's auto shop.
This was in one of your dad's
workshops.
And that is what hit David.
>>You found this, wow.
Wow.
Boy, oh, boy, give me a minute.
Give me a minute. And do
you mind if I look at this?
>>It's yours, dude.
>>This just...
Man.
So, my parents met
in high school.
And Matt Moriarty was
my mother's father.
And I know for a fact that
my dad worked at
Moriarty Brothers,
so he would have worked there
probably in the summertime.
It's the first time
I've seen this.
I didn't know this existed.
This gets me here
because this was when my
parents would have been dating.
They married off to college,
but they started
dating in high school.
So,
(laughs) oh, (laughs) wow.
Nicely done, Matt.
>>This was my
favorite piece, man.
>>Really?
Great.
>>Your dad wore this
before he was all this.
>>Yeah, exactly in high
school, in high school.
>>I was pretty sure
you hadn't found this.
Don't put this in the
foundation collection,
put this in your collection.
This was a shirt from
way before all the art,
way before his dad got famous.
So, it's just a
shirt that he wore
when he worked at a place
right before he
started dating his mom.
It's a really, really cool item.
I look forward to having to
call you in 10 years and say,
"Hey, man, remember me?
Can you get me tickets
'cause these tickets are
really hard to get," all right?
I look forward to the day
where I have to drop my name
to get free tickets
to walk this.
>>Matt, this has
been a blessing.
This is just a blessing.
>>Thank you for sharing it
all with me, I just
really appreciate it.
>>And you've got our gratitude.
It's been a real treat
to work with you.
Thank you, Matt.
>>Thank you.
(bright music)
>>I can only
imagine how daunting
the task must have
been for David
to have to compile all
of this father's works.
Here we were in this house
with all of its history
and all of David's work.
It was extremely satisfying
to help them turn his work
into a living, breathing
outdoor museum.
>>As children, when
our parents pass away,
we really want to remember them.
We don't wanna forget
and we wanna share that
memory with other people.
>>I think we helped
David get on the road
to realizing his dreams.
>>Now, he can
continue cataloging
and preserving and
presenting this art
for everyone to enjoy.
>>His dad's artwork will provide
for many, many
generations to come
and that is a good legacy.
(bright music)
>>[Female Announcer]
Support for Legacy List
comes from MakeSpace.
MakeSpace picks up, stores and
return your items on demand.
Available for home or business.
MakeSpace provides
professional movers,
plus bins, blankets and a
digital photo inventory.
You can find us
at makespace.com.
And by ensure long-term care
where we believe aging at
home near friends and family
is ever more possible
for more people.
Learn more at insureltc.com.
AARP Virginia offering
family caregiving support
with prepare to care and
down sizing and decluttering
on
line workshops designed
to help organize and
assess family needs
Find the complete online
workshop schedule
At AARP.org/virtual VA
The Ruth Camp Campbell
Foundation
(bright lifting music)
>>Visit mylegacylist.com
to learn more about the
tips, tools and professionals
to help make your own
big life move easier.
Learn more about this episode
or submit your story to
be featured on the show
at mylegacylist.com
(bright lifting music)