>> I'M ERIK FORD FOR MADE HERE.
WITH WHALES FROM MASSACHUSETTS
INTRODUCES US TO CHARLIE HUNTER
IN HIS FILM I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE
IT.
CHARLIE HUNTER, AN IRASCIBLE AND
CHARISMATIC PAINTER, SHARES HIS
MASTERY OF CARAFE AND HIS WISDOM
BULLPEN THE LANDSCAPE OF HIS
HOME STATE.
I FOUND MYSELF INSTANDLY
CAPTURED AND I'M SURE YOU WILL
TOO.
YOU CAN WATCH THIS AND MANY
OTHER MAJOR STORIES STREAMING ON
VERMONTPBS.ORG AND THROUGH THE
PBS APP.
THANKS FOR WATCHING
>> I SUCK ADD RATINGS AND I SUCK
AT MUSIC SO HERE I AM DOING WHAT
I CAN DO.
GLIE REMEMBER THE EXACT MOMENT I
FELL IN LOVE WITH TRAINS.
HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE,
HALF A LEAGUE ONWARD.
STORMED AT WITH SHOT AND SHELL,
THE HORSE AND HERO FELL, THEY
THAT HAD FOUGHT SO WELL, ALL
THAT WAS LEFT, ALL THAT WAS LEFT
OF 600.
I WOULDN'T TAKE BRATTLEBORO IF
YOU GAVE IT TOE IN ON A STICK.
I LIKE IT JUST FINE BUT IT'S NOT
MY CUP OF TEA.
YOU HAVE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE.
I WOULD RATHER LIVE HERE WITH A
BUNCH OF OUTLIERS INSTEAD OF A
MAINSTREAM PLACE WITH CRAPPY
TRAFFIC.
OH, I'M LOOKING AT THE CAMERA,
AREN'T I?
I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT?
OH.
I KNOW.
SUZANNE TAKES YOU TO A PLACE BY
THE RIVER!
BREAKFAST TIME.
DELICIOUS.
MMM.
LOOK AT THAT!
SMELLS LIKE BURNED TIRES.
WHEN WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
WE'RE IN A FOUL MOOD BUT THEN WE
GET TO EAT DELICIOUS FOOD,
DELICIOUS FOOD, DELICIOUS FOOFD,
IT TASTES SO GOOD, IT TASTES SO
GOOD.
I JUST SING IT FOR AS LONG AS
THE FOOD EATING RITUAL TAKES
PLACE.
EAT!
EAT!
NEW YORK HAS INVADED BY BEAVERS.
THIS LOOKS LIKE DOG -- SOMETIMES
IT'S LIKE CAT , SOMETIMES IT'S
LIKE HORSE -- TODAY IT'S FOUL.
I COME HERE EVERY MORNING.
THE FOOD IS WONDERFUL.
YOU GET TO BE SURROUNDED BY
BEAUTY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO
MAINTAIN.
IT'S JUST -- IT'S JOYFUL.
I MEAN, IT'S UNPRE-TEN CHUS.
BYE!
>> BYE, GUYS!
THIS IS GRETA.
GRETA ROCKS.
THANKS.
I THINK IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF
BELLA'S FALLS.
IT'S QUIRKY AND INDIVIDUALISTIC.
BELLA'S FALLS WAS NOT AN ARTIST
TOWN.
EVERYBODY IS COVERED IN CAT
HAIR.
YOU GO UP TO MONTREAL THEY HAVE
WORSE WEATHER THAN WE DO AND
EVERYBODY LOOKS FABULOUS.
YOU COME HERE, EVERYBODY LOOKS
LIKE HELL.
WE DO NOT LIKE HUGGING.
WHEN I HUG IT'S KIND OF A
MODIFIED HEIMLICH MANEUVER BUT I
GREW UP IN NEW ENGLAND.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER
PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK THEY ARE MORE FRIENDLY.
MORE FRIENDLY BUT ALSO MORE
LIKELY TO KILL YOU.
