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>> YOU MIGHT LOOK AT YOUR 1 DRINKING GLASS AND THINK
THAT IT'S ONLY A VESSEL FOR WATER.
YOU MIGHT LOOK AT YOUR WINDOW AND YOU SEE ONLY A BARRIER
THAT KEEPS THE HOT AIR OUT AND COOL AIR IN, BUT OUR NEXT GUEST,
WAYLAND CATO, III, SEES A MEDIUM FOR ART, BEAUTIFUL, VIVID ART.
I'M EXCITED TO SAY HE'S OUR GUEST COMING
UP NEXT RIGHT HERE ON CHARLOTTE ARTS.
[ THEME MUSIC ]
>> DO YOU EVER ASK YOURSELF WHAT MAKES A VISUAL ARTIST?
YET, THERE'S ALMOST A STEREOTYPE OF SOMEONE WHO IS SO FASCINATED
WITH IMAGES THAT THEY ACTUALLY MIGHT DRAW THEMSELVES ALL THE
WAY THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
AND MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST A STEREOTYPE.
BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
TODAY'S GUEST ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF THOSE EXPERIENCES.
HE'S HAD A TREMENDOUS LIFE IN ART.
HE'S A CHARLOTTE NATIVE.
HE'S WAYLAND CATO AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE HIM ON THE SHOW TODAY.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, WAYLAND.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> IN THE INTRO, I TALKED ABOUT BEING A LITTLE KID AT A DESK
WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WRITING YOUR LETTERS
OR DOING YOUR MATH PROBLEMS.
THAT ISN'T EXACTLY HOW YOU OCCUPIED YOURSELF.
EARLY ON, DO YOU REMEMBER A LOT OF TIME
AT THAT BIG CHIEF NOTEBOOK DRAWING PICTURES INSTEAD
OF DOING WHAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO?
>> YES. I WAS USING NAPKINS AND TEST PAPERS THAT I WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE 2 TAKING TESTS ON.
>> EVEN THE TEST PAPERS.
>> SO I DREW MY WAY ALL THE WAY THROUGH SCHOOL
AND BY THE TIME I WAS THREE, I COULD PICK UP A PENCIL
AND DRAW ANYTHING AND I DREW MOST OF THE WOODS
AND ANIMALS OUT HERE ON THE FARM.
>> I MEAN, THAT IS JUST AMAZING, THREE YEARS OLD.
SO YOUR FAMILY KNEW FROM EARLY ON THIS WAS AT LEAST--
THIS IS A TALENT YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN.
>> RIGHT. YEAH, LEFT-HANDED SO I USED THE WRONG SIDE OF MY HEAD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT PROBABLY A LOT OF US HAVE.
EARLIER, YOU AND I WERE CHATTING AND YOU SAID,
YOU KIND OF HAD AN IDEA FROM VERY EARLY
ON THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO DO.
CLEARLY, IF YOU WERE THAT GOOD AT THE AGE OF THREE,
IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EARLIEST THINGS YOU REMEMBER DRAWING
OTHER THAN THE WOODS?
>> IT STARTED OUT WITH THE WILDLIFE.
ONCE I STARTED DOING PENCIL AND THEN MOVED INTO PASTELS,
OILS, PAINTING, TRIED THAT.
WHEN I WAS 12 AND 13 WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS PLAYING
AROUND, I WAS DOING THIS KIND OF WORK AT 12 AND 13,
AND I GET A METAL AIDE THAT STARTED TURNING ALUMINUM BLOCKS
INTO STUFF, AND TURNED OUT ENDED UP TWO YEARS
IN A ROW WINNING THE SOUTHEASTERN CRAFT SHOW,
AND THAT WAS COMPETING AGAINST SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
AND I WAS 12 AND 13 DOING IT AND WON TWO YEARS STRAIGHT IN A ROW.
>> WOW, MAN, THAT'S A KICK.
CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT MADE YOU 3 PROUD.
YOU WERE JUST KIND OF WONDERING?
IS THAT WHAT MOVED YOU AWAY FROM PASTELS AND MORE
OF THE SKETCHING AND DRAWING INTO SOMETHING
THAT HAD LITTLE BIT MORE OF A THIRD DIMENSION?
>> YEAH, ANYTHING I LOOKED AT, I WAS VERY CURIOUS
AS TO WHAT YOU COULD MAKE IT
INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT WAS.
>> YEAH.
>> AND START CHANGING IT.
SO I HAD THAT CREATIVE SIDE AND WAS BLESSED
WITH A GOD-GIVEN TALENT.
>> THIS WORK IS AMAZING AND THE FACT THAT IT CAME
FROM A 12-YEAR-OLD IS ALMOST SHOCKING.
IT'S ALMOST SHOCKING WHEN WE'RE TALKING BEFORE THE SHOW
THAT YOU KIND OF GREW UP OUT IN THE COUNTRY ON A FARM.
DO YOU EVER WHITTLE?
I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY, TOO, AND WHITTLES WAS REALLY POPULAR.
FOR THOSE OF YOU AT HOME THAT DON'T KNOW,
THAT'S TAKING A POCKET KNIFE AND A STICK AND DOING WHAT YOU DO.
>> I DID A LOT OF WHITTLING AND FOUND
OUT IF I USED PARAFIN CLAY, YOU COULD MOLD OUT
AND THEN CARVE FIGURES INTO PARAFIN AND YOU WERE PLAYING
WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL PICTURES AND CLAY AND MUD PIES.
>> RIGHT. AND THROUGH THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BE WHITTLING
AT HOME AND YOU'VE GOT THAT THIS METAL LAY
AND YOU ARE CREATING THESE BEAUTIFUL PIECES.
YOU'RE STILL DRAWING AS WELL, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> YOU REALLY DID THAT THROUGH YOUR ADOLESCENCE, RIGHT?
>> RIGHT. GOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH 4 SCHOOL
AND THANK GOD, THEY GAVE ME A DIPLOMA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BECAUSE I DIDN'T EARN ONE.
AND FOUND OUT THAT I HAD DYSLEXIA.
>> OH.
>> AND SO I WAS REVERSING AND FLIPPING LETTERS AROUND,
AND SO THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A SUPER BLESSING
BECAUSE I HAD STARTED AN OIL PAINTING AND WAS DOWN IN FT.
LAUDERDALE GOING TO SCHOOL DOWN THERE
FOR DYSLEXIA LEARNING WHAT I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED 12 YEARS
AGO, AND I WAS PAINTING AND STUFF AND THIS GUY CAME DOWN
AND ASKED ME TO PAINT HIS YACHT BEHIND HIS HOUSE ON THE CANAL.
I DID. HE TOOK IT BACK TO NEW YORK AND STUFF,
AND THESE TWO GUYS CAME DOWN FROM THE SMITHSONIAN,
FROM WASHINGTON, AND THEY WERE LOOKING
FOR FIVE IN-HOUSE ARTISTS FOR THE SMITHSONIAN.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND THEY PICKED ME AS ONE OF THE FIVE IN THE COUNTRY.
DIDN'T CARE FOR THE CONTRACT THAT THEY WERE OFFERING ME.
WENT HOME THAT CHRISTMAS AND STARTED LOOKING
AT MOTHER'S CUT CRYSTAL ON--
OVER THE FIREPLACE AND THE CABINET.
I SAID, ALL THAT TIME SHE USED TO DRAG ME
AROUND BUYING CUT CRYSTAL AND THOSE LITTLE Vs THEY CUT IN,
I SAID WHY CAN'T YOU CUT A PICTURE IN A PIECE
OF GLASS IF THEY CAN DO THAT.
SO THAT STARTED HERE.
I FOUND THIS LADY HERE IN CHARLOTTE, MRS. PAYNE,
AND SHE WAS A WILL-- DID CUT CRYSTAL AND STUFF IN VIRGINIA,
AND SHE STILL HAD ALL OF HER LAYS.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT SHE USED AND THIS IS
WHERE I TAUGHT MYSELF ON THIS.
5 THERE'S COMPRESSED SANDSTONE WELLS, AND SO I SAT DOWN
AND STARTED TEACHING MYSELF HOW TO DO IT.
FIVE YEARS LATER, I GOT EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE I COULDN'T MAKE MY-- BY THEN, I LEARNED ABOUT STEUBEN
AND COPPER WELDING GRAVING.
HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WAS, BUT FOUND IN STEUBEN AND CORN
IN NEW YORK, THEY WERE DOING IT.
SO I PACKED UP MY CAR WITH ABOUT 30 PIECES
OF WORK, DROVE UP THERE.
PUT IT OUT ON THEIR TABLE AND SAID, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?
[ LAUGHTER ]
BY THE TIME THEIR ENGRAVERS AND THE PRESIDENT
OF THE COMPANY CAME DOWN AND STUFF AND STARTED LOOKING AT IT
AND THEY KEPT LOOKING AT IT AND TOUCHING IT
AND SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CUT GLASS
LIKE THIS, ENGRAVED GLASS?
I SAID, WELL, I GOT THIS SAND STONE WELL AND I BENT
WITH THE LAY AND I GOT THE SPEED JUST RIGHT ON IT
AND I CAN CUT THESE PICTURES, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.
IT'S WHY CAN'T I GET MY STUFF TO LOOK LIKE YOUR STUFF?
THEY SAID, WELL, THE LAST STONE WELD ENGRAVER DIED IN ENGLAND
IN 1813 AND IT'S A LOST CRAFT,
AND YOU JUST REVIVED A LOST CRAFT.
>> YEAH.
>> ALL THESE YEARS AND THEY GAVE ME CREDIT FOR BRINGING IT
TO A LEVEL NEVER BEFORE REACHED IN GLASS HISTORY.
SO THAT COVERED SOME 5,000 YEARS OF GLASS HISTORY.
THAT'S WHEN I, YOU KNOW, GOT FOCUSED AND SAID, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS THE MEDIUM I'M GOING TO WORK IN.
>> ROUGHLY, I GUESS, 30 YEARS AGO, MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER?
6
>> YEAH. I STAYED UP THERE FOR A YEAR AND LEARNED HOW
TO COPPER WELD ENGRAVE.
I WANTED TO KNOW AS MUCH AS HOW TO PUT A PICTURE ON A GLASS
AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY LEARN.
SO I DID DIAMOND STIPPLING WITH THE LITTLE DIAMOND PIN,
AND IT'S JUST TAPPING THE GLASS AND PUTTING LIKE DOTS INTO IT
AND FORMING A PICTURE LIKE A NEWSPAPER PRINT.
THAT'S YOUR OTHER TECHNIQUE AND THEN I GOT STARTED PLAYING
AROUND WITH THE DREMEL TOOLS AND STUFF.
>> SURE.
>> AND THAT WAS-- I WASN'T HAVING TO LIFT THESE BIG,
HUGE PIECES OVER A ROTATING WHEEL TO ENGRAVE IT.
I COULD SIT DOWN, YOU KNOW, USED IT PRETTY MUCH LIKE A PENCIL.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO I STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH IT,
HOW TO GET DIFFERENT SHADES, COLORING, HOW TO MAKE IT ALL,
YOU KNOW, LOOK LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REAL AND STUFF.
ANYWAY, THAT STARTED IT.
I'M STILL LEARNING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I KNOW.
YOU TOLD ME THAT THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE CHATTED
AND I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLE,
BUT I THINK EVERY ARTIST REALLY NEEDS TO BE ABLE
TO DRIVE THEMSELVES TO IMPROVE AND GROW,
AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN
DOING SOMETHING.
I GUESS IF YOU GET UP AND BEGIN TO FEEL
LIKE EVERY DAY IS THE SAME AS THE ONE BEFORE
THAT MAYBE THAT'S-- THEN IT'S TIME TO LOOK
AT DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
EVEN 30 YEARS ON, IF YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO DO IT BETTER A WAY TO DO IT 7 DIFFERENTLY THEN,
YOU KNOW, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
THAT WILL TAKE YOU RIGHT UP TO DOING IT WHEN YOU'RE 100.
>> I KNOW, THE GOOD PART OF ABOUT IT IS MOST OF EVERYBODY
IN OUR FAMILY LIVES TO BE 100
SO I GOT ANOTHER 40 YEARS TO DO THIS THING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
LET ME ASK YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT METHOD.
BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE THE DIFFERENT PICTURES
OF THE PIECES THAT I KNOW OUR VIEWERS
AT HOME ARE GETTING TO SEE.
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW,
YOU CAN'T PLAY WITH COLOR SO MUCH.
SO YOU BECOME-- PART
OF CAPTURING THE IMAGE IS MANIPULATING THE LIGHT
AND CONTRAST.
WOULD THAT BE FAIRLY ACCURATE?
>> YES. AND THERE'S-- WITH STONE WILL ENGRAVING,
THERE'S A COUPLE VASES BEHIND YOU
THAT ARE STONE WILL ENGRAVED.
THE WAY LIGHT MOVES THROUGH GLASS,
IT COME IN THROUGH THE TOP RIM AND MOVES DOWN.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU PUT YOUR CONCAVE CUT INTO IT IS
WHERE IT STOPS THE LIGHT AND GATHERS IT TOGETHER THERE
AND THEN THE BOTTOM PART OF THAT IS THE SHADOW.
SO YOU HAVE-- YOU ARE WORKING OUT ON HOW TO WORK THE IMAGES
AROUND TO MAKE IT WHOLE LIGHT HERE AND CAST A SHADOW HERE.
WHEN YOU PUT KNIT A ROOM IN FRONT OF A WINDOW,
IT GOES FROM THE WAY THE SUN'S HITTING IT FROM ONE SIDE
ACROSS THE TOP TO THE OTHER SIDE.
SO IT KIND OF CHANGES JUST 8 SUBTLY AND MAKES YOU LOOK AT IT.
AND I WAS TRYING TO CAPTURE THAT WITH THE DREMEL TOOL.
SO HAND-HELD ROTARY TOOLS.
SO YOU USE SOME DEEP CUTTING AND THEN YOU USE DIFFERENT WHEELS
AND STUFF TO MAKE IT DARKER SHADOW
SO YOU CAN PUT THE SHADOWS AND LIGHT WHERE YOU WANT.
SO 90% OF DOING SHADOWS AND LIGHT ARE NO CUT AT ALL
AND WORKING THAT INTO SPACE INTO PART OF THE PICTURE.
>> RIGHT. THAT FIVE YEARS THAT YOU WERE ESSENTIALLY ACTING
AS YOUR OWN APPRENTICE TEACHING YOURSELF THIS ART, WAS THAT PART
OF IT, FIGURING OUT THE INTERPLAY OF ART IN THE GLASS
AND SHADOWING AND TEXTURE?
>> YES, UH-HUH.
AND THE DIFFERENT QUALITIES OF GLASS, YOU COULD GO
FROM YOUR PYREX GLASS, WHICH IS TEST TUBE TYPE STUFF
AND IS VERY, VERY HARD GLASS AND TO CUTTING THAT ALL THE WAY
THROUGH ALL YOUR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT VARIOUS STAGES
OF GLASS QUALITY ALL THE WAY UP TO YOUR FULL LEAD CRYSTAL,
WHICH IS LIKE A 24 IS CONSIDERED THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
FOR FULL LEAD.
STEUBEN AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER PRIVATE COMPANIES DO A 32-34%
LEAD CRYSTAL AND THAT'S THE FINEST GLASS YOU CAN GET
IN THE WORLD.
IT'S LIKE CUTTING A BUTTER KNIFE OUT OF A WHIP-- TO BUTTER.
IT'S VERY SOFT TO WORK ON.
THE OTHER STUFF IS VERY HARD.
SO IT'S-- IT'S JUST THE WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE.
>> CLEARLY.
AND I MEAN, ABSORBING ALL OF THAT STUFF, MY FIRST THOUGHT
AS 9 YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED BETWEEN US
ABOUT THE THING ABOUT THIS MEDIUM, YOU KNOW,
IF YOU'RE AN ARTIST AND YOU'RE PAINTING ON, YOU KNOW,
AN OIL CANVASS AND YOU PAINT OVER PIT YOU START AGAIN,
BUT A GLASS DOESN'T ALLOW YOU THAT KIND
OF TOLERANCE OF ERROR, DOES IT?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW TILE.
SHE HAS NO ROOM FOR ANY ERROR IN IT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT VISUAL PICTURE.
I DO. I HAVE A VISUAL PICTURE IN MY MIND
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ENGRAVING FROM.
I GO TO BAD THINKING ABOUT IT AND CUTTING IT OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL I GO TO SLEEP AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
ONCE I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT IT RIGHT IN MY HEAD,
THEN I SIT DOWN AND START PUTTING IT ON A PIECE OF GLASS
THAT FITS THE DESIGN I WANT TO PUT ON IT.
>> YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT YOUR METHOD,
WHICH IS SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S A LOFTY TERM,
BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY HOW DID YOU GET YOURSELF TO A PLACE
WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY PRODUCE THE FINISHED WORK,
AND MANY ARTISTS WILL TAKE AN IMAGE, GENERALLY A PHOTOGRAPH
AND IT MIGHT BE TAPED TO THEIR EASEL OR JUST BESIDE THEIR EASEL
OR THEY GOT THE ACTUAL OBJECT THEY'RE TRYING TO RE-CREATE
AND YOU SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE AN IMAGE
AND YOU MIGHT STUDY THAT IMAGE BUT ULTIMATELY, EVERYTHING KIND
OF HAS TO BE TRANSPORTED UP HERE BEFORE YOU'LL EVEN START.
IS THAT FAIRLY ACCURATE?
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHERE THAT DYSLEXIC THING COMES INTO PLAY
BECAUSE MY MIND 10 AUTOMATICALLY REVERSES THINGS.
IF I'M WORKING ON A PIECE OF GLASS, I'M CUTTING IT IN REVERSE
SO WHEN YOU TURN IT AROUND, IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE SEEN.
>> WOW. SURE.
>> YEAH. I WAS TRYING TO FIGHT ALL THIS DYSLEXIC STUFF
AND FINALLY WITH GLASS, I FOUND OUT SOMETHING
THAT WORKED PERFECT FOR ME.
>> UH-HUH.
>> BECAUSE MY HEAD WAS DOING IT ANYWAY.
>> THERE IS A BOOK AND IT'S KIND OF INCIDENTAL ABOUT DRAWING
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SUGGEST IS YOU ACTUALLY TRY
TO TURN SOMETHING UPSIDE DOWN OR DRAW IT UPSIDE DOWN OR DRAW IT
IN REVERSE TO CHALLENGE THE WAY YOUR MIND PERCEIVES IT
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU BRING THAT TO THE TABLE NATURALLY.
YOUR CAREER HAS REALLY TAKEN YOU ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AS I SAID IN THE INTRO, YOU'RE A CHARLOTTE NATIVE.
YOU KNOW, BORN AND RAISED HERE, I GUESS,
BUT YOU REALLY HAVE WORKED OUT IN NEW YORK.
YOU TALKED ABOUT WORKING IN FT.
LAUDERDALE.
WHERE ELSE HAS THE WORK TAKEN YOU?
>> AMSTERDAM, ALL OVER EUROPE.
I GOT ASKED TO DO A SHOW IN AMSTERDAM AT A GALLERY.
AND I WENT OVER THERE TO SEE VAN GOGH'S WORK AND GOT ASKED
BY A GALLERY OWNER TO EXHIBIT THERE.
PRINCE BERNARD, WHO'S THE HUSBAND TO THE QUEEN OF HOLLAND,
INTRODUCED MY SHOW TO THE PUBLIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT TWO--
WAS GONNA HAPPEN AND SAME THING WITH NEW YORK, CHINA.
I WENT OVER TO CHINA WITH A 11 FRIEND OF MINE RIGHT
AFTER REAGAN WAS OVER THERE AND OPENED UP TRADE TO CHINA
AND WE WERE THE FIRST TWO PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP,
AND THEY LET COME INTO THE COUNTRY.
>> THAT'S A GREAT STORY.
I HOPE YOU'LL TELL IT.
HOW IT IS THAT YOU CAME TO BE IN A POSITION
THAT THEY INVITED YOU OVER?
WHAT WAS YOUR TIME THERE LIKE?
>> I WAS DOING WORK FOR THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR THE PRESIDENT CARTER AND MRS. CARTER.
>> SURE.
>> THE CAMP DAVID PEACE TALKS WERE ALL HAPPENING AT ABOUT
THAT TIME, AND SO I WROTE SADAT AND SAID, YOU KNOW,
WHY DON'T YOU-- WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED
IN HAVING AN ARTIST DO A BACKDROP PIECE
FOR THE CAMP DAVID TALKS, AND HE SAID ABSOLUTELY.
HE COMMISSIONED ME TO DO A PIECE I DID CALLED "IN SEARCH
OF PEACE" TO COMMEMORATE HIS, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO REACH WORLD PEACE IN THAT SECTION OF THE WORLD,
AND ANYWAY, KISSINGER AND ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE I HAD DONE
MORE PRESENTATION WORK TO AND FOR,
AND SO THE CHINESE EMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. WHEN REAGAN CAME
IN WAS RECALLED, HE AND GOT PUT IN CHARGE
OF CHINA'S NATURAL GLASS INDUSTRY, THEIR LION INDUSTRY.
SO WHEN I APPLIED FOR A VISA TO GO OVER THERE,
HE THOUGHT I WAS SOMEBODY FAMOUS
BECAUSE HE SEEN ME IN WASHINGTON.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND SO THEY-- WHEN I GOT OVER THERE, GOT OUT THERE AND STUFF,
THEY MADE ME THE ART CLASS ADVISOR TO CHINA,
AND TOOK ME ALL OVER CHINA SHOWING ME THEIR GLASS FACTORIES
AND EVERYTHING AND WANTED
TO KNOW 12 WHAT COULD HAPPEN-- WHAT WOULD I LIKE?
I SAID, WELL, I'D LOVE
TO SEE STONE WHEEL ENGRAVING NOT BECOME A LOST ART.
THEY SAID, WELL, BUILD US A MACHINE AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW,
TEACH SOMEBODY HOW TO DO IT.
I SAID FINE.
SO WE SPENT A DAY WORKING BUILDING THIS MACHINE,
ENGRAVING MACHINE, AND STUFF AND SO I GO BACK
TO THE MOTEL AND GO TO BED.
GET OUT THE NEXT MORNING, THEY PICK ME UP AND TAKE ME BACK
TO THE FACTORY AND THERE'S 40 OF THESE MACHINES THERE.
>> THAT CRACKS ME UP.
>> NOW THERE'S 40 OF THEIR TOP JADE CARVERS
AND SAID TEACH THEM.
SO THEY HAVE ON THE SADAT THING, THE PEACE TALK, I MET SADAT
AND THEY HAD A DINNER WITH VICE PRESIDENT MONDALE
AND STUFF AT THE SMITHSONIAN.
SADAT AND THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.,
WE WENT OVER TO THE EMBASSY THERE AND JUST THREE OF US,
SHOWED HIM THE PIECE OF ARTWORK AND WE TALKED AND EVERYTHING
AND HAD A GREAT TIME, AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT,
I RAN ACROSS THIS GIRL DOWN IN FLORIDA
WHERE I WAS DOING SOME WORK.
IT HAPPENED TO BE HIS SISTER TO THE EDITOR OF "TIME" MAGAZINE.
SO SHE TELLS HIM ABOUT IT AND SO NOW YOU GOT, YOU KNOW,
"TIME" MAGAZINE'S GOING TO FEATURE ME AS, YOU KNOW,
ON THE FRONT COVER WITH A PIECE ABOUT BEING--
FOR THIS PIECE TO BE ON AT CAMP DAVID PEACE TALKS,
THE FINAL SIGNING AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO I SAID, MAN, THIS IS REALLY COOL.
FRONT COVER OF "TIME" MAGAZINE, PRETTY NEAT,
BUT I DIDN'T GET 13 TOO BIG-HEADED ABOUT IT
BECAUSE THIS LITTLE FAT SPANISH GUY DIES AND THEY PUT HIM
ON THE FRONT COVER AND PICASSO BUMPS ME OFF THE FRONT COVER
OF "TIME" MAGAZINE.
>> YOU GOT BUMPED BY A MAJOR.
>> BY THE BEST.
>> TOUCH ON SOMETHING AND YOU'RE SUCH A HUMBLE GUY,
BUT YOU HAVE HAD WORK COMMISSIONED
FROM SEVERAL PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS,
SEVERAL WORLD LEADERS, AND IN FACT, EVEN IN OUR TALKS
AND I KNOW YOU'RE JUST A COMMISSIONED ARTISTS.
THAT'S HOW YOU PRODUCE YOUR WORK
AND THAT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR AN ARTIST TO BE.
EARLY ON, I MEAN, IF WE GO BACK 30 YEARS,
HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN COMMISSION WORK,
WERE YOU PUTTING TOGETHER PIECES SHOWING AND SELLING?
>> I WAS DOING ART SHOWS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE STARTING OUT
AND GALLERY SHOWS AND STUFF.
AND YOU'D HAVE TO COME UP WITH ABOUT 35 PIECES PER SHOW AND SO,
YOU KNOW, IT TOOK ABOUT--
IT TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS TO PUT-- PRODUCE THAT WORK.
>> TO GET ENOUGH CONTENT.
>> YEAH, FOR A SHOW.
WHAT I DID WITH THOSE AND DECIDED IT'S NOT TO SELL THEM,
BUT I PUT THEM IN PRIVATE HANDS.
LIKE I HAVE A BIG COLLECTION IN AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND,
THAT AFTER I'M DEAD, THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY GLASS
TO BRING IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND SAME WAY IN LOS ANGELES.
THERE'S A BIG COLLECTION OVER THERE
AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER BIG COLLECTION AT MY FATHER--
WITH MY FATHER AND STUFF.
SO I KIND OF KEEP IT.
BUT IT'S ALL-- NOW IT'S-- THERE'S MORE PEOPLE KNOCKING
ON 14 THE DOOR WANTING WORK.
>> I'M SURE YOU HAVE TO SAY NO TO PEOPLE.
>> YOU HAVE TO-- THEY HAVE TO WAIT.
>> MAYBE NOT.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT.
>> GET IN LINE.
I'LL GET TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN.
>> IF I COMMISSIONED A PIECE WITH YOU, JUST ME,
HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE, COUPLE YEARS, THREE YEARS?
>> NO, I'M NOT THAT GOOD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
ABOUT A YEAR, SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR OUT, I CAN WORK IT
AND SHIFT STUFF AROUND.
>> THE ONE THING THAT SOME
OF OUR VIEWERS MIGHT BE WONDERING IS
IN JUST FAIRLY 30 SECONDS OR A MINUTE,
EXPLAIN HOW STONE WHEEL GLASS ENGRAVING IS DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE TODAY ESPECIALLY USING SOME
OF THE COMPUTER TECHNIQUES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED?
HOW DOES STONE WHEEL ENGRAVING WORK?
>> STONE WHEEL ENGRAVING IS WITH A LATHE
AND THE WHEELS ARE TURNING ON THIS LATHE.
>> SURE.
>> YOU DO STONE WHEEL AND PLACE THE GLASS ON TOP OF IT
AND CUT IT WITH THE WHEEL ON THE BOTTOM.
SO YOU'RE MOVING, SHAPING AND GRINDING
OUT THE FORM YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE ON THE LATHE.
THEN COPPER WELD ENGRAVING IS CAME ABOUT IN THE 1500s
AND IT'S TAKING LITTLE COPPER DISCS AND PUTTING THOSE
ON THE LATHE AND YOU BRING THE GLASS UP FROM THE BOTTOM
FROM IT, AND BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SMALLER WHEELS,
YOU CAN GET THE DETAIL OUT OF IT AND STUFF.
AND THEN WITH YOUR CARBIDE-- 15
>> THOSE BITS ARE FROM A DREMEL.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
ANY HARDWARE STORE, GET A DREMEL AND YOU FIND
OUT WHAT STONES WILL CUT GLASS AND WHAT COLORS
AND WHEN I SAY COLORS,
EVERYTHING IS ENGRAVED AND STUFF.
SO ONE HAS A DARKER CUT, ONE HAS A LIGHTER CUT AND HOW
TO WORK IT ALTOGETHER.
AND USUALLY A DIAMOND-STUDDED WHEEL IS LITTLE DETAILS FOR HAIR
AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR DIAMOND STIPPLING WHICH WAS ANOTHER FORM
OF IT, AND SO THAT'S JUST PECKING IN A BUNCH OF DOTS
LIKE A NEWSPAPER PRINT, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR SANDBLASTING
AND ACID ETCHING AND THE NEW STUFF NOW IS WITH LASERS
AND THEY CAN SHOOT A LASER THAT A BLOCK OF GLASS
AND PUT A SMALL FRACTURE IN THAT WITH ENOUGH
OF THOSE LITTLE PIN POINTS TO CREATE PICTURES OUT OF IT.
SO IT'S-- THAT'S RAN THE WHOLE GAMUT
FROM BEGINNING TO END, THAT'S IT.
>> WOW. THERE'S A CRAFTSMANSHIP BEHIND WHAT YOU DO
THAT THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN DUPLICATE WITH A LASER.
>> NO.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IT'S NOT REALLY AN ART
FOR AN IMPATIENT PERSON.
>> NO. AND EVERY PIECE IS ONE OF A KIND.
THERE'S NO WAY I CAN GET PRETTY CLOSE WITH MY GLASSES THAT I DO,
BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT SAME IMAGE IN YOUR HEAD AND GO
THROUGH EACH GLASS AND KEEP--
YEAH, TRY YOUR BEST TO MAKE THEM ALL LOOK THE SAME.
WHEN YOU HOLD THEM SIDE BY SIDE,
16 YOU FIND ALL THIS STUFF WRONG WITH IT.
JUST DON'T LOOK TOO CLOSE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU KNOW IN THE MINUTE THAT WE'VE GOT LEFT, TELL ME THIS.
WHAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE YOU EVER WORKED ON
AND WHAT'S THE PIECE THAT TOOK YOU THE LONGEST?
>> THE BIGGEST PIECE I DID WAS FOR THREE GUYS DOWN IN TAMPA,
FLORIDA, WHO ARE OPENING UP A RESTAURANT AND THEY WERE--
IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL CHAIN AT ONE TIME,
AND THEY COMMISSIONED ME TO COME IN AND DO A 30-FOOT WALL
OF GLASS, AND SO I DID.
THIS GIANT SEA TURTLE WITH THE SHIP IN THE BACK WITH A A SHIP
IN ITS MOUTH AND THEY'RE COMING FROM EUROPE TO THE UNITED STATES
TO DISCOVER THE WORLD.
>> IS THAT THE PIECE THAT TOOK YOU THE LONGEST?
>> THE LONGEST PIECE THAT'S TAKEN ME IS A SET
OF DOUBLE DOORS, NINE-FOOT DOORS I DID FOR A GUY'S TROPHY ROOM
UP IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN.
AND THOSE TOOK ABOUT SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS
TO COMPLETE THOSE DOORS, AND THE LION DOORS.
>> I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO VISIT WITH US.
IT'S AN HONOR KNOWING YOU, BOY.
AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU BEING A CHARLOTTE NATIVE
AND JUST AN INCREDIBLE ART.
YOU HAD A FANTASTIC CAREER AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME.
>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
>> WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN IN
AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WAYLAND CATO AND HIS ART
AND HIS CONTRIBUTION
TO THE ARTISTIC LANDSCAPE HERE IN CHARLOTTE.
17 WE HOPE YOU TUNE IN NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE ON CHARLOTTE ARTS.
TAKE CARE.
[ THEME MUSIC ]