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>> WE'RE USED TO SEEING ART
THAT IS BOLD AND COMPLICATED,
BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE SIMPLEST
FORMS THAT MAKE THE BIGGEST
IMPACT.
ON THIS EPISODE OF "THE ARTS
PAGE" --
MEET A WISCONSIN ARTIST WHOSE
ART AND ARCHITECTURE REFLECTS
HIS DESIRE FOR SIMPLICITY.
SEE HOW A NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST
REINTERPRETS ANCESTRAL STORIES
AND IMAGERY.
EXPLORE A BRITISH MILLINER'S
UNIQUE AND VARIED WEARABLE
CREATIONS.
AND EXPERIENCE HOW ONE WOMAN HAS
MODERNIZED THE ART OF CROCHET.
THAT'S ALL COMING UP ON THIS
EDITION OF "THE ARTS PAGE."
>> WELCOME TO "THE ARTS PAGE."
I'M SANDY MAXX.
ART DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
COMPLICATED TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT
ON THE VIEWER.
FOR SALEM WISCONSIN ARTIST HARRY
WIRTH, HIS PHILOSOPHY OF
INCORPORATING AND SHOWCASING
SIMPLICITY GREATLY INFLUENCES
BOTH HIS ARTISTIC AND
ARCHITECTURAL WORK.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE IN MY
WORK, THERE'S A LOT OF WHITE
PAPER.
I MEAN, EVERY ONE OF MY
PAINTINGS HAS SOMETHING TO DO
WITH LANDSCAPING, HAS SOMETHING
TO DO WITH THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN SKY AND EARTH.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT MY ARTWORK, IF
YOU LOOK AT MY ARCHITECTURE, IF
YOU LOOK AT THE WAY I LIVE,
THERE'S AN AESTHETIC REVOLVING
AROUND MY WHOLE LIFESTYLE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SIMPLICITY.
I WOULD CALL MYSELF A BORN AGAIN
ARTIST.
MY NAME IS HARRY WIRTH, I'M A
RETIRED PROFESSOR OF ART AND
DESIGN.
I'M CURRENTLY AN ARTIST AND
ARCHITECT.
I TAUGHT IN AN ART AND DESIGN
SCHOOL.
I TAUGHT AT TWO UNIVERSITIES,
ACTUALLY FOUR, FIVE DIFFERENT
COLLEGES AND TEACHING THE
PRINCIPLES OF ART MAKE ONE -- IT
CHANGES A PERSON.
SO THERE WAS THIS ARTIST INSIDE
ME ALL OF THIS TIME, BUT THAT
EGG WAS NEVER CRACKED UNTIL JUST
RECENTLY.
TEACHING CONCEPTS TO STUDENTS,
TEACHING CREATIVITY, THAT ALL
GREW INSIDE MY MIND AND MY SOUL
AND IT'S NOW BEING BORN LATER IN
LIFE.
SO I'M ACTUALLY YOUNGER NOW AS
AN ARTIST THAN I WAS BEFORE,
BEING ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT
I'M CREATING.
WHAT IN EXPIRES MY WATER COLORS
ARE THINGS RIGHT HERE, IN
LANDSCAPE.
HE MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP, THE
FIRST THING I DO IS WALK TO THE
SOUTH WINDOW, OF MY BEDROOM AND
I LOOK OUT AT THE LANDSCAPE AND
IT'S JUST DIFFERENT EVERY SINGLE
DAY, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, NEVER
THE SAME.
THE LANDSCAPE IS CONSTANTLY
CHANGING BECAUSE OF THE TREES,
THE LEAVES, THE GROWTH AND IT'S
JUST FANTASTIC, SO I GET THESE
GLIMPSE, SNAP SHOTS THAT I KEEP
IN MY MEMORY AND WHEN I GO TO MY
PAINTINGS, A LOT OF THOSE COME
OUT.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE BORN AGAIN.
AS I'M PUTTING THE PAINT ON THE
PAPER, THESE LITTLE GLIMPSE,
SNAP SHOTS THAT I HAVE, BECOMING
REALITY.
THE ONES I'M DOING NOW ARE WHAT
I CALL THE TITLE OF IT IS
IMAGINARY SPACES.
SO NOT NECESSARILY LANDSCAPE,
BUT IT'S SPACE.
AN OUTDOOR SPACE.
LOOKING OUT THIS WINDOW, YOU SEE
FRAMES, YOU SEE WHAT I CALL A
DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE, EACH ONE OF
THESE ARE LITTLE FRAMES OF ART,
WOULD, EACH ONE IS A CHANGING
ARTWORK AS WE LOOK FROM THIS ONE
TO THIS ONE TO THIS ONE, SO THAT
INSPIRED ME TO A DIFFERENT WAY
OF PAINTING, WHAT I CALL WINDOWS
PAINTING.
THE WAY I STARTED, I JUST START
AND I'LL JUST PICK UP A COLOR,
AND I'LL BASICALLY THROW THAT
COLOR DOWN WITH SOME WATER AND
I'LL START WORKING WITH WHAT'S
HAPPENING THERE AND I MAY HAVE
AN IDEA OF A CERTAIN CONTRAST
THAT I'LL WANT OR MAYBE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SPACE.
BUT IT WILL EVOLVE AS I'M GOING
WITH IT IT.
WATER COLOR, IT'S WHAT WE CALL A
SPONTANEOUS MEDIUM.
IT CAPTURES A LOT OF ENERGY
VERY, VERY QUICKLY AN YOU HAVE
TO WORK FAST BECAUSE IT'S SO
TRANSPARENT.
THERE'S A DIRECT CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE ART THAT I'M DOING
NOW AND THE HOUSE THAT I LIVE
IN, WHICH IS KIND OF THE
CULMINATION OF MY ARCHITECTURAL
IDEAS.
THE HOUSE IS AN EXTENSION OF THE
LANDSCAPE.
SO WE HAVE A PRAIRIE LANDSCAPE
OUT HERE, WHICH WE ENCOURAGE TO
GROW, AND IN FACT, MY WIFE KATHY
PLANTED PRAIRIE GRASS, AND THEN
WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A
SAVANNAH, A WOOD SAVANNAH, AND I
WANTED THE HOUSE TO GROW IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE SAVANNAH.
100 MATURE OAK TREES.
THE HOUSE IS BASICALLY A TREE
TRUNK THAT'S GROWING OUT OF THE
GROUND AND IT'S PART OF THE TREE
THAT SURROUNDS IT.
WHEN PEOPLE TOUR THE HOUSE, THEY
WERE SURPRISED BY THE SHAPE AND
THE FORM.
THE COLORS AND WHEN THEY COME
IN, THEY'RE VERY, VERY MUCH
SURPRISED BY THE SPACIOUSNESS OF
IT.
BECAUSE I TELL THEM, IT'S 900
SQUARE FEET AND SO THEY'RE
EXPECTING SOME SMALL LITTLE
CABIN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WINDOW
PLACEMENTS AND THE WAY IT IS
SPACED, IT JUST OPENS ITSELF TO
THE LANDSCAPE.
THAT'S MY BIGGEST INSPIRATION IS
WALKING AROUND MY PROPERTY, AND
WATCHING THE CHANGING COLORS ALL
THE TIME, THE SKY, THE SPACE.
THIS, NO, WE HAD A FOGGY
MORNING.
THOSE SORT OF THINGS EXCITE ME
AND I TRY TO GET THAT ON PAPER.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN SPACE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT I'M
DOING HERE, THIS IS ALL AN
ILLUSION, THIS IS AN FANTASY,
BECAUSE ALL I'M DOING IS I'M
STAINING PAPER.
>> AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY
DON'T YOU FILL UP THAT WHOLE
CANVAS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE A
PAINTING OR ARTWORK COULD BE
MORE POWERFUL WITH MINIMAL
SUBJECT MATTER, WHEREAS COMPARED
TO SOMETHING BEING FILLED UP, IT
GIVES YOU A RELAXATION POINT, IT
GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO COMPARE
SOMETHING TO.
AND BY USING SPACE AND CONTRAST,
THAT'S HOW YOU GET POWERFUL
MEANING IN YOUR ARTWORK, SO SOME
OF MY MOST POWERFUL PIECES ARE
THE ONES WITH THE MOST AMOUNT OF
WHITE SPACE AROUND THEM, SO THE
WHOLE AESTHETIC COMES DOWN TO A
SIMPLICITY, SIMPLICITY AND
SPACE.
>> SOMETIMES THE INKS DON'T MIX.
WITH THE WATER COLOR.
AND THEY FIGHT EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHEMICAL TERM,
IT CREATES SOME INTERESTING,
WHAT I CALL INTERESTING
ACCIDENTS.
>> WHEN I CREATE MY WORK, HE TO
BE HONEST TO SAY THAT A LOT OF
TIMES I'LL WANT TO THROW IT
AWAY.
BUT AS IT'S DRYING, I START
SEEING SOMETHING IN IT.
RATHER THAN TEARING THE
PAINTINGS UP LIKE I USED TO DO,
WHEN I SAW THEY WEREN'T GOING IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I WOULD
JUST WALK AWAY FROM THEM EITHER
FOR A DAY OR FOR A COUPLE OF
HOURS AND I'D COME BACK AND I'D
SEE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING
ON THERE.
>> WHEN I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW,
IT'S A VERY STILL DAY TODAY, BUT
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST VERY
WINDY LIKE THE PRAYER PREAND I
WANT TO -- PRAIRIE AND I WANT TO
CAPTURE SOME OF THAT ENERGY OF
THE WIND.
SO THIS ONE I THINK I'LL JUST
LET SIT OVERNIGHT AND PROBABLY
START ANOTHER ONE.
>> ART CAN BE CREATED IN A
MATTER OF MINUTES OR AN HOUR OR
MAYBE A DAY WITH WHAT I DO HERE.
ARCHITECTURE, MY HOUSE, FOR
EXAMPLE, WHEN I DESIGN SPACE FOR
SOMEBODY, WE'RE TALKING YEARS IN
TIME, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,
IT'S COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO THE
WAY I USED TO WORK FOR OVER 30
YEARS, BECAUSE AS AN ARCHITECT,
EVERYTHING HAD TO BE PLANNED AND
PRECISE AND EXTREMELY SERIOUS.
AND WHAT I DID IS I JUST ABOUT
FOUR YEARS AGO, I THREW THAT
WHOLE THING AWAY, TO WHERE I SIT
DOWN NOW AND I RELAX AND I JUST
LET IT FLOW.
I CAN SHAKE IT OUT OF MY SLEEVE,
SO TO SPEAK.
I JUST REALLY FEEL THAT MY
SPIRIT IS JUST FLOWING THROUGH
MY HANDS OUT ON THE PAPER.
AND I'M NOT AS CONTROLLED AS I
USED TO BE, I'M NOT AS SERIOUS
AND THE BEST WORK IS COMING UP
NOW AS COMPARED TO THE PAST.
>> WIRTH'S LATEST EXHIBITION
ENTITLED "IMAGINARY SPACES" CAN
BE SEEN AT THE FINE ART GALLERY
IN THE MARSHALL BUILDING IN
MILWAUKEE'S THIRD WARD.
TO SEE MORE OF HIS ARTWORK,
VISIT HIS WEBSITE AT
HARRYWIRTH.COM OR
THEFINEARTGALLERY.ORG.
>> A CERTIFIED CREE FIRST
NATION'S ARTISAN, CHHOLING
TAHA'S PAINTINGS INTEGRATE
CONSTELLATIONS OF THE NIGHT SKY
WITH NATIVE SHAPES TO TELL THE
UNIVERSAL STORY ABOUT HUMANITY.
CHHOLING TAHA'S WORK IS INSPIRED
BY HER DREAMS AS WELL AS HER
DESIRE TO CREATE A SENSE OF
MYSTERY FOR THE VIEWER.
>> MY ARTWORK USUALLY BEGINS
FROM A VISION OR A DREAM, SO IN
A SENSE, IT'S LIKE BRINGING A
DREAM INTO REALITY.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL COME IN RAPID
SUCCESSION.
SOMETIMES IT'S QUIET AND THEN
SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T SLEEP ALL
NIGHT.
EVEN THE SKY SETS THE TONE FOR
THE ENTIRE PICTURE SO THE SKY IS
LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT
OF THESE PAINTINGS.
I'M CHHOLING TAHA.
I'M A NATIVE ARTIST.
I'M CREE FIRST NATIONS.
I WAS BORN IN THE BUSH COUNTRY
JUST ABOVE NEW YORK, SO WHERE
NEW YORK, QUEBEC AND ONTARIO
COME TOGETHER, THAT'S THE AREA I
WAS BORN IN.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAD LIVED IN
WASHINGTON STATE FOR ABOUT 15
YEARS.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
TO MINNESOTA, WHICH WAS A DREAM
COME TRUE FOR US.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS
AND HERE WE ARE.
THESE SKIES ARE REALLY DELICATE,
THEY HAVE REALLY, REALLY SOFT
COLORS EVEN THOUGH THEY LOOK
VIVID.
THAT'S ONE THING NICE ABOUT
MINNESOTA.
IT'S GOT BEAUTIFUL SKY OUT
THERE.
I'M USING NATIVE IMAGERY TO
EXPRESS AN IDEA OR A THOUGHT OR
A STORY.
NOW SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY
INDIGENOUS STORIES AND OTHERS
ARE REPRESENTING IDEAS THROUGH
NATIVE IMAGERY THAT ARE ACTUALLY
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.
THIS PARTICULAR PAINTING IS
CALLED "WE PULL TOGETHER."
IT'S BASED ON THE NORTH-WEST
COAST STORY OF THE CRAB POT AND
HOW THE CRABS WILL ALL TRY TO
GET OUT OF THE POT, BUT INSTEAD
OF HELPING EACH OTHER OUT, THEY
PULL EACH OTHER BACK.
IT SHOWS SYMBOLS FROM THE NORTH
WEST COAST AND THE GREAT LAKES
TRIBES.
THIS IS A NORTHWEST COAST CANOE.
THE CRABS OF COURSE ARE THE
NORTHWEST COAST IMAGERY AND THE
OTHER CRABS HERE ARE "OJIBWE"
WOODLAND STYLE AND THEN OF
COURSE THE BIRCH BARK CANOE
WHICH IS ALWAYS "OJIBWE" STYLE
CANOE.
AND SO THE PAINTING IS TALKING
ABOUT, IF WE PULL TOGETHER AS
ONE HUMAN FAMILY, WE CAN
OVERCOME EVEN THE CRACKPOT
METAPHOR.
THE SHAWL CAN REPRESENT MANY
THINGS.
SOMETIMES IT'S SOMEBODY'S DREAM.
SOMETIMES THEY WENT THROUGH AN
EXPERIENCE AND WANT THAT
TRANSLATED INTO A GARMENT.
OTHER PEOPLE, THEY'RE BEING
HONORED AND WANT TO SHOW OFF FOR
THAT.
SO THEY HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
WAYS THEY'RE BEING USED.
FOR SHAWL MAKING, YOU HAVE TO
BEGIN WITH YOUR CONCEPT, JUST
LIKE A PAINTING.
THEY ALL START OUT AS A DRAWING
TO MAP OUT THE DESIGN, AND THEN
ONCE THE DRAWING IS COMPLETED,
I'LL USE THIS PLASTIC STENCIL
MATERIAL IN ORDER TO DO TRACINGS
AND IN ORDER TO CUT OUT PIECES
ACCURATELY.
SO THIS IS THE PATTERN THAT WAS
USED FOR THE BIRDS HERE ALONG
THE BORDER AREAS HERE.
IN THE SHAWLS, I'M USING THE
PROCESS OF APPLIQUE TO CREATE
THE PATTERNS.
SO I'M LAYERING DIFFERENT
FABRICS OF DIFFERENT COLORS ON
SO ESSENTIALLY TELL THE STORY OF
THAT SHAWL AND WHAT IT'S TRYING
TO CONVEY.
I WAS COMMISSIONED TO DO A SHAWL
OVER FACEBOOK FROM A HEALER IN
BRAZIL, AND HER SHAWL WAS HER
DREAM, A DREAM OF SEA TURTLES
AND OF THE PLANT THAT SHE WORKS
WITH IN THE HEALING PROCESS.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH THAT
SHAWL WAS HOPING THAT I WAS
CONNECTING TO HER CORRECTLY.
WHEN A PERSON COMES TO YOU AND
HAS SOMETHING THAT SUBTLE AND
IMPORTANT TO THEM, YOU REALLY
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE
NOT PUTTING YOUR OWN INPUT IN IT
AND THAT'S IT'S REALLY COMING
ACROSS AS THEIR OBJECT.
FOR THE SHAWLS, IT'S REALLY
WITH THE SHAWLS, IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR IT TO BE BALANCED
AND I THINK WITH ALL THE
PICTURES, I WANT THEM TO HAVE A
SENSE OF BALANCE, SO WHEN A
PERSON'S LOOKING AT THEM, THEY
CAN ACTUALLY FEEL RELAXED AND
ENJOY EXPLORING THEM.
I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE
AWAY A SENSE OF MYSTERY SO THAT
THEY LOOK AT THEIR LIFE BEYOND
THE TV, TO REALLY, REALLY LOOK
AT THE TREES AND THE NATURE AND
WATER AND SKY AND ACTUALLY THINK
ABOUT THEIR OWN ANCESTORS.
EVERYONE HAS TRIBAL ANCESTORS,
NOT JUST NATIVE PEOPLE HERE IN
AMERICA AND WE COME FROM AND
INCREDIBLE LINE OF HUMAN
KNOWLEDGE AND I WANT PEOPLE TO
FIND THAT MYSTERY IN THE
PICTURES REGARDLESS OF THEIR
ETHNICITY.
>> ON A SMALLER SCALE, TAHA'S
ARTWORK HAS BEEN MADE INTO
GREETING CARDS, CANVAS AND METAL
PRINTS, AND EVEN IPHONE CASES.
YOU CAN SEE FULL GALLERIES OF
TAHA'S PAINTINGS, SHAWLS, AND
CUSTOM ARTWORK AT HER WEBSITE,
SHAWLLADY.COM.
BRITISH MILLINER STEPHEN JONES
HAS CAPPED MANY OF THE WORLD'S
MOST STYLISH WOMEN AND HAS
WORKED WITH THE TOP FASHION
HOUSES.
MOST RECENTLY, JONES CURATED AN
EXHIBITION OF 250 HATS NOW ON
DISPLAY AT THE PEABODY ESSEX
MUSEUM OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.
JARED BOWEN SAT DOWN TO TEA WITH
THE ARTIST TO DISCUSS HIS CRAFT.
>> IT RUNS THE GAMUT FROM
DEMURE TO FEROCIOUS.
IT PUTS THE DIVA IN THE DRAMA
AND THE FACE IN A FRAME.
THE HAT IS THE UNHERALDED
ACCESSORY EVEN THOUGH IT ALWAYS
COMES OUT ON TOP.
>> I THINK HATS ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT ACCESSORY, JUST
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO VISIBLE AND
THEY CHANGE YOU COMPLETELY.
>> BRITISH MILLINER TO THE
STARS, ROYALS AND REGULARS,
STEPHEN JONES HAS CURATED A SHOW
OF 250 HATS, HISTORIC AND
OTHERWISE, NOW ON VIEW AT THE
PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM IN SALEM,
MASSACHUSETTS.
WE MET FOR TEA IN THE MUSEUM'S
GARDEN RESTAURANT.
WHAT ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS, YOUR
INFLUENCES?
>> I THINK IF YOU'RE A MILLINER,
THEN YEAH, ABSOLUTELY YOU'RE
INFLUENCED BY HISTORY.
YOU COMBINE THAT WITH JUST
EVERYDAY LIFE.
SO A CONVERSATION, GETTING UP IN
THE MORNING.
YOU KNOW, A CONTEMPORARY FILM.
ALL THOSE THINGS YOU PUT IN THAT
BIG DESIGN POT AND HOPEFULLY AT
THE END OUT POPS A NEW HAT.
>> ROUGHLY ONE THIRD OF THE
HATS ON VIEW HERE WERE CRAFTED
BY JONES WHO ENTERED FASHION
SCHOOL AT AGE 18 ONLY TO FIND HE
COULDN'T REALLY SEW.
SO HE EVENTUALLY MOVED TO
MILLINERY WORK AND TO THE
EMBRACE OF A CULTURE CLUB.
YOU WERE FRIENDS WITH BOY
GEORGE, HOW DID THAT TIME, THAT
1,000 YEARS AGO, HOW DID THAT
CULTURE SORT OF COME IN TO HOW
YOU WERE CREATING AND YOUR
CAREER?
>> COMPLETELY.
I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH I WENT TO
ART SCHOOL I THINK THAT REALLY I
LEARNED MOST FROM CLUB LIFE AND
PEOPLE LIKE BOY GEORGE WHO WERE
A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME.
I MEAN, THEY HAD AN IMMENSE
AMOUNT OF CREATIVITY.
WHENEVER PEOPLE COME TO ME FOR
TUTORIALS, I ALWAYS SAY LEARN
FROM YOUR FRIENDS. THEY'RE YOUR
BEST TEACHERS.
>> NOW SOME THIRTY YEARS LATER,
JONES IS THE SARTORIAL SAVIOR OF
THE HAT, OF ITS HISTORY,
ARCHITECTURE AND RELEVANCE.
HE'S REACHED BACK TO THE
MID-1800S FOR THIS FUR AND
GROSGRAIN RIBBON HAT MADE FOR
NAPOLEON III'S ARM CANDY,
EMPRESS EUGENIE.
HE WENT SURREALIST FOR THIS SHOE
HAT, ONE OF ONLY TWO IN
EXISTENCE, DESIGNED BY
SCHIAPARELLI AND SALVADOR DALI.
HE WENT DECIDEDLY BRITISH AND
DECIDEDLY MACABRE WITH THIS
1990S TAKE ON A MOURNING BONNET.
>> TELL ME WHAT THE HAT ACTUALLY
MEANS TO YOU.
>> IT CAN BE A COSTUME.
IT CAN -- PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT BEING THEMSELVES, BUT THE
GREAT THING ABOUT A HAT IS THAT
IT CAN TAKE YOU INTO ANOTHER
DIMENSION.
YOU CAN BECOME ANOTHER PERSON BY
PUTTING THAT HAT ON.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT CHEERS
YOU UP.
>> LOOK CLOSELY FOR THE
COPULATION IN THIS HAT, CALLED
SEX ON THE BRAIN FROM 1989.
HERE YOU'LL ALSO SPOT CELEB
CHAPEAUS WORN BY SARAH JESSICA
PARKER, KYLIE MINOGUE AND CECIL
BEATON.
THERE ARE DARING DOS AND DON'TS.
>> WHAT DOES A WOMAN NEED TO BE
ABLE TO WEAR A HAT?
>> A SENSE OF ADVENTURE.
A SENSE OF PLAY.
SOMEBODY WHO ENJOYS YOU KNOW
THEIR SELF EXPRESSION IN
CLOTHING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> THE HAT SHOW IS A WHIMSICAL
TOUR, A FROTHY LITTLE JAUNT DOWN
THE FASHIONISTA FREEWAY, IF YOU
WILL.
IT'S A LITTLE SAD, LEAVING A
LONGING FOR THE DAYS WHEN EVERY
ENSEMBLE HAD A CROWN.
>> WE HAVE A FEW OF YOUR HATS
HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO ASK IF
EVERYONE CAN WEAR A HAT BECAUSE
I'M SOMEONE WHO OFTEN THINKS NOT
SO MUCH.
>> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY
THIS ONE ON YOU.
THIS WAS NOT PLANNED, SO, I'M
JUST GONNA TRY THIS ONE.
THIS IS LIKE A BAKER BOY CAP,
BUT A MODERN VERSION.
IT'S GOT PATCHWORK HERE BUT IT'S
GOT A JERSEY PEAK.
LET'S JUST SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE.
SEE.
DOES IT WORK?
IT'S REALLY CONVINCING,
ACTUALLY.
>> REALLY.
>> TO PARAPHRASE, IF THE STEPHEN
JONES HAT FITS, WEAR IT.
>> JONES' UNIQUE HATS HAVE BEEN
COLLECTED AND DISPLAYED AT
MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD AND
HAVE BEEN WORN BY MUSICAL AND
FASHION ICONS FOR DECADES.
TO SEE HIS LATEST CREATIONS,
VISIT STEPHENJONESMILLINERY.COM.
>> SOMETIMES ARTISTIC SKILLS CAN
BE PASSED DOWN FROM OUR PARENTS
AND GRANDPARENTS.
FOR ARTIST JO HAMILTON, HER
GRANDMOTHER'S SIMPLE CROCHET
LESSONS EVOLVED INTO HER ART,
TURNING AN ACTIVITY THAT IS
OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH AN OLDER
GENERATION INTO A FUN, HIP, AND
COLORFUL ACTIVTY BY PUTTING A
FACE TO A BALL OF YARN.
MIKE MIDLO TELLS US MORE.
>> THIS IS JO HAMILTON'S STUDIO.
>> IT'S PARADISE IN HERE.
>> IT'S FILLED WITH YARN.
YARN OF EVERY COLOR YOU CAN
THINK OF.
SHE USES ALL THIS YARN TO
CROCHET STUFF.
THAT'S WHAT SHE DOES, CROCHETS,
ALL DAY LONG.
HOW'D SHE LEARNED TO DO THAT?
>> MY GRAN TAUGHT ME WHEN I WAS
ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD,
THEREABOUTS.
THE FIRST THING I LEARNED TO
CROCHET WAS A GRANNY SQUARE,
WHICH I WOULD SAY IS THE
COMMONLY SEEN PATTERN IN
CROCHET.
IF YOU CAN MAKE A GRANNY SQUARE,
YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING THEN YOU
CAN PRETTY MUCH MAKE ANYTHING
>> ONE DAY JO GOT A BIG IDEA.
SHE STARTED TO CROCHET A
LANDSCAPE OF PORTLAND.
>> THIS BROWN STRIPE HERE
REPRESENTS BURNSIDE.
ALL THE BLUE ACROSS HERE
REPRESENTS THE RIVER.
THE BIG PINK.
CITY HALL, REACHING OVER TO THE
HAWTHORNE BRIDGE.
BROADWAY.
AS I ENVISIONED IT.
THE STEEL BRIDGE.
ONE GRAND ANY SQUARE.
ALL THE TIME I WAS WORKING ON IT
WAS WHEN A LOT OF LOFT BUILDINGS
WERE GOING UP IN NORTHWEST
THERE WERE JUST CRANES
EVERYWHERE.
THIS SIDE OF THE PIECE IS MEANT
TO BE MORE OLD SCHOOL,
ESTABLISHED PORTLAND.
LOTS OF TREES, VICTORIAN, KIND
OF WARMER, MORE NATURAL COLORS
AS OPPOSED TO THE KIND OF NEW,
BRASH SIDE OF PORTLAND AS IT'S
BEING BUILT.
I WAS WORKING IN A RESTAURANT
AND MY CO-WORKERS, I HAD SHOWN
THEM WHAT I WAS DOING AND THE
START OF THE CITYSCAPE WHEN IT
WAS ONLY A COUPLE FEET, AND THEY
WERE MAKING FUN OF ME, GOOD
NATUREDLY MAKING FUN OF ME FOR
CROCHETING PORTLAND, YOU'RE
GOING TO CROCHET ALL THE WAY OUT
TO GRESHAM, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO AS A JOKE, I SAID, SHUT-UP OR
I'LL CROCHET YOU.
>> AND THAT'S JUST WHAT SHE DID.
BY NOW, JO KNEW SHE HAD CROSSED
A LINE.
SHE WAS USING HER GRANDMOTHER'S
CROCHET TO MAKE FINE ART.
>> I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT
REALLY, I COULD PRETTY MUCH
CROCHET ANYTHING, AT ALL.
NO LIMITATIONS, AND I COULD GET
AMAZING LIKENESSES.
NOT JUST LIKENESS OF PEOPLE, BUT
REALLY CAPTURE PEOPLE'S SPIRITS
IN YARN IN A WAY THAT EVEN KIND
OF NOW STILL AMAZES ME.
THIS IS THE AMISH TURK.
HE WAS A CHEF AT THE RESTAURANT
WHERE I WORKED.
THIS IS CORY HOPPER, ANOTHER
CHEF, AND ONE OF THE PORTRAITS
WHERE I KINDA REALLY HAD A GOOD
TIME WITH THE COLORS.
THIS IS MY FRIEND BRIAN ADAMS
HARFORD.
THIS IS SHREDDY, ALSO KNOWN AS
AARON, WHO WAS A DISHWASHER AT
THE RESTAURANT.
THIS IS SHAVON WHO WAITED TABLES
WITH ME.
THIS IS A PORTRAIT OF GRANT, WHO
WAS A WAITER.
HE WAS A REALLY GOOD SUBJECT.
I KIND OF REALLY LIKE THE
EXPRESSION ON THIS ONE.
HIS LITTLE HALF-SMILE AND HIS
BLUE HAIR.
THIS IS LISA.
SHE WAS A HOST AND SERVER.
SHE HAS A LOT OF HAIR AS YOU CAN
SEE.
THIS IS MY SELF-PORTRAIT.
IT WAS A STRANGE FAST, FAST
PIECE THAT TOOK A LITTLE OVER A
WEEK.
WHENEVER I START A PORTRAIT, I'M
STARTING WITH A CIRCLE, WHICH
WOULD BE THE SAME WAY YOU'D
START A HAT OR A GRANNY SQUARE.
ANYTHING THAT IS CIRCULAR.
AND IF YOU KNOW HOW TO CROCHET,
YOU CAN SEE WHAT I'M DOING BY
THE DIRECTION OF THE STITCHES.
ANYTIME YOU SEE A LINE IN
CROCHET, THAT IS THE DIRECTION
THAT I'M GOING IN.
SOFULLY TIME YOU SEE -- ANY TIME
YOU SEE A LINE IN CROCHET, THAT
IS THE DIRECTION I'M GOING.
SO I BASICALLY CIRCLE THE EYE
AND THAT GIVES ME THE STRUCTURE
OF THE EYE SOCKET AND THEN BELOW
THAT, THE CHEEKBONES AND THEN
USUALLY I'LL DO THE OTHER EYE
AND THEN FIGURE-OUT WHAT I NEED
TO DO IN THE MIDDLE TO JOIN
THEM.
IT REALLY MAKES ME LAUGH.
SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE THE GLINT
IN SOMEBODY'S EYE THAT I KNOW IS
THERE IN REAL LIFE OR SOMEONE
WHO'S SURLY.
I'VE GOT THEIR EXPRESSION DOWN.
I'M SURE A LOT OF CRAFTERS ARE
HORRIFIED BY WHAT I DO.
RULES ARE THERE TO BE BROKEN, AS
ANY ARTIST KNOWS.
I GET A LOT OF EMAILS FROM
PEOPLE WHO SAY, I'VE BEEN
CROCHETING FOR 40 YEARS AND I'VE
NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING AND I'M
REALLY INSPIRED.
THAT'S REALLY COOL THAT LITTLE
OLD LADIES ALL OVER THE WORLD
ARE TAKING THE TIME AND WRITING
TO ME AND THEY'RE ENJOYING WHAT
I DO.
>> HAMILTON'S LARGE-SCALE
CROCHET CITYSCAPES ARE CURRENTLY
ON DISPLAY IN PARIS.
IN ADDITION TO CROCHET ART,
HAMILTON ALSO DOES TRADITIONAL
DRAWING AND PAINTING.
TO SEE MORE OF HER WORK, VISIT
JOHAMILTONART.COM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS
WEEK'S FEATURES, VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT MPTV.ORG AND CLICK ON
"THE ARTS PAGE" OR LIKE US ON
FACEBOOK AT "THE ARTS PAGE".
ON THE NEXT EDITION OF "THE ARTS
PAGE", WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE
LOCAL ART RIGHT HERE IN
WISCONSIN, MEET A PORT
WASHINGTON SCULPTOR WHOSE SKILLS
EXPAND BEYOND TRADITIONAL
SCULPTING MEDIA, SEE HOW A DOOR
COUNTY PAINTER IS INSPIRED BY
THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES AROUND
HIM, AND EXPERIENCE AN ARTISTIC
MINI DEMOLITION DERBY.
I'M SANDY MAXX.
THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND WE'LL
SEE YOU ON THE NEXT EDITION OF
"THE ARTS PAGE".