Art City

Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] Huell Howser: WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY.

I'M HUELL HOWSER, AND HERE WE ARE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON IN VENTURA.

SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE IN AN INDUSTRIAL PART OF VENTURA ON DUBBERS STREET.

THIS STREET IS LINED WITH AUTO REPAIR SHOPS.

THERE'S A WELDING OPERATION OVER HERE.

BUT WE ARE HERE ON DUBBERS STREET TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON IN SEARCH OF AN HONEST-TO-GOODNESS HIDDEN TREASURE.

AND IT'S LOCATED RIGHT OVER THAT WALL IN A PLACE CALLED ART CITY.

OUR ADVENTURE BEGINS STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL... PAUL, WHAT DO YOU CALL THESE?

ROCKS OR STONE OR WHAT--WHAT'S THE TECHNICAL WORD BEFORE WE START THIS WHOLE THING OFF?

Paul: THIS IS ALL CARVING ROCK FOR SCULPTURE.

Huell: CARVING ROCK FOR SCULPTURE.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

Paul: HI, HUELL.

I'M PAUL LINDHARD, OWNER OF ART CITY.

Huell: ART CITY.

NOW, WE MET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I CAME UP HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE I HAVE A FRIEND WHO'S INTO STONE, AND HE TURNED ME ON TO THIS PLACE.

TELL US WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE.

I GUESS--TELL US WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE HERE, 'CAUSE IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

Paul: WELL, THE AREA WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW ARE CUT BLOCKS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM, WHICH ARE KIND OF AN EXCEPTION TO WHAT WE NORMALLY COLLECT HERE AT ART CITY.

I--I COLLECT THE STONES IN NATURE WHEN I CAN.

AND--OR I'VE GONE TO THE MOUNTAINS AND THE QUARRIES, WHERE MOST OF THIS STONE HAS COME FROM.

SO THIS COLLECTION RIGHT HERE IS A RECENTLY ACQUIRED COLLECTION OF CARVING STONE THAT'S...

SORT OF LIKE THESE ARE ALL TENDERLOINS, WORLD-CLASS PRIME-CUT PIECES OF STONE.

Huell, chuckling: NOW, WHAT'S OVER HERE?

THESE JUST LOOK LIKE ROCKS OVER HERE.

Paul: WELL, THIS IS THE STONE FROM THE MOJAVE DESERT.

EVERY BIT OF THE STONE BACK IN HERE HAND-COLLECTED OFF THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN--JUST TUMBLED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN--IS EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS THE SAWN BLOCK PIECES.

BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO EITHER ATTACH YOURSELF TO OR GET RID OF ARE THESE SKINS AND TEXTURES THAT ARE THE PATINA OF THE DESERT.

Huell: ALL RIGHT.

SO WHEN YOU GET THESE PIECES OF STONE, YOU SCAN 'EM DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

THESE HAVE KINDA BEEN SAWED ON AND FINISHED OFF A LITTLE BIT.

Paul: WELL, THE QUARRY BLOCKS, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY ANYONE EVER SEES THEM IN ALMOST ALL OF ITALY.

THERE ARE PROBABLY 90% OF THE ITALIANS HAVE NEVER SEEN STONE IN THE RAW.

Huell: REALLY!

Paul: WITH ITS NATURAL SKIN, WITH THE PATINA THAT'S LIKE THIS ON THE BASALT.

THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY IT CAME OUT OF THE EARTH A MILLION YEARS AGO OR 10 DAYS AGO.

Huell: NOW, IS THIS FROM ITALY?

Paul: THIS IS ALL FROM ITALY.

Huell: OK, NOW, WHERE DOES MOST OF THIS COME FROM?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE A HUGE COLLECTION HERE.

Paul: TEXAS, ITALY, TURKEY, NORTHERN TORONTO, SWEDEN... Huell: WOW!

Paul: TEXAS, NEW MEXICO.

Huell: AND WHAT ABOUT THIS OVER HERE?

THIS LOOKS LIKE AN IMPORTANT SETUP OVER HERE.

I'M LOOKIN' AT THIS GREEN PIECE.

Paul: WELL, THIS IS AN ARTIST'S PIECE.

THIS IS, UH, GREG KALIAN'S SCULPTURE FROM A BOULDER OF THE STONE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT A FEW MOMENTS AGO--THE, UH, VICTORVILLE MARBLE FROM THE CALIFORNIA DESERT.

Huell: WAIT A MINUTE.

THIS--THIS IS MARBLE FROM VICTORVILLE?

Paul: ABSOLUTELY.

Huell: WOW!

Paul: COULD'VE BEEN GROUND UP INTO CEMENT.

Huell: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT VICTORVILLE HAD MARBLE LIKE THIS.

Paul: BUT EVERY ROCK HOUND KNOWS.

IT'S A PRETTY--THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MARBLES THAT ROCK HOUNDS COLLECT AND ONE OF THE FEW MARBLES.

ROCK HOUNDS NORMALLY LIKE HARDER STONE.

Huell: WHAT IS VICTORVILLE MARBLE CALLED?

Paul: ANTIQUE VERD, WHICH JUST MEANS OLD GREEN.

Huell: HA HA!

OLD GREEN.

Paul: PRETTY OLD.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT A BILLION YEARS OLD.

Huell: REALLY!

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THAT SOMETHIN' IS A BILLION YEARS OLD?

Paul: UH, SOMEONE TELLS ME ABOUT THAT.

SOMEONE--THERE--THERE ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PIPESTONES THAT WE COLLECT, THEY ARE IN CLAYS THAT ARE A BILLION YEARS OLD, AND THEY GOT TRILOBITES IN THERE.

THE TRILOBITES ARE LITTLE HORSESHOE-CRAB-LOOKIN' CHARACTERS FROM A BILLION YEARS AGO.

Huell: LITTLE ANIMALS, LITTLE ORGANISMS.

Paul: RIGHT.

RIGHT.

FOSSILS, THEN, THAT ARE VERY READILY EVIDENT.

AND SO THAT DATES THE STONE FOR HALF A BILLION TO A BILLION YEARS, 2 BILLION.

Huell: WHAT IS THIS HUGE PIECE OVER HERE?

Paul: THAT'S NEW MEXICAN TRAVERTINE.

Huell: NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A PIECE OF...OF ROCK THAT BIG?

THAT--THAT'S HUGE!

Paul: WELL...THE FIRST 2 THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE.

WE CUT A BOTTOM ON IT AND STOOD IT VERTICAL... HAVING FOUND IT.

BUT BEFORE THAT, A QUARRY SPLIT IT.

THOSE HOLES DELINEATE WHERE THEY SPLIT IT FROM A LARGER VOLUME OF STONE.

AND THEY CULLED THIS PIECE OFF OF A BEAUTIFUL WINGED SHAPE THAT YOU SEE ON THE BACK OF THE STONE.

Huell: UH-HUH... Paul: SO IT'S ALREADY HUGE.

IT'S GOT A GREAT SHAPE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE COLORS ARE KIND OF...A LITTLE BIT DAUNTING PROSPECT TO MEET FOR AN ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST WHO IS PRETTY ADEPT.

Huell: SEE, I LIKE IT JUST LIKE IT IS THERE.

Paul: SO DO I.

SO DO I.

THAT'S WHY I SAY IT WOULD BE DAUNTING FOR AN ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST.

SOMEONE WHO COULD FILL THE WALL OF A MUSEUM WITH A PAINTING MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO A PAINTING ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

Huell: YEAH.

Paul: NOT THAT I WOULD PUT THEM DOWN.

I'M HUMBLED BY MANY PAINTERS, BUT... Huell: NOW, WHAT'VE WE GOT HERE?

WHAT--WHAT'S GOIN' ON IN HERE?

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START.

Paul: WELL, WE ALL MAKE SCULPTURE HERE.

AND THERE ARE A HUNDRED WAYS TO PURSUE THAT WITH STONE.

WE--ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THIS YARD IS WORKIN' IN STONE BECAUSE THE--THE DUST, THE PROCESS, THE NOISE, THE TOOLS FOR SAFETY ARE COMPATIBLE.

Huell: SO THESE ARE ALL WHERE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS WILL COME AND DO THEIR WORK?

Paul: ABSOLUTELY.

Huell: ARE THERE ANY WORKIN' HERE TODAY?

Paul: THERE'S AN ARTIST.

WHEREVER YOU HEAR A TOOL GRINDING...UM...THERE'S AN ARTIST.

[HUELL LAUGHS] OR CHIPPING.

UH... Huell: THIS IS A NICE SETUP HERE.

LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE GOT GOIN' OVER HERE.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

Paul: WELL, THIS IS THE FOUNTAIN LAB.

AND THIS ENTIRE SITUATION WILL GET A LITTLE MORE LANDSCAPIN'.

UH...BUT IN-- Huell: IT'S A FOUNTAIN LAB?

Paul: WELL, WE'RE MAKIN' FOUNTAINS, AND YOU'VE GOTTA SEE HOW IT WORKS, HOW THE WATER RUNS OVER IT, HOW THE MOVEMENT IS, WHETHER IT HAS SPLASH OR NOT... Huell: THIS IS GREAT.

Paul: A GOOD FLOW.

Huell: SO YOU'RE KINDA TESTIN' IT OUT HERE.

THIS IS YOUR LAB.

Paul: THIS IS THE LAB.

IN THIS CASE, I'M GROWIN' MOSS ON THESE STONES.

THIS FOUNTAIN HAS WORKED HAPPILY FOR A WHILE, SO I KNOW IT'S A--IT'S A REALLY NICE COMPOSITION.

I LIKE HOW IT FEELS AND LOOKS.

IT'S READY TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.

Huell: THIS IS GREAT.

LET'S WALK AROUND HERE, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I CAME IN HERE, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO...AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT THE SIZE OF THIS PLACE AND THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROCKS.

I WANT TO GO TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT I CAN'T-- WE CAN'T PASS BY THIS, EITHER.

WHAT IS THIS?

Paul: NO, YOU CAN'T.

THIS--THIS IS, UH...I'M DESIGNING A BASE OUT OF THIS STONE FOR THIS WHOLE COMPOSITION.

THIS IS CALLED THE BLOOD MOON OVER BAJA.

AND IT WAS INSPIRED BY THIS STONE, WHICH IS ONYX FROM BAJA.

THE BACK SIDE OF IT IS A NATURAL SURFACE THAT WEATHERS ON THE DESERT.

AND THIS IS WHAT'S INSIDE THAT...BACK SIDE.

Huell: SO THIS IS NATURAL DOWN IN HERE.

Paul: THESE CAVITIES, OR VUGS, ARE, UM...FORMED WHEN THE WHOLE ONYX IS POOLED AND--AND PRECIPITATES, ORDINARILY IN A LITTLE CAVITY IN THE GROUND.

Huell: SO, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN HOW FAR UNDERNEATH THE GROUND WHEN IT WAS FORMED?

Paul: I DON'T THINK IT WAS TOO FAR FROM THE SURFACE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

I THINK THIS-- THIS STONE BUBBLES UP OUT OF HEAVILY MINERAL-LADEN ...I'M NOT A GEOLOGIST.

OK?

GEOLOGISTS ARE GONNA CRINGE AT WHAT I PROBABLY SAY.

I--I THINK ABOUT IT FROM A--A SCULPTOR'S POINT OF VIEW OF HOW IT PHYSICALLY HAPPENED.

BUT I'VE SEEN ONYX BUBBLING UP ON THE SURFACE OF THE DESERT IN BAJA AND IN--THIS IS FROM BAJA--AND IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

AND IT JUST BECOMES ONYX.

AND FOR YEARS, MANY DECADES, IT'S JUST LIKE A POPSICLE.

IT'S JUST SQUISHY.

IT ISN'T...GELLED OR...

BUT AFTER A COUPLE MILLION YEARS, IT TURNS INTO QUITE A MARVELOUS THING.

Huell: ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKIN' ABOUT--OH, WAIT A MINUTE.

HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF VICTORVILLE MARBLE.

Paul: YOU'RE BECOMIN' PRETTY QUICK, HUELL.

Huell: LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

WHAT'S THIS GONNA BE?

Paul: WELL, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

THIS IS A SACRED BIRTHING VESSEL.

I'VE SHOWN THIS PIECE A FEW TIMES, AND IT'S SORT OF-- IT'S LIKE...PERHAPS FROM AN ANCIENT CULTURE, AND, UH...THEY WOULD MAKE A SITUATION LIKE THIS TO, UH, EITHER SYMBOLIZE THE BIRTH PROCESS OR, I DON'T KNOW, I--I THOUGHT IT UP.

Huell: ALL RIGHT.

YOU KNOW-- Paul: KINDA LIKE THE VESSEL, THE BOAT SHAPE OF THE PIECE THAT GOES ON THIS PEDESTAL.

Huell: YOU JUST GOT A BIG BLOCK OF STONE AND MADE IT INTO THIS.

Paul: IT KIND OF INSPIRED THIS SHAPE.

IT ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE IT WANTED TO GET A LOT LIGHTER.

YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH YOU START THINKIN' ABOUT MAKIN' A STONE LIGHTER...WHEN YOU'RE WORKIN' WITH THIS MATERIAL IN THE NATURE AND ROLLIN' IT DOWN A MOUNTAIN.

Huell: THAT'S SOMETHIN' ELSE I DISCOVERED WHEN I TALKED WITH YOU THE FIRST DAY I CAME BY HERE...IS THAT YOU...YOU GET FEELINGS FROM THESE STONES, DON'T YOU?

Paul: ABSOLUTELY.

Huell: I MEAN, THEY KIND OF COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.

Paul: IT...IT--IT FULLY ENRICHES MY VOCABULARY, WHAT I MAKE FROM THESE PIECES--GOING TO THE SITES WHERE THEY'RE EXTRACTED FROM, EXTRACTING THEM IF I CAN OR PARTICIPATING IN THE QUARRYING PART.

KNOWING THE MOOD OF THE PLACE GIVES ME A SENSE OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGES, THE WHOLE TOPOGRAPHY...SOMETHIN' ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF THE STONE.

I CAN SHOW YOU COLORS IN THESE STONES.

LIKE THIS IS A MARBLE FROM CANADA.

Huell: RIGHT HERE.

Paul: YEAH.

THAT IS--THIS IS-- THIS SURFACE YOU LOOK AT FROM THIS SIDE IS WEATHERED BY THE ROOTS OF TREES.

THERE WAS MAYBE 10 FEET OF FOREST FLOOR AND THE LITTLE ROOTS COMING DOWN AND EATING WHATEVER CALCIUM THEY COULD, AND THEY RELIEVED THAT TEXTURE.

AND THEN WHAT YOU'LL SEE INSIDE THE STONE--I'LL WET IT FOR YOU.

Huell: WAIT A MINUTE.

BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, WHAT IS THIS?

Paul: THIS IS, UH...AGATIZED...

PROBABLY SOME--SOME SEA MAMMAL...BONE...IN THE MATRIX, IN THE--IN THE SEDENT THAT IT-- IT...FORMED IN, UH, FROM THIS COASTLINE.

Huell: WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS?

Paul: UP IN THE BEACHES OF SANTA BARBARA.

Huell: BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!

NOW, SEE, THAT'S A PIECE OF SCULPTURE JUST LIKE IT IS.

THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE MANIPULATED AT ALL.

Paul: WELL, I BROUGHT IT UP TO THIS HEIGHT, AND I DRAGGED IT OVER 3 MILES OF BEACH.

THAT HELPED IT BE THIS PIECE OF STONE.

'CAUSE, IRONICALLY... AS SOON AS THIS STONE TUMBLES ANOTHER 2 MILES DOWN THE BEACH, IT BREAKS INTO SMALLER PIECES, AND IT BECOMES LITTLE BITTY CHUNKS OF THESE SECTIONS OF BONE, OF THIS STONE, SO THAT IT IS AN INDESCRIBABLE-- IT DOESN'T TELL A STORY, WHERE THIS PIECE KINDA TELLS A STORY.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE A VERTEBRAE...NECK WENT INTO THIS EITHER HEAD, OR IF IT WASN'T A NECK, IT WOULD BE A VERY SMALL BODY THAT WOULD GO INTO A PELVIS AREA.

SO I SUSPECT THIS IS SOME KIND OF SKULL OF AN ANCIENT PINNIPED OR... Huell: I WAS GONNA SAY... Paul: ...SEA ANIMAL.

Huell: ...A SEA TURTLE OR SOMETHING, MAYBE.

Paul: WELL, THEN, THE STONE SUGGESTS SEA TURTLE.

IT STILL FEELS LIKE A SWIMMING THING.

ISN'T THAT A COOL THING?

Huell: YEAH.

YEAH.

Paul: THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN THROUGH 5 EVOLUTIONS AS STONE.

THAT'S NOT BONE ANYMORE.

THAT'S AGATE.

AND SOMEHOW, THE BONE GOT REMOVED AND THE AGATE GOT PUT THERE, LOOKING EXACTLY LIKE THE BONE.

IT'S--IT'S JUST MIND- BOGGLING.

IN LESS THAN A MILLION YEARS.

SO... Huell: NOW, THIS ISN'T THE WAY YOU FOUND IT.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS SOMETHIN' THAT YOU HAVE PRODUCED, THAT YOU HAVE MADE... THAT--THAT HAS--THIS HAS GOT TO HAVE A WONDERFUL STORY TO IT... AS WELL.

LOOKIT UP HERE AT THIS THING.

THIS IS--THIS LOOKS LIKE SOME KIND OF ANCIENT TOWER OF SOME SORT.

WHAT IS-- WHAT IS THIS?

Paul: THESE ARE A PLAYFUL EVOLUTION BASED ON SEEING THESE, UH, FACING BRICKS...FROM NEW MEXICO TRAVERTINE...OPERATION.

AND THEY'RE A VERY CLEVER, UH...QUARRY OPERATION, AND THEY USE THEIR STONE IN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT WAYS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID WAS MAKE THESE DIFFERENT BRICKS.

AND THE BRICKS, SOME OF THEM, ALL BY THEMSELVES, TELL YOU THIS AMAZING STORY OF THE LANDSCAPE, LIKE KIND OF ALMOST HOW THE STONE WAS FORMED.

AND IN A-- IN SMALL SECTIONS, BUT PLAYING WITH THEM IN A FORM LIKE THIS-- THIS ONE'S GLUED TOGETHER... AS A DEMONSTRATION WITH THE DOOR HOLE SO YOU CAN COME IN AND LOOK AT IT.

BUT TYPICALLY, I JUST FREE-STACK THESE, AND IF I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF IT, I'LL FREE-STACK IT AGAIN, A LA GOLDSWORTHY KIND OF PLAYFULNESS WITH A NOT-QUITE-NATURAL MATERIAL.

Huell: NOW, BACK IN HERE, THIS LOOKS LIKE PART OF A TEEPEE OR SOMETHIN' GOIN' ON BACK-- WHAT IS THIS?

Paul: THAT WAS, UH...THOSE WERE THE 3 TREES ON THIS PROPERTY WHEN WE HAD A COUPLE FIRES A FEW YEARS AGO.

THEY BURNED DOWN, AND WE RAN OUT OF ENERGY TO CUT UP EVERYTHING AND THROW IT IN DUMPSTERS AND GET RID OF IT, SO WE SORT OF MADE THIS...SYMBOL OF REGENERATION FOR THE TREES AND SET IT UP.

AND IT'S--IT GOT IN OUR WAY.

3 DIFFERENT TIMES WE'VE HAD A CRANE IN HERE.

SO ORIGINALLY, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD.

THEN WE MOVED IT OVER HERE.

THEN IT WAS IN THE WAY, SO WE PUT IT KIND OF OUT IN BACK.

Huell: WHAT IS THAT HANGIN' DOWN IN THE MIDDLE THERE?

Paul: THAT'S A BUOY.

UH, AN OCEAN BUOY THAT WE CUT A BELL SHAPE OUT OF.

WE HOPED IT WAS GONNA BE MORE SONIC THAN IT IS, BUT IT'S A KIND OF A... [INTONATING] KA-THONG.

[HUELL LAUGHS] Huell: NOW, YOU'VE GOT WOOD HERE.

YOU'VE GOT STONE HERE.

YOU'VE GOT JUNK METAL OVER HERE.

I HATE TO USE THE WORD "JUNK," BUT THIS IS ALL ART WAITING TO HAPPEN OVER HERE.

RIGHT?

Paul: PREDOMINANTLY.

YEAH.

YEAH, THESE ARE TREASURED PIECES.

ACTUALLY, THAT WHOLE RACK OF--OF IRON TOOLS YOU SEE THERE ARE FOUNDRY TOOLS, AND WE WILL HAVE A FOUNDRY IN ABOUT A YEAR.

I DID A LOT OF BRONZE CASTING FOR YEARS.

SO WE'RE HOPIN' TO HAVE A BRONZE-CASTING FOUNDRY AT OUR OTHER YARD.

Huell: LOOK AT THIS.

IT'S GOT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LOOK TO IT OVER HERE.

HERE'S SOME OF YOUR ARTISTS AT WORK.

NOW, YOU DO A LOT OF BALANCING... TOO, DON'T YOU?

Paul: I LIKE THIS UNLIKELY LOOK.

IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO MAKE A PRESENTATION OF A SPECIAL STONE.

Huell: HOW'S THAT STAYIN' UP THERE?

Paul: IT'S ON A 2-INCH STAINLESS STEEL PIN.

Huell: AH!

Paul: AND IT'LL BE INTERFACED SO THAT...IT'LL BE...

THE BALANCE WILL ALSO HAVE A LOT OF CONTACT THAT YOU WON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT PIN ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE.

'CAUSE THIS STONE DOES SO MUCH TO COMPENSATE, WHICH IS KIND OF AN ILLUSION.

WE'VE CUT IT AND BALANCED IT AND MOVED IT AND AIMED THE ANGLES.

BUT THE STONE INSIDE OF THIS...IS A GOLD THAT IS OF AN INTENSITY YOU CAN BARELY IMAGINE.

Huell: YOU LIKE TO SPIT ON IT AND PUT IT RIGHT ON HERE...AND IT GIVES YOU A WET--A REAL DARK GOLD COLOR.

Paul: AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN POLISH THE STONE TO LOOK LIKE.

Huell: SO THIS COULD BE POLISHED UP AND A FINE PIECE OF ART MADE OUT OF THAT.

Paul: WELL, IT'S A LONG WAYS ON ITS WAY TO THAT.

THIS IS A VERY RARE LITTLE MOMENT IN THE WHOLE QUARRY OF 15 MILES OF QUARRIES IN--IN NEW MEXICO... WHERE THERE WAS A POCKET OF THIS GOLD...THAT IS SORT OF LIKE THE PIGMENT THAT STAINED THE REST OF THE MOUNTAIN THAT IT--THAT IT DREW FROM THIS POCKET.

AND FOR SOME REASON, IT PRECIPITATED INTO A LITTLE NUGGET, FAR TOO SMALL FOR THE QUARRY TO USE.

THIS IS A VERY RARE LITTLE EXOTIC PIECE, SO IT--THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF WHAT BECOMES MY STORY WITH THE STORY OF THIS STONE.

AND PRESENTING IT, OF COURSE, IS A--IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.

YOU KNOW?

HOW YOU MAKE IT SEEM IMPORTANT AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME UP, LIKE THE BONE, AND-- AND ACTUALLY OBSERVE IT IN--IN A TEXT--TEC--TACTILE-LIKE WAY, AND ENGAGE WITH THE STONE.

Huell: DO YOU THINK MOST OF US SEE STONE THE WAY YOU SEE STONE?

I MEAN, I'M LOOKIN' AT THIS...

THIS LITTLE AREA OVER HERE.

I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF US WOULD JUST COME IN AND SEE BIG PIECES, BIG ROCKS.

WHEN YOU SEE THIS, YOU'RE SEEIN' 50 DIFFERENT STORIES HERE AND INFINITE POSSIBILITIES, AREN'T YOU?

Paul: ABSOLUTELY.

THE WAY THESE ROCKS ARE--ARE...

STAGED RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF RANDOM TO...JUST PLAY WITH ONE IDEA AT A TIME AND KEEP THEM IN A...SORT OF CACOPHONY, IF YOU WILL, OF--OF...OUT OF THE WAY, SO I CAN'T--THEY'RE--IT'S OVERWHELMING OTHERWISE BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART, EVERY ROCK IN HERE IS SORT OF A STAR.

Huell: YEAH.

Paul: THEY ARE THE MOST SPECIAL ONES.

THEY'RE PIECES TO BE MADE SCULPTURE OF OR ENTER MINE.

Huell: WHAT ARE THESE LITTLE THINGS ON HERE?

ARE THESE SOME OF THESE ORGANISMS YOU WERE TALKIN' ABOUT?

Paul: THESE ARE NOT ORGANISMS.

THIS IS THE FORM--THE WAY TRAVERTINE FORMS.

AND SOMETIMES NOT ALL THE VOIDS ARE FILLED.

TRAVERTINE'S KINDA FAMOUS FOR HAVING THIS KIND OF POROSITY THAT WE SEE IN THE SIDE GRAIN.

Huell: AND WHAT'S THIS OVER HERE?

IS THIS A PIECE OF...

I--I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

Paul: THAT'S BILLION-YEAR-OLD MARBLE THAT GOT... Huell: LOOK AT THIS.

Paul: ...M-MELTED BY VOLCANIC ACTIVITY, AND THEN THOSE LITTLE HARD PLACES ARE, UH, PROJECTIONS OF, UH, DENSE, HARD MAGMA.

IT SEEMS ABOUT LIKE CHERT...THAT ARE--THAT WERE STUCK INTO...

ALMOST LIKE CLAWS IN--IN A GELATINOUS STATE INTO THE MARBLE, AND THEN THE DESERT COOLED AND WHIPPED IT UP LIKE THAT.

[HAMMERING] Huell: HE'S CHIPPIN' AWAY.

HOWDY.

I'M HUELL HOWSER.

Fred: HEY, HUELL.

HOW ARE YOU?

Huell: NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR.

YOUR NAME IS?

Fred: FRED WHITMAN.

Huell: NOW, WHAT'S THE DEAL ON HANGIN' OUT IN ART CITY?

ARE YOU HERE ALL THE TIME?

Fred: IT'S A HANGOUT THING.

I DO FIND MYSELF HERE PRETTY MUCH FULL-TIME NOW, YEAH.

Huell: AND HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PLACE?

Fred: UH, A LOCAL SCHOOL SENT ME OVER FOR A ALABASTER ROCK FOR A CARVING CLASS, AND...WELL, I NEVER MADE IT BACK THERE.

Huell: YOU GOT HOOKED.

Fred: YEAH.

Huell: WELL, THE PLACE HAS AN INTERESTING FEEL TO IT, DOESN'T IT?

THERE'S A...I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE CAMERA PICKS THIS UP OR NOT, BUT IT'S GOT A GOOD FEEL HERE.

Fred: YEAH, IT'S THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT IF, UH, ROCK'S YOUR THING.

Huell: HA!

IS ROCK YOUR THING?

Fred: ROCK'S MY THING.

Huell: ALL RIGHT.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU WORKIN' ON HERE?

WHAT'S-- HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKIN' ON THIS?

Fred: A COUPLE WEEKS NOW.

ROUGHIN' IT OUT.

BUT I WANT TO DO A FEMALE...

FIGURE FORM HERE.

Huell: NOW, ARE YOU GONNA SELL THIS AND GET RICH?

Fred: I SURE HOPE SO.

[HUELL LAUGHS] YEAH, THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, REAL FIGURE I'M TRYING TO DO IN THE CLASSIC ITALIAN MARBLE, AND THAT'S WHERE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK, AND, UH...THIS COMES OUT LIKE I HOPE IT WILL, MAYBE IT'LL OPEN THE DOOR FOR MORE.

Huell: WOW.

WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR.

BACK TO WORK.

PEOPLE GET HOOKED ON THIS, DON'T THEY?

Paul: YOU CAN'T--YOU CAN'T FIND A HAPPIER WAY TO MAKE A LIFE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A LIVING, BUT A GREAT WAY TO MAKE A LIFE.

Huell: HA!

WHAT'S THIS FELLA DOIN'?

HE'S CHIPPIN' AWAY ON SOMETHIN' OVER HERE.

Man: OH, HELLO.

Huell: HOWDY.

HUELL HOWSER.

Man: HI.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

Huell: TELL US WHAT YOU'RE DOIN' OVER HERE.

Man: WELL, UM, WORKIN' ON AN ABSTRACT NUDE FEMALE, ACTUALLY.

Huell: UH-HUH... Man: FEMALE, UH, NUDES ARE MY SPECIALTY.

I HAVE SOME, LIKE, FOUNTAINS AND THINGS GOIN' THERE.

BUT I'M TRYIN' TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE ABSTRACT THAN I USUALLY DO.

Huell: UH-HUH... Man: SIMPLIFY IT.

Huell: AND ARE YOU A REGULAR HERE?

ARE YOU ONE OF THESE GUYS, ONE OF THESE ARTISTS WHO HANGS OUT AT ART CITY ALL THE TIME?

Man: YEAH.

I'VE BEEN HERE 4 YEARS.

I LOVE IT HERE.

Huell: SO IT DOES...THE--THE FEELIN' OF THE PLACE KINDA GETS YOU.

DOES IT HELP INSPIRE YOU?

Man: ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, AND PAUL IS A GREAT HELP.

EVERYBODY'S A HELP HERE.

THEY GOT A FORKLIFT AND TOOLS...AND BACKS.

IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ANOTHER BACK TO MOVE SOMETHIN'... Huell: YEAH, 'CAUSE THIS STUFF IS HEAVY!

Man: HA HA!

OH, IT'S VERY HEAVY, VERY HEAVY.

YEAH.

Huell: WELL, I'M LEARNIN'.

I'M JUST BEGINNIN' TO GET HOOKED ON IT, BUT I HAVE A FEELIN' THAT ONCE YOU GET HOOKED ON STONE, YOU ARE REALLY HOOKED ON IT.

Man: IT'S TRUE, VERY TRUE.

Huell: WHAT DO YOU-- WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

Man: WELL...I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S--IT'S A 3-DIMENSIONAL FORM OF ART.

YOU KNOW, I'VE PAINTED AND I'VE BEEN DRAWING ALL MY LIFE.

UH, BUT I'VE BEEN AN ATHLETE.

SO WHEN I STARTED FINDING STONE SCULPTURE, I COULD USE MY WHOLE BODY.

IT WAS VERY PHYSICAL.

WORK OUTSIDE IN THE BEAUTIFUL AIR.

Huell: YEAH.

Man: YOU KNOW.

AND, UH, YOU'RE MAKING SOMETHING 3-DIMENSIONAL.

IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

YOU HAVE TO THINK OF 4 SIDES INSTEAD OF JUST ONE.

Huell: AN ARTIST STANDING BY HIS STONE.

YOUR NAME IS?

David: DAVID CAMPBELL.

Huell: AND TELL US ABOUT THIS PIECE OF ROCK.

David: WELL, THIS STONE COMES FROM UTAH.

IT'S CALLED CALCITE.

UH, IT'S SIMILAR IN HARDNESS TO A MARBLE.

Huell: UH-HUH... David: UM...THE GOOD QUALITIES ABOUT THIS STONE, IT'S REALLY TRANSLUCENT.

YOU CAN SEE BY THESE FINISHED PIECES OVER HERE.

Huell: YEAH, 'CAUSE LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS WHAT YOU MADE OUT OF THIS BIG PIECE OF... David: CALCITE.

Huell: CALCITE.

IT'S ALMOST TRANSLUCENT.

David: IT'S VERY TRANSLUCENT.

THAT'S WHAT REALLY DREW ME INTO THE STONE WAS THE TRANSLUCENT QUALITIES OF IT.

Huell: NOW, DID YOU MAKE ALL OF THESE PIECES HERE AT ART CITY?

David: YES, I DID.

YEAH, IN THE LAST, UH, MONTH OR SO, I'VE BEEN WORKING LIKE CRAZY THE LAST MONTH.

I WENT TO THE QUARRY IN UTAH, AND, UH, GOT A LOT OF THIS STONE AND CAME BACK, AND BEING HERE'S A REAL INSPIRATION, YOU KNOW, WORKIN' AROUND ALL THESE OTHER ARTISTS, AND, UH...SO, UH, YOU GET A LOT OF INSPIRATION, WORKING AROUND THESE...ARTISTS.

Huell: NOW, WHEN YOU SEE THE RAW ROCK, JUST LIKE THIS, THE RAW STONE, ARE YOU ABLE TO PROJECT AND THINK OF--OF THIS COMING OUT OF THIS?

David: SOMETIMES.

OTHER TIMES, UH, THE STONE TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO.

Huell: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

David: WELL, YOU JUST--YOU GO WHERE YOU SEE THE MOVEMENT HERE.

TO ME, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A WHALE TAIL, BUT YOU MAY SEE SOMETHING ELSE.

I GO WITH THAT MOVEMENT...AND, UH, AND THE STONE WILL TELL YOU WHICH DIRECTION TO GO.

Huell: DO YOU THINK OF THESE STONES AS BEING...ALIVE IN A CERTAIN KIND OF A WAY?

David: DEFINITELY.

DEFINITELY.

DEFINITELY.

SOMETIMES I'LL FINISH A PIECE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.

THERE'S ANOTHER ENERGY THAT TAKES OVER.

Huell: REALLY!

David: AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT I-- WHAT DREW ME INTO STONE...IS, UH, THAT--THAT--THAT ESSENCE OR THAT MYSTERY.

Huell: AND WHY DO YOU THINK STONES HAVE THAT?

IS IT BECAUSE THEY'RE SO OLD?

THEY'VE BEEN AROUND SO LONG, THEY'VE SEEN SO MUCH?

David: SO OLD, AND--AND IT'S AN OLD CRAFT.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE DOIN' THIS CENTURIES AND CENTURIES AGO, SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE SOMEWHAT CONNECTING TO THAT--THAT PAST...PEOPLE, BEFORE THEY HAD TABLETS TO WRITE ON AND WERE HAMMERING ON STONES, SO I FEEL LIKE I'M CONNECTING NOT ONLY TO THE EARTH, BUT TO PEOPLE OF THE PAST WHO-- WHO WORKED IN STONE.

Huell: AND...THIS WAS FORMED SO MANY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

David: YES.

YEAH, IT'S AMAZING.

YEAH, I--I WAS DRAWN TO STONE FIRST AND LEARNED THE ART SECOND.

SO, UH, IT'S--IT'S A JOURNEY.

Huell: PAUL, WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' NOW?

Paul: WELL, SEEIN' THE STONE WET IS THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE BEAUTY OF THIS PARTICULAR COLLECTION HERE.

Huell: LOOK AT THIS!

WHAT IN THE WORLD?!

Paul: THESE ARE SOME SEASHELL-- RAZOR-CLAM-LIKE SEASHELLS FROM 500 MILLION YEARS AGO.

AND WHAT IS MOST AMAZING TO ME ABOUT NOT ONLY THE SUBTLETY AND THE BEAUTY OF THESE SHAPES AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE DETAIL IN EACH OF THE PIECES IS... THAT THESE STONES BECAME STONE 500 MILLION YEARS AGO AT THE EQUATOR, AND TODAY THESE WERE HARVESTED 2,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA... Huell: YEAH.

Paul: ...AS STONE.

SO THIS IS ALASKAN MARBLE THAT FORMED A MILE DEEP AT THE EQUATOR.

Huell: 500 MILLION YEARS AGO.

Paul: 500 MILLION.

THAT'S A SHORT TIME FOR THIS MUCH ROCK.

Huell: SEE, ALL OF THESE--JUST THAT CONCEPT.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THINKING OF THE UNIVERSE.

YOU KNOW.

YOU--YOU'RE THINKING OF SOMETHING VERY OLD.

THIS WAS FORMED AT THE EQUATOR AND MOVED ALL THE WAY TO ALASKA...AND WAS HOW FAR UNDERGROUND?

Paul: THIS WAS A MILE DEEP IN THE OCEAN...AS--AS IN OCEAN BOTTOM.

SO IT--IT'S PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE THAT THE HISTORY AND THE STORY THAT WENT ON THERE IS SO KIND OF ALIVE AND VIBRANT IN THIS MARBLE.

Huell: DO YOU FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST KIND OF STUMBLE IN HERE THE WAY I DID, NOT REALLY KNOWIN' WHAT THEY WERE GETTIN' INTO, BUT ENDING UP BEING SO INTRIGUED BY IT THAT THEY ACTUALLY BECOME HOOKED ON IT AFTER A WHILE?

Paul: A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THAT.

WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE WHO COME IN AS CLIENTS--A DESIGNER OR SOMEONE'LL BRING 'EM HERE OR A RELATIVE WILL BRING 'EM.

THEY'RE IN TOWN.

HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ART CITY IS ABOUT, AND THEY COME IN HERE AND SPEND 3, 4 HOURS, SOMETIMES ALL DAY.

AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE RETURN VISITORS.

IT'S--IT'S--MY IMPRESSION: A LOT OF PEOPLE GET IT ABOUT THE ROCKS.

THEY UNDERSTAND THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY STONES AND DON'T KNOW WHAT MAYBE WILL HAPPEN TO THEM, BUT THEY LIKE THE ENERGY.

Huell: DO THEY LIKE TO--TO TOUCH THE STONES?

DO THEY LIKE TO LOOK AT THE STONES?

DO THEY END UP CARESSING THE STONES?

WHAT--WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE COME IN HERE?

Paul: WELL, THERE'S LOOKING, INITIALLY.

THERE'S SO MANY COLORS AND SO MUCH SCALE TO THE WHOLE PLACE.

SO THE...THE COLORS ARE THE FIRST THING, AND THEY'RE ARRANGED BY COLOR.

BUT THEN THE SCOPE AND SCALE AND TEXTURES ARE THE THING THAT HOLD PEOPLE'S ATTENTION THE MOST.

I THINK IT'S A RARE RANGE OF THAT EXPERIENCE.

NOT JUST THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, BUT INSIDE THE MIDDLE OF THE ROCK AND HOW IT'S BEEN TORN APART A HALF-DOZEN DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND THE ENERGY OF THAT...IS...IT'S--IT'S EMPOWERING.

PEOPLE GO, "WOW!

STONE IS KIND OF ACCESSIBLE."

AND SO I--I THINK THAT THAT'S A--A REASON THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY COME HERE.

Huell: AND THEY'VE GOTTA BE OVERWHELMED JUST LIKE I WAS BY THE AGE OF THESE ROCKS, THESE STONES, AND BY THE SENSE OF PROPORTION AND SCALE AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT OPENS UP, BECAUSE I THINK MOST OF US ARE GUILTY OF JUST WALKIN' THROUGH LIFE, NOT PAYIN' ANY ATTENTION TO THE ROCKS THAT ARE ALL AROUND US.

Paul: WELL, THEY'RE PATIENT, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE LONG AFTER WE'RE GONE, AND SO BEING SURROUNDED BY THEM, THEIR-- THEIR LANGUAGE IS MORE AMBIENT, AND...I THINK MAYBE THAT ADDS TO THE PEACEFULNESS PEOPLE FEEL.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE...OK, THE ROCKS AREN'T IN A HURRY.

MAYBE WE CAN SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT HERE.

YOU KNOW?

KINDA LIKE PEOPLE TAKE TIME IN CHURCH.

THIS IS THE CHURCH OF THE ROCKS.

Huell: WOW.

AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CHURCH IT IS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH... Paul: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

Huell: ...FOR TAKIN' US THROUGH ART CITY, THIS WONDERFUL PLACE, KINDA TUCKED AWAY HERE IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTION OF VENTURA.

IT HAS A MESSAGE.

IT HAS SOMETHING FOR ANYONE WHO COMES HERE TO SPEND SOME TIME LIKE WE ALL HAVE TODAY.

I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THIS VISIT WITH THESE MAGNIFICENT STONES...

THESE ROCKS FROM OUR EARTH, AS MUCH AS I HAVE.

GOOD-BYE, EVERYBODY.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--] Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.