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>> Announcer: PRODUCTION FUNDING
FOR "COMMON GROUND" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS
AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.
>> HI, AND WELCOME TO "COMMON
GROUND."
I'M YOUR HOST, ASHLEY HULL.
"COMMON GROUND" CAPTURES THE
CREATIVE PROCESS OF VARIOUS
ARTISTS LIVING THROUGHOUT OUR
REGION.
WE DELVE INTO THE VEILED HISTORY
OF OUR AREA, PLUS WE TAKE YOU
INSIDE THE CULTURAL EVENTS THAT
PUT THE NORTH IN NORTH COUNTRY.
ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF
"COMMON GROUND," MEET SANDY
FYNBOH, A BEAD ARTIST OF AKELEY
WHO MAKES A HAND-BLOWN GLASS
BEAD.
LIFELONG RESIDENTS OF SAUM GIVE
US A TOUR OF THE HISTORIC SAUM
SCHOOL HOUSE.
PLUS, CHECK OUT THE MAJESTIC
PINE ARTS FESTIVAL.
THEY'RE BRINGING HIGH-QUALITY
ART TO THE NISSWA AREA.
>>> THE MAJESTIC PINE ARTS
FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE USUAL IT
WILL SECOND OR THIRD WEEKEND OF
JULY.
JULY THE ART MONTH IN NISSWA.
THERE'S A LAKES AREA AIRPORT
SHOW THAT HAPPENS IN THE
COMMUNITY CENTER EVERY WEEKEND
THAT SHOWCASES SOME OF OUR LOCAL
ARTISTS AND THEN MAT JEST TICK
PINE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL IS LIKE
THE JEWEL OF THAT WHOLE MONTH OF
ART SHOWS.
AND THAT'S USUALLY JULY 16th,
17th, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN THAT
WEEKEND.
IT STARTED BACK IN THE LATE '90s
AFTER A CRAFT SHOW HAD GONE ON
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND
GEORGE HOLDTON, HE WAS A STORE
OWNER AND A VERY AVID ARTS LOVER
AND HE WANTED TO DEVELOP AN ART
SHOW THANE VITEED SOME FINE --
THAT INVITED SOME FINE ART AND
FINE CRAFTS MANSHIP TO OUR AREA
AND GET OUR LOCAL ARTISTS OUT
THERE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO GEORGE -- AS A MATTER OF
FACT, I WAS AROUND BACK THEN TOO
IN THE LATE '90s AND WE PUT
TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF
VOLUNTEERS AND GREAT PEOPLE, THE
NISSWA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, OF
COURSE, IS THE HOST REALLY OF
THE SHOW IN NISSWA, AND THE
MAJESTIC PINE ARTS FESTIVAL
ORIGINATED HERE.
IT WAS A TWO-DAY SHOW AND WE HAD
OVER 120 ARTISTS AND THERE MUST
HAVE BEEN UPWARDS OF 5,000
SHOPPERS IN THAT ERA.
SO AS TIME WENT BY AND AS THE
COMMUNITY IN NISSWA CAME, THE
SHOW HAS BEEN TO DIFFERENT
VENUES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS DOWNTOWN
NISSWA AT ONE TIGERS KIND OF
SPREAD OUT -- ONE TIME, KIND OF
SPREAD OUT.
IT WAS ACROSS THE SPREET AT THE
PIONEER VILLAGE FOR A TIME AND
THE ARTISTS JUST LIKE TO BE
TOGETHER AND IN A PARK SETTING
LIKE THIS, SO WE WANTED TO KIND
OF BRING IT BACK HERE, BRING IT
BACK HOME, INVITE SOME OF OUR
FINE ARTISTS, OUR FINE CRAFTERS
AND WE PUT IT UP A LEVEL AND
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT'S HERE
THIS YEAR AND THE ARTISTS ARE
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE SOME OF
THEIR PEERS HERE WITH THEM.
SO THE MAJESTIC PINE FINE ART
FESTIVAL IS NOT A NEW THING.
IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE BUT
MAYBE THIS LEVEL OF ARTISTRY IS
A LITTLE BIT NEW.
THE ARTISTS HERE ARE SELECTED ON
A JURY BASIS.
WE HAVE OVER 600 ARTISTS WHO
SUBMIT APPLICATIONS, AND THEY'RE
FROM ALL OVER, PRETTY MUCH A
FIVE-STATE AREA.
AND WHEN THEY SUBMIT AN
APPLICATION, THEY HAVE TO SEND
IN THEIR PHOTOS, AND SO THESE
JURYISTS, THEY REVIEW THE
PICTURES AND WE HAVE CRITERIA
THAT WE FOLLOW TO PICK THE
SPECIFIC ARTISTS AND WE SEND
THEM AN ACCEPTANCE PACKAGE THAT
THEY CAN COME AND JOIN US HERE
AT THE ART FESTIVAL.
ONCE THE ARTISTS ARE SET UP, ON
THE VERY FIRST MORNING, THERE'S
A GROUP OF JUDGES THAT GO FROM
BOOTH TO BOOTH.
THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE
ARTISTS.
THEY ARE IN THE BOOTH AND THEY
TALK ABOUT THE PIECES,
INDIVIDUALLY.
WE HAVE THE BEST OF SHOW AWARD
TODAY WAS CYRUS SWAN.
BEST OF SHOW IS A COMPLETE
OVERALL AWARD FOR ARTISTRY AND
CRAFTSMANSHIP, SO HE WON.
HE PICKED ONE PIECE OF HIS WORK
AND THE JUDGES TOOK A LOOK AT
THAT ONE PIECE AND THEN HE WON
BEST OF SHOW, CYRUS SWAN.
>> I'M HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS
AWARD.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SHOW SINCE
I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IT WAS
HOW I GOT DISCOVERED BY JERRY,
THE GUY I HAVE THE BOOTH WITH.
I'VE BEEN IN HIS GALLERY FOR
YEARS AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF
THIS SHOW, WAY BACK, I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY YEARS AGO IT WAS.
THIS IS THE PIECE THAT I WON
WITH.
KIND OF A SIGNATURE STYLE OF
BOTTLES THAT I DO.
THEY'RE BASED ON -- IT'S A
CONCEPT PIECE.
THEY'RE BASED ON THE IDEA OF
RHYTHM AND REPETITION THAT GOES
ALONG WITH MAKING PRODUCTION
POTTERY, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO
SPEAK THAT -- I CALL THEM BOTTLE
CLUSTERS.
THE QUALITY OF WORK THIS YEAR IS
PHENOMENAL, I'D SAY.
I'M REALLY HONORED BECAUSE THE
WORK IS SO GOOD.
I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WALK AROUND
AND GREAT WORK HERE.
IT'S A QUALITY, REAL ART SHOW.
>> AND THEN THERE IS THE AWARD
OF EXCELLENCE FOR ARTISTRY AND
THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR
CRAFTSMANSHIP AND AGAIN, THE
ARTISTRY IS THAT CONCEPTUAL,
THAT WOW FACTOR, THE EMOTION OF
THE ARTIST AND WHAT THE WORK
THAT THEY PUT INTO IT, AND THEN
ALSO CRAFTSMANSHIP IS THE SAME
WAY, HOWEVER LOOKING MORE AT THE
MEDIUM THEY USE AND WHAT IT TOOK
TO ACTUALLY CREATE THAT MEDIUM
AND THAT PIECE.
>> THIS MAJESTIC FINE ARTS SHOW
IS GREAT BECAUSE THEY JURY OUT
AND JUST HAVE THE BEST OF THE
BEST HERE.
SO IT REALLY BRINGS THE BETTER
QUALITY CUSTOMERS TO THE SHOW.
AND IT'S GREAT FOR THE PEOPLE
BECAUSE IT'S ALL THE BEST OF
WHAT YOU CAN BUY.
THE PIECE HERE IS A DOUBLE MOOSE
HORN FROM MAINE, BOTH SHED
ANTLERS PUT TOGETHER, I THINK
NUMBER 1,006 CARVING FOR ME AND
I DID IT ABOUT TWO WEEKS OOK, A
NICE PIECE.
>> THEY HAVE REALLY BEGUN TO
TURN THIS INTO A GOOD SHOW.
I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, FROM THE FACT
THAT THEY'RE TURNING IT FROM A
CRAFT-TYPE SHOW TO MORE FINE
ARTS AND I THINK WE NEED MORE
FINE ARTS GOING ON IN THIS AREA
BECAUSE IT GIVES US A MUCH
BETTER VENUE, ALL OF THE ARTISTS
THAT ARE HERE, AS OPPOSED TO
JUST THE KNICKKNACKS THAT GET A
LOT OF SHOWS.
THERE'S A LOT OF FINE ART GOING
ON HERE.
THEY HAVE A REALLY SERIOUS GROUP
OF JUDGES THAT GO AROUND AND
THEY'RE DOING A HECK OF A JOB
LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, GOING IN
ALL THE BOOTHS, TALKING TO THE
ARTISTS, GETTING A FEEL FOR THE
ARTIST'S PASSION.
I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT THIS
SHOW IS STARTING TO TURN INTO,
MYSELF.
>> YEAH, THE FESTIVAL IS A GREAT
FESTIVAL, ONE OF THE BEST ONES
THAT I DO.
IT'S FUN TO COME UP HERE.
I'VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH
NISSWA FOR MANY YEARS AND I USED
TO DO THE SHOW ONCE IN A WHILE
BACK WHEN IT WAS GOING BACK THEN
AND IT'S CHANGED QUITE A BIT.
IT'S REALLY -- THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE DOING THE SHOW ARE WORKING
HARD TO MAKE IT A FINE ARTS
FESTIVAL, AND REALLY BRING SOME
TALENTED PEOPLE HERE WITH A LOT
OF DIFFERENT THINGS, SO
THAT'S -- THAT MAKE IT MORE
WORTHWHILE AND I'VE BEEN
APPRECIATED FOR THE WORK THAT
I'VE DONE HERE.
>> WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS KEEP
THE LEVEL OF ARTISTRY AND THE
LEVEL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP TO A
HIGHER ECHELON.
WE WANT TO INVITE SOME AMAZING
ARTISTS TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER
HERE IN NISSWA TO SHOWCASE THEIR
ARTISTRY AND IT DOES TAKE US A
LONG TIME TO PUT THIS TOGETHER,
TO REALLY GET A FEEL FOR THIS
AND PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND
BRING THIS KIND OF QUALITY ART
>>> WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE
SAUM CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL IN
SAUM, MINNESOTA, DOWNTOWN SAUM.
MY NAME IS EVA, I'M A LONG-TIME
RESIDENT, WAS BORN HERE IN SAUM.
I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
SAUM COMMUNITY CLUB THAT WE HAVE
DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
KEEP IT GOING AND KEEP IT UP.
WELL, I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE FOR
EIGHT YEARS, OF COURSE, ALL OF
MY FAMILY DID.
OUR GRANDFATHER WAS ONE OF THE
PEOPLE THAT GOT STARTED ON
HAVING A CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
HERE.
ALONG WITH MY GRANDFATHER IN
1910 OR SO, THERE WERE SEVERAL
OTHER OF THE LEADERS THAT WERE
INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING IT GOING
AND ONE WAS G.L. MATTSON WHO
LIVED VERY CLOSE BY, JENS WALL
DONE AND CARL CARLSON FROM
ANOTHER SCHOOL AND JOHN RUST,
AND THEY ALONG WITH MY
GRANDFATHER REALLY WORKED HARD
TO GET TO THIS STATE.
THEY HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE STATE
AND DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS,
WHICH WASN'T EASY IN THOSE DAYS,
AND THEN THEY EXCHANGED LETTERS
AND SO ON WITH THE EDUCATIONAL
PEOPLE DOWN SOUTH.
AND SO FINALLY GOT IT GOING, AND
IT WAS A VERY HAPPY DAY FOR THE
WHOLE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY OPENED
UP.
AND I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT
DATE, BUT IT WAS SEPTEMBER OF
1912.
THE CONSOLIDATION WAS TAKING THE
PUPILS FROM THE THREE SMALL
SCHOOLS AND HAVING THEM COME TO
THIS ONE LOCATION FOR THEIR
SCHOOLING.
83 PEOPLE CAME THE FIRST YEAR,
AND THEN AS THEY GOT MORE
PEOPLE, THEY DECIDED TO HAVE --
THEY HAD EIGHT GRADES AT FIRST
OR MAYBE LESS THAN THAT AT
FIRST, AND THEN THEY HAD HIGH
SCHOOL FOR SEVEN YEARS ALSO.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HAVING SOME
FUNDRAISERS TO TRY TO RAISE
MONEY TO PAINT THE BUILDING.
WE PLAN TO HAVE A CELEBRATION OF
THE 100th YEAR OF SAUM SCHOOL IN
AUGUST OF 2012, AND WE'RE TRYING
TO CONTACT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE
CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE GONE
HERE OR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED HERE IN OTHER WAYS TOO.
>> WELL, MY NAME IS ALAN AND I
GREW UP OUT HERE.
I WENT MY FIRST EIGHT YEARS TO
SCHOOL HERE FROM 1938 TO 1946, I
GUESS.
I GREW UP JUST HALF A MILE FROM
HERE, SO I WALKED TO SCHOOL.
EVERY DAY, IT DIDN'T MATTER -- I
THINK I'VE MADE IT, IF IT WASN'T
40 BELOW, IT WAS CLOSE TO 40
BELOW A TIME OR TWO.
AND IT WAS PROBABLY DIFFERENT
THAN ANY SCHOOL IN TOWN.
FOR ONE THING, WE USED TO -- ONE
OF OUR THINGS WE DID WAS WE'D GO
TRACKING IN THE WINTERTIME, AND
WE'D SEND A BUNCH OF -- ONE
GROUP OUT IN THE WOODS AHEAD OF
US, AND WE'D GIVE THEM -- I
DON'T REMEMBER HOW LONG, BUT WE
GIVE THEM SOME TIME, AND THEN
THEY WOULD TRY TO COVER THEIR
TRACKS AND WE'LL TRY TO TRACK
THEM DOWN.
AND SOMETIMES THAT WOULD LAST
WAY PAST NOON HOUR.
PROBABLY 1:00 OR LATER.
AND I GUESS THE TEACHERS MUST
HAVE THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD FOR
US.
WE NEVER -- THEY NEVER REALLY
SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WHEN WE HAD
TO BE BACK.
WE GOT BACK WHEN WE COULD.
AND WE USED TO -- IT'S ABOUT AN
EIGHTH OF A MILE UP TO THE RIVER
AND WINTERTIME, WE USED TO GO UP
THERE SKATING AT NOON HOUR.
AND IN THE SUMMERTIME, WE'D GO
UP THERE SWIMMING AT NOON HOUR.
THAT WAS ALL UNSUPERVISED.
THE TEACHERS WERE -- THEY STAYED
BACK HERE.
I KNOW THERE WOULD NEVER BE SUCH
A THING LIKE THAT HAPPEN
NOWADDNOW
NOWADDNOW
NOWADAYS.
I GUESS THAT WAS DIFFERENT IS
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT SOMEBODY
COMING ALONG TO SUPERVISE US,
NEVER CROSSED OUR MIND, I GUESS.
>> THIS CLASSROOM WE'RE SITTING
IN NOW WAS THE 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
AND 4th GREAT GRADE ROOM.
AND THE ONE NEXT DOOR WAS 5th,
6th, 7th, AND 8th UNTIL ABOUT
1957 OR SO WHEN THEY TOOK SOME
OF THE CLASSES AND WENT
ELSEWHERE AND IT ENDED UP WITH
1st, 2nd, AND 3rd HERE IN 1960
WHEN IT WAS CLOSED.
>> THESE ARE SOME OF THE SCHOOL
BOOKS THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOL.
>> BESIDES THE BUILDING, THERE'S
BEEN MANY OTHER ITEMS PRESERVED
HERE, EVEN RIGHT OVER THERE WITH
THE BLACKBOARD BRUSH CLEANER
THERE, AND THAT WAS SOME KID'S
JOB AFTER SCHOOL, WAS SIT THERE
AND CLEAN THE BRUSHES.
AND IT SUCTIONS, IT'S A NATURAL
DRAFT TO SUCK IT UP, AND THAT
GOES OUT THE VENT UP THE ROOF,
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANOTHER ONE
LIKE IT ANY PLACE.
I MEAN, I GO TO THESE OLD
SCHOOLS A LOT AND THEY -- A LOT
OF PLACES GOT REPLICAS OF OLD
SCHOOLS AND I NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT ANY OF
THEM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE A
BUILDING LIKE THIS ONE.
IT'S LIKE STEPPING BACK IN TIME
TO WALK IN HERE.
I GUESS THE FIRST THING IS
UNDERNEATH, THERE'S A SHELF
UNDER HERE AND THAT'S WHERE YOU
KEEP YOUR BOOKS.
AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP
THEM NEAT.
THE TEACHER USED TO COME AROUND
AND MAKE SURE AND THERE'S THIS
TROUGH HERE, YOUR PENCILS GO.
AND THIS IS FOR AN INK WELL, AND
THEY USED TO HAVE GLASS -- I
REMEMBER GLASS WITH A KIND OF
TIN TOP ON THE SPRING-LIKE THAT
YOU COULD -- WHERE YOU FILLED
YOUR PENS.
OR I GUESS YOU DIPPED YOUR PEN
IF YOU JUST HAD A CLEAN PEN.
>> 1960 WAS THE LAST CLASS.
MS. LEONA NYBERG WAS THE LAST
TEACHER HERE.
WE DO HAVE LOTS OF BOOKS AND IN
THE BUILDING, THERE ARE THINGS
THAT WERE FROM STUDENTS' WORK
AND SO ON THAT WE TRIED TO
PRESERVE SOME OF IT, NOT VERY
EASY TO PRESERVE.
OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE HAD
SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT
HAVE HELPED TO MAINTAIN IT, AND
AT ONE TIME, THE WPA PEOPLE CAME
IN AND THEY DID SOME RENOVATING
AND FIXING UP.
AND THAT WAS VERY WORTHWHILE,
AND THEN, OH, I DON'T KNOW, 15
OR 20 YEARS AGO, I SUPPOSE IT
WAS, WE HAD GREEN THUMB MEN THAT
WERE HERE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME
AND THEY DID A LOT OF PAINTING
AND FIXING UP AND REDID THE
FLOORS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS
THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, WE'VE
STRUGGLED WITH MAINTAINING IT, I
GUESS.
>> I GUESS I'D LIKE TO SEE THE
TOP FLOOR FIXED UP.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE IT
YET OR NOT, BUT WE'RE GETTING --
I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY
GALLONS OF PAINT FROM BALSPAR,
AND THEN ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS
GET SOMEBODY TO PUT IT ON, WHICH
ISN'T THE EASIEST THING IN A BIG
BUILDING.
>> WELL, I LIKE THE PEOPLE IN
THE WHOLE AREA TO REALIZE THAT
WE HAVE THIS SPECIAL PLACE HERE
AND IT'S A PLACE WE'D LIKE TO
HAVE PEOPLE COME AND SEE AND
KNOW THAT IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE
HAVE ACTIVITIES GOING ON, AND
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM COME AND
VISIT.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME, I
GUESS THE BEST THING WOULD BE TO
STOP AT THE SAUM STORE, WHICH IS
RIGHT CLOSE BY, AND ASK THEM IF
THEY CAN EITHER HELP THEM GET
IN -- SOMETIMES THEY CAN DO THAT
TOO -- OR CONTACT SOMEBODY WHO
WOULD HELP AND COME AND OPEN IT
NET
>>> AFTER I GRADUATED FROM
COLLEGE, I WAS DOING BEADWORK
EMBROIDERY ON CUSTOM-MADE
CLOTHING, AND I KIND OF
GRADUALLY STEPPED INTO DOING
SOME JEWELRY.
MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAD A BEAD SHOP
AND I THOUGHT I WOULD DO HER A
FAVOR AND HELP HER WITH
INVENTORY, KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT
MAKING JEWELRY.
AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT I
WASN'T HAPPY WITH MY WORK
BECAUSE I HAD TO CHOOSE FROM
BEADS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAD,
AND YOU END UP WITH A LOOK THAT
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TOO.
SO I DECIDED THAT IF I WANTED MY
WORK TO LOOK DIFFERENT, I WAS
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE MY OWN
BEADS.
AND THANK GOD THAT WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE'RE GETTING OURSELVES
INTO.
SO I ENDED UP BUYING A TORCH AND
SOME GLASS AND STUDYING, LIKE,
THE CHEMISTRY OF GLASS,
ANNEALING POINTS, MORE TECHNICAL
ASPECTS YOU NEED TO KNOW, AND
THEN JUST PLAYING WITH THE GLASS
TO FINE MY OWN STYLE -- FIND MY
OWN STYLE, AND IT WENT REALLY
WELL.
SO I JUST -- YOU KNOW, FOR
PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR YEARS,
EVERY TIME I SOLD SOMETHING, I
BOUGHT A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
OR A NEW BATCH OF GLASS.
THE GLASS LINE ACTUALLY TOOK
PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS TO
REALLY GET TO A POINT THAT I
FELT ABOUT.
IT TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE, AND
I THINK WE'RE READY TO APPLY THE
GLASS COLORS.
SO HAVING STEADY HANDS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
PEOPLE RECOGNIZE ME FOR THE
GLASS FLOWERS THAT I DO.
THEY'RE CALLED IMPLOSION
PENDANTS AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU
WILL SEE GLASS PENDANTS WHERE IT
LOOKS KIND OF PSYCHEDELICING
LIKE THERE'S BUBBLES COMING OUT,
BUT WHEN I DO THOSE, I ARRANGE
THE GLASS SO IT POPS OUT INTO A
FLOWER AND I DIDN'T REALLY
REALIZE I WAS DOING SOME FLOWERS
UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED COMING IN
AND THEY WOULD SAY, "OH, YOU
REALLY LOVE FLOWERS, DON'T YOU?"
YES, I REALLY DO LOVE FLOWERS.
IT'S LIKE A MARRIAGE BETWEEN
GRAVITY BEADS AND BRASS BECAUSE
YOUR SHAPE THAT YOU GE IS
ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE HOW WELL
DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING ALIGNED,
HOW WELL IS IT CENTERED, HOW HOT
IS YOUR NAME, HOW MUCH GLASS ARE
YOU BLOWING INTO IT AND IT DOES
TAKE A LONG TIME TO DO IT WELL,
YOU KNOW.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WONKY BEADS
OUT THERE IN THE WORLD FROM MY
EARLY DAYS.
BUT THE THING ABOUT DOING ART IS
THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE IN THAT
LEARNING STAGE, YOU STILL GET A
SATISFACTION FROM DOING IT, SO
IT DOESN'T MATTER, FAN YOU PUT
IT IN THE -- AND IF YOU PUT IT
IN THE RIGHT PIECE OF JEWELRY,
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO
BE THAT WAY, AND IT IS.
AND THE OTHER COOL THING ABOUT
GLASS IS THAT YOU NEVER EVER ARE
DONE LEARNING.
NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU GET AND
HOW FAR YOU GO, YOU CAN SPEND A
LIFETIME AND JUST KEEP GETTING
BETTER, YOU KNOW.
AND AT THIS STAGE IN THE GLASS,
I COULD CONTINUE ON WITH WHAT
I'M DOING OR I COULD CHOOSE FROM
PROBABLY THREE OTHER THINGS THAT
IT COULD BE RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'LL GO ON WITH THE BEADS.
SO THAT WILL BECOME THE FRONT OF
THE BEAD.
WE'RE ABOUT HALF DONE AT THIS
POINT.
OKAY, SO IT'S THICKENING UP
REALLY NICELY, FLATTENING OUT,
BUT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET
AIR IN THERE AND PUFF IT INTO
THE RIGHT SHAPE AND PUFF OUT
ANOTHER HOLE.
SOMETIMES WHEN I GET TO THIS
POINT, I LOOK AT THEM AND I
THINK THEY'RE SO PRETTY THAT
THEY SHOULD BE A BOTTLE AND THEN
I WON'T POKE THE OTHER -- BLOW
THE OTHER HOLE OUT ON THE SIDE.
I'LL JUST ADD EITHER A BASE OR
I'LL ADD A LIP AROUND IT SO THAT
I CAN WIRE-WRAP IT INTO A
HANGING BOTTLE.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW I FEEL
ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.
I ACTUALLY STARTED MAKING THE
BOTTLES BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS HAD
A FASCINATION WITH THOSE THINGS
AND THOSE WERE SOME OF THE FIST
THINGS I EVER STARTED MAKING,
BUT AS I DID THOSE, PEOPLE KEPT
TELL MEETING THE STORY ABOUT THE
TEAR -- TELLING ME THE STORY
ABOUT THE TEAR BOTTLES IN
ANCIENT EGYPT AND ROME, WHEN A
LOVED ONE PASSED AWAY, THEY WILL
TAKE BOTTLES AND FILL THEM WITH
THEIR TEARS AND PUT THEM IN THE
TOMB, AND SO I CAN'T TELL YOU
HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID, YOU HAVE
TO CALL THESE TEAR BOTTLES.
THESE ARE TEAR BOTTLES.
AND FINALLY, AFTER ABOUT A YEAR
AND A HALF, I SAID, WELL, OKAY,
THEY'RE TEAR BOTTLES.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES FAMILIES
WILL COME IN WHEN THEY HAVE LOST
SOMEONE AND THEY WILL BUY THEM
FOR ASHES OR THEY WILL USE --
SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO PUT THEIR
TEARS IN THEM, ACTUALLY, BUT I
DRY FLOWERS FROM FUNERALS AND I
PUT THE FLOWER PETALS IN THEM
AND GIVE THEM AS GIFTS.
SO WE'VE GOT OUR BEAD HERE AND
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TAP OUT
ANOTHER HOLE, SO THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AH, SUCCESS!
OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE THE
TUBING OFF OF THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THEN WE FIRE POLISH IT ALL
SO IT LOOKS NICE.
I THINK THIS ONE WILL PASS.
THE STEPS THAT SOMETIMES GETS
FORGOTTEN IS THAT YOU REALLY
HAVE TO SOAK THIS IN THE HEAT
BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN THE KILN
BECAUSE WE GO IN AND OUT OF
FLAMES SO MUCH, IT INTRODUCES
STRESS INTO THE GLASS, AND EVEN
THOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE CRACKS, IF
YOU DON'T REALLY SOAK IT WITH
HEAT, THOSE CRACKS CAN APPEAR
LATER ON.
SO I THINK IT'S DONE.
AND IT'S READY TO GO IN THE
KILN.
NOW, THIS ONE IS PRETTY
TRANSPARENT BECAUSE OF THE
COLORS THAT I'VE USED, SO WHEN I
ACTUALLY INCORPORATE THAT INTO
THE JEWELRY, I'M GOING TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE TRANSPARENCY
AND FILL IT UP WITH SOMETHING.
IT MIGHT BE BEADS OR WHO KNOWS.
>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON "COMMON
GROUND."
IF YOU HAVE A SEGMENT IDEA FOR
"COMMON GROUND," PLEASE CONTACT
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US
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PLEASE CALL 218-333-3020.
PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "COMMON
GROUND" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE
MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL