THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION WAS
PRODUCED IN HIGH DEFINITION BY
WEDU -- TAMPA, ST. PETERSBURG,
SARASOTA.
MAJOR FUNDING FOR
"WEDU ARTS PLUS" IS PROVIDED
THROUGH THE GREATER CINCINNATI
FOUNDATION BY AN ARTS-LOVING
DONOR WHO ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO
SUPPORT YOUR PBS STATION, WEDU.
FUNDING IS ALSO PROVIDED BY THE
S.L. GIMBEL FOUNDATION.
IN THIS EDITION OF
"WEDU ARTS PLUS,"
A TAMPA DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS
THE VIBRANT ART OF FLAMENCO.
FOR ME, FLAMENCO IS KIND OF A
COMPLETION OF NOT JUST MY
EDUCATION BUT MY MUSICAL
EXPRESSION.
A STUNNING HAVEN FOR NEW
ARTISTS AND COLLECTORS ALIKE.
I'M EXCITED THAT (E)MERGE
EXISTS AS A VENUE FOR ARTISTS
JUST TO COME IN OF ANY TALENT
AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR
WORK PUBLICLY.
MEET A SCULPTOR WHO
TRANSLATES NATURE INTO STONE.
MY DRAWINGS ARE PATHETIC
SOMETIMES BECAUSE I SEE IT BUT I
CAN'T PUT IT ON PAPER.
THAT'S NOT MY MEDIUM.
CHISEL AND STONE IS MY MEDIUM.
AND A TEEN SHINES
ON THE CATWALK.
I FEEL LIKE PERSISTENCE IS A
VERY KEY POINT IN BECOMING
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE.
IT'S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON
"WEDU ARTS PLUS."
♪♪
HELLO.
I'M GABE ORTIZ, AND THIS IS
"WEDU ARTS PLUS."
THE ART OF FLAMENCO BEGAN IN
SPAIN OVER 200 YEARS AGO.
THE SOMOS FLAMENCO COMPANY HERE
IN TAMPA SHOWS US HOW THIS
CLASSICAL AND VIBRANT ART FORM
PROVIDES AN ENDURING MUSICAL AND
VISUAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH UNIQUE
ELEMENTS OF DANCE, SONG,
AND INSTRUMENTATION.
JOIN THE SOMOS FLAMENCO COMPANY
AS THEY OFFER THEIR
INTERPRETATION.
♪♪
[ FLAMENCO MUSIC ]
I WAS INTRODUCED TO
FLAMENCO MUSIC AS A CHILD.
I HAD SEEN A PROGRAM ON
TELEVISION AND FELL IN LOVE
WITH IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT I FOUND THE DANCERS TO BE
VERY POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL.
I THOUGHT THE RHYTHMS WERE
REALLY INTERESTING.
AND AS A KID, I JUST WANTED TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
♪♪
I WAS ACTUALLY AT SCHOOL,
RIGHT, BACK IN CUBA.
AND THEY HAVE, LIKE, BANDS,
LIKE SCHOOL BANDS WHERE YOU PLAY
SOME, LIKE, BASIC RHYTHMS AND
LIKE MARCH AND STUFF.
SO KIND OF LIKE I WAS ALREADY
INTEGRATED INTO ONE OF THESE
BANDS AS A KID.
AND, EVENTUALLY, ONE OF MY
NEIGHBORS, SHE HAD A BIG COMPANY
OF MUSICIANS AND DANCERS,
AND THEY WANTED TO TRAIN SOMEONE
TO PLAY ACTUAL FLAMENCO.
SO AT THE TIME, I WAS LIVING
IN NEW YORK AND FOUND ADULT
ENRICHMENT CLASSES IN FLAMENCO
AT BALLET HISPANICO OF NEW YORK.
♪♪
WHEN WE MOVED HERE, I STARTED
TAKING CLASSES WITH CURRA ALBA
WHO HAS BEEN PART OF THE
FLAMENCO SCENE HERE IN TAMPA
FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
I ALSO STARTED TAKING CLASSES
WITH HER DAUGHTER, SANDRA, WHO
IS A PART OF OUR GROUP.
♪♪
I WAS INTRODUCED TO FLAMENCO
AS A CHILD.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE INVOLVED
IN FLAMENCO.
THEY MOVED TO TAMPA TO PERFORM
AT THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT.
MY MOM IS A FLAMENCO DANCER AND
MY FATHER WAS A FLAMENCO
GUITARIST.
♪♪
I'D GO INTO SPAIN WITH A
BUDDY OF MINE WHO WE STUDIED
TOGETHER, CLASSICAL GUITAR
TOGETHER.
AND WHEN I HAD COME BACK, MY
GUITAR TEACHER, DR. SWITZER,
ENCOURAGED ME TO ACCOMPANY
SOME DANCE.
AND AT THE TIME, HE HAD RUN A
SCHOOL HERE IN TAMPA AND HAD
HAPPENED TO BE SANDRA'S MOTHER,
CURRA ALBA.
♪♪
I GREW UP IN TAMPA,
AND A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF
THOMAS COFFEY WAS MY FIRST
TEACHER AND GAVE ME A
GREAT FOUNDATION.
WHEN I WAS READY FOR COLLEGE,
DR. SWITZER, MARK SWITZER, FOUND
ME IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I STUDIED
AT FLORIDA SOUTHERN WITH HIM.
FROM THERE, I DID MY MASTERS
WORK AT MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF
MUSIC IN NEW YORK CITY.
♪♪
FOR ME, FLAMENCO WAS KIND OF
A COMPLETION OF MY EDUCATION IN
MUSIC.
IN CLASSICAL GUITAR, YOU GET ALL
THE THEORY.
YOU GET THE HISTORY.
YOU GET THE TECHNIQUE.
YOU GET THE EXPRESSION.
YOU LEARN ALL THE BEAUTIFUL
DETAILS OF MUSIC.
WHAT VERY OFTEN IS LOST IN THAT,
HOWEVER, IS THE SOUL AND THE
SPIRIT OF THE MUSIC.
AND FLAMENCO DID THAT FOR ME.
♪♪
I KNEW SOMEONE THAT WAS
ACTUALLY A GUITARIST BACK IN
CUBA, AND HE IS A FLAMENCO
SINGER, CANTE JONDO, A VERY
SPECIAL TYPE OF SINGING.
IT'S PART OF THE BASICS OF
FLAMENCO, RIGHT?
♪♪
THAT'S HOW I REALLY STARTED
LOVING THE FLAMENCO, TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON IN
THE SINGING PART OF IT, WHICH IS
I BELIEVE THE ROOT OF FLAMENCO.
♪♪
THE MUSIC FOR ME IS SOMETHING
THAT KEEPS DRAWING ME BACK IN.
I'VE BEEN DANCING FLAMENCO
OVER 30 YEARS.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU GO AWAY
FROM IT A LITTLE BIT.
I MOVED OUT OF STATE FOR, LIKE,
FIVE YEARS, SO I WAS VERY
DISTANT FROM IT BEING IN THE
MIDWEST WHERE IT'S NOT TOO
POPULAR.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING TO IT THAT
JUST DRAWS YOU BACK IN.
THERE IS A RHYTHM IN
BULERIAS, FOR EXAMPLE.
BULERIAS IS ONE OF THE CORE
FORMS FOR FLAMENCO THAT IS
12 BEATS.
HOW DO YOU PLAY THOSE 12 BEATS?
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT,
WONDERFUL WAYS TO PLAY THOSE
12 BEATS THAT IT'S FASCINATING.
[ RHYTHMIC CLAPPING ]
AND INCORPORATING THOSE KINDS OF
RHYTHMS AND LAYERS OF RHYTHMS
INTO THE MELODY AND THE HARMONY
AND THE BASS THAT I WAS ALREADY
LEARNING HOW TO DO.
IT WAS FASCINATING FOR ME.
SO FOR ME, FLAMENCO WAS KIND OF
A COMPLETION OF NOT JUST MY
EDUCATION BUT MY
MUSICAL EXPRESSION.
♪♪
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT:
THE FOURTH ANNUAL (E)MERGE
ART FAIR RECENTLY TOOK PLACE AT
THE ICONIC CAPITOL SKYLINE HOTEL
IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.
(E)MERGE CELEBRATES THE ENERGY
OF ART WITH AN IMMERSIVE
ATMOSPHERE FEATURING
MORE THAN 50 ARTISTS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD.
I'M JAMIE SMITH.
I'M FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF
(E)MERGE ART FAIR.
THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR FOR THE
FAIR IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
WE HAVE 85 EXHIBITORS COMING
FROM 32 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME
EVERYONE HERE TO THE CAPITOL
SKYLINE HOTEL.
THERE'S AMAZING DEPTH OF WORK ON
VIEW HERE, INCLUDING PAINTING,
SCULPTURE, PERFORMANCE,
CONCEPTUAL ART, VIDEO,
EVERYTHING WE CAN IMAGINE.
♪♪
MY NAME IS SHELDON SCOTT.
I LIVE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR HERE
AT (E)MERGE.
MY THIRD TIME EXHIBITING.
I THINK (E)MERGE HAS BEEN
ESSENTIAL TO MY ARTISTIC CAREER.
WHEN I CAME HERE THE FIRST YEAR,
I CAME JUST AS A SPONSOR.
SO I ACTUALLY WAS INSPIRED BY
SEEING PEOPLE PRESENT THEIR WORK
TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
♪♪
THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR AT
THE CAPITOL SKYLINE HOTEL.
SINCE ITS LAUNCH, (E)MERGE HAS
BEEN HERE.
WE LOVE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE
HOTEL.
IT OFFERS A WONDERFUL SOCIAL
SPACE WITH A POOL DECK, LOUNGE,
MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE FAIR IS
VERY RELAXED.
IT'S VERY CASUAL.
EVERYONE CAN EXPLORE AT THEIR
OWN PACE.
ONE OF THE MEANINGS OF THE NAME
(E)MERGE IS EMERGING COLLECTORS
AS WELL AS EMERGING ARTISTS.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME
HAVE FUN AND TO FIND SOMETHING
THAT APPEALS TO THEM HERE,
WHETHER THEY ARE A SEASONED
COLLECTOR OR THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR THEIR FIRST ART ACQUISITION.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE PANEL DISCUSSIONS.
ALL OF THE EXHIBITORS ARE
EXPERTS, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.
SO IT'S JUST A VERY WELCOMING,
FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
♪♪
WE TRY TO MAKE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR ARTISTS TO CONNECT WITH
THEIR PUBLIC, INCLUDING
COLLECTORS AND CURATORS AS WELL
AS GALLERISTS.
MANY NEW RELATIONSHIPS FORM AT
THE FAIR.
SOME UNREPRESENTED ARTISTS FIND
GALLERY REPRESENTATION THROUGH
THEIR EXPERIENCE AT (E)MERGE.
SO THIS IS A BODY OF WORK
CALLED FOLKLORE THAT I JUST
PRODUCED OVER THE LAST YEAR,
AND IT'S AN EXPLORATION OF THE
MYTH AND LEGEND OF AMERICAN
BLACKNESS THROUGH STORY, SONG,
AND RIDDLE.
I HAVE THE RIDDLE EENY MEENY
MINY MOE, THE STORY OF
JOHN HENRY, STEEL-DRIVING MAN,
WHICH ACTUALLY INFORMS MY
PERFORMANCES AND PORTRAITS THAT
YOU SEE HERE.
♪♪
MY NAME IS AVNER SHER.
I AM AN ISRAELI ARTIST.
AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME
IN D.C.
MY WORK IS AN EXPRESSION OF HOPE
IN FACE OF FEARS.
IT'S A UNIVERSAL WISH TO COLLECT
PIECES FROM CHAOTIC SITUATION
AND THEN TO BUILD A NEW WORLD,
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT
I'M DOING.
FIRST, DESTRUCTION, AND AFTER
THAT CONSTRUCTION.
I COMBINE THEM, AND THEN
SUDDENLY IT BECOMES STRANGE
FACES.
SOMETIMES CHILDISH.
SOMETIMES SOMETHING THAT I COULD
NEVER IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD BE
THE RESULT.
WELL, I HOPE THAT ANYONE THAT
SEES MY WORK WILL WONDER,
COULD IT BE THAT ALL THOSE FACES
WERE RAISED FROM TOTAL CHAOS.
WELL, YES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL
HOPE THAT WE STARTED WITH
NOTHING, WITH A CARELESS
SITUATION BUT AT LEAST WE BUILD
A NEW LIFE.
WHEN VISITORS COME TO THE
FAIR, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE AN
ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE, WHETHER
THEY ARE COMING AS SEASONED
COLLECTORS OR CURIOUS VISITORS
WHO DO NOT FREQUENT ART FAIRS.
WE WANT THEM TO ENJOY THE
RELAXED ATMOSPHERE AND THE
ENERGY THAT'S HERE.
WE ALSO WANT THEM TO TAKE AWAY A
SENSE OF HOW IMPORTANT ART IS IN
OUR LIVES.
I'M EXCITED THAT (E)MERGE
EXISTS AS A VENUE FOR ARTISTS
JUST TO COME IN OF ANY TALENT
AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR
WORK PUBLICLY.
I THINK THAT'S A RARE FORMAT,
AND IT'S EXCITING TO HAVE THAT
HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
STONE SCULPTOR KAREN HEYL
FOUND A NEW CAREER AND A LATE
CALLING WHEN SHE PICKED UP HER
FIRST CHISEL IN HER 30s.
NOW, YEARS LATER, YOU CAN FIND
HER WORK IN BUILDINGS, PARKS AND
CITYSCAPES THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES.
AND TODAY, SHE'S EXPLORING NEW
MEDIUMS AND FRESH FORMS,
SHOWING THAT PASSION ISN'T
ALWAYS SET IN STONE.
I NEVER SAW MYSELF AS A
STONE SCULPTOR OR ANY KIND
OF A SCULPTOR.
SO WHEN MY KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL,
I DECIDED TO GO TO THE ART
ACADEMY HERE IN CINCINNATI.
AND IT WAS THERE THAT I WAS
INTRODUCED TO STONE SCULPTURE.
AND I WAS IN MY 30s AT THAT
POINT.
I THINK WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO
STONE CARVING AND WHAT I SAW IN
IT WAS THAT NOT ONLY WAS IT
A CHALLENGE MENTALLY,
BUT PHYSICALLY.
I WENT HOME TIRED, AND I STILL
DO GO HOME TIRED FROM THE
PHYSICALITY OF DOING STONE
SCULPTURE.
MOST OF WHAT I DO IN BAS RELIEF
STONE CARVING IS COMMISSIONED
WORK.
IT'S FROM EITHER CORPORATE
AMERICA, HOSPITALS, OR PEOPLE'S
PRIVATE HOMES.
MY GREATEST JOY COMES FROM WHEN
THEY JUST SAY DO WHAT YOU DO,
AND THEN I CAN GIVE THEM A
NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT BASED ON NATURAL
FORMS THAT I GATHER FROM
NATURE -- FLOWERS, LEAVES,
EVEN ANIMALS, BIRDS.
♪♪
TO BEGIN THE PROCESS,
KAREN SEES THE PIECE IN HER MIND
AND THEN MUST PUT IT ON PAPER
FOR HER CLIENTS.
MY DRAWINGS ARE PATHETIC
SOMETIMES BECAUSE I SEE IT,
BUT I CAN'T PUT IT ON PAPER.
THAT'S NOT MY MEDIUM.
CHISEL AND STONE IS MY MEDIUM.
ONCE I HAVE THE DRAWING,
I GRID THE DRAWING.
IT'S A SCALED DRAWING TO MATCH
THE SIZE OF THE STONE,
AND I TRANSFER THAT DRAWING
TO THE STONE.
AND THEN I BEGIN CARVING.
I JUST TAKE THE EDGE OF THE
CHISEL AND I START OUTLINING THE
FORM.
SAY IT'S A BIRD.
IT WILL BE LIKE A SCRATCH IN
THE SURFACE WHERE I OUTLINE
THAT FORM.
THAT'S GOING TO POP FORWARD.
THAT'S THE PART THAT'S GOING TO
STICK OUT.
SO EVERYTHING SURROUNDING THAT
BIRD HAS TO COME OFF.
THEN THERE IS A LEAF.
THEN I HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING
AROUND THAT LEAF OFF WITHOUT
LOSING THE OTHER LEAVES.
THIS IS THINKING THREE
DIMENSIONALLY, SO YOU HAVE TO
KNOW WHICH THINGS ARE COMING
FORWARD AND WHICH THINGS ARE
STAYING BACK.
WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE, NOBODY
KNOWS IT BECAUSE A LEAF CAN BE
JUST ABOUT ANY KIND OF SHAPE
YOU WANT TO MAKE IT.
THE TOOLS THAT I USE NOW ARE
ALL PNEUMATIC.
BUT WHEN I BEGAN CARVING,
IT WAS ALL HAMMER AND CHISEL
LIKE THEY DID IN THE OLDEN DAYS,
BUT IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET A
PIECE FINISHED.
SO I WAS INTRODUCED INTO
PNEUMATIC TOOLS WITH A SPECIAL
HAMMER THAT'S A VERY SMALL
VERSION OF A JACKHAMMER
IN A STREET.
ONLY THE CHISELS DON'T LOCK IN.
YOU HAND-HOLD BOTH PIECES AND
YOU GUIDE IT.
SO YOU'RE WORKING BOTH HANDS,
BOTH ARMS AT THE SAME TIME,
AND YOU CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF
PRESSURE THAT COMES THROUGH THAT
AIR HOSE, SO YOU DON'T TAKE OFF
TOO MUCH OR YOU CAN TAKE OFF
MORE BY HAVING MORE PRESSURE
COME THROUGH.
MY STONE THAT I USED MOSTLY AT
THIS POINT IN MY LIFE IS
INDIANA LIMESTONE.
MOST OF IT COMES FROM BEDFORD,
INDIANA.
I CHOOSE LIMESTONE, NUMBER ONE,
BECAUSE IT'S AVAILABLE.
NUMBER TWO, BECAUSE IT'S SOFT.
NUMBER THREE, IT WEARS
WELL OUTDOORS.
AND NUMBER FOUR, IT FORCES ME TO
PUT A REALLY GOOD DESIGN IN IT.
SD1, NORTHERN KENTUCKY'S
WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER
UTILITY IS USING ART TO EDUCATE
PEOPLE ABOUT OUR PRECIOUS
RESOURCE -- WATER.
THEY COMMISSIONED KAREN TO
CREATE THREE SCULPTURES --
WATER: GIFT OF THE EARTH.
WATER: SOURCE OF LIFE.
WATER: SCULPTOR OF THE LAND.
I ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO THE
QUARRIES, AND I FOUND THESE HUGE
CORES OF STONE THAT ARE PROBABLY
36 INCHES ACROSS.
AND I THOUGHT, WOW, WHAT
ARE THESE?
THEY SAID, OH, THAT'S
JUST GARBAGE.
THOSE WERE CORE SAMPLES.
THEY WERE EACH FIVE FEET TALL,
SO WE CUT THEM IN HALF.
SO WE HAD THESE FOUR PIECES.
THEN THERE WAS GOING TO BE A
FOUNTAIN, SO WE HAD TO CORE
THE CENTERS OUT.
SO THE TITLE COMES FROM "WATER:
SCULPTOR OF THE LAND" WHICH THE
WATER CUTS THROUGH THE EARTH AND
REVEALS THE FOSSILS WHICH TELLS
THE HISTORY OF THE LAND,
HOW MANY MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
AND THE FOSSILS, SOME OF THEM
ARE CARVED.
SOME OF THEM ARE MADE OUT OF
TERRA-COTTA CLAY.
AND THAT WAS A PROJECT I WORKED
IN COLLABORATION WITH ALLAN
NAIRN WHO IS A CINCINNATI POTTER
NOW WORKING AT THE
ROOKWOOD POTTERY.
HAVING WORKED WITH STONE FOR
YEARS, KAREN HAS TAKEN ON A NEW
MEDIUM -- CLAY.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS
DOING IN CLAY, SO I THOUGHT HOW
CAN I MAKE CLAY MORE A PART OF
ME AND ME A PART OF THE CLAY?
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE DAY
IT JUST CAME TO ME -- WHY NOT
CARVE THE CLAY?
AND THEN I FOUND OUT, TOO,
BECAUSE I HAVE ESSENTIAL TREMOR
THAT I CAN'T THROW AND PULL
CLAY.
I CAN'T THROW CLAY BECAUSE MY
HAND SHAKES THE WHOLE WAY UP.
SO I HIRE SOMEBODY TO THROW A
BASIC VESSEL FOR ME.
AND THEN I EMBELLISH IT.
I ADD THE HANDLES,
THE DECORATIVE HANDLES TO IT.
I ADD THE STUFF THAT MAKE
THE BEAK.
I'VE FOCUSED ON PITCHERS.
AND THEN THE PITCHERS REMINDED
ME OF BIRDS.
SO, NOW ALL I DO ARE THESE
VESSELS IN CLAY THAT ARE BIRDS.
AND ONCE I FIGURED THAT OUT,
AND I LIKED THAT I HAD THIS
CARVED CLAY VESSEL, THEN I
THOUGHT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.
SO THEN I DECIDED I'LL CARVE A
BASE FOR IT OUT OF LIMESTONE.
SO THEN I BROUGHT MY STONE
CARVING BACK INTO IT.
SO NOW I'M CONFLICTED BETWEEN
CARVING AND MAKING CLAY.
BUT I FOUND A WAY TO KEEP THE
STONE CARVING INTO MY LIFE BY
CREATING THESE VESSELS.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT ALL
GOT STARTED.
RIGHT NOW THE CLAY VESSELS ARE
JUST OCCUPYING ALL MY TIME.
I CAN'T IMAGINE NOT DOING THIS.
I MEAN, THE ONLY WAY I WON'T DO
THIS IS IF I'M DEAD, BECAUSE
THIS IS WHAT I FEEL LIKE I WAS
BORN TO DO.
IT IS MY PASSION, AND I THINK
THAT'S WHAT MY LEGACY IS,
TO JUST FULFILL YOUR DREAMS
BY DOING YOUR PASSION,
FOLLOW YOUR BLISS.
FOR MORE OF KAREN HEYL'S
STONE SCULPTURES, VISIT:
DESIGNER AMIR TAGHI HAS BEEN
MAKING WAVES FOR YEARS ON THE
TEXAS FASHION SCENE, WHICH IS
QUITE A FEAT GIVEN HE'S STILL
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND NOW THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
HAS A CHANCE TO VIEW TAGHI'S
WORK, TOO.
HERE'S A LOOK.
♪♪
FASHION IS A JOB THAT'S
ALWAYS CHANGING.
IT'S DIFFERENT FROM
ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU'RE INVENTING.
YOU'RE CREATING.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS.
YOU'RE ALWAYS UP AND ABOUT
LOOKING AT IMAGES, LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT THINGS, AND CREATING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT.
♪♪
MY NAME IS AMIR TAGHI,
AND I'M A FASHION DESIGNER.
AND I'M 18 YEARS OLD.
♪♪
I WAS 15 WHEN I FIRST SHOWED
MY COLLECTION.
I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I SHOWED IT AT MY HOUSE.
THE RUNWAY WAS OVER THE POOL,
AND WE HAD MODELS THAT WERE MY
CLASSMATES.
AND I WANTED TO KEEP IT VERY
HIGH SCHOOL, I GUESS, AND SHOW,
LIKE, THE TALENT WE HAVE
AT MY SCHOOL.
THE AMIR TAGHI LABEL IS A
MIXTURE OF FEMININE BUT STILL
VERY MODERN AND SLEEK AT THE
SAME TIME.
A LOT OF DRESSES AND LACE.
AND AFTER THAT, IT WAS MORE A
DEVELOPED COLLECTION WITH
TOPS AND BOTTOMS, SPORTSWEAR,
EVENING WEAR, AND IT COMPLETELY
CHANGED FOR ME THE OUTLOOK I HAD
IN FASHION.
I'M IN HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW,
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO MANAGE MY
TIME BECAUSE AT THIS TIME AND
MOMENT I'M APPLYING FOR COLLEGE.
I'M CREATING A COLLECTION
FOR FALL.
I'M ALWAYS TIED BETWEEN
DIFFERENT THINGS.
I INTERNED WITH OSCAR DURING MY
SOPHOMORE SUMMER OF HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM MY
INTERNSHIP AT OSCAR DE LA RENTA
WAS REALLY STICKING TO MY
PASSION AND GOING WITH IT AND
PURSUING IT AS HARD AS I CAN.
BECAUSE OSCAR, WHILE HE WAS
THERE, HE WOULD GO TO WORK
PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND IT SHOWED HIS, LIKE,
DETERMINATION TO REALLY, LIKE,
SHOW WHAT HE REALLY LOVES.
I TOOK THAT AWAY FROM IT.
I WAS ASKED BY A COUPLE OF
PEOPLE WHY DO I NOT TRY NEW YORK
FASHION WEEK?
I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM A GROUP IN
NEW YORK THAT HAS BEEN DOING
FASHION WEEK PRESENTATIONS IN
THEIR SPACE, AND I WAS ASKED TO
PARTICIPATE AS WELL AND SHOW MY
COLLECTION PRIVATELY.
SO IT WAS A VERY SURREAL POINT
OF MY TIME THAT I NEVER KNEW
THAT AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, AT
ONLY 18, I COULD BE ABLE TO
SHOW A COLLECTION AT
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK.
MY FASHION STYLE HAS BEEN
EVOLVING SINCE THE BEGINNING,
BUT I TRY TO ALWAYS STICK TO MY
ROOTS AND MY ROOTS ARE HAVING A
VERY FEMININE SILHOUETTE
BUT VERY MINIMALISTIC,
VERY TO THE POINT.
WHEN CREATING A COLLECTION,
IT STARTS OUT WITH A
CONCEPTUAL IDEA.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MY LAST
COLLECTION WAS STRONG WOMEN.
SO I WANTED TO PORTRAY THAT
IMAGE.
SO I STARTED FINDING VERY STRONG
IMAGES INCLUDING STRONG ART
PIECES AND THEN VERY STRONG
COLORS, AND WE STARTED SKETCHING
THE PIECES.
FROM THEN, I SENT MY SKETCHES TO
OUR MANUFACTURER, AND WE STARTED
DRAPING THE PIECES AND CREATING
THE PATTERN.
FROM THEN ON, WE WERE STYLING
AND THEN THE SHOW CAME AND WE
PRESENTED THE COLLECTION.
I WANT TO EXPRESS A WOMAN
THAT'S FIERCE AND CONFIDENT,
A WOMAN THAT'S NOT AFRAID TO
SHOW WHO SHE REALLY IS AND NOT
AFRAID TO WEAR WHAT SHE WANTS
TO WEAR.
I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT
THEY ARE WEARING A NEW,
INNOVATIVE DESIGNER.
I GOT TO BECOME A DESIGNER AT
SUCH A YOUNG AGE, YES,
BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY'S SUPPORT,
BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF PERSISTENCE.
I FEEL LIKE PERSISTENCE IS A
VERY KEY POINT IN BECOMING
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE.
TO SEE MORE OF AMIR'S
FASHIONS, VISIT:
AND THAT WRAPS IT UP FOR THIS
EDITION OF "WEDU ARTS PLUS."
FOR MORE ARTS AND CULTURE,
VISIT wedu.org/artsplus WHERE
YOU'LL FIND FEATURE VIDEOS,
LOCAL EVENTS, AND ARTS
AND CULTURE PARTNERS.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M GABE ORTIZ.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
♪♪
MAJOR FUNDING FOR
"WEDU ARTS PLUS" IS PROVIDED
THROUGH THE GREATER CINCINNATI
FOUNDATION BY AN ARTS-LOVING
DONOR WHO ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO
SUPPORT YOUR PBS STATION, WEDU.
FUNDING IS ALSO PROVIDED BY THE
S.L. GIMBEL FOUNDATION.