THEIR MERITS.

THIS IS THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE, HIGH SCHOOL EXHIBITION.

IT'S AN ANNUAL TRADITION, SOMETHING THAT THE GALLERY HAS BEEN DOING SINCE THE EARLY 1990s.

A KEEN EYE FOR THE COLORFUL COMPLEXITY OF COLOR.

I GUESS THE WAY THAT I WOULD DESCRIBE MY WORK, IT IS REALLY A COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE LAYERS OF IMAGERY AND PAPERS.

A BONA FIDE JAZZ LEGEND.

COMPOSING AND PERFORMING IS KIND OF ONE PIECE.

TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS.

THE AUDIENCE THINKS THEY DON'T SEE ANY COMPOSING BECAUSE I'M PLAYING BUT ACTUALLY I'M COMPOSING WHEN I'M PLAYING.

THESE STORIES UP NEXT ON "ART ROCKS."

"ART ROCKS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

HELLO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US WITH ART ROCKS WITH ME, JAMES FOX-SMITH OF COUNTRY ROADS MAGAZINE.

EACH YEAR IN THE CAPITAL CITY ESTABLISHED ARTISTS GATHER TO JUDGE THE WORKS OF SOME VERY TALENTED BATON ROUGE ART STUDENTS.

THE CREAM OF THE CROP WILL BE INVITED TO EXHIBIT THEIR WORK AND PERHAPS EXPERIENCE THE PLEASURE OF SELLING A PIECE TOO.

THIS IS THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE JURIED HIGH SCHOOL EXHIBITION.

IT'S AN ANNUAL TRADITION AT BATON ROUGE GALLERY, SOMETHING THE GALLERY HAS BEEN DOING SINCE THE EARLY 1990s AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE GIVE THE STUDENTS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A REAL LIFE TASTE OF WHAT IT IS FOR PROFESSIONAL VALUE ARTISTS.

WE WORK WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE TEACHERS SELECT UP TO 15 PIECES PER TEACHER THAT ARE SUBMITTED TO THE GALLERY, SO THERE IS A BIT OF A JURYING PROCESS THAT HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES AND THEN THOSE 15 PIECES PER TEACHER COME TO US AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE JURY PANEL OF THREE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS.

YOU MIGHT HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHER, A PAINTER AND A SCULPTOR.

THE MEDIA CHANGES EACH YEAR AS DO THE JURORS HOPEFULLY EACH YEAR CREATING A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

I DO SEND 15 PIECES.

IT'S VERY COMPLICATED WHEN I TEACH 75 KIDS A DAY AND THEN I HAVE TO DECIDE OUT OF 75 WHAT IS THE SELECTION.

TO ME ULTIMATELY IT IS NOT JUST THE PIECE BUT WHAT THE STUDENT IS TRYING TO PERCEIVE AND GIVE TO THE WORLD.

NORMALLY WE HAVE A HUGE OPENING RECEPTION FOR THIS SHOW EACH YEAR WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS, TEACHER, FAMILY MEMBERS HERE IN PERSON FOR THE EVENT, AND THAT'S WHEN WE GET TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS FOR EACH YEAR.

BECAUSE OF THE EXHIBITION SPONSORS, CORDELL AND EVA, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE PRIZE MONEY FOR THE TOP THREE PIECES WHICH IS A HUGE, HUGE THRILL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO OFFER EACH YEAR.

OVER $1,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES ARE GIVEN OUT EACH YEAR.

MY MOM TOLD ME TO COME WORK FOR THE SHOW AND HE WAS SHOWING THE PICTURES AND I THOUGHT THERE'S NO WAY I'LL WIN.

THEN HE CALLED MY NAME.

IT WAS SHOCK.

I WAS SO EXCITED AND SCARED AT THE SAME TIME.

HE WAS GOING TO TELL ME TO GET ON THE CAM RAP.

I THINK WE ALL LOOK FOR A COMPOSITION OF BALANCE IN OUR LIFE.

WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY TO ALL OF THESE CHILDREN IS FIND THE BITS AND PIECES AND HOW YOU TAKE THOSE BITS AND PIECES AND CREATE A BEAUTIFUL BALANCED COMPOSITION WITH A MESSAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR LIFE.

AND I FEEL THAT IS WHAT I TRY TO DO WITH MY STUDENTS IS TO UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE, BUT HOW DO YOU TAKE THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES AND CREATE THAT COMPOSITION?

THAT COMPOSITION DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL THEME.

IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT SO BEAUTIFUL.

BUT IT CREATES YET THAT CONVERSATION.

WE HAVE KIND OF A SLOGAN IN THE CLASSROOM WHERE SILENCE IS A TERRIBLE THING AND THAT WE NEED TO USE OUR VOICES.

AND THIS IS THE BEST WAY.

ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I STARTED WORKING WITH CLAY AND MY HIGH SCHOOL ART CLASS.

I KIND OF GRADUATED INTO SCULPTURE AND BEGAN WORKING WITH IT AND REALLY ENJOYING THE HUMAN FORM.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KIND OF TOOK OFF WITH ONCE I FINALLY GOT INTO THE MEDIUM.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS A UNIQUENESS ABOUT IT.

EVERY SINGLE THING IS DIFFERENT.

NOTHING IS THE SAME.

AT THE SAME TIME IT'S UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZABLE.

EVERYONE CAN SEE EITHER THEMSELVES IN IT OR SOMEONE THEY KNOW IN IT.

THE DISASSOCIATION AND A YOUNG GIRL, SHE WAS ABOUT 8 YEARS OLD HAS FOR THE PAST YEAR BEEN DEALING WITH BODY DYSMORPHIA AND ANXIETY AND OVERALL SOCIAL PRESSURE TOWARDS HER AND IT KIND OF SHOCKED ME CONSIDERING HER AGE, THE FACT THAT SHE IS SO CONSCIOUS OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF HER AND THAT MATTERS SO MUCH TO HER.

TO THE POINT WHERE SHE JUST -- IT'S HARD FOR HER TO FUNCTION.

AND I KIND OF WANTED TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, TALKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL PUT DOWN WOMEN IN A WAY THAT'S UNNECESSARY AND COMPLETELY WRONG AND HORRIBLE.

THROUGH MY PIECE I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY THAT KIND OF MESSAGE ABOUT HOW THE WORLD KIND OF BREAKS DOWN WOMEN AND OBJECTIFIES THEM IN WAY NO PERSON, NO HUMAN SHOULD BE TREATED.

I'VE ALWAYS LOVED CLAY.

JUST BEING IN THE CLASS THIS YEAR I REALLY GOT TO EXPERIMENT.

I REALLY LIKE HAND BUILDING THE MOST.

I HAND BUILT THE WHOLE THING.

IT WAS A SLAB THAT I CUT OUT TO MAKE A CYLINDER AND THEN I CUT OUT THE BOTTOM AND ATTACHED THE FACES LAST.

I WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE GLAZING PROCESS AFTER IT WAS FIRED.

THIS IS THE FIRST PIECE I'VE SOLD AND ALSO THE FIRST PIECE I'VE EVER HAD IN THE GALLERY WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT I LIKE AND TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE ELSE SHARED THAT VALUE OF MY WORK, IT WAS REALLY COOL.

I WAS WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM AND TO SEE THAT I WON CLAY WAS REALLY COOL TOO.

I FELT RECOGNIZED IN A WAY I HADN'T BEEN BEFORE, ESPECIALLY FOR ARTWORK.

I HADN'T REALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN ART BEFORE THIS YEAR.

THIS IS A SHOW THAT COLLECTORS WHO COME TO THE GALLERY REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY YEAR.

THEY ARE ALSO BLOWN AWAY BOO THE QUALITY OF WORK THAT'S BEING PRODUCED WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY, DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS OR CERAMIC SCULPTURE, THEY'RE ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY THE QUALITY OF WORK.

THERE ARE OFTENTIMES WORK AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS SHOW.

OFTENTIMES THE PRICES ARE MORE THAN AFFORDABLE.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BEGIN AN ART COLLECTION OR ADD AN EXCITING PIECE TO A COLLECTION THAT'S ALREADY IN PROGRESS.

THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE IN, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS A VERY DIVERSE POPULATION, SO IT'S EASY FOR THIS EXHIBITION TO HAVE GREAT REPRESENTATION FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY PROUD OF, SOMETHING THAT THE GALLERY IS ALWAYS STRIVING TO DO, BETTER REPRESENT THE CITY THAT IT'S A PART OF, THE STATE THAT IT'S A PART OF.

WE HAVE 65 VISUAL ART TEACHERS IN OUR 80 SCHOOLS JUST TO ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THE BEST OF THE BEST ARTWORK THAT WE HAVE AT OUR SCHOOL AS WELL AS SCHOOLS THAT ARE PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL.

IT WAS JUST MIND BLOWING.

WE DO HAVE ART IN SCHOOLS K THROUGH 12, NOT EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN ART TEACHER, BUT WE DO HAVE ART IN ALL AREAS.

WE ALSO HAVE A TALENTED PROGRAM WHICH IDENTIFIES CHILDREN WHO ARE EXCEPTIONAL IN THE VISUAL ARTS AND WE COULD PULL OUT PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY AND THEY ARE TAUGHT SEPARATELY AND IN SMALL GROUP SETTINGS, AND THAT IS OFFERED THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AT VARIOUS DIFFERENT SITES WHERE THE CHILDREN CAN GO FOR INSTRUCTION IN THEIR VARIOUS SPECIALTY WHETHER IT BE DANCE OR MUSIC OR VISUAL ARTS.

IT'S A MELTING POT OF STUDENTS WITH TALENT AT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS.

WE TEND TO SEE SOME SCHOOLS MORE REPRESENTED THAN OTHERS.

YOU MAY SEE A FEW MORE STUDENTS WITH EXPOSURE AT SOME SCHOOLS THAN OTHERS, BUT WITH THEM BEING INVOLVED IN THIS SHOWCASE, IT ALLOWS US TO GET MORE KIDS INVOLVED.

THE VALUE OF ART CAN GO SO MANY WAYS.

IT ALLOWS THEM TO DEVELOP WHO THEY ARE AS INDIVIDUALS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL ASPECTS OF ART, WHEN YOU TALK DOES THE INTEREST AS A WHOLE OF ART, AND THE IMAGINATION THAT COMES WITH THAT, AND THEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT THE CRITICAL THINKING THAT KIDS GO THROUGH WHEN THEY ACTUALLY COMPOSING OR CREATING A PIECE.

THE ART IS TO ME MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER AREA OF EDUCATION, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE CHILD TO USE THEIR MINDS IN WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN'T IN OTHER CORE SUBJECTS THAT THRAI TAKE.

THEY TAKE.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT A CHILD CAN'T DO IN ART THAT PREPARES THEM FOR ANY ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE.

BATON ROUGE GALLERY HAS BEEN STAGING AN ANNUAL EXHIBITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ARTISTS SINCE THE 1990s.

ATTEND AND YOU'LL BE CAPTIVATED BY THE CREATIVITY AND TALENT OF GATHERING FORCE IN THE NEXT GENERATION TOO.

OUR LIVES CAN BE GREATLY ENRICHED BY THE CREATIVE OUTPOURING OF OTHERS.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO GET OUT AND SEE.

SO HERE ARE SOME OF OUR PICKS FOR NOTABLE EXHIBITS COMING SOON TO MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.

FOR MORE ABOUT THESE AND MANY MORE EVENTS IN THE ARTS, VISIT LPD.ORG/ARTROCKS.

THERE YOU'LL FIND RINKS TO EVERY EPISODE OF THIS PROGRAM.

TO SEE OR SHARE ANY SEGMENT VISIT LPD.ORG/ARTROCKS.

IT'S THE PATTERNS IN KRISTI ABBOTT'S WORK THAT DRAW THE ARTS.

COME CLOSER AND THE COLLAGES BEGIN TO REVEAL THEIR UNDERLYING COMPLEXITY.

SHE BUILDS LAYERS UPON LAYERS WITH SECOND ELEMENTS TO SHOWCASE THE CHERISHED ICONS THAT SET HER WORK APART.

LEAN IN CLOSE AND TAKE A LOOK.

THIS IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.

I LIKE THIS ONE.

THAT REALLY LOOKS THREE DIMENSIONAL.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

THIS IS GOOD.

MY PAINTING SELECTION STARTED ACTUALLY ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO IN SYDNEY.

THE RIGHT PAPER CAN MAKE OR BREAK A PIECE.

OH, I LIKE THAT ONE.

THIS ONE'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S LIKE A DUNDEE.

IT IS REALLY GROWING INTO SOMETHING I NOW HAVE BIG PAPER, YOU KNOW, PRINTER DRAWERS FULL OF PAPER.

I'M LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE.

I'M LIKE.

[ NOISE ] WITHIN MY LATEST BODY OF WORK I'VE REALLY TRIED TO PUSH THE TYPICAL IDEA OF COLLAGE AS AN ART FORM.

CROCODILES DO FEEL KIND OF LEATHERY AND ROUGH LIKE THIS, NOT THAT I'VE FELT TOO MANY CROCODILES, BUT THE BIGGEST ADVICE PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY SEE MY WORK IS REALIZING THAT IT'S MADE FROM PAPER.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STOP ME FROM GOING OVER THE TOP HERE.

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I USED TO DO A LOT OF JIGSAW PUZZLES AND SPOT THE DIFFERENT PUZZLES TRYING TO FIND HIDDEN IMAGERY IN ARTWORK, WHICH WERE CHILDREN'S STORYBOOKS.

I GUESS THE WAY THAT I WOULD DESCRIBE MY WORK, IT IS REALLY A COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE PLAYERS OF IMAGERY AND PAPERS.

AT THE MOMENT I AM WORKING ON TWO PIECES.

I REALLY DECIDED TO LOOK AT IMAGERY STAND OUT CHARACTERS THAT TELL A BIT OF A STORY OF AUSTRALIA.

AND THE CROCODILE DUNDEE WHEN TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL AUSTRALIA, WHEN TALKING ABOUT MODERN AUSTRALIA.

MY SERIES HAS KIND OF DEVELOPED VERY ORGANICALLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON MY PIN-UP SERIES AND SUBJECT MATTER WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH AND I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN FASHION AND THEATER DESIGN, SO THE COSTUMING ELEMENT WAS GREAT.

I WAS SHOWING A FEW DIFFERENT AND I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING UP TO ME AND SAYING THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT HAVE YOU DONE MARILYN OR HAVE YOU DONE AUDREY AND SO THEY WERE ALL OVER THESE FABULOUS WOMEN THAT THEY WERE HOPING TO SEE AND IT REALLY GOT ME THINKING THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER AREA.

SO I WENT BACK AND I DECIDED TO PICK AUDREY HEPBURN AND THEN I EMBED ALL OF THESE OTHER FABULOUS WOMEN THAT HAVE DONE GREAT STUFF FOR GIRL POWER OVER THE LAST CENTURY WITHIN THAT PIECE, AND SO THAT WAS REALLY THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW STYLE OF WORK THAT I'M DOING.

I FEEL I'M CREATING SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH MORE THAN THE POPULAR CULTURE IMAGES.

HOW I FEEL, I GUESS I'M REALLY ADDING TO THE ART WORLD IN MY WAY IS BY WEAVING IN THIS FABRIC OF PAPERS AND ALSO THIS FABRIC OF HIDDEN IMAGERY.

I COULD MAYBE USE TWO OF THESE AND THEN MAYBE USE THIS.

I THINK THAT COULD LOOK PRETTY COOL.

I GET THIS FEELING SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING, I'VE LEFT THE STUDIO AND I'M ON MY WAY SOMEWHERE AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE A TINGLE ALL OVER.

I CAN TELL YOU IT'S THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE HAPPY FEELING IN THE WORLD TO THINK THAT I TOOK A CHANCE.

IT'S SCARY SOMETIMES, NOT JUST SOMETIMES, BUT IT IS SCARY TO PUT THAT KIND OF FAITH IN YOURSELF TO BE OUT AND MAKE IT WORK.

I AM AN ARTIST, THAT IS MY OCCUPATION IS A VERY, VERY COOL THING.

I PINCH MYSELF OFTEN, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY.

TIME FOR A TUNE OR TWO.

WE'RE PAYING TRIBUTE TO TOWERING JAZZ PIANIST AND BONA FIDE AMERICAN MUSICAL LEGEND CHICK COREA WHO PASSED AWAY IN FEBRUARY, 2021, LOOKING BACK AT A LIST OF ACCOLADES OF 22-GRAMMIES, HERE IS AN INSIGHT INTO HIS CAREER, HIS CREATIVE PROCESS AND HIS LIFE IN TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA.

I GREW UP IN A MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT.

MY DAD WAS A MUSICIAN.

AND HE HAD A BAND.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE HAD LIKE A THREE-ROOM APARTMENT IN CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF BOSTON.

WE WERE UP ABOVE A GROCERY STORE.

THERE WAS A PHARMACY ON THE CORNER AND A BARROOM ACROSS THE STREET.

MY MOTHER WAS WORKING IN A CANDY FACTORY IN BOSTON.

MY DAD WAS GIGGING AT NIGHT WITH HIS BAND.

HE WOULD BRING HIS MUSICIANS BACK FROM THE GIG OFTEN AND MY MOTHER WOULD COOK UP SOME PASTA AND SOME POTATO AND EGGS FOR EVERYBODY AND I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HANGING OUT WITH THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL REAL RELAXED.

MY DAD WOULD TAKE ME TO THE GIGS SOMETIMES AND I'D SEE THEM PLAY AND I'D PLAY WITH THEM.

SO I GREW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF MUSICIANS CREATING.

AND I ALWAYS JUST FELT A PART OF IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

I BEGAN TO PLAY PIANO.

NEVER THOUGHT OF DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

I LIKE TO PLAY DRUMS.

I'D PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF TRUMPET.

I'D FOOL AROUND WITH THE GUITAR A LITTLE BIT.

YOU WANT TO LEARN THE TOOLS OF YOUR TRADE.

I'VE EVEN PICKED UP A VIOLIN AND SCRATCHED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.

IT'S MUSIC AND I GOT INTERESTED IN EVERY ASPECT OF IT.

I MOVED FROM BOSTON TO NEW YORK IN 1959.

IN NEW YORK AT THAT TIME WAS ALL OF MY MUSICAL HEROES, MILES DAVIS, SONNY ROLLINS WAS IN TOWN, ORNETTE COLEMAN WAS PLAYING, TITO PUENTE'S BAND.

THAT WAS A RICH TIME.

SO I SCOOTED DOWN TO NEW YORK TO LIVE.

BEING A COMPOSER AND ARRANGER, IT'S ALL PART OF BEING A MUSICIAN.

COMPOSING MUSIC AND PERFORMING IT TO ME ARE KIND OF ONE PIECE.

IT'S TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS.

THE AUDIENCE THINKS THEY DON'T SEE YOU COMPOSING BECAUSE I'M PLAYING, BUT ACTUALLY I'M COMPOSING WHEN I'M PLAYING.

SINCE IMPROVISATION IS KIND OF LIKE THAT.

IN COMPOSING YOU PIECE THE IDEAS TOGETHER SO THEY GET FIXED INTO A PIECE THAT YOU CAN REPEAT AND THEN THAT BECOMES A SONG.

AS A BANDLEADER OR AS AN ORGANIZER OF THE GROUP, I LIKE TO TRY TO CHOOSE MUSICIANS AND PUT THEM TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXPERIMENT.

WELL, I'LL SEE, PUT THIS GUY TOGETHER WITH THAT GUY AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE IN THE CLEARWATER TAMPA AREA FOR 20 YEARS.

I CAME HERE TO RELAX AND KIND OF GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH BECAUSE MY LIFE HAS BEEN BASICALLY TOURING.

I PERFORM.

I'M ON THE ROAD TEN MONTHS A YEAR.

SO WHEN I COME HOME, I'M NOT LOOKING TO TRAVEL TOO MUCH.

I'M LOOKING TO HANG OUT.

AND OF COURSE THE ATTRACTION DOWN HERE IS IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA.

THE WEATHER IS GREAT.

IT JUST WORKS FOR ME, YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE WHEN I'M ON THE ROAD, IT'S A PARTICULAR GRID EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, SCHEDULE EVERY DAY.

WHEN I GET HOME, I'M ABLE TO PRACTICE, WRITE NEW MUSIC, RELAX, SAY HELLO TO MY WIFE.

RECENTLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS INVITED TO DO LOCALLY WAS GREAT.

WAS THIS NEW SOCIETY THAT GREAT BANDLEADER CHUCK OWENS FROM TAMPA, HE AND SOME FRIENDS PUT TOGETHER AN ASSOCIATION FOR JAZZ ARRANGERS AND COMPOSERS.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A COOL THING.

THEY INVITED ME TO GO TO THEIR FIRST OPENING WHICH WAS LAST YEAR.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HEARD OF A SOCIETY BEING PUT TOGETHER FOR ESPECIALLY JAZZ ARRANGERS AND COMPOSERS.

THERE IS A LEGACY OF WRITERS, MUSIC WRITERS, THAT ARE JAZZ WRITERS.

IT GOES BACK DO DUKE ELINGTON.

BUT TO US THE JAZZ WRITERS ARE NOT PAID FOR HIRE WRITERS, LIKE MOVIE SCHOOL WRITERS.

I GO HOME AND WRITE MY MUSIC AND BRING IT OUT ON STAGE OR YOU HEAR IT ON MY RECORD, YOU KNOW.

SO THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL -- THERE'S NO WAY TO CREATE.

INPUT IS ALWAYS COMING YOUR WAY.

IF YOU ONLY ACCEPT INPUT AND USE THAT, THEN YOU'RE A ROBOT.

IF YOU ONLY USE WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO, THEN YOU'RE NOT SOCIETIING WITH ANYBODY, SO THERE'S A BALANCE IN THERE TO ME OF HOW TO CREATE SOMETHING.

IT'S A COMMUNICATION.

SO ONE PERSON DOES ONE THING OR I HAVE AN IDEA.

PUT IT DOWN, RIGHT?

OR I'D HAVE AN IDEA AND THEN YOU DO SOMETHING WITH THE IDEA.

THEN I MIGHT BRING THAT IDEA TO SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY'LL GO OH.

[ PLAYING PIANO ] THEY PUT SOMETHING ELSE TO IT.

AND THEN IT COMES BACK.

AND THEN IT GETS DEVELOPED.

I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY RAISED TO THINK HOW YOU ARE AND HOW YOU COMMUNICATE IS FIXED.

THAT IT CAN'T BE CHANGED.

AND IN ACTUAL FACT I'VE DISCOVERED THAT JUST LIKE PLAYING THE PIANO OR SKATING OR ANY SKILL THAT YOU WANT TO DEVELOP THAT THE ACT OF COMMUNICATING AND GETTING YOUR IDEA ACROSS AND THEN RECEIVING IDEAS FROM OTHERS