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," PAINTER
SAMUEL BAK REFLECTS ON SEVEN
DECADES AS AN ARTIST AND
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR.
I SURVIVED BECAUSE ACTUALLY
TEN MIRACLES HAPPENED TO ME.
IF HAD ONLY NINE MIRACLES
HAPPENED TO ME, I WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN SITTING HERE TODAY.
A SYMPHONY'S NEW DIRECTION.
FOR ME IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO
PLAY JUST NOTES.
WE HAVE MUCH BIGGER
RESPONSIBILITIES, THE NEED TO
CREATE DRAMA, TO CREATE
SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE
CONCERT.
GO INSIDE AN EXHIBIT
FEATURING DIFFERENT GENRES OF
TOY ART.
PEOPLE LOVE OUR COLLECTION
BECAUSE IT'S SO APPROACHABLE.
YOU HAVE TINY THINGS, WHICH ARE
THE MINIATURES, THEN YOU HAVE
TOYS, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT YOU
PLAYED WITH AS A KID.
AND AN ARTIST WHOSE ETCHED
SURFACES ARE MAKING A MARK.
I LIKE TO PAINT CERTAIN AREAS
THAT ARE ALREADY STANDING OUT
FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH AND CREATE
DEPTH WITH THAT.
IT'S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON
"WEDU ARTS PLUS."
[ MUSIC ]
HELLO.
I'M DALIA COLON AND THIS IS
"WEDU ARTS PLUS."
SAMUEL BAK HAS LED AN INCREDIBLE
LIFE, FROM NARROWLY SURVIVING
THE HOLOCAUST TO BECOMING A
WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST.
NOW AT AGE 82, THE PROLIFIC
PAINTER DISCUSSES HIS NEW
RETROSPECTIVE AT THE FLORIDA
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND SHARES WHY,
AFTER EVERYTHING HE'S WITNESSED,
HE'S STILL AN OPTIMIST.
> HEAR HIS MESSAGE IN YOUR
WORK THAT INSPIRES HOPE.
AND THAT IS WHY YOU ARE THE
RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S 2016
HUMANITARIAN AWARD.
SO IF YOU COULD COME UP, PLEASE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING
THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO OTHER
PEOPLE, TELLS ME THAT I'M A
VERY, VERY LUCKY DEVIL.
WHAT CAN I SAY?
MY NAME IS SAMUEL BAK.
I AM A PAINTER WHO HAS BEEN
DOING PAINTING SINCE AGE THREE,
WHICH MEANS 83 YEARS.
WE ARE HERE AT THE HOLOCAUST
MUSEUM IN ST. PETERSBURG, WHICH
IS FLORIDA'S STATE HOLOCAUST
MUSEUM.
AND THIS IS MY FIFTH EXHIBITION
IN THIS MUSEUM.
SO, COMING OVER HERE, IT'S
ALMOST LIKE COMING BACK TO
FAMILY.
THE COMPONENT OF THE
HOLOCAUST IS ONE OF THE
COMPONENTS IN MY PAINTINGS.
BUT MY PAINTINGS ARE NOT ABOUT
THE HOLOCAUST SPECIFICALLY.
OF COURSE, HERE AT THE MUSEUM,
MY ART IS SHOWN AS ART OF A
YOUNG BOY WHO SURVIVED THE
HOLOCAUST, WHO HAD VERY, VERY,
VERY LITTLE CHANCE TO SURVIVE
BECAUSE I SURVIVED FROM A JEWISH
COMMUNITY WHERE ONLY ONE OF
EVERY 40 REMAINED ALIVE.
I WAS BORN IN VILNIUS, WHICH
TODAY IS THE CAPITAL OF
LITHUANIA.
WHEN I WAS BORN THERE, SINCE THE
BORDERS OF EUROPE HAVE MOVED
QUITE A LOT, IT WAS POLAND.
MY LIFE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE FOR
A CHILD, ALMOST PARADISE.
THEN THE GERMANS ARRIVED.
MY FATHER WAS SENT TO A LABOR
CAMP.
I AND MY MOTHER WERE THROWN INTO
THE GHETTO.
