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[ MUSIC PLAYS ]
>> THE HUB STARTED BECAUSE I GOT
INVOLVED IN CITY PLANNING.
BUT THIS WORKS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
IT'S LOCAL PRODUCTS.
AND IF SOMEBODY COMES TO AN AREA
AND LIKES IT, AND THEY WANT TO
TAKE SOMETHING HOME TO REMIND
THEM OF THAT PLACE, THIS IS
TRULY THE ESSENCE -- THE WORK
HERE OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH.
OUR ARTISTS COME FROM
ORMOND BEACH, ACROSS TO DeLAND,
AND DOWN TO OAK HILL.
>> I TEACH WATERCOLOR.
I ALSO WORK IN ACRYLICS.
AND RIGHT NOW, I'M WORKING ON AN
EXPERIMENTAL PIECE WHICH IS ON
FREEZER PAPER.
AND THIS IS MY STUDENTS'S WORK
UP ON THE WALL.
AND WE PAINT ON EVERYTHING BUT
TRADITIONAL WATERCOLOR PAPER.
WE DON'T USE TRADITIONAL TUBE
WATERCOLORS.
WE USE LIQUID WATERCOLORS.
AND WE PAINT ON ROOFING PAPER.
THIS IS ONE THAT I'M WORKING ON
RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ON ROOFING
PAPER.
AND WE ALSO PAINT ON PLASTER.
[ WHIRRING ]
>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED
IN ART, BUT I COULDN'T DRAW A
STRAIGHT LINE.
I STARTED OUT AS A GEOLOGIST.
I WORKED FOR TEXACO FOR
30 YEARS.
I WAS A GEOLOGIST FOR
LATIN AMERICA AND WEST AFRICA.
AND I SAW SOME BIRDS AT A
GALLERY IN HILTON HEAD, AND I
SAID TO MYSELF, "SELF, YOU CAN
DO THAT."
AND SO I JUST TAUGHT MYSELF HOW
TO DO IT!
BASICALLY, YOU START OUT AS
TRYING TO REPLICATE THE
PERSONALITY OF THE BIRD.
OTHERWISE, YOU END UP WITH JUST
A CHICK ON A STICK.
WHETHER IT BE A LITTLE, BITTY
BIRD, JUST A LITTLE
BEE HUMMINGBIRD, WHICH IS THE
WORLD'S SMALLEST BIRD, UP TO THE
EAGLE HEAD THAT I'VE DONE AND --
SO, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
I HAVEN'T GOT A FAVORITE.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS LEARN AND
KNOW.
THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE.
>> I AM FROM VENEZUELA, AND I
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 15 YEARS
ALREADY.
WHEN I WAS IN VENEZUELA, I USED
TO MAKE THE SHOES.
IT WAS LIKE 28 YEARS AGO.
PEOPLE IN THE LITTLE, LITTLE
TOWNS USED TO MAKE THE SOLES FOR
ME BY HAND.
AND I FALL IN LOVE WITH THE
PROCESS OF THE JUTE, BECAUSE
IT'S 100% NATURAL.
AND THEY WASH THE JUTE IN THE
RIVER AND MAKE THE BRAID, YOU
KNOW.
EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL, SO I
WANTED TO MAKE SHOES OUT OF
THAT, AND I START MAKING THEM.
LIKE 2 1/2 YEARS AGO, I FOUND
THE SOLES ONLINE.
I JUST START MAKING MY SHOES
AGAIN.
I QUIT MY JOB.
I WAS WORKING FOR THE BANK
SYSTEM FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I JUST QUIT MY JOB AND GOT
HOME AND TOLD MY HUSBAND, "I
QUIT MY JOB.
I DON'T WANT TO WORK FOR THE
SYSTEM ANYMORE, BECAUSE I WANT
TO FOLLOW MY PASSION."
I'M FEELING HAPPY DOING THIS.
IT'S NOT EASY TO FOLLOW YOUR
PASSIONS, BUT IT PAYS TO DO WHAT
YOU REALLY LOVE AND YOU REALLY
WANT.
>> I THINK ART IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT SPEAKS OF THE AREA.
IT SPEAKS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE HERE.
IT SPEAKS ABOUT THEIR
CREATIVITY.
IT SPEAKS ABOUT THE TOWN AND
WHAT WE REALLY ARE.
WE'VE GOT OVER 70.
I INCLUDE THERE THE ARTISTS WHO
TEACH, AND THE ARTISTS WHO TEACH
ONCE OR KEEP THEIR CLASSES
GOING.
THEY ARE TRULY ARTISTS -- YOGA,
MEDITATION, MOVEMENT, DANCE.
>> MEETING THE PUBLIC AS THEY
COME THROUGH A PLACE LIKE THIS,
TO ME, IS JUST AS REWARDING AS
ACTUALLY DOING THE BIRD ITSELF.
I LIKE PEOPLE.
>> MANY, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
COULD NOT AFFORD THIS SORT OF
PREMISES ON THEIR OWN.
SO IT'S A CO-OP.
IT'S AN INCUBATOR SYSTEM.
IT'S JUST WONDERFUL.
AND IT GIVES ME A HUGE SENSE OF
PRIDE WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR
SALES.
[ MUSIC PLAYS ]