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>>> "COMMON GROUND" IS FUNDED BY
THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND HERITAGE
FUND WITH THE VOTE FROM THE
PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA ON
NOVEMBER 4, 2008.
>> WELCOME TO "COMMON GROUND"
I'M YOUR HOST ASHLEY HALL.
"COMMON GROUND" CAPTURES THE
CREATIVE PROCESS OF VARIOUS
ARTISTS LIVING IN OUR REGION.
WE ARE DELVING 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" WATCH AS A GROUP
OF EXPERTS ASIAN BRUSH PAINTING
SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH THE
BRAINERD AREA: PLUS LISTEN AS
TONGUE TAS PARTICULAR BEMIDJI
BAND UNCLE SHURLEY ENTERTAINS
AND REVEALS THE HISTORY ORIGIN
OF THEIR UNIQUE NAME.
ALSO JOIN US AT BEMIDJI
COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER TO SEE
SEVERAL LOCAL ARTISTS WHO USE
WOOD AS AN ART FORM.
>> ASIAN PAINTING IS AMONG THE
FIRST THAT EVER CAME TO BE.
IT HELPS UNDERSTAND HISTORY
BETTER, AND HELPS UNDERSTAND
OTHER CULTURES AND OPENS UP A
RANGE OF INTEREST.
I WAS TO APPLY FOR A GRANT USING
THE LEGACY FUNDS.
BECAUSE OF THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT I
TOOK IT ON, AND I THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD
GET THIS GROUP TO COME TO
BRAINERD AND INTRODUCE MORE
CITIZENS TO THIS TYPE OF
PAINTING WHICH I SEND SEARLY
LOVE.
>> OUR GROUP IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH
TO HAVE THE SPACE FOR A TWO-DAY
WORKSHOP, AND THE PAINTERS IN
OUR GROUP LEARN FROM EACH OTHER,
AND SOME OF US HAVE STUDIED IN
OTHER COUNTRIES, JAPAN AND CHINA
AND SO ON.
I STUDIED AT AN ART ACADEMY IN
'87 AND FIRST I GOT HOOKED ON
THE BRUSH.
I HAD TO HAVE THE SUMI BRUSH.
THEY ARE USUALLY MADE FROM
BAMBOO HANDLE AND ANIMAL AIR.
THIS WOULD BE FROM THE SHEEP OR
FROM THE BEARD OF A GOAT.
THE WHITE, WHICH IS SOFTER AND
ACTUALLY IS WOOL.
THEY DO NOT USE ACRYLIC OR FAKE
BRUSHES AT ALL.
AND THE HAIR YOU HAVE YOU DON'T
EVER USE SOAP TO CLEAN IT, YOU
CAN USE INK AND ALSO USE WATER
COLORS.
SO WE HAVE LANDSCAPE, AND WE
HAVE FLOWER, CALIGRAPHY, AND
THIS IS A PAINTING OF A TIGER
BUT THEN THESE ARE THE
CALIGRAPHIES FOR A TIGER.
SO YOU WOULD BEGIN WITH THE
ORACLE BONE ON THE TURTLE SHELL
OR CARVED INTO CAVE WALLS OR ON
BONE, AND THIS YOU WOULD GET IN
A BOOK RIGHT NOW, NOW, IF YOU A
TIGER.
THIS IS CALLED RUNNING GRASS.
THE SPECIAL KIND OF PAPER CALLED
RICE PAPER ISN'T NECESSARILY
MADE OF RICE, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S
LEMON AND SOMETIMES IT'S COTTON,
AND YOU CAN PAINT ON SILK.
IT'S CALLED RICE PAPER, WHICH
MEANS IT'S AN ASIAN PAPER.
THE INK IS BLACKER THAN INDIA
INK, AND YOU CAN MAKE IT BO TO
SEVEN TONES OR SEVEN COLORS, AND
THE PAINTS HAVE MINERALS IN
THEM, AND THEY LAST LONGER, AND
ARE MORE PERMANENT THAN THE
GENERAL WATER COLORS, AND IT'S
CALLED ASIAN BRUSH PAINTING, OR
SUMI, AND PAINTING IS A SUMIA
PAINTING AND YOUR STYLE OF
PAINTING IS SUMI.
>> REGARDING THESE CHARACTERS,
THEY WERE SHOWING YOU MORE THAN
ONE VERSION OF THEM, AND THEY
WERE A LITTLE BIT PICTOGRAPH
THAN SOME OF THEM ARE TODAY.
I'M TOLD BY ASIAN PEOPLE IT'S
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
ORIGINAL ORACLE BONE CHARACTERS.
I LOVE THE SPONTANEITY.
YOU PICK UP THE BRUSH, AND YOU
LOAD IT WITH DARK INK OR COLOR
AND DO A FEW STROKES, AND YOU
HAVE SOMETHING.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH PAINTING, I
DO VERY DETAILED TYPE OF SUBJECT
AND SPEND LOTS OF HOURS, AND
EVEN THOUGH I ENJOY THAT, I LOVE
THE SPONTANEITY OF BEING ABLE TO
DO THIS QUICKLY AND JUST CAN BE
DONE BEAUTIFULLY IF YOU GET THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF WATER IN YOUR
BRUSH, RIGHT AMOUNT OF INK AND
RIGHT AMOUNT OF COLOR, AND THE
RIGHT STROKE ON THE VERY ABSORB
ABSORBANT PAPER.
IT'S FUN.
IT'S DOES TAKE PRACTICE, BUT
IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME OUT
AND PLAY.
>> I LOVE YOU!
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK
YOU FOR WAITING.
I'M K LOVE, AND THIS IS UNCLE
SHURLEY AND WE ARE READY TO COME
OUT AND PLAY.
>>> I'M CALEB FRICKE.
I'M WITH THE BAND UNCLE SHURLEY
OF JAKE AND ROB, AND MAKING
MUSIC IN THE OTHER BAND.
NORWOOD AND MYSELF, AND MITCH
BLESSING AND LAWYER CAME
TOGETHER, AND WE STARTED PLAYING
SOME MUSIC AROUND TOWN, AND I
THINK OUR FIRST GIG WAS A GREEN
PARTY BENEFIT.
WE CALLED OURSELVES SMALL
POTATOES BACK THEN.
[LAUGHTER].
I CAN'T REMEMBER.
.
>> ANYWAY, WE STARTED GETTING
TOGETHER AT ROB'S BASEMENT.
ROB'S BASEMENT HAD A SPARE ROOM,
AND HE WAS ALWAYS SERGEANT BUNNY
ON THE DIAL IS WHAT THE COMPUTER
AND THE TECHNOLOGY, AND GOT TO
RECORD, AND THEN HE THOUGHT, YOU
KNOW WHAT.
I HAVE GOT SOME BASS CHOPS.
AFTER LAUGH WE WENT FRO[LAUGHTEE
AND JUST STARTED JAMMING
.
YOU WANT TO HEAR THE ORIGIN OF
UNCLE SHURLEY IN THE TOWN OF
BEMIDJI, IT GOT TO OPEN THE
CHRISTMAS PRESENT AND IT WAS
RAILWAY LINES, AND LONG ALONG
WITH THEM CAME THE CIRCUS, AND
ALONG WITH THE CIRCUS CAME THE
FREAK SHOW, AND ALONG WITH THE
FREAK SHOW WAS THE BEARDED
LADIES, AND ONE OF HER NAMES WAS
UNCLE SHURLEY.
[LAUGHTER].
>> WE'RE GOOD!
>> MY NAME IS NORWOOD AND I PLAY
THE DRUMS IN THE UNCLE SHURLEY
BAND.
I'M A BEMIDJI NATIVE.
BORN AND BR AND BRED HERE MY WHE
LIFE.
THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I STARTED PLAYING CASUALLY IN
HIGH SCHOOL WITH MY GARAGE BAND,
AND BEEN IN BANDS EVER SINCE
THEN.
I TAUGHT MYSELF EVERYTHING I
KNOW.
I GUESS I HAVE GOT AN EAR FOR
IT.
IT'S EASY FOR ME TO PICK OUT THE
DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND
REDUPLICATE THEM MYSELF, AND I
PRACTICE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE, JUST
.
>> MY NAME IS ROB CRUTTERS AND
PLAY BASS WITH UNCLE SHURLEY AND
BEEN WITH THE BAND SINCE THE
BEGINNING, AND CALEB, I HAVE
BEEN INSPIRED BY HIS ENERGY, AND
PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
CHARISMATIC PEOPLE.
JAKE IS AMAZING GUITAR PLAYER.
NATE, AND NORWOOD, IT'S A
PRIVILEGE TO PLAY WITH THESE
GUYS.
IT'S AN ART.
>> IT'S NOT A SCULPTURE OR
PAINTER, YOU ARE ACTUALLY MAKING
ART WITH FIVE PEOPLE, AND YOU
HAVE GOT TO COORDINATE FIVE
PEOPLE TOGETHER TO COMPLETE THE
WORK.
IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY TIME IT'S
PLAYED BUT IT STILL CAN BE
CALLED THE SAME NAME.
I THINK IT'S EVEN EXTRA
CHALLENGING TO GET A PIECE OF
WORK RECREATED EVERY TIME WE DO
IT WITH THE INPUT OF FIVE
DISTINCT PERSONALITIES AND
PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER TO PULL
OFF THIS THING, AND DO IT 30
TIMES A NIGHT WITH 30 DIFFERENT
SONGS.
IT'S A PERFORMANCE ART, IN THE
MOST LITERAL SENSE IS WE ARE
COMING TOGETHER AND PUTTING OUR
TALENTS AND SKILLS INTO ONE POOL
AND SEE WHERE THAT CAN COME OUT
>> I'M NATE.
I PLAY PERCUSSION FOR UNCLE
SHURLEY.
THEY HAD A LOT OF BAND MEMBERS,
AND I STEPPED IN.
CALEB TOLD ME TO BRING MY BAND
STUFF DOWN ONE NIGHT.
I DID, AND I HAVEN'T LEFT.
WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER IT'S
COMMUNICATION WITHOUT WORDS,
IT'S THROUGH SOUNDS THAT ARE NOT
A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW.
IT'S BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
EACH OTHER THROUGH LOOKS AND
NODS AND A TAP OF THE FOOT.
IT MAKES PERFECTLY GOOD SENSE TO
ALL OF US.
I WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO
KNOW THEY ARE AS MUCH A PART OF
THIS AS WE ARE.
WE ARE DOING IT FOR OURSELVES,
BUT WE ARE ALSO DOING IT FOR
THEM.
WITHOUT THEM WE WOULDN'T BE
WHERE WE ARE, AND WHO WE ARE,
AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY ARE AND
WHAT WE WILL BECOME AND WHAT WE
ARE GOING TO BE IS BECAUSE OF
THE PEOPLE AROUND US.
>> MY NAME IS JAKE, AND I PLAY
GUITAR FOR UNCLE SHURLEY HERE IN
BEMIDJI.
IT'S A GREAT TIME.
WE GET TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF
INTERESTING EVENTS AND
PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF
COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, AND
OVERALL, IT'S A REALLY ENRICHING
EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE.
I LIKE TO PERFORM, AND I LIKE TO
CREATE HAPPINESS IN OTHERS, AND
I GET TO DO THAT WITH THE BAND
WE WORK OFF EACH OTHER AND LEARN
FROM EACH OTHER IN SO MANY WAYS,
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'M
PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO PERFORM FOR
PEOPLE WHO ENJOY LISTENING TO
THE SOUNDS I MAKE AND WE MAKE AS
A BAND.
THAT'S A REALLY POWERFUL
EXPERIENCE.
YOU CAN'T REALLY -- THERE'S
NOTHING ELSE TO COMPARE IT TO IN
MY EXPERIENCES.
>> IT'S LIFE FOR ME.
SOMEONE ASKED ME WHAT'S LIFE ALL
ABOUT?
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HELL AND
HEAVEN THAT EXISTS AND IT'S
ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL ECSTASIES
AND DOWN TURN, AND WE ARE A
FAMILY.
WE GO THROUGH IT AS IF WE ARE A
FAMILY.
WE MAKE MISTAKES, AND THERE'S
FORGIVENESS, AND THERE'S JAMMING
MUSIC.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR MY
COMMUNITY TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS
G/D WELCOME INTO THE
FAMILY, INTO THE MUSIC
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT'S ALL
WITHIN US, AND EVERY SOUL IS
EACH OTHER'S, I BELIEVE, IN A
COMMUNITY.
WE SHARE AND WE COME TOGETHER,
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR LOVE THAT
WE GIVE, THAT WE CAN GIVE, AND
LOVE THAT WE RECEIVED.
WE ARE AN UMBRELLA FOR THE
CREATIVE JUICES THAT FLOW AROUND
>> BEMIDJI IS KNOWN FOR MANY,
MANY THINGS, RIGHTFULLY SO.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
STRONG TOURIST BASE HERE,
HUNTING, FISHING, CANOEING
BICYCLING, AND THE BEAVER
SCULPTURE, WE ALSO HAVE AN ARTS
COMMUNITY THAT WORKS, AND THIS
PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING
THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER AND TO
SHOW SUCH A DIVERSITY OF WORK,
DIFFERENT VISION, AND IT WOULD
HOPEFULLY APPEAL TO EVERYONE.
I APPROACH THE ART CENTER BOARD
TO HAVE A WOOD SHOW HERE AT THE
ART CENTER ABOUT A YEAR AND A
HALF AGO, AND ALL OF THESE
WOODWORKERS I HAVE SEEN THEIR
WORK OVER THE YEARS, AND KNEW
THEY FORKED THEIR OWN STYLE AND
OWN VISION, AND I THOUGHT IT
WOULD ALLOW US TO PULL TOGETHER
A SHOW THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST
TO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH WE ASKED
WHY DO YOU COME TO ART IN THE
PARK?
AND THE NO. 2 REASONS WAS FOR
WOOD.
WE PROPOSED A WOOD SHOW, AND A
WOOD FOCUS SHOW, AND TODAY I'M
VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH HOW WELL
IT'S COME TOGETHER.
>> I'M DUANE SHIEWP, AMERICAN
CRAFTSMAN, WOODWORKER, AND WE
ARE AT THE FIRST EVER WORKS IN
WOOD AT THE BEMIDJI ART CENTER.
HAVING LOTS OF FUN, AND WE HAVE
GOT SOME AWESOME STUFF THAT
LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE MADE TO SHOW.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GETTING A
PRETTY GOOD CROWD.
>> I THINK IT'S ONE THING TO GET
YOUR WORK OUT THERE IN FRONT OF
PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE ARE SEEING
WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I MEAN, A CRAFTSMAN NEEDS A
LITTLE BIT OF INSPIRATION TO GO
BACK TO HIS SHOP.
SO IT FEELS REALLY GOOD IF YOU
HAVE SOMEBODY THAT ENJOYS
LOOKING AND SEEING WHAT YOU ARE
DOING.
IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.
IT INSPIRES YOU TO GET OUT THERE
AND SPEND THE LONG GRUELING
HOURS BY YOURSELF, SLAVING AWAY,
MAKING SAWDUST, AND TRYING TO
COME UP WITH SOMETHING REALLY
NICE THAT PEOPLE WILL ENJOY.
IT'S NOT EASY.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT
OF PATIENCE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE
IN THE SHOW, THERE'S REALLY NICE
STUFF THAT 134 GOOD WOODWORKERS
PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY,
AND CREATIVITY INTO DOING.
>> WE HAVE ARTISTS FROM OUR AREA
THAT WORK WITH WOOD AS AN ART
FORM, AND FROM IEWK LAILIES AND
CANOE PADDLES TO END TABLES, AND
A WIDE RANGE OF WORK, AND STYLE
AND WORK, AND IT WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW
SOMETHING THAT'S THOUGHT OF
TRADITIONALLY AS A FUNCTIONAL
ITEM OR USEFUL CRAFT AS
ELEVATING IT.
>> THE COMMUNITY ART FEATURE
FEATURES MONTHLY EXHIBITS.
SOME OF ARE UP FOR A MONTH.
SOME OF THE COMMUNITY EXHIBITS
LIKE THE FIFTH GRADE
INVITATIONAL, OUR FOCUS IS ARTS,
BUT WE DO THINGS WITH LITERARY
ARTS THAT WE DO A COUPLE TIMES A
YEAR ARE SPOKEN WORD EVENTS 6789
THE BEMIDJI COMMUNITY ARTS
CENTER IS HERE, AND IT'S FREE
AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WE ARE
HERE TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
FEATURE WORK TO OUR COMMUNITY
GROUPS TO THE INVITATIONAL.
WE WILL DO THINGS LIKE THE WORKS
IN WOOD, WHICH WILL BE OPENING
IN NOVEMBER AND RUN THROUGH
DECEMBER.
WHAT I THINK IS EXCITING ABOUT
THIS SHOW, IS IT SHOWS THE
BREADTH AND THE DEPTH.
NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY ART
CENTER BUT A LOT OF
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST
FRIDAY OUT WALK, YOU ARE GOING
TO SEE WORK FROM ALL OVER.
I THINK IT'S SURPRISING FOR
PEOPLE TO REALIZE HOW MANY
ARTIES ARE IN THE AREA, THE
QUALITY OF WORK, THE VARIETY OF
WORK, AND THE TYPE OF WORK
THAT'S AVAILABLE.
IT'S VERY EXCITING AND BEMIDJI
IS STARTING TO BE KNOWN AS AN
ART CENTER, AND WITH THINGS LIKE
THE BEMIDJI COMMUNITY ARTS
CENTER, AND ART SYMPHONY, AND
THE LOCAL ARTIST SKILLS THAT ARE
OPERATING, THE SCULPTURE WALK,
THE THEATER, WHETHER IT'S THE
SUMMER THEATER OR OTHER GROUPS
THAT ARE PARTICIPATING
YEAR-ROUND, IT'S REALLY KNOWN AS
AN AREA TO REALLY ENJOY AND
PARTICIPATE.
I THINK WE ARE ATTRACTING
ARTISTS THROUGH THE AREA.
>> MY NAME IS JOHN LIMBE AND
ORIGINALLY I'M FROM CALIFORNIA.
I'M A SAN FRANCISCO NATIVE THAT
MOVED TO BEMIDJI.
I HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY BASED IN
BEMIDJI FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS,
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY
HOUSE HERE SINCE I MOVED FOR THE
PAST FIVE YEARS, AND I HAVE
BUILT A STUDIO HERE LOCALLY, BUT
I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND
ENOUGH TIME TO GET BACK INTO THE
STUDIO.
DAVE T TOWLEY SAID YOU DO WORK,
DON'T YOU?
AND I SAID I DO FURNITURE.
HE SAID THERE WILL BE A SHOW IN
A YEAR.
WITH THAT COMMITMENT I STARTED
DOING DRAWINGS FOR FURNITURE
PIECES AND I GOT SOME DRAWINGS
THAT I LIKED, AND THEN THE
CHALLENGE WAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO PUT THESE TOGETHER.
SO FROM THE DRAWINGS CAME PLANS,
AND THEN THE EXECUTION OF MY
FURNITURE PIECES.
I WANTED TO CHALLENGE MYSELF FOR
THESE FURNITURE PIECES, SO THERE
WAS NO RIGHT ANGLE IN ANY OF
THEM.
THEY ARE ALL TAPERED AND CURVED,
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE
SKILLS THAT I HAVE AS A ARTIST
TO DO JUSTICE FOR THE WORK
THAT'S HERE, I DON'T THINK YOU
CAN DO IT IN AN HOUR OR TWO.
THIS IS MY FOURTH TIME I HAVE
BEEN IN HERE SEWING THE WORK
TOGETHER, AND EVERY TIME I LOOK
AT A PIECE, I SEE NEW THINGS,
AND I THINK THAT'S SAYING
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THE ART TO BE A PART OF EVERY
COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE
ITS WAY THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS, AND
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THE ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE IT ADDS TO THE QUALITY
OF LIFE, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ARTISTS TO
PARTICIPATE ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL
WITH THIS, TO INTERACT WITH OUR
ARTISTS AND SEE THEIR WORK, AND
I THINK IT ENRICHES EVERYONE'S
LIFE TO HAVE THE ART AS A PART
OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
>> 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" PERTAINING TO
NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA CONTACT
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US
AT 218-333-3022.
TO VIEW THIS EPISODE OR ANY
"COMMON GROUND" SEGMENT VISIT US
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OR COPIES OF "COMMON GROUND"
PLEASE CALL 218-333-3020.
"COMMON GROUND" IS FUNDED BY THE
MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL
HERITAGE MONEY WITH MONEY FROM
THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE OF
MINNESOTA ON NOVEMBER 4th
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