AND WE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO
ESCAPE, WE MANAGED TO FIND A
PLACE IN A CONVENT.
I SURVIVED BECAUSE ACTUALLY
TEN MIRACLES HAPPENED TO ME.
IF HAD ONLY NINE MIRACLES
HAPPENED TO ME, I WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN SITTING HERE TODAY.
[ MUSIC ]
MY FATHER WAS KILLED JUST A
FEW DAYS BEFORE WE WERE
LIBERATED.
MY MOTHER MARRIED ANOTHER
SURVIVOR, WHO LOST HIS WIFE AND
HIS DAUGHTERS.
AND WE WERE SURROUNDED BY THESE
FAMILIES THAT WERE NOT FAMILIES,
LIVING CONSTANTLY WITH THE
GHOSTS OF THE ONES WHO HAVE LEFT
US.
AND THIS BECAME THE KIND OF
SUBJECT MATTER OF MY ART.
[ MUSIC ]
THE FIRST PART OF THIS
EXHIBITION SHOWS PAINTINGS THAT
I DID IN THE REFUGEE CAMP IN
GERMANY IN '45.
SO I WAS 12 OR 13.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME
PAINTINGS THAT WERE EXHIBITED
WHEN I WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL
PAINTER WHO LIVED IN ROME.
THEY'RE IN A MUCH MORE ABSTRACT
LANGUAGE.
I BEING YOUNG TRIED TO COME
TO TERMS WITH THE VERY DARK
MEMORIES AND MY PAINTING BECAME
MORE AND MORE ABSTRACT AND
DARKER AND DARKER, AND IT WAS
ONLY AT A CERTAIN POINT WHERE I
FELT THAT I WAS GOING INTO A
KIND OF A TUNNEL THAT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT ALSO FOR ME TO BEAR.
I THOUGHT, WELL, WHY NOT EXTRACT
MYSELF AND GO INTO THE WORLD OF
COLOR, OF A STYLE WHICH IS
ALMOST LIKE THE ILLUSTRATION OF
CHILDREN BOOKS AND LET ME
ATTRACT THE VIEWERS TO MY
PAINTINGS.
AND ONCE I GOT, ONCE I GOT THEM
INTO MY PAINTING, THEN SHOW THEM
THE WORLD IS BROKEN.
THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF
FACING TRAGEDY WITHOUT HUMOR.
THE WAY THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY
OF DESCRIBING LIGHT WITHOUT
USING SHADOW.
SO, THERE IS A CERTAIN WHIMSICAL
ELEMENT IN MY PAINTINGS.
THINGS HAPPEN TO ME THAT I
DID NOT CHOOSE.
I MEAN, I WAS BORN IN A CERTAIN
TIME, IN A CERTAIN PLACE, THE
WAR HAPPENED.
I LOST MY GRANDPARENTS.
I LOST MY FATHER.
I SAW PEOPLE BEING KILLED.
I SAW BODIES ALL AROUND.
I MEAN, SO, I HAD MY SHARE OF
DIFFICULTIES.
AND THEN I TRIED TO HAVE A
WONDERFUL LIFE, LIKE EVERYONE
TRIES TO HAVE A WONDERFUL LIFE,
WITH UPS AND DOWNS.
BUT I HAVE THREE GREAT
DAUGHTERS.
I HAVE FOUR WONDERFUL GRANDSONS.
ONE IS FRENCH, TWO ARE AFRICAN.
I MEAN, I HAVE THE BEST, THE
BEST A MAN COULD HAVE BECAUSE I
CAN SEE THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD,
YOU KNOW, WHERE ALL THE HUMAN
COLORS INTERMINGLE AND SO ON,
AND I AM PART OF IT.
FANTASTIC.
[ MUSIC ]
WILL IT REPAIR THE WORLD?
I DON'T KNOW.
I HOPE.
I ALWAYS PUT IN MOST OF THE
PAINTINGS SOME LIGHT ON THE
HORIZON, JUST TO SAY ALL HOPE IS
NOT LOST.
[ MUSIC ]
SAMUEL BAK, "A RETROSPECTIVE
OF SEVEN DECADES" IS ON DISPLAY
AT THE FLORIDA HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
THROUGH JULY 10TH.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
> THE REIGN OF ANDRIS NELSONS
AT THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
IS NOW UNDERWAY AS THE YOUNG
CONDUCTOR PRESIDED OVER A
CONCERT BUILT VERY MUCH AROUND
HIS IDENTITY.
JARED BOWEN SPOKE WITH NELSONS
ABOUT THE CONCERT AND HIS PLANS
FOR THE WORLD-CLASS ORCHESTRA.
[ MUSIC ]
THIS WAS HOW ANDRIS NELSONS
INTRODUCED HIMSELF IN HIS
INAUGURAL CONCERT AS THE BOSTON
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S NEW MUSIC
DIRECTOR.
IT WAS WAGNER'S OVERTURE TO
TANNHAÄUSER, THE PIECE HE FIRST
HEARD AS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD IN HIS
NATIVE LATVIA THAT WOULD INSPIRE
HIS MUSICAL LIFE.
[ MUSIC ]
IT WAS A GALA CONCERT WITH
PERFORMANCES BY NELSONS' FRIEND,
TENOR JONAS KAUFMANN, AN
UNDENIABLE ROCK STAR IN THE
OPERA WORLD.
[ MUSIC ]
ALSO APPEARING WAS RENOWNED
SOPRANO KRISTINE OPOLAIS, WHO
ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MRS. NELSONS.
[ MUSIC ]
AND THIS IS HOW THE CONDUCTOR
ENDED THE EVENING, WITH
RESPIGHI'S ROUSING AND SHOWY
PINES OF ROME, FLOODING THE HALL
WITH ITS BOMBASTIC ENERGY AND A
SIGNAL THAT A MUCH DIFFERENT ERA
HAS BEGUN.
[ MUSIC ]
THE FINAL NOTES PLAYED, THE
HOOPLA SUBSIDED, NOW NELSONS
MUST GET TO WORK, HE TOLD ME
EARLIER THIS FALL, FROM HIS ROOM
NEAR THE SYMPHONY HALL STAGE.
NOW IT'S, YOU KNOW --
[ SIGHS ]
I CAN BREATHE, BUT I ENJOY AND
WE START, WE START WORKING.
SPEND TIME WATCHING NELSONS
FROM HIS GIANT SMILE IN CONCERT
TO HIS IMPASSIONED RESPONSES IN
REHEARSAL AND YOU QUICKLY
UNDERSTAND THIS IS A MAN ROOTED
IN EMOTION.
EVEN AS A MUSICIAN OR
CONDUCTING, YOU SIMPLY JUST
CAN'T, YOU WANT TO CRY AND YOU
SIMPLY HAVE THE TEARS, BUT WHEN
YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, AND THEN YOU
HEAR THIS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.
IT'S HOW HE CREATES, HOW HE
RESPONDS AND HOW HE WORKS AS HE
SETTLES IN WITH THE ORCHESTRA,
WHICH HAS BEEN ABSENT A DIRECTOR
FOR THE LAST THREE AND A HALF
YEARS.
IT'S A LONG PERIOD WHEN WE
GET CLOSER AND CLOSER
EMOTIONALLY AND HUMANLY, AND AS
SOON AS YOU GET CLOSE, YOU CAN
PERFORM ANYTHING AND YOU CAN
IMPROVISE OR YOU -- BECAUSE YOU
TRUST EACH OTHER.
SO YOU ARE CONSTANT PULSE,
ONE, TWO, THREE.
FOR ME, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO
PLAY JUST A NOTE.
WE HAVE MUCH BIGGER
RESPONSIBILITY, THE ABILITY TO
CREATE, TO CREATE THE STORY, TO
CREATE THE DRAMA, TO CREATE
SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE
CONCERT.
WORLD RENOWNED AND ONLY 35,
NELSONS MAY HAVE AN EVEN LARGER
RESPONSIBILITY.
OBSERVERS SAY HE COULD BE THE
GREAT HOPE OF LURING YOUNGER
AUDIENCES TO CLASSICAL MUSIC.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THAT'S, THAT
IS PART OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
IN PART BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE?
WELL, I NORMALLY DON'T THINK
VERY MUCH ABOUT AGE, BUT OF
COURSE I AM AWARE THAT I'M A
YOUNG CONDUCTOR.
AND OF COURSE I WANT TO GET MORE
AND MORE EXPERIENCE AND -- BUT I
DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE, IF I MAY
SAY, THE CHILDNESS, IN A GOOD
WAY, YOU KNOW, THIS CURIOSITY.
NELSONS, AS HIS OPENING NIGHT
DEMONSTRATED, ADORES THE
CLASSICS, LEAVING CRITICS
WONDERING WHAT SPACE HE'LL CARVE
OUT FOR CONTEMPORARY WORKS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR HEART IS
MORE WITH TRADITION.
WELL, NO, I MEAN MY HEART IS
WITH -- MY HEART IS WITH, WITH
COMBINING THESE THINGS AND NOT
DIVIDING, OH, THAT IS
OLD-FASHIONED MUSIC, THAT IS A
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC.
FOR ME I WOULD SAY, IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT ANY COMPOSER, IN
ANY CENTURY WANTS TO EXPRESS
THE -- THERE IS A REASON WHY HE
HAS COMPOSED A PIECE AND THE
REASON COMES FROM THE HEART.
MUCH IT SEEMS AS NELSONS
HIMSELF.
[ MUSIC ]
> TO LEARN MORE, VISIT:
> THE TOYTISSERIE EXHIBIT IN
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TOYS AND
MINIATURES LOCATED IN KANSAS
CITY, MISSOURI, FEATURES
NUMEROUS NEW, OLD AND VINTAGE
TOYS.
THE MUSEUM FEATURES ONE OF THE
NATION'S LARGEST ANTIQUE TOY
COLLECTIONS ON PUBLIC DISPLAY.
TAKE A LOOK.
[ MUSIC ]
WE COLLECTED ALL THE TOYS
FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WE
THOUGHT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO
HAVE THE COMMUNITY PROVIDE AN
INTERACTIVE ELEMENT IN THE
MUSEUM'S KIND OF RENOVATION
PROCESS.
WE BASICALLY ASKED FOR TOYS THAT
WOULD FIT INTO THE PALM OF YOUR
HAND.
AT THE END, WE ENDED UP WITH TEN
55-GALLON BARRELS FULL OF TOYS.
SO, WE COLLECTED ALL THESE TOYS,
CLEANED THEM, SORTED THEM, AND
THEN SARAH WENT THROUGH AND
STARTED TO CREATE SCENES.
THIS TOYTISSERIE IS IN THE
ENTRANCE OF THE MUSEUM.
WE'LL GREET ALL THE VISITORS
WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE.
AND HOPEFULLY WILL ATTRACT THEIR
ATTENTION TO SCAMPER UPSTAIRS
AND SEE THE REST OF THE
EXHIBITS, THE TOYS.
[ MUSIC ]
IF YOU LOOK ON THE
TOYTISSERIE, YOU'LL SEE TOYS
FROM ALL OVER.
THEY'RE DONATED FROM PEOPLE
AROUND KANSAS CITY, AND WE HAVE
KIND OF TRIED TO GET A NICE
ACCUMULATION OF TOYS TO
REPRESENT DIFFERENT GENRES OF
TOYS AND DIFFERENT ERAS.
[ MUSIC ]
THE CONCEPT IS BASED ON A
GIANT BARBER'S POLE, YOU SEE
OUTSIDE OLD-FASHIONED BARBER
SHOPS THAT TURN AROUND, AROUND
AND AROUND.
AND THAT IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND
THIS HUGE, JUST OVER A HUNDRED
FOOT METAL HELIX.
I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING TO
ME ABOUT THE TOYTISSERIE IS IT'S
A LITTLE BIT OF A MICROCOSM OF
THE EXPERIENCE HERE IN THE
MUSEUM.
PEOPLE LOVE OUR COLLECTION
BECAUSE IT'S SO APPROACHABLE.
YOU HAVE TINY THINGS, WHICH ARE
THE MINIATURES, AND THEN YOU
HAVE TOYS, WHICH ARE THINGS YOU
PLAYED WITH AS A KID.
SO, ANYBODY CAN COME IN AND FIND
SOMETHING THAT THEY CONNECT
WITH.
I LIKE THE WAY THAT CHILDREN,
THEY CREATE THEIR OWN WORLDS.
I REMEMBER AS A CHILD IN MY
BEDROOM, I HAD ROWS OF SHELVES
AND I USED TO LIKE ARRANGING
LITTLE GROUPINGS OF OBJECTS.
AND I LOVED ARRANGING THEM AND
YEAH, CREATING SCENES, SO I WAS
IN PREPARATION FOR THIS JOB
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
THE PROCESS IS, YOU CHOOSE
THE TOY AND THEN DRILL IN AND
ATTACH A MAGNET.
SO, VERY LABORIOUS.
ONE HAS TO PAY ATTENTION 100%
WHEN WORKING WITH EACH OBJECT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
MATERIALS WE'RE DEALING WITH
HERE, THERE'S WOOD, THERE'S
PLASTIC, THERE'S CERAMICS,
THERE'S PAPER AND CARD.
ALSO, THERE'S DIFFERENT AGES OF
THE TOYS THAT WE'RE ATTACHING.
SOME ARE OLD VINTAGE AND SOME
ARE NEW.
I THINK THIS IS THE MOST
TIME-CONSUMING THING I'VE EVER
WORKED ON.
[ MUSIC ]
TOY MANUFACTURERS WEREN'T
REALLY DESIGNING TOYS FOR US TO
PUT THEM UP ON THIS TWISTING
SCULPTURE.
THE INCONSISTENCIES IN MATERIALS
AND KNOWING WHAT TOOL TO USE IS
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE.
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING
THAT WE HAVE OVERCOME AND OVER
TIME THROUGH THE PROJECT, WE
HAVE KIND OF DEVELOPED A RHYTHM
WHERE WE COULD SAY, OH, THIS
THING IS A SQUISHY TOY ANIMAL,
WE SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULDN'T USE
THE DRILL ON THIS.
[ MUSIC ]
AT FIRST I WAS DAUNTED BY THE
SCALE OF IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE A GIANT
MURAL.
I HAVE NEVER WORKED ON SOMETHING
OF THIS SCALE.
YES, I DO REMEMBER THE FIRST
MORNING I WALKED IN AND WAS JUST
SURROUNDED BY ALL THESE
CARDBOARD BOXES AND ME.
I JUST TOOK A DEEP BREATH,
WENT, OKAY, LET'S JUST START
WITH THIS BOX.
[ MUSIC ]
I THINK PROBABLY IN JUST
ABOUT EVERY SCENE, THERE'S SOME
LITTLE TINY DETAILS THAT I LOVE
AND I THINK MAYBE THERE'S QUITE
A FEW LITTLE TINY DETAILS THAT
PEOPLE WON'T NOTICE, OR MAYBE
WILL NOTICE IN TIME.
I MEAN, LIKE IN THE CASTLE
SCENE, JUST BEHIND THE
STEGOSAURUS, THERE'S A LITTLE
MOUSE HOLE BECAUSE EVERY CASTLE
HAS A LITTLE MOUSE DOOR.
YOU KNOW, NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT A
MOUSE DOOR AND A LITTLE MOUSE
POKING HIS NOSE OUT, WHICH
WITHIN THE THOUSANDS OF TOYS,
THAT'S KIND OF A CRAZY DETAIL.
AND THAT'S I GUESS ME.
A LOT OF THE TOYS WE'RE
TRYING TO HAVE DIRECTIONAL
MOVEMENT, SO ONE TOY WILL BE
MOVING A CERTAIN DIRECTION TO
KIND OF HELP WITH THE FLOW OF
THE SCULPTURE.
THERE'S AN INTERACTION OF TOYS
WANTING TO CHECK OUT OTHER
SCENES, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF A
LOT OF FUN.
[ MUSIC ]
IT COULD ALWAYS HAVE MORE,
BUT ALSO IT COULD MAYBE HAVE
LESS ON THERE AS WELL.
SO, IT'S A FINE BALANCE OF
KNOWING WHEN TO STOP.
THAT'S THE HARD THING IS, YEAH,
KNOWING WHEN TO JUST STEP BACK.
I AM GOING TO HAVE TO JUST MAKE
MYSELF GO STOP, OKAY, THAT'S IT.
YOU JUST PULL UP THE DRAWBRIDGE
AND STEP AWAY FROM THE
TOYTISSERIE, SIR.
YOU CAN LET GO.
[ MUSIC ]
THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY COOL
OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF PULL BACK
THESE MEMORIES, THESE TOYS.
WE'RE DRILLING HOLES IN THESE
MEMORIES, BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING
ABLE TO PLAY AGAIN AS AN ADULT,
WHICH IS A REALLY COOL THING.
[ MUSIC ]
THE TOYTISSERIE JUST KIND OF
ENCAPSULATES WHAT WE HOPE IS THE
EXPERIENCE.
YOU SEE STUFF ON IT, YOU START
TO REMEMBER.
IT DRAWS YOU UPSTAIRS AND, YOU
KNOW, YOU GET TO START TO HAVE A
REAL -- I GUESS YOU GET TO
REENGAGE YOUR CHILD-LIKE SENSE
OF WONDER, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT HERE.
IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN.
AND TO LET ME REVISIT MY
CHILDHOOD, SO, I HOPE -- I HOPE
PEOPLE ENJOY IT AS MUCH AS I
HAVE.
[ MUSIC ]
> TO SEE MORE, VISIT:
> ETCHED PHOTOGRAPHY, THAT'S
HOW DENVER, COLORADO'S LISA
GARNESS MALLORY CATEGORIZES HER
WORK.
WHILE A TRADITIONAL ETCHING
WOULD REQUIRE A METAL PLATE,
GARNESS MALLORY USES A NEEDLE TO
DIG INTO THE SURFACE OF HER
PHOTOGRAPHS.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH HER AT ONE OF
HER FAVORITE PLACES TO BEGIN
THAT PROCESS, DENVER BOTANIC
GARDENS.
OH, MY GOSH, LOOK.
WOW!
THAT'S EXCITING.
BECAUSE I LIKE THESE.
WHEN I STARTED THIS PROCESS,
I WOULD CALL IT AN ANSWER TO
PRAYERS.
ONE NIGHT IT JUST CAME TO ME, I
WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I
WOULD USE NEEDLES TO START
ETCHING OFF THE EMOTION OF MY
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY?
I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD
ENHANCE LINES AND TEXTURES AS
WELL AS CREATE DEPTH AND LIGHT.
WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT IT, THE
NAKED EYE CAN'T SEE ALL THE
DETAILS UNTIL I USE A MACRO
LENS.
AND THEN THE DETAIL IS WHAT I
CONCENTRATE ON ETCHING.
I CALL MY ART FORM ETCHED
PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT IT'S BASICALLY
ALTERING AND ENHANCING MY
PHOTOGRAPH.
IT ALTERS THE IMAGE BY THE WHITE
MARKS THAT I'M MAKING.
EVERY WHITE MARK ON MY
PHOTOGRAPH IS MY CREATIVE MARK.
[ MUSIC ]
MY WORK HAS BEEN CALLED
FEMININE YET EDGY.
MY MAIN LOVE IS NATURE.
I'LL NEVER DIVERT FROM THAT,
ESPECIALLY FLORALS AND
BUTTERFLIES AND DEER.
I SEEM TO HAVE A WAY WITH
ANIMALS.
I ACTUALLY WOULD GET EXTREMELY
CLOSE TO MY SUBJECTS, YOU KNOW,
DEER, ELK, AND IT'S INTERESTING
HOW THEY SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT
I WASN'T GOING TO HURT THEM.
I FEEL A CONNECTION SPIRITUALLY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN
THAT.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S A
GOD-GIVEN GIFT.
[ MUSIC ]
THE REASON THE ORCHIDS ARE MY
FAVORITE FLOWER IS BECAUSE
SOMETIMES THEY TAKE ON THE LOOK
OF -- THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE A
LITTLE CHILD SITTING ON THE EDGE
OF THE LEAF WITH THEIR LEGS
HANGING OVER.
AND ORCHIDS TO ME ARE LIKE THE
EPITOME OF FEMINITY, THE WAY
THAT THEY'RE SHAPED, THEIR
LACINESS, THE LINES AND THE
TEXTURES, AND I LOVE MACRO
BECAUSE I CAN PUT THE CAMERA IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOWER AND GET
EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.
SOME PEOPLE THINK YOU HAVE TO
HAVE A VERY EXPENSIVE CAMERA IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CALL
YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL.
AND I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
THIS CAMERA HAS DONE WELL FOR ME
AS FAR AS MY MACRO SHOTS.
SINCE MY ETCHING INVOLVES TAKING
AWAY COLOR IN ORDER TO ENHANCE
THE FLOWER, THEN I TRY TO GET A
DARKER SHOT.
THE DARKER THE BETTER.
I SURVIVED TWO
LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES IN
2010.
AND ACCORDING TO MY PHYSICIAN,
IT'S A MIRACLE THAT I'M ALIVE.
HALF THE REASON I FOUGHT TO LIVE
WAS TO CONTINUE MY ARTIST'S
JOURNEY.
I DISCOVERED BECAUSE I HAD A
SLIGHT BRAIN INJURY, THAT I HAD
FORGOTTEN HOW TO DO MY ETCHING
TECHNIQUE.
SO I USED THE WORK THAT I HAD
DONE PRIOR TO MY ILLNESS TO
RELEARN.
DURING THE YEAR THAT I WAS
RECOVERING, MY WORK WAS JURIED
INTO MY FIRST TWO INTERNATIONAL
SHOWS.
SO, AS I WAS RELEARNING MY
PROCESS, I WAS ALSO EVOLVING THE
PROCESS.
I LIKE TO TAKE CERTAIN AREAS
THAT ARE ALREADY STANDING OUT
FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH AND CREATE
DEPTH WITH THAT.
SO I HAVE TO BE VERY COGNIZANT
OF THAT BECAUSE IF I ETCHED
EVERYTHING THE SAME, IT WOULD
COME OUT FLAT.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS MAYBE A LITTLE
STRANGE TO SAY THAT I LOOK AT MY
WORK LIKE A CHILD IN A WAY.
BUT AS I'M WORKING ON EACH
PIECE, I GET VERY EMOTIONALLY
ATTACHED TO EACH ONE BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT I'M DEVELOPING IT AND
EACH MARK THAT I MAKE MIGHT BE
SOME NEW MARK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY GOAL IS TO
HAVE EACH PIECE GO TO A FOREVER
HOME.
OH, THIS IS PERFECT.
ANOTHER EFFECT THAT I LOVE, IF I
CAN GET IT ON FLOWERS, ANY
BREED, IS WATER, BECAUSE I'LL
ETCH AROUND EACH WATER DROP.
ALTHOUGH I CLASSIFY MYSELF AS A
FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY ARTIST, I'M
CONSIDERED A PIONEER IN BOTH THE
FINE ART AND FINE ART
PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIUMS.
AND WHEN I SAW MY LARGE PIECES
HANGING ON THE WALL OF CARIBOU
ART GALLERY, IT WAS BREATHTAKING
FOR ME.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD
EVER HAD MY WORK ENLARGED THAT
SIZE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A MILESTONE IN
MY CAREER.
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT WITHIN
YOURSELF, IT'S A DRIVE.
IT'S A PASSION.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THAT
UP.
EVERY ARTIST, THAT'S PART OF
THEM AS A PERSON.
ART CAN BRING YOU THROUGH THE
ILLNESS BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU
MOMENTS YOU DON'T EVEN THINK
ABOUT YOUR SUFFERING.
I MEAN IT GIVES YOU A WANT TO
LIVE SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE
WHAT YOU DO FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.
THAT'S HOW I AM, LIKE, OH, YES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
OKAY, I GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT.
> TO FIND OUT MORE, 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 DALIA COLON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
[ MUSIC ]
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.