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THIS IS WHERE THEY COME AND
REALLY CREATE AND MAKE MISTAKES
AND AS MY GREAT MENTOR
♪♪
>> I'M JOHNSON VIDEO, GENERAL
MANAGER OF NJ TV.
FOR OVER A YEAR NOW NJ DOCS HAS
BEEN BRINGING YOU THE BEST
DOCUMENTARIES MADE BY COLLEGE
AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
IN ORDER TO BROADEN THE SCOPE OF
DOCUMENTARIES WE PRESENT,
STARTING TONIGHT NJDOCS FEATURES
BOTH STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL
FILMMAKERS WHO ILLUSTRATE WHAT
IS IMPORTANT, POIGNANT, AND
PERHAPS NOT AS WELL KNOWN
THROUGH THE ART OF DOCUMENTARY
FILM.
NEW JERSEY FILMMAKERS REACHING
BEYOND THEIR STATE AND
FILMMAKERS FROM OUT OF STATE
EXPLORING ISSUES OF INTEREST TO
NEW JERSIANS.
TONIGHT'S DOCUMENTARY, THE ART
SPIRIT, THE STORY OF PAT WITT
AND THE BARN STUDIO OF ART,
REVEALS THE VISIONARY WORLD OF A
LEGENDARY NEW JERSEY TEACHER AND
PAINTER WHO BELIEVES THERE ISN'T
ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD TO WHICH
ART DOESN'T RELATE.
AFTER THE SCREENING FILMMAKER
BILL ORRIN AND FRANK WEISS JOIN
US IN THE STUDIO TO DISCUSS THE
MAKING OF THE DOCS.
NOW LET'S WATCH THE ART SPIRIT.
>> THERE'S A SAYING SHOW ME WORK
YOU LOVE, AND YOU HAVEN'T WORKED
A DAY IN YOUR LIFE.
I LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
I'M SO FORTUNATE.
♪♪
>> PAT'S FAMILY FARM WAS ON THE
BANKS OF THE MORRIS RIVER, AND
HERS WAS A WORLD OF NATURAL
BEAUTY.
THIS BEAUTY BECAME LINKED WITH
ART IN HER MIND.
HER PARENTS WOULD SAY COME OUT
AND SEE THIS WING-DINGER OF A
SUNSET.
WHAT SHE WOULD SEE ON THE WINGS
OF A BUTTERFLY PATTERNS LIKE
THOSE SHE PAINTED IN THE STALLS.
SHE FILLED HER LIFE, AND SHE
REPLACED THAT LIFE INTO HER ART.
IT TAKES NERVES OF STEEL AND
PERSEVERANCE, AND NO MATTER WHAT
THE CHALLENGE OF THE MORNING
WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING,
IT'S GOING TO BE YOUR DAY.
DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET
THERE BY SELLING YOUR ARTWORK
BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT, AND YOU
WILL HAVE TO HAVE OTHER JOBS TO
SUPPORT YOURSELF TO SUPPORT YOUR
LOVE FOR THE ARTS.
♪♪
>> WE ARE GOING TO REALLY LOOK
AND SEE.
HAVE YOU STARTED DRAWING,
OLIVIA, ALREADY?
GOOD.
ALL RIGHT.
I WANT ALL OF YOU TO LOOK OVER
AT YOUR STILL LIFE THAT YOU JUST
CREATED AND YOU'RE GOING TO TRY
TO DRAW IT THE WAY YOU SEE IT.
SO YOU CAN BEGIN NOW, AND WE'RE
NOT GOING TO TALK, ARE WE?
LISTEN TO YOURSELF DRAW.
♪♪
>> THE FIRST SUMMER THAT I
STUDIED AT THE FARM IN THE
LANDSCAPE CLASS, I WAS ONE OF
THE ONLY MEN THAT WAS IN THIS
CLASS THAT SUMMER, AND SO THE
TWINS WOULD ALWAYS HAVE A CHORE
FOR ME TO DO, A CAN TOMORROW OR
A BARREL TO ROLL SOMEWHERE, AND
PAT USED TO OFFER MY SERVICES TO
THEM ALL THE TIME.
I WOULD TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING,
BUT PAT CALLED ME GARY, AND SHE
CONTINUED CALLING ME GARY FOR
TWO YEARS, AND I WAS A LITTLE
INTIMIDATED BY THE WHOLE THING,
SO I SAID I'LL JUST BE GARY.
WELL, ONE DAY PAT WAS DOING A
DEMONSTRATION OF A SUNSET, AND
SHE ALWAYS ASKED THESE
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS BACK TO THE
GROUP, AND SHE SAID, SO, THAT'S
RIGHT, ISN'T IT, GARY?
ALL THE STUDENTS LOOKED AROUND,
AND THEY SAID, PAT, WHO IS GARY?
SHE POINTED AT ME, AND THEY SAID
THAT'S STAN.
SHE GOES, WELL, HE LOOKS LIKE
GARY TO ME.
>> I LEARNED MORE FROM HER OVER
THESE PAST 12 YEARS THAN I THINK
I COULD HAVE EVER LEARNED FROM
JUST THE BOOK ALONE.
SHE'S LIKE 35 BOOKS AND, YOU
KNOW, 20 MOVIES.
EVERYTHING COMPILED INTO ONE,
AND SHE CAN JUST SPIT IT BACK AT
YOU WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.
ANYTHING YOU ASK HER SHESHGS
USUALLY HAS AN ANSWER OR IF NOT
AN ANSWER, IT'S USUALLY JUST A
CLOUDED MESSAGE WHICH SOMEHOW
MAKES YOU ALREADY REALIZE YOU
KNEW THE ANSWER.
THAT'S THE PAT WAY.
>> IN 1962 PAT APPROACHED HER
COUSIN EDITH WHO OWNED A FARM ON
THE OUTSKIRTS OF MILLVILLE AND
SAID SHE WANTED TO BUY TWO
ACRES.
WHY, EDITH ASKED?
DID PAT WANT TO BE A FARMER?
NOT REALLY.
WHAT PAT WANTED WAS THE BARN.
HER MOTHER LOANED HER $1,000,
AND PAT WENT INTO THE ART
BUSINESS, BUT, WAIT, THERE WAS
MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
EDITH LIKED BIRDS, AND SHE WOULD
HEAR ONE SINGING AND ASK PAT
WHAT IT WAS.
LUCKILY, PAT OFTEN KNEW.
THAT'S A BARN SWALLOW, SHE MIGHT
SAY.
SO AS PAT TELLS IT, SHE ACQUIRED
THE BARN BY PASSING A BIRD TEST.
EDITH'S BARN BECAME THE BARN AND
IT SOON BECAME A SCHOOL, AN ART
SCHOOL NOW CELEBRATING ITS 50th
ANNIVERSARY.
♪♪
>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF
WANNABES, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO
WORK AT IT.
I'VE SEEN IT TIME AND TIME
AGAIN.
YEARS AGO IN ART SCHOOL, YOU
KNOW, THE KIDS THAT HAD THE MOST
PAINT ON THEIR CLOTHES WERE NOT
ARTISTS.
♪♪
>> I JUST LEARNED I TAUGHT
SOMEBODY'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
I CAN.
IT'S SUCH A HAPPY PLACE BECAUSE
THIS IS WHERE THEY CAN COME AND
REALLY CREATE AND MAKE MISTAKES,
AND AS MY GREAT MENTOR MORRIS
BLACKBURN SAID, RATHER TO BE
ALWAYS DARE TO BE LOUSY.
DARE TO BE LOUSY.
THAT RELEASES A LOT OF MANAGER
THAT YOU COULD KEEP ON GOING
WITHOUT GOING FOR A GRAY OR
COMPETING, AND THAT HELPS IN THE
LONG RUN, THE BIG JOURNEY.
MY SISTER AND I FOUNDED A
NONPROFIT NEW JERSEY CORPORATION
FIVE YEARS AGO SO THAT WE COULD
PERPETUATE THE BARN STUDIO OF
ART INTO THE FUTURE.
>> AS PAT WAS GETTING TO BE
AROUND 80 AND SORT OF LOOKING
AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE FUTURE
WOULD HOLD FOR THE BARN, WE GOT
TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO
INCORPORATE THE EMERGENCY NEW
JERSEY NONPROFIT, AND FROM THAT
POINT ON WE STARTED WORKING ON
HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND
REALLY JUST START BRINGING IN
VARIOUS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
THAT WOULD STUDY WITH PAT TO
SORT OF TAKE OVER THE TEACHING
OR WORK WITH PAT OVER A
FIVE-YEAR PERIOD TO SORT OF GET
A FOUNDATION IN PLACE TO KEEP
THE TEACHINGS OF PAT WITT GOING
FOR YEARS TO COME.
>> YOU LIKE IT?
CAN YOU PUT YOUR NAME THERE TOO?
>> IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME WHAT I
LEARNED FROM PAT, I WOULD HAVE
TO SAY THAT IT'S A GIVEN THAT
PAT IS A GREAT TEACHER.
WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT, AND WE
CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE HER
SENSITIVE INATE VISION AND THE
PAINTING OF SOUTH JERSEY AND THE
LIGHT AND THE COLOR IN
PARTICULAR.
>> I WANT YOU TO FEEL YOUR HAIR
GENTLY WITH TWO HANDS AND HOW
ABOUT YOUR FACE AND YOUR CLOTHES
AND YOUR SHOES, YOUR FOOTWEAR.
WHICH IS THE MOST SMOOTH
FEELING?
WHAT?
YOUR FACE?
UP.
WHAT?
DID THEY SAY IT RIGHT?
>> VERY GOOD.
SEE THAT?
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL TEXTURE.
>> IF YOU BREAK THE RULE, YOU
CAN -- WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS
THAT -- IT KIND OF STARTS TO
SMEAR INTO ITSELF AND BECOME A
BIT OF A MESS.
IS IT FUN TO DO THAT SOMETIMES?
YES, OF COURSE IT IS, RIGHT?
THOSE RULES ARE THERE, BUT
THEY'RE RULES -- THE OTHER RULE
OF OIL PAINTING THAT REALLY
SHOULDN'T BE BROKEN IS LIGHT
OVER DARK, RIGHT?
IN WATER COLOR WE PUT OUR LIGHT
WHITE DOWN FIRST.
IN OIL PAINTING WE PUT ALL OF
OUR DARK DARKS DOWN FIRST,
RIGHT?
WE WANT TO FIRST START OUT WITH
ALL OF THE DARK THINGS AND DARK
SHADOWS AND DARK OBJECTS, AND
THEN WE PUT THE LIGHT STUFF ON
TOP OF IT.
♪♪
>> THE BARN GREW BOTH IN SIZE
AND INFLUENCE FROM A FEW
STUDENTS PAT CAME TO HAVE MANY.
THEY EVENTUALLY WOULD INCLUDE A
NUMBER OF WELL RESPECTED
ARTISTS, TOO MANY TO NAME HERE,
SOME OF WHOM ARE NOW TEACHERS
THEMSELVES SPREADING WHAT PAT
CALLS THE ART SPIRIT.
♪♪
>> OUR LIVES WERE SPENT ALONG
THE RIVER HERE.
IF I WANTED TO COME TOWN AND SEE
THE TWINS, I WOULD GET IN A ROW
BOAT AND ROW DOWN THERE.
IT WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT THREE
MILES ON THE HIGHWAY TO GET
HERE, BUT BY BOAT IT WAS JUST
ROWING MUCH MORE FUN COMING OVER
HERE BY THE BOAT.
♪♪
>> OUR CUSTODIAN FOUND IT IN THE
TRASH.
I WANT TO SEE WHOSE DRAWING IT
IS.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHOSE IT IS?
ANYBODY?
THAT'S YOURS.
I KNOW IT.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DRAWING.
IN FACT --
>> NO, IT'S NOT.
>> IT'S A GREAT DRAWING, AND
BILL, WHO TEACHES ADULT CLASS,
SAW IT AND HE PSD WHO DID THIS
PAINTING?
YOU KNOW, HE SAID IT HAS A
FEELING OF PICASSO, DOES THAT
MAKE SENSE?
IT'S A GREAT DRAWING.
SO, CHILDREN, I JUST WANT TO
TELL YOU, DON'T THROW YOUR ART
AWAY.
I HAVE PORTFOLIOS FULL OF
ARTWORK THAT I DID WHEN I WAS 18
YEARS OLD IN ART SCHOOL.
SO YOU MUST ALWAYS HONOR YOUR
OWN ARTWORK.
DON'T THROW IT AWAY.
>> OFTENTIMES WHEN I GO AND
VISIT THE BARN, I JUST FEEL A
LOT LIGHTER.
SHE HAS OVER THE YEARS REALLY
OPENED MY EYES TO THE WORLD.
>> SHE IS THE ENERGY OF ART, THE
SPIRIT OF ART.
SHE REPRESENTS IT.
THE WHOLE BARN HAS THIS ENERGY
IN IT OF BEING THE PRESENCE OF
ART ALWAYS THERE, THE SPIRIT OF
IT.
>> IN 1997 WHEN I WAS A STUDENT
AT THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF
FINE ART, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION
GOING ON IN THE NEXT ROOM ABOUT
A VERY, VERY POPULAR SPECIAL
TEACHER FROM THE MILLVILLE AREA
AND MY EARS PERKED UP, AND I
REALIZED HAVE I BEEN PASSING
THIS PERSON'S HOUSE FOR THE LAST
THREE YEARS COMING TO SCHOOL AND
NOT KNOWING THAT I COULD HAVE
STUDIED WITH SOMEBODY ELSE?
WHEN I CALLED PAT WI TI TI UP,
SHE ANSWERED AND I SAID SO
YOU'RE ALIVE?
SHE SAYS, YOU BETCHA I'M ALIVE,
AND WHO IS THIS?
OUR LONG HISTORY STARTED OF
SOMEWHAT PRANK PHONE CALLS WE DO
TO EACH OTHER.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A WONDERFUL WAY
OF GREETING EACH OTHER, BUT I
SAID I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE A
TEACHER AND YOU GIVE LANDSCAPE
PAINTEDING CLASSES.
SHE SAYS I HAVE ONE STARTING
TOMORROW.
I MET HER THE NEXT DAY AT THE
FARM, AND I STUDIED WITH HER FOR
SEVERAL YEARS AT BERTRAM'S FARM.
IT'S AMAZING THERE.
>> WHEN OUR MOUTHS ARE OPEN, OUR
MINDS ARE CLOSED.
OKAY.
GOOD.
>> THE BARNES STUDENTS HEAD OFF
ON A NATURE WALK, THEIR PATH IN
A CLUTTER.
THEIR LIVES ARE FULL OF
OBSTACLE.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO ADD AND
SUBTRACT, BUT TO PAINT AND DRAW.
THE RESULT?
WHILE OTHER CHILDREN SAT IN
THEIR CLASSROOMS, PAT STOOD OUT
IN THE HALL.
THIS CONTINUED INTO HIGH SCHOOL,
PUNISHMENT.
HALLWAYS WITHOUT NATURE, BEAUTY,
OR BUTTERFLIES.
JUST WALLS WITH ONE FLAT COAT OF
PAINT.
IN A SYMPATHETIC TEACHER PLACED
PAT IN HOME ECONOMICS AND
INDUSTRIAL ARTS CLASSES AND PAT
BECAME A GOOD STUDENT.
PAT NEVER FORGOT THAT.
THROUGH ART SHE HELPS OTHERS
HELP THEMSELVES.
SHE ALSO PROVIDES THEM WITH
OPTIMISM.
SHE SAYS I CREATED A MAGIC
BUBBLE AROUND THE BARN, AND I
WON'T LET NEGATIVITY INTRUDE.
THAT MIGHT SEEM DIFFICULT
CONSIDERING HER LATEST OBSTACLE.
SHE'S LOSING HER SIGHT.
MACULAR DEGENERATION BEGAN TEN
YEARS AGO.
THIS WOMAN WHO ALWAYS MET
PROBLEMS HEAD ON CAN NOW ONLY
SEE THEM FROM THE SIDE.
YET, SHE STILL PAINTS.
HER PAINTINGS HAVE BECOME
EXPECTEDLY MORE IMPRESSIONISTIC.
SHE WILL NOT, SHE SAID, EVER
GIVE UP.
♪♪
>> PEOPLE ARE GETTING SO THEY'RE
NOT -- I NOTICE THIS ALL THE
TIME.
THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED WITH THE
WORLD.
IT'S FRIGHTENING.
>> WE DRAW WITH PENCILS, PAINT,
AND DIFFERENT COLORS WITH PAINT
AND WE GET TO MIX ALL THE COLORS
UP AND THEY MAKE DIFFERENT
COLORS.
I MAKE ART BECAUSE I LIKE ART
BECAUSE --
♪♪
>> I THINK ART SHOWS PEOPLE THAT
YOU CAN SHOW MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF AND SHOW
WHAT YOU THINK MISSED.
>> PAT TEACHES DIRECTLY HANDS
ON, BUT ALSO BY THE SECRATIC
METHOD.
SHE ASKS QUESTIONS, AND BY THEIR
REPLIES HER STUDENTS LEARN MORE
THOROUGHLY THAN IF SHE WERE TO
PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.
EACH STUDENT IS GUIDED, NOT
FORCED.
>> I LOVE ART.
THERE HAVE BEEN GENERATIONS OF
CHILDREN WHO HAVE COME THROUGH
HERE AND ARE INFLUENCING ADULTS,
THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR
GRANDCHILDREN, AND IT IS
PERPETUATE THIS WONDERFUL THING
AND IT WAS ESTABLISHED ALL THESE
YEARS AGO.
>> PAT'S STUDENTS HAVE BEEN
FORTUNATE IN HAVING A TEACHER
DEVOTED NOT ONLY TO THEIR WORK,
BUT HER OWN.
SHE SPENT AUGUST OF 1980 LIVING
IN A SHACK ON THE MARSH NEAR
BRADFORD BEACH ON DELAWARE BAY
WALKING ALONG THE CREEKS AND
DITCHES, SWATTING BUGS AND
PAINTING SUNRISES, MOONRISES,
WORKING WITH ABSOLUTE
CONCENTRATION.
AFTERWARD SHE PRIMERED CANVASS
FOR THE NEXT DAY.
DURING THAT MONTH SHE PAINTED
ABOUT 500 POS HARDS, SMALL
SKETCHES.
ONE EVENING, PREDICTING A METEOR
SHOWER, ASTRONOMERS JOINED HER
AS THEY CONSTITUTED WHERE IED
THE HEAVEN'S STAR FRAGMENTS
RACING ACROSS THE SKY AND A
LARGE PINK CLOUD FLOATED OVER
THE BAY AND FLASHED WITH
LIGHTNING.
SUCH HISTORY IS THIS.
A LIFETIME IN ART PAT BRINGS TO
HER STUDENTS.
>> IT WAS FLASHLIGHT INNING.
IT WOULD BE PINK.
YOU WOULD THINK OF PINK COTTON
CANDY.
THAT'S WHAT I KEPT THINKING
ABOUT IT.
EVERY NOW AND THEN A STRIKE OF
LIGHTNING WOULD HAPPEN, AND IT
WOULD BE BIG.
THE WHOLE NIGHT WAS A MAGICAL
NIGHT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN
OUT OF MIDNIGHT BLUE WE COUNTED
ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO 70 METEORS
AN HOUR.
>> MANY PEOPLE TOLD HER THAT YOU
HAVE TO LEAVE THIS AREA TO
ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING IN LIFE.
WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS THAT
SHE LOOKED AROUND AND SAW WHAT
SHE COULD DO HERE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
>> THE MOST POSITIVE THING I
WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS I THINK THE
STUDY OF FINE ART IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
CLOSE OBSERVATION OF MATE.
DRAWING DIRECTLY FROM MATE.
NOT COPYING PICTURES.
>> WORKING WITH PAT IS JUST THE
FULL ON EXPERIENCE.
EVERYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED PAT
HAS A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT IT
ALL TURNS DOWN TO THIS IDEA THAT
SHE CONTAINS AND HOLDS SO MUCH
INFORMATION AND IS ABLE TO WIELD
YOU AND GIVE YOU SELF-CONFIDENCE
AND BUILD UP YOUR EGO WHILE
TEACHING YOU SO MUCH
INFORMATION.
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE
GOING TO BECOME AN ARTIST.
THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THE POINT IS THAT THEY LEARN
ABOUT BECOMING AND HAVING
SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-CONFIDENCE,
AND IN THEIR LIVES IT MAKES A
COMPLETE DIFFERENT WONDERMENT
MANY THEIR LIVES.
THERE IS MEDICAL.
THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF
STUDENTS STUDYING HERE.
IT'S BASED ON MONDAY
COMPETITIVENESS.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN COMPETITION
FOR THE ARTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT
LIKE FOOTBALL OR BASEBALL OR
SOCCER.
IT'S FOR YOURSELF.
YOUR OWN SELF, LEARNING.
>> PAT NEVER ACCEPTED ANYTHING
LESS THAN MOTIVATION IN ANY OF
HER STUDENTS, AND A LARGE PART
OF WHAT PAT WAS ABOUT, IS ABOUT
IS THAT ONE CAN PARTICIPATE AND
BE PART OF THE WONDERMENT AND
MAGIC OF LIFE.
>> I'M VERY PROUD OF MY MOTHER
BECAUSE I HAVE WATCHED THROUGH
THE YEARS HER BE A VISIONARY IN
THIS AREA.
>> ALL RIGHT.
EACH ONE OF YOU NOW ARE GOING TO
MAKE BELIEVE --
>> A CHILD'S MIND IS MUCH MORE
ACTIVE AND CONSCIOUS WHEN THEY
ARE SURROUNDED WITH AND
PARTICIPATING IN ART PROGRAMS.
>> WE HAD PEOPLE APPROACH US AND
TAKE US IS SIDE AND SAY IF IT
WASN'T FOR THE BARN, I WOULDN'T
BE ALIVE TODAY.
>> SHE TEACHES YOU NOT ONLY TO
SEE THE TREE, BUT TO SEE THE
COSMOS IN A TREE.
TO SEE THE CLOUD IN A TREE, THE
RAIN IN A TREE AND HOW
EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED AND YOU
TAKE THAT CONNECTION AND PUT IT
INTO YOUR PAINTING.
>> ART RELATES TO EVERYTHING IN
THE WORLD.
IT RELATES TO RELIGION.
IT RELATES TO HISTORY.
GEOGRAPHY, EVERYTHING, SCIENCE.
THERE ISN'T ONE THING THAT ART
DOESN'T RELATE TO.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT PAT'S HANDS,
YOU WILL SEE THEY ARE STRONG AND
SUPPLE, THE HANDS OF A WOMAN WHO
MAKES THINGS AND WHO HAS DONE SO
SINCE HER YOUTH.
SHE SPENT HER LIFE OBSERVING
SUNRISES, SUNSETS, AND
INTERPRETING THEM ON CANVAS, AND
PAINTINGS WERE REDS AND VIOLETS
LIKE THE SKY AND ALSO THE GREEN
MARSH.
SHE HAS PAINTED THE SAME SCENE
THOUSANDS OF TIMES, AND EACH
TIME SEEN IT DIFFERENTLY, AND
NOW A MILLION YEARS HAVE PASSED.
FOR HER THE COLORS STILL GLOW.
HER HANDS CAN STILL HOLD SOMEONE
ELSE'S HANDS AND HELP THAT
PERSON TO SEE AT THE BARN STUDIO
OF ART.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
>> IN OUR STUDIO WE HAVE FRANK
WEISS, VIDEO PRODUCER, AND BIG
HORN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD.
>> WHAT IS RC?
HOW DID IT START?
>> WE STARTED STARTED FIRST AS A
MAGAZINE, ART BEAT, IN 2000, AND
THEN WE MORPHED INTO ENVISION
MAKING SFWLEEN SSHGS AND THEN WE
DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO DO AN
ON-LINE MAGAZINE.
WE NOTICED THERE WAS A REAL NEED
TO PROMOTE THE ARTS MANY SOUTH
ENGINEERS WHERE I.
IT JUST WASN'T GETTING THE
RECOGNITION THAT WE THOUGHT IT
DESERVED.
INSTEAD OF JUST DOING A
MAGAZINE, WE STARTED PROMOTING
ART IN DIFFERENT WAYS INCLUDING
VIDEO, PHOTOGRAPHY, BRAFK
DESIGN, ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO
MAKE THE ART OF SOUTH JERSEY
MORE VISIBLE.
>> HOW DID YOU AND FRANK MEET?
>> I WENT TO A FILM FESTIVAL.
FRANK SUBMIT A FILM.
HE WAS WITH STOCKTON AT THE
TIME, AND I WAS IMPRESSED WITH
THE QUALITY OF THE WORK, AND HE
WAS THERE, AND I WENT UP TO HIM
AFTERWARD, AND I SAID, BY THE
WAY, DO YOU DO ANY FREELANCE
WORK?
I'M WITH ARTSY.
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN
WORKING WITH US?
HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID OKAY,
AND HE FOLLOWED UP.
I GOT A CALL A DAY LATER, LIKE
FRANK DOES.
HE FOLLOWS UP WITH EVERYTHING.
WE MET.
WE HIT IT OFF.
WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER
PROBABLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AFTER THAT.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS -- THE
PAT WITT STUDIO?
>> FRANK WAS FAMILIAR WITH
PAIT'S WORK AND WAS FROM THE
MILLVILLE AREA.
SHE HAS AN INFECTIOUS SPIRIT.
I WAS IMMEDIATELY INTERESTED.
THE IDEA TO DO A SHORT VIDEO ON
HER GREW TO A MUCH LARGER FILM
WHICH YOU GUYS JUST SAW, AND IT
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASING
PROJECT TO WORK ON.
I LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND
TEACHING ABOUT ART AS WELL.
BILL FELT THAT SHE WAS AN
IMPORTANT ENOUGH PERSON TO FOCUS
ON, AND I STRONGLY AGREE, AND
WE'RE VERY GLAD WE DID IT.
>> WE DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BECOME
A DOCUMENTARY AS OPPOSED TO ONE
OF OUR NORMAL THREE TO FOUR
MINUTE SHORTS.
WE DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE
ENOUGH MATERIAL TO WORK WITH,
AND IT TURNS OUT WE COULD HAVE
DONE AN HOUR EASILY.
THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH TO TELL,
AND SHE'S JUST SUCH AN
INTERESTING PERSON.
>> THERE WAS JUST NO WAY TO TELL
HER STORY IN THREE TO FOUR
MINUTES.
SHE HAD SO MUCH DEPTH TO HER,
AND WE HAVE SAID FROM DAY ONE,
PAT DOESN'T TEACH ART.
SHE TEACHES LIFE.
MEDICAL RECORD TO CAPTURE THAT,
WE JUST NEEDED MORE TIME.
>> WE LIKE SPENDING TIME WITH
HER.
IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO GO TO THE
BARN AND SPEND TIME WITH PAT AND
HER STUDENTS AND GET TO KNOW HER
AND THEM, AND WE JUST HAD A
GREAT TIME DOING IT.
>> SHE IS A GREAT CHARACTER.
>> SHE IS.
>> SO IT'S BEEN A YEAR, FRANK,
WHEN THE ROAD IS COMING.
>> YEAH.
>> AND YOU HAVE BEEN MAKING
FILMS.
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING.
WHAT'S THE LAST YEAR BEEN LIKE?
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON?
>> EXTREMELY BUSY.
I FINISHED MY LAST YEAR OF
COLLEGE, SO I'M FREE AND CLEAR,
AND MY MIND IS FOCUSED ON OTHER
THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT
SIMULTANEOUSLY I WAS ALWAYS --
AS I WAS COMPLETING MY DEGREE,
BEEN WORKING ON FILMS AS WELL.
I JUST FINISHED A BIG
DOCUMENTARY CALLED "FIGHTING
HOME" ON THE ATLANTIC CITY
HOMELESS POPULATION, WHICH I
EXPECT TO BE RELEASED TO
FESTIVALS VERY SOON.
>> YOU DID THAT ON YOUR OWN?
>> YEAH.
I WAS APPROACHED BY THE MUSEUM
OF ART TO DO A SHORT FEATURE
ABOUT AN OIL PAINTER FOCUSSING
ON HOMELESS ATLANTIC CITY, AND
AFTER MEETING HIM AND SEEING THE
OBVIOUS HUGE TOPIC THAT
HOMELESSNESS IS IN OUR COUNTRY I
FELT IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE,
THE STORIES OF THE HOMELESS AND
IT'S PROVED THAT IT EXISTS, AND
I LOVE THE FILM.
>> HOW DID YOU DO THAT FILM?
DID YOU LIVE WITH HIM FOR A
WHILE?
WERE YOU --
>> SETH STAYED AT THE MISSION.
I ACTUALLY -- I WAS THERE ON AND
OFF ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR A
PERIOD OF OVER A MONTH.
SETH WENT OUT AND FOUND PEOPLE
THAT HAD COMPELLING STORIES TO
TELL, AND AFTER DOING INTERVIEWS
WITH THEM THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO
DO A HUGE FILM.
I HAD TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF
THEIR STORY, BUT IT'S SO HEART
WRENCH HEARING WHAT THEY'VE GONE
THROUGH.
>> DO YOU FINANCE THESE THINGS
YOURSELF?
>> ABSOLUTELY WE DO.
WE SEEK GRANTS.
>> WE?
>> WELL, BILL AND I WILL GO OUT
AND FIND PEOPLE POTENTIALLY TO
GIVE GRANTS.
THE DODGE FOUNDATION ARE
INVOLVED WITH SOME OF MY
PROJECTS AS WELL.
MOST OF THEM COMES FROM OUR
WILLINGNESS TO DO THEM AND OUR
PASSION FOR THE ARTS AS WELL.
>> WHAT DO YOU NORMALLY
DISTRIBUTE?
WHO SHOWS THEM?
FILM FESTIVALS OR --
>> ON OUR WEBSITE.
ARTSYNOW.COM WHERE WE PLACE THE
VIDEO AND WE PROMOTE THEM THAT
WAY.
THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF WHERE OUR
VIDEOS HAVE GONE SO FAR, BUT WE
ALSO DO COMMERCIAL VIDEOS FOR
OTHER COMPANIES AND, YOU KNOW,
DIFFERENT PROJECTS LIKE THAT
ALSO.
MOSTLY GEARED TOWARDS THE ARTS,
THOUGH.
>> WE'LL BE ENTERING MORE
FESTIVALS.
>> WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ART
SPIRIT, WE PREMIERED AT THE T AT
THE LEROY THEATER AT MILLVILLE,
AND DESPITE TORNADO WARNINGS, WE
HAD A HUGE -- TORNADO WARNINGS.
EVERYTHING IN MILLVILLE WAS SHUT
DOWN THAT NIGHT, AND HAD HE SAID
WE'RE STILL GOING TO DO THIS,
AND WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT.
>> THERE'S A GREAT HUNGER FOR
GOOD FILM, GOOD DOCUMENTARY
FILMS.
>> IT GOT A GREAT RESPONSE.
WHEN PAT WALKED IN, IT WAS LIKE
TEARS IN MY EYES BECAUSE SHE
CAME IN LAST.
SHE WAS UPSTAIRS TALKING TO
PEOPLE.
EVERYBODY MED IN AUDIENCE STOOD
UP AND STARTED CLAPPING.
SHE WASN'T EXPECTING THAT.
TO LOOK AT HER AND TO LISTEN TO
THE PEOPLE CLAPPING, IT WAS LIKE
OH, MY GOD.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
>> THAT WAS LIKE -- YOU COULDN'T
ASK FOR ANYTHING BETTER.
>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR WRITER AND
NAR RATER STERLING BROWN.
>> BILL HAS WORKED WITH STERLING
ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
I LOVE HIS WRITING STYLE AND
NARRATIVE ABILITIES.
I THOUGHT HE WAS A PERFECT FIT,
AND BILL AGREED.
>> WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH HIS
WORK FROM BEFORE AND THOUGHT HE
WAS A GOOD CHOICE FOR THIS.
>> HE WAS ONE OF THE WRITERS FOR
ENVISION MAKING SFLEEN.
HE WAS ONE OF OUR TOP WRITERS.
WE HAD NEVER USED HIM AS A
VOICEOVER BEFORE AND IT TURNS
OUT HE HAS A GREAT VOICE FOR
THIS KIND OF WORK.
>> IT'S GREAT.
>> NOT ONLY DID HE WRITE IT, HE
WAS ALSO THE VOICEOVER, WHICH IS
A PLUS FOR US.
>> SO YOU SEE MORE
COLLABORATIONS?
>> ABSOLUTELY, YES.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
WORKING TOGETHER?
>> I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT
DOING WORK WITH ARTISTS AND
PROMOTING WHAT BILL SAID, THE
PROMOTION OF ARTS FOR SOUTH
JERSEY.
WE'RE MAKING GREAT CONNECTIONS
WITH THE TOWN AND THAT'S A GREAT
HOTSPOT FOR CULTURAL ACTIVITY
AND MAYBE DOING A DOCUMENTARY ON
THE TOWN AS WELL.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE.
>> THANKS, JOHN.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN, VERY MUCH.
>> TO WATCH PASS NJ DOCS SHOWS
GO TO WWW.TV.NJ.ORG.
FOR COMMENTS ABOUT THE FILM USE
THE #NJDOCS.