Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
--> PRODUCTION FUNDING IS
--> WELCOME TO "PRAIRIE MOSAIC."
ON THIS SHOW WE'LL VISIT WITH A
POTTER, A PAINTER, A STORY
TELLER AND A RESTORER, BUT FIRST
LET'S JOURNEY TO PERNHAM,
MINNESOTA, WHERE LINA BELAR WILL
TAKE US ON A TOUR OF AN
INTERACTIVE MUSEUM CENTERED
AROUND STORIES.
--> WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM IN
MINNESOTA.
THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE MUSEUM
BASED ON THE ORAL HISTORIES AND
RECORDED STORIES OF AREA
VETERANS.
I'M LINA BELAR.
MOST OF THESE EXHIBITS ARE VERY
INTERACTIVE.
WE HAVE VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN
WATCH THAT WE'LL JUST BE
REPEATING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WE ALSO HAVE TOUCH SCREENS SO
YOU CAN CHOOSE DIFFERENT PEOPLE
TO LISTEN TO.
SO IT'S A WAY TO MAKE AN EVEN
MORE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE
TOUR, AND IT'S ALSO A WAY TO
MAKE IT DIFFERENT EVERY TIME
THAT YOU COME BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO EXPERIENCE EVERYBODY'S
EXHIBIT THE FIRST TIME THROUGH.
SO YOU CAN COME THROUGH MANY
TIMES AND HEAR DIFFERENT STORIES
ALL THE TIME.
WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IS STORIES FROM
AREA VETERANS FROM ALL WALKS OF
LIFE AND ALL ERAS, FROM WORLD
WAR II, FROM WORLD WAR I, FROM
VIETNAM AND EVEN THE COLD WAR
ERA AND EVEN KOREA TELLING YOU
WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR THEM WHEN
THEY WENT TO JOIN THE MILITARY
OR WHEN THEY WENT INTO BATTLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
--> ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE WENT
DOWN THE SAME WALL.
WE TOOK A PHYSICAL.
I PASSED AND HE HAD A SPOT ON
THE LUNG, BUT THE ARMY WOULD
TAKE HIM.
--> BECAUSE WE'RE IN A RURAL
AREA, I THINK OF THAT EXPERIENCE
AS MONEY MORE APPARENT AND MUCH
MORE INTIMATE THAN IF YOU'RE OFF
IN AN URBAN AREA WHERE MAYBE
THINGS CAN HAPPEN NEXT DOOR YOU
DON'T EVEN KNOW ACTED INCH A
RURAL AREA, EVERYBODY SORT OF
KNOWS EVERYBODY, AND I THINK
THAT MADE IT A DIFFERENT
SPECIOUS IN TERMS OF DESIGN.
MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND THE TOWN SUPPORTED
IT AND ALSO THE STATE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME STATE
FUNDING AND EVENTUALLY GET SOME
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR IT BECAUSE
THESE ARE STORIES THAT TRANSCEND
JUST WHAT HAPPENS IN PERNHAM,
MINNESOTA.
THE INTERVIEWS COME FROM A 60 TO
100-MILE RADIUS.
EVEN IF IT WASN'T YOUR FATHER
THAT SERVED IN THE BATTLE OF THE
BULGE WHOSE STORY YOU HEAR,
PERHAPS YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO
DID, AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME
THROUGH AND SAY, NOW I KNOW WHAT
MY FATHER WOULD HAVE TOLD ME HAD
HE LIVED TO TELL ME.
AND SO IT BECOMES AN EXPERIENCE
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE NATION
PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO THESE
STORIES BECAUSE YOU KNEW SOMEONE
WHO DID HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
SO WE STARTED CHECKING ORAL
HISTORY, AND WE WORKED ON THAT
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND GOT
SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO
BROADEN OUR BASE.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECORD MORE THAN
JUST LOCAL VETERANS.
WE SPREAD OUT A LITTLE FURTHER
THROUGH THE STATE AND ALSO TO DO
A PROJECT RECORDING WOMEN AND
THEIR EXPERIENCES, NOT ONLY IN
THE MILITARY, BUT ALSO ON THE
HOMEFRONT.
2004 WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT
WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE THIS KIND OF
MUSEUM AND THE V.F.W. SUGGESTED
THAT WE USE THE EXISTING V.F.W.
BUILDING AS THE MUSEUM.
SO THEN WE BEGAN ACTUALLY DOING
THE PHYSICAL PLANS TO PUT THAT
TOGETHER AND CREATE WHAT YOU SEE
TODAY.
SO WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO
DESIGNING THE VETERANS' MUSEUM,
WE HAD A LOCAL ARCHITECT THAT
HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH
LOOKING AT IDEAS FOR THE
EXTERIOR AND ALSO SOME OF THE
THINGS ON THE INTERIOR.
WE OPENED THE MUSEUM IN AUGUST
OF 2006, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE
ADDITIONS AND ADDITIONAL
EXHIBITS TO THE MUSEUM AND, OF
COURSE, OUR BIG GALLERY, WE HAVE
A DOCUMENTARY THAT PLAYS ALL DAY
EVERY HOUR ON THE HALF HOUR, BUT
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S ALSO A
SPACE WHERE WE HAVE TRAVELING
EXHIBITS.
PERHAPS YOU HAD A RELATIVE WHO
SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, BUT THEY
NEVER TOLD YOU THEIR STORIES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME HERE,
YOU'LL GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IT
WAS THAT THEY CARRIED AROUND IN
THEIR HEADS AND THEIR HEARTS
THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
PERHAPS THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO
TELL YOU.
EACH ONE OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN,
THEY'VE SERVED AND THEY'VE
SERVED WITHOUT QUESTION, NOT
BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO OR THEY
WANTED ANYBODY ELSE TO DO IT,
BUT BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE DONE.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT
THIS MUSEUM IN TERMS OF
PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE
PUBLIC, I THINK IT ALSO PROVIDES
A SERVICE FOR VETERANS BECAUSE
THE CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORIES
IS A HEALING EXPERIENCE, AS
WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S A WAY TO HELP
HEAL NOT ONLY VETERANS BUT THE
COMMUNITIES, TOO, TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH TO
PRESERVE THEIR FREEDOM.
--> MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
MOORHEAD PROFESSOR BRAD
BACHMEIER IS A CERAMIC ARTIST
WHO MAKES BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE
PIECES OF ART USING A POTTER'S
WHEEL AND THE RAKU METHOD OF
FIRING POTS.
--> THE CLAY I'M USING HERE IS
ACTUALLY A COMMERCIALLY PREPARED
CLAY THAT COMES FROM MINNESOTA.
I BUY IT FROM MINNEAPOLIS, AND
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO FIRST IS
I'M GOING TO WEDGE IT.
AND SO I OPENED A BUSINESS,
BOUGHT A POTTER'S WHEEL AND
BUILT A COUPLE KILNS AND STARTED
DOING JUST SOME LOCAL CRAFT
FAIRS AND THINGS.
AND FROM THERE, YOU KNOW,
LITERALLY I NEVER WOULD HAVE SAW
IT COMING, BUT FOR THE LAST 17
YEARS I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE ENOUGH WORK AND KEEP UP
WITH DEMAND FROM GALLERIES AND
PLACES, OUTLETS THAT I'VE BEEN
SELLING.
AND THAT WILL PREPARE IT.
THAT'S READY TO BE THROWN INTO A
VESSEL ON THE WHEEL.
THE PROCESS THAT I USE IN FIRING
IS WHAT PROBABLY SETS MY WORK
APART FROM MANY OTHER POTTERS
AND MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE
RARE, AND THAT IS ONE STYLE THAT
I'M WELL-KNOWN FOR USING IS THE
ANCIENT FORM OF RAKU, WHICH IS
WHERE YOU'RE FIRING POTS TO A
RED-HOT TEMPERATURE, AROUND
2,000 DEGREES.
YOU'RE OPENING UP THE KILN.
THE POTS ARE GLOWING RED HOT.
YOU'RE PULLING THEM OUT AND
IMMEDIATELY PUTTING THEM IN A
REDUCTION CHAMBER.
THE OTHER METHOD I USE LARGELY
IS PIT FIRING, WHICH IS A VERY
PRIMITIVE METHOD USED SINCE THE
VERY BEGINNING OF TIME BY PEOPLE
ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND THIS IS
SIMPLY DIGGING A HOLE IN THE
GROUND AND PUTTING YOUR POTS IN
THERE AND THROWING WHATEVER
MATERIALS YOU'VE GOT, WHETHER
IT'S COW DUNG OR WHATEVER
MATERIALS YOU'VE GOT AVAILABLE
AT HAND TO BURN, AND THOSE POTS
MAYBE GET UP NOT TO 2,000, NOT
QUITE 2,000 DEGREES, BUT HARD
ENOUGH, HOT ENOUGH TO FIRE THOSE
THINGS AND MAKE THEM PERMANENT.
I'M GOING TO BEGIN BY OPEN ACT
WHOLE IN THE CENTER, AND SO I'M
TAKING MY THUMBS, PRESSING A
WHOLE IN IT.
SO WHEN I ASK THIS CLAY TO
STRETCH, IT'S GOING TO STRETCH A
LONG WAYS AND HOLD ITSELF OUT
ALL THE WAY OUT HERE.
IT TAKES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF I
SUPPOSE CONTROL AND IT IS A
LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT METHOD
OF THROWING PLATES AND PLATTERS,
BUT IT RESULTS IN A NICE,
ELEGANT FOOT, A NICE, LIGHT
PROFILE.
HOLDING A NEEDLE TOOL STILL, I'M
GOING TO CUT OFF A LITTLE BIT OF
THAT RIM JUST TO ENSURE THAT
IT'S NICE AND SYMMETRICAL ALL
THE WAY AROUND.
YOU KNOW, I CAN TAKE THIS,
SUPPORTING IT FROM UNDERNEATH A
LITTLE BIT, AND PRESS DOWN.
AND IN ONE PASS AROUND THE
OUTSIDE, CREATE A NICE, EVEN
LAYER OF MARKS.
THIS KILN IS PULLED OUT AT
AROUND 100 DEGREES.
YOU LAY STRANDS OF HORSE HAIR ON
IT.
THEY CARBONIZE INTO THE SURFACE
AND LEAVE NICE FINE, BLACK
MARKS.
I ALSO LAY SOME BALING TWINE
AROUND THERE AND THAT CREATES A
SMOKED PATTERN.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE AMAZED WHEN
YOU SAY YOU SELL POTTERY AND
THEY THINK PEOPLE AROUND HERE
WOULDN'T APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE.
AGAIN, OVER 17 YEARS I'VE JUST
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH.
IT'S NOT BEEN THE PROBLEM OF
SELLING IT AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE
IT'S MORE TREMENDOUS WORK THAN
ANYONE ELSE'S.
I THINK PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE
SOPHISTICATION OF PEOPLE AROUND
HERE IN RECOGNIZING AND CHECKING
PIECES.
--> HOLY RESURRECTION ORTHODOX
CHURCH IN SIFTON, MANITOBA, HAD
BEEN UNUSED AND NEARLY FORGOTTEN
IN MANY YEARS, BUT AN ACT OF
VANDALISM GALVANIZED THIS RURAL
COMMUNITY TO BRING THE CHURCH
BACK FROM THE BRINK OF
--> WE WERE SITTING AT THE
RESTAURANT, A BUNCH OF WOMEN AND
MYSELF, AND SOMEBODY CAME IN AND
SAID, "VANDALS HAVE BROKEN INTO
THE CHURCH."
WE WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR, AND
AS YOU WALK IN, THERE'S A LARGE
RED CARPET.
IN THE CENTER OF THE CARPET, THE
CROSS LAY ON THE FLOOR SMASHED
IN TWO.
THERE WERE CIGARETTE BUTTS AND
THERE WERE POP CANS AND BEER
CANS.
THE ICONS ON THE WALL AS YOU GO
INTO THE CHURCH WERE STABBED IN
--> THE PEOPLE FELT SUCH A
FEELING OF SADNESS.
IT WAS JUST OVERWHELMING TO
THINK, HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT
IS LOST, ANOTHER PART OF THE
COMMUNITY.
SORT OF THE FINAL NAIL IN THE
COFFIN.
I HAD MY GRANDDAUGHTER WITH ME,
AND SHE SAID, "GRAND MARK WHY
DON'T YOU FIX IT UP?
WHY DON'T YOU PATCH THE ROOF,
PAINT THE WALLS AND PATCH UP THE
CRACKS?"
AND I THOUGHT, WHAT DO WE HAVE
TO LOSE?
WE STILL ALL FIGURED THAT THERE
WAS NO WAY, BUT WE THOUGHT,
WELL, WE'LL TRY, AND SO WE TRIED
ONE STEP AND THE NEXT STEP AND
THE NEXT STEP, AND THE FIRST
THING TO DO WAS THE BASEMENT,
WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST PROJECT.
WE GOT QUOTES THAT THAT WAS
GOING TO BE $80,000.
WELL, HOW COULD WE GET $80,000?
BUT WE WROTE TO THE GOVERNMENT
IN WINNIPEG WITH THE WINNIPEG
FOUNDATION, AND THE KAPLAN FUND,
AND THE WELCH'S GRAPEFRUIT
PEOPLE OUT OF NEW YORK CITY.
I WOULD SAY, THE WELCH'S
GRAPEFRUIT PEOPLE OUT OF NEW
YORK CITY WANT TO PUT SOME MONEY
IN OUR CHURCH.
AND PEOPLE WOULD JUST SHAKE
THEIR HEAD, WHY ARE YOU PUTTING
MONEY INTO THAT OLD CHURCH WHEN
THERE'S SO MUCH ELSE TO DO?
WHY DON'T YOU FIX THE ROADS?
SO THE FIRST YEAR THEY THOUGHT
WE WERE CRAZY.
THE SECOND YEAR THEY WERE PRETTY
SURE WE WERE CRAZY.
WE'RE GOING INTO OUR FIFTH YEAR,
AND PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO THINK
THIS IS SOMETHING PRETTY
FANTASTIC THAT THE COMMUNITY
DID.
THIS CHURCH NOW IS COMING ALIVE
ONCE AGAIN.
THAT FIRST SERVICE THAT WE HAD,
IT WAS AN AMAZING THING TO
HAPPEN.
THE OLD PEOPLE WHO WERE SURE
THAT THEY HAD LOST THEIR CHURCH,
THAT THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE A
SERVICE IN THAT CHURCH AGAIN,
THEY CAME.
AND IN THE CENTER THEY PUT A
PICTURE OF THE MADONNA.
AND PEOPLE COME UP THE CARPET ON
THEIR KNEES TO KISS THAT
PICTURE.
AND THERE WERE THE OLD PEOPLE,
THE LOCAL MEN, THE BIG, MACHO
MEN THAT YOU SEE IN THE COFFEE
SHOP EVERY MORNING, ON THEIR
KNEES WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES
COMING TO KISS THAT PICTURE
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY
WOULD NEVER SEE THAT HAPPEN.
--> MARYLOUISE DEFENDER WILSON
GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF DAKOTA
HIDATSU STORYTELLERS AND
MIDWIVES ON THE STANDING ROCK
RESERVATION IN SHIELDS, NORTH
DAKOTA.
SHE BEGAN TELLING HER TRIBE
ANCIENT NARRATIVES AS A YOUNG
GIRL.
MARY LOUISE SHARES EXCERPTS FROM
THE TRADITIONAL STORY OF "THE
WOMAN WHO TURNED HERSELF TO
--> I MOVED FROM A RURAL AREA IN
A VILLAGE CALLED PORCUPINE,
WHICH IS 30 MILES WEST OF FORT
ACE, NORTH DAKOTA.
I'VE LIVED A LONG TIME.
I WAS BORN IN 1930, AND I THINK
DURING THAT TIME I SHOULD HAVE
LEARNED SOMETHING, AND I SHOULD
BE ABLE TO USE THAT.
I GUESS SOME OF MY WRECKS GO
BACK TO SITTING ON TOP OF THIS
HILL, WHICH IS THE SOLS OF WHERE
OUR HOUSE WAS.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN 1845,
AND HE LIVED UNTIL I WAS SEVEN,
AND I CAN REMEMBER SITTING UP
THERE ON THAT HILL BECAUSE WE
HERDED OUR SHEEP EVERY DAY.
IT WASN'T LIKE NOW, YOU TURN
THEM LOOSE AND YOU DIDN'T PAY
ATTENTION TO THEM.
WE HERDED THEM EVERY DAY AND
BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE CORRAL
EVERY NIGHT AND, OF COURSE, WE
HAD DOGS THAT HELPED US.
SOME OF THE THINGS I REMEMBERED
HIM TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING,
SOMETHING IN THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT MAYBE TO ME COULD HAVE BEEN
INSIGNIFICANT AT THE TIME, BUT
HE WOULD TELL ABOUT IT, A HE
WOULD SOMETIMES DO THINGS AND
BUILD LITTLE STRUCTURES WITH
STICKS AND THE EARTH.
BECAUSE OF MY GRANDFATHER'S AGE,
OLDER PEOPLE ALWAYS CAME TO
VISIT.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY INTO
REALLY TELLING STORIES, BUT I
ALWAYS THOUGHT ALL MY LIFE,
THESE PEOPLE ARE SO WIDE, AND
THEY HAVE SUCH PROFOUND
THINKING, AND THEY WOULD TELL,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO KINDS OF
STORIES.
WELL, ONE ARE THE MYTHICAL
EVENTS.
AND THE OTHERS ARE ACCOUNTS OF
THE PEOPLE, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE
OUR HISTORY.
USUALLY THE MEN WOULD TELL KIND
OF LIKE THE HISTORICAL THINGS,
AND THE WOMEN TOLD THE MORE
MYSTERIOUS KIND OF THINGS THAT
THEY USED TO TEACH US WITH.
THE TIME YOU HEAR THE STORIES,
YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT THE
VALUABLE LESSONS OR MAYBE YOU
DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND IT OR
THINK ABOUT IT.
BUT AFTER YOU GET OLDER, THEN
YOU REALIZE THAT THERE'S A
WEALTH OF WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND,
YOU KNOW, LIKE PHILOSOPHY THAT
YOU'LL HAVE FOR YOUR LIFE.
--> THE WOMAN WHO TURNED HERSELF
TO STONE, SHE WENT THROUGH ALL
OF HER YEARS, SHE GOT TO BE A
TEENAGER?
AND HER FAMILY BEGAN TO THINK
THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE HER OWN
FAMILY AND LIVE IN HER OWN LODGE
AND THEY BEGAN TO TALK TO HER
ABOUT THAT, BUT SHE SAID, YEAH,
I'M GOING TO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT
WAY, SHE SAID.
BUT THEY INSISTED AND THEY
ARRANGED A MARRIAGE FOR HER
BECAUSE SHE WAS A VERY DESIRABLE
PERSON, A HARD WORKER, KIND, ALL
THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE.
SO SHE MARRIED THIS MAN AND WENT
TO LIVE IN HER OWN LODGE.
THEN SHE CAME BACK AND GRANDMA
SAID, GOODNESS, SHE SAID, ISN'T
HE GOOD TO YOU?
GRANDMOTHER, SHE SAID, HE'S A
FINE MAN.
HE TREATS ME VERY WELL.
BUT I TOLD YOU, I'M MEANT TO
LIVE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AND
SHE LEFT THE LODGE.
IT GOT TWAB TOWARDS EVENING.
SHE DOESN'T RETURN.
AND GRANDMA GOT CONCERNED.
SHE SAID, SHE'S NOT BACKFUL IT'S
KIND OF BAD.
AND SHE'S NOT LIKE THAT.
SHE SHOULD COME BACK.
SHE NEVER CAME BACK.
THE NEXT MORNING THEN GRANDMA
SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GO
SEARCH FOR HER.
SO SHE GATHERED ALL THE
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS AND THEY
WENT OFF IN THE FOUR DIRECTIONS
TO SEARCH FOR HER.
IT WAS GETTING TOWARDS EVENING,
AND THERE'S THIS LITTLE HILL.
AND GRANDMA SAID, THAT'S MY
GRANDCHILD.
SHE WAS SO HAPPY.
I CAN TELL BECAUSE SHE'S SITTING
PROPERLY.
SO SHE RAN UP THE HILL, AND SHE
EMBRACED HER GRAND DAUGHTER.
SHE COULD FEEL THAT SHE FELT
LIKE STONE.
GRANDCHILD, WHAT'S WRONG WITH
YOU?
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO YOU?
WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE
VILLAGE AND MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN
HELP YOU.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE STONE.
GRANDMOTHER, SHE SAID, I TOLD
YOU, I AM SUPPOSED TO LIVE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY.
AND I'M TURNING MYSELF TO STONE
SO I CAN STAY OUT HERE FOREVER
AND ALL OF THESE CREATURES THAT
I THINK A LOT OF WILL ALL COME
BY ME, THE COYOTE WILL COME BY,
AND MAYBE THEY WILL RUB UP
AGAINST ME.
AND THE BIRDS WILL COME AND SIT
AROUND ME.
SHE NAMED ALL THE CREATURES
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY REALLY
ARE POWERFUL AND THEY'RE SO
GOOD.
SO I'M GOING TO BECOME STONE.
BUT BEFORE I BECOME STONE, I'M
GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
IF YOU EVER HAVE TROUBLES,
PROBLEMS, BRING ME SOMETHING
THAT HAS A ROOT AND PUT IT
BESIDE ME, TELL ME WHAT IT IS
THAT YOU'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY
WITH, AND IF I CAN, I WILL HELP
YOU.
SHE SAID THAT AND SHE TURNED TO
STONE.
[SPEAKING NATIVE AMERICAN] IN
THE BEGINNING, WHEN FAWNS WERE
BORN, THEY WERE ALL ONE COLOR,
AND THEY ALSO SMELLED LIKE DEER.
AND ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY WHILE
THIS DOE WAS LOOKING AT HER,
FAWN, AND SHE WAS FEELING SO SAD
, SHE SAID, YOU POOR THING.
YOU MAY NEVER GROW UP.
HERE ALL OF A SUDDEN A WIND
BLEW, AND THE DEER THOUGHT, THIS
IS A VERY DIFFERENT WIND.
I WONDER WHAT IT MEANS, STANDING
THERE LOOKING AT HER FAWN.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WIND
SPOKE TO HER AND SAID, I KNOW
THAT YOU'RE FEELING BAD ABOUT
YOUR CHILD, SO I'M GOING TO HELP
YOU.
DIG SOME PRAIRIE TURNUPS.
THESE GROW ALL OVER.
AND PEEL THEM.
AND TAKE THAT AND SPRINKLE IT ON
YOUR CHILD'S BACK.
SO THE DOE DID THAT.
AND THE WIND CAME AND BLEW AND
THE WHITE SPOTS THEN WERE
IMPRINTED ON THE FAWN'S BACK,
AND THEN THE WIND ALSO TOLD HER,
AND I WILL TAKE AWAY THAT SMELL
OF THE DEER UNTIL IT GROWS UP
AND IT'S ABLE TO RUN.
SO THAT IS THEN HOW THE DEER ARE
--> THE SECRET TO THE VIBRANT
LANDSCAPES PAINTED BY JEAN
RANSTROM OF ALVARDO, MINNESOTA,
--> IF YOU WOULD HAVE THE
OPPORTUNE DAY THAT YOU WOULD ASK
FOR AND SAY, OKAY, GOD, I'M
GOING OUT TO PAINT TOMORROW, AND
HERE'S WHAT I WANT, I WOULD LINE
ABOUT 65 DEGREES.
I WANT NO WIND.
I WOULD LIKE HIGH OVERCAST AND
NO BUGS.
YOU WOULD THINK YOU'D DIED AND
GONE TO HEAVEN, BUT YOU MIGHT
GET ONE OR TWO OUT OF THAT LIST.
OKAY.
WELL, THIS WOULD BE PERFECT.
I AM AN OIL PAINTER AND A
PASTELLER.
I BASICALLY STARTED AT TEN YEARS
OF AGE.
A NEIGHBOR LADY ASKED MY TWIN
AND I TO COME OVER AND SIT.
SHE WANTED TO PAINT OUR
PORTRAITS.
I WAS COMPLETELY INTRIGUED WITH
WATCHING HER PUT PAINT ON A
CANVAS.
I HAVE PAINTED ALMOST
CONTINUOUSLY, SO I BASICALLY
STARTED AT TEN YEARS OF AGE.
I PRIMARILY PAINT STILL LIFE,
LANDSCAPES, DO A LOT OF PET
PORTRAITS.
I DO NOT PAINT PEOPLE.
IN THE LAST YEAR, "PLAIN AIR"
BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, SO I BUT
OUTDOORS A LOT.
WITH ALL THIS I'M SEEING A LOT
OF PURPLE.
PLAIN AIR IS PROBABLY FASTEST
GROWING GENRE RIGHT NOW IN THE
UNITED STATES.
IT OFFERS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
CHALLENGES.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE ROUGHLY A
HALF HOUR TO CATCH A LIGHT
PATTERN IN WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE
PAINTING.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE ABLE TO EDIT
EVERYTHING OUT AND ONLY GET IN
YOUR LIGHTINGS, YOUR MIDDLE
TONES AND YOUR SHADOWS, YOU CAN
THEN WORK FOR APPROXIMATELY
ANOTHER HOUR ON THAT PIECE AND
STILL HAVE A SENSE OF THE TIME
THAT YOU DID THIS.
AND IT TRULY IS A SKILL BUILDER.
OTHER THAN THE FACT YOU NEED TO
WATCH FOR ANT HILLS AND SNAKES
AND CRITTERS AND BUGS AND RAIN
AND THUNDER AND SNOW AND THOSE
THINGS, IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
KEEP EVERYTHING FROM GETTING
WET.
WE'LL JUST KIND OF WAIT IT OUT.
MY HUSBAND WOULD BE THE VERY
FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU, IF I GET
CRABBY, HE JUST TELLS ME TO GO
TO THE STUDIO.
I CAN RELAX.
I HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE GARDEN
AND BEEN EXHAUSTED AND I COME
HERE INTO THE STUDIO AND PICK US
A PASTEL OR MY PAINTBRUSH AND MY
PAINTS AND FOR TWO HOURS I'M
TOTALLY LOST.
IT'S LIKE ANOTHER WORLD.
I'M RELAXED.
EVEN WHEN I'M STRUGGLING WITH
THE PAINTING, AS A PAINTER, WHAT
I FEEL IS WHY YOU ARE TRYING TO
DECIDE WHAT COLOR OF GREEN YOU
NEED TO PUT ON THAT TREE AND
WHERE BECAUSE YOU'RE TOTALLY
ABSORBED IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU CANNOT BE WORRYING ABOUT
WHETHER THE CAR IS GOING TO NEED
TO BE REPAIRED OR WHETHER YOU'VE
GOT MONEY FOR RENT OR SOME OF
THE OTHER DAILY PROBLEMS THAT
YOU HAVE.
AND SO FOR ME IT IS JUST LIKE
FANTASTIC RELAXATION.
I PAINT PRETTY MUCH WHAT FEELS
INTERESTING AND FUN TO ME, AND I
THINK IF I'M ENJOYING IT, I'M
HOPING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WILL
ENJOY IT.
AND SO FAR IT'S WORKED OUT
PRETTY WELL.
I PROBABLY COULD SELL A WHOLE
LOT MORE PAINTINGS IF I DID NOT
FOLLOW MY HEART AND WHAT I
REALLY ENJOY AND WANT TO PAINT.
SO I REALLY DON'T PAINT FOR
FASHION AT ALL.
I THINK MY BIGGEST NIGHTMARE IS
PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME INTO OUR
STUDIO AND THEY WOULD HAVE ALL
THEIR SWATCHES AND THEY SAY, WE
NEED A PAINTING TO MATCH THE
SOFA.
SO I HAVE A T-SHIRT THAT SAYS,
"GOOD ART DOES NOT HAVE TO MATCH”
--> PRODUCTION FUNDING IS
PROVIDED BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS
AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND AND
THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA, THE
NORTH DAKOTA COUNCIL ON THE
ARTS, THE BUSH FOUNDATION AND