YOU'VE GOT A MIX OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE LONG TIME FROM HERE, YOU'VE
GOT A BUNCH OF INTERESTING
PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE.
NO ONE IS THINKING WHAT USED TO
BE HERE IS GOING TO COME BACK.
DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THESE
SONS -- NO ONE THINKS THAT THE
PAPER MILLS ARE COMING BACK.
BELLA'S FALLS IS OVER.
THAT I REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED IN
NORTHAMPTON THERE WAS A CARTOON
THAT SAID, GREENWICH VILLAGE
GONE RURAL, WITH A PICTURE OF A
OVERALLS WEARING FARMER AND A
BLACK WOMAN IN CAT'S EYEGLASSES.
SHE SAYS, WANT TO GO TO THE
TRACTOR PULL?
HE SAYS, NO I THOUGHT I WOULD GO
TO THE CINEMA AND CATCH DIVA
AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU!
>> YES, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE
STUDIO.
WE'RE GOING TO -- THE WORDS OF
MY FRIEND PATRICK LEE, OUR JOB
AS ARTISTS IS TO LEARN TO
ACCURATELY RENDER THINGS AND
THEN -- IT UP.
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.
>> YOU PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL!
JUST BEAUTIFUL!
THE ANALOGY I HAVE USED OFTEN
WHEN TEACHING IS TOWNS VAN ZANDT
SONG PANCHO AND LEFTY.
LIVING ON THE ROAD MY FRIEND IS
GOING TO MAKE YOU FREE AND CLEAN
BUT NOW YOU WEAR YOUR SKIN LIKE
HIGHER THAN AND YOUR BREATH'S AS
HARD AS KEROSENE WHAT.
DOES THAT LITERALLY MEAN?
HARD AS KEROSENE?
YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANS.
THAT I WOULD ASPIRE TO PAINT.
TO HAVE A PAINTING EVEN APPROACH
THAT LEVEL OF STORY TRUTH.
OH, GOD, THAT WAS ELOQUENT.
I REMEMBERED IT SINCE I WAS NINE
OR TEN, I'M NOT GOING TO FORGET
IT IN THE NEXT TWO MINUTES!
IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON AND THE
SUN WAS GOLDEN HOUR, THE LITTLE
FREIGHT TRAIN CAME BY.
I READ THE SIDES OF THE BOXCARS
AND SAID ONE THAT SAID NICKEL
PLATE ROAD.
THE LETTERING WAS JUST
FANTASTIC.
THE BEAUTY OF THE LIGHT ON THIS
KIND OF FORGOTTEN OBJECT THAT
WAS STILL IN MOTION, IT JUST WAS
PROFOUND TO ME.
I WAS HOOKED ON TRAINS.
MY THEORY IS ALL RIGHT THINKING
TWO-YEAR-OLDS LOVE TRAINS.
AND THEN PEOPLE LOSE TOUCH WITH
THEIR -- THEIR -- WHAT STEERED
THEM RIGHT ABOUT CHILDHOOD.
THEY FORGET.
I JUST -- TRAINS ARE MY RIGHT
OBJECT, YOU KNOW?
PART OF WHY I LIKE TRAINS SO
MUCH IS GRAPHICALLY THEY ROCK.
NICE HORIZONTALS CUTTING THROUGH
THE LAND.
ALSO FASCINATION WITH PASSAGE OF
TIME.
IT'S IMPORTANT.
>> WHY?
>> BECAUSE IT'S JAMES THURBER
WROTE, GETS US ALL IN THE END.
WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT HUMAN
ENDEAVOR IS ABOUT ATTEMPTING TO
LITERALLY MAKE ONE'S MARK IN THE
TIME THAT ONE HAS.
YEAH.
YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S THE MOST
ENDEARING THING ABOUT HUMANS.
WE'RE GOING TO FAIL.
BUT YET WE TRY.
>> THE ONE PARTICULAR SKILL SET
I HAVE ALLOWS ME TO LOOK AT
SOMETHING AND DO A DECENT
GENERALLY DO A DECENT PAINTING
OF IT IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS OF
LIMITED INTEREST.
IT'S LIKE A DOG BEING ABLE TO
DANCE ON ITS HIND LEGS.
IF ONE ACCEPTS THAT ART IS ABOUT
TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH THE
INHERENT LONELINESS OF EXISTENCE
OF SHARING WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO
BE ALIVE, THEN HOW DO YOU MAKE
AN IMAGE THAT TRANSCENDS THE
LITERAL ASPECT OF IT?
I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE THING
TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
RATHER THAN WORKING FROM A
PRECONCEIVED IMAGE, I'M JUST
MAKING THESE MARKS THAT I FIND
GRAPHICALLY INTERESTING, AND
THEN FROM THAT ONCE THIS DRIES I
CAN USE IT HOPEFULLY AS AN ARM
TOUR, AN ABSTRACT COLLECTION OF
SHAPES, MAKING IT A TRUTH
WEILAND SCAPE OR A SOMEWHAT
TRUTHFUL SPACE.
WHERE IS THAT GOING TO GO?
GOING TO END UP -- OR IS IT -- I
HAVE NO IDEA AT THIS POINT.
WHAT?
SOMEONE WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE
LAP TIME.
I'M SORRY
MY TRUTH IS IF THERE'S A CERTAIN
LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION, IF THERE'S
A CERTAIN LEVEL OF -- A CERTAIN
POINT OF NO RETURN, IT FEELS FOR
ME DISRESPECTFUL TO DOCUMENT IT.
ONCE A CAR IS REALLY SINKING
INTO THE EARTH, IT'S LIKE LET IT
RUST IN PEACE.
LET IT HAVE ITS LAST TIME BY
ITSELF.
>> I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
IS BEING VANQUISHED.
>> WHAT THE -- ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT?
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS
THAT ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED,
ANNIHILATED AS OPPOSED TO APOP
LIP TICK.
>> I DON'T WANT TO PAINT THOSE.
>> RATHER YOUR STORE, YOUR GAS
STATION, THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL
OF SPIRIT THAT ENDURES AND
PREVAILS THAT'S UNVANQUISHED.
>> YES, THE NOBILITY.
HONOR THE LIGHT BRIGADE.
HONOR THE CHARGE THEY MADE.
YEAH.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL I REMEMBER OF
CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.
HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE,
HALF A LEAGUE STORMED THE HORSE
AND HERO FELL, THEY THAT HAD
FOUGHT SO WELL.
ALL THAT WAS LEFT, LEFT OF 600.
YEAH.
I LIKE THINGS THAT HAVE A MOD I
COME OF DIGNITY.
I LIKE WHEN THEY SLIDE OFF YOUR
LAP AND FALL ON THE FLOOR.
I WOULD RATHER NOT BE GIMPY.
I DIDN'T WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND
SAY,, GO I WOULD LIKE THE
ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE OF BEING --
OF HAVING LIMITED MOVEMENT, BUT
EVERYBODY I KNOW WHO IS 60 HAS
SOME PROBLEM OR OTHER.
IF I I'VE GOT THIS PROBLEM THAT
I WALK FUNNY, CAN'T REALLY USE
MY RIGHT HAND, WHAT I'M GOING
THROUGH DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TO BE
ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT ANYBODY
ELSE GOES THROUGH.
THERE'S NOTHING PROFOUND ABOUT
IT.
NOT ENOUGH TIME, WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GET IT ALL DONE.
HEY, BUDDY.
YEAH.
THAT'S PART OF THE GAME TOO.
I'M STILL HOPING FOR
IMMORTALITY, BUT CURRENTLY THE
SIGNS ARE NOT LOOKING TERRIBLY
POSITIVE.
I WOULD PREFER TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME
TO BE REALLY GOOD AT BEING A
HUMAN BEING, BUT WE GEL AS MUCH
TIME AS WE GET.
WE ALL DO PRETTY MUCH.
WELL, WHO SAYS I'M RIGHT?
I MAY BE JUST FULL OF !
I DON'T LIKE WORKING FROM
PHOTOGRAPHS.
I WILL BUT I DON'T LIKE IT.
I'M JUST MAKING THESE MARKS THAT
I FIND GRAPHICALLY INTERESTING,
THEN FROM THAT ONCE THIS DRIES I
CAN USE IT HOPEFULLY AS ANAR
MATURE.
IF MY HANDSHAKES AT ALL, THEY
VOLKS STRUCTURE BUT IT'S NOT A
STRUCTURE AT THIS POINT.
IT'S ALSO NOT REALLY A PAINTING
AT THIS POINT BUT IT'S A
SOMETHING.
I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS
PAINTING AT THIS POINT ABOUT
LOLA'S IN STURGEON BAY,
WISCONSIN, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT
ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO STOOD IN
FRONT OF AN ENIGMATIC, GHOSTLY
BUILDING.
MACHINE TOOL INDUSTRY
SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT, HAS MOVED
ON SO HOW IS SPRINGFIELD, VERNLT
GOING TO REINVENT ITSELF NOW?
INTERNATIONAL PAPER WAS FOUNDED
IN BELLA'S FALLS.
IT'S LONG SINCE HEADED OUT.
HOW ISABELLA'S FALLS GOING TO
REINVENT ITSELF NOW?
THAT IS WHAT THESE PAINTINGS DO
TOUCH ON.
NOW WHAT?
NOW CAN WE GO RIDE TRAINS?
PRETTY SOON.
HERE'S BOB'S TRAIN ALL PUT
TOGETHER READY FOR THE
PASSENGERS.
IN THE REAR IS THE OBSERVATION
CAR.
THE ASKED THE CONDUCTOR TO KEEP
AN EYE ON BOB BECAUSE THIS IS
HIS FIRST TRAIN TRIP ALONE.
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN NOW, HE SAYS.
THE HUGE LOCOMOTIVE SETS THE
TRAIN IN MOTION, SLOWLY AT FI
FIRST.
OH, LOOK OUT, HERE SHE COMES.
THERE SHALL GOES.
SHE'S GONE, STREELG STRAIGHT
THROUGH TEXAS LIKE A BIG
CYCLONE, BIG, RED AND SILVER.
SHE'S A MAD DOG STREAMLINE COME
TO SHOW THE FOLKS.
I ADMIRE WRITING LIKE THAT LIKE
TOWNS VAN ZANDT OR JOHN PRYNE.
I READ ENOUGH THAT I HAVE AN
IDEA OF IT.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT IT.
I PREFER NOT -- WELL, LET THE
MYSTERY BE.
YOU KNOW?
I CAN DO THAT MORE EASILY WITH
MUSIC THAN I CAN WITH ART.
I KNOW MORE OF THE TRICKS WITH
ART
>> PART OF PAINTING MEANS JUST
PAINTING OUTSIDE.
IT IS PART OF THE AMERICAN LOVE
OF PUTTING FOREIGN NAMES ON
THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S
AFRAID IT'S DECLASSE.
IT'S HAD A REBIRTH IN THE LAST
TEN YEARS IN THE U.S.
THIS YEAR MANAGED TO FINALLY
COMBINE MY TWO LOVES OF TRAINS
-- OF TRAINS AND PAINTING AND WE
DID A THING CALLED ON TRAIN-AIR.
A PAINTER FRIEND OF MINE, LARRY
MOORE, WANTED TO SEE IF IT WAS
POSSIBLE TO TAKE A TRAIN, JUST
GO ONE STOP DOWN THE LINE FOR
LIKE A WEEK, EACH DAY MOVING ONE
STOP FURTHER DOWN, PAINTING IN
EACH ONE OF THOSE LITTLE TOWNS.
CONCURRENTLY I WAS REALLY
INVOLVED WITH EFFORTS TO SAVE
ONE PARTICULAR AMERICAN TRAIN,
THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF.
SHE'S A DAILY AMTRAK TRAIN
BETWEEN CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES.
SO IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, ME AND
FIVE OTHER PLEIN AIR PAINTERS
BOARDED IN CHICAGO.
WE PAINTED IN LA JUNTA FOR A
DAY.
WE WERE GREETED BY THE MAYOR.
WORD OF OUR COMING HAD SPREAD.
WE ALL GOT LITTLE PENS THAT SAID
YOU'RE ON THE LEVEL IN LA JUNTA.
TRINIDAD, COLORADO, IS AN OLD
MINING TOWN THAT NOW SURVIVES ON
MARIJUANA.
WE WENT STOP DOWN THE LINE TO
RATON, NEW MEXICO.
THESE GUYS SAID, LOOK, WE WERE
COAL MINERS.
COAL MINES ARE NOT COMING BACK.
WE KNOW THAT THE FUTURE OF THIS
TOWN IS GOING TO BE THROUGH THE
ARTS.
AFTER TRINIDAD, RATON, TO LAS
VEGAS, NEW MEXICO, GOT ON THE
TRAIN, WENT ONE STOP DOWN TO
LEIME, NEW MEXICO, THEN WE HAD A
POP-UP SHOW, PAINTING FOR
SOMETHING GREATER THAN ONESELF.
IT'S NOT JUST USING THE PAINT
BECAUSE IT'S FUN TO GO PAINTING.
IT'S USING THE POWER OF THE ARTS
AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.
IT'S HELPING EFFORTS FOR REALLY
ADVOCACY AND IT'S ALMOST
AMBASSADORIAL.
GETTING PARTS OF THE COUNTRY,
THE CURRENT RED-BLUE DIVIDE,
GETTING PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO
TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AGAIN.
WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR A MINUTE
IS STEP BACK AND GO, HMMM.
I CAME WITH THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE
I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN
HELPING MAKE ARTS COMMUNITY AS
OPPOSED TO GETTING ACCEPTED BY A
PREEXISTING ONE.
DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD.
WHAT THE HELL'S THE POINTS OF
THAT?
BUILD YOUR OWN THING.
IT'S A MUCH BETTER DEAL FOR YOU.
IT'S A SELFISH THING, AND IT
GIVES OTHER PEOPLE AN
OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE
FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY TOO
SHOULD CREATE THEIR OWN REALITY
AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GET THE
HIPSTERS TO BELIEVE IN YOU.
LOOKING OKAY OVER THERE.
LOOKING OKAY OVER THERE.
THIS LOOKS SOPHOMOREIC.
NOW THEY ARE STARTING TO
WHISPER.
HE'S NOT GETTING THAT RIGHT!
THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD AT ALL!
I'M STILL GOING TO -- UP THE
RAILROAD TRACKS, TRUST ME.
>> THAT DID NOT BRING ME JOY.
WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE IS TO
LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY LOAD A
SQUEEGEE, OBVIOUSLY.
EVERYTHING MEANS, YOU KNOW, JUST
GOING TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO
UNTIL YOU KEEL OVER.
YOU'RE GOING TO BOOGIE UNTIL YOU
CAN'T BOOGIE NO MORE.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR RIGHT
OBJECTS.
JUST GETTING BETTER AT WHAT YOU
DO.
YOU KNOW.
>> YOU'RE DONE ASKING QUESTIONS?
OH, I'M NOT DONE PAINTING.
ALL RIGHT?
>> LET'S SEE HERE.
>> SEE, THAT'S GETTING
INTERESTING.
>> I THINK IT IS.
>> CATHOLIC CHURCH HIT IS A
PHILISTINE, BUT THE CREW
APPRECIATES.
GUILDING THE LILY.
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH!
YOU PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL!
WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS BEAUTIFUL!
A KIND OF TRUTH WEIY LANDSCAPE.
ATTEMPTING TO LITERALLY MAKE
ONE'S MARK IN THE TIME THAT ONE
HAS.
WE'RE GOING TO FAIL.
BUT YET WE TRY.
>> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH
LOCAL FILM MAKERS BRING YOU
STORIES MADE HERE.
FOR MORE VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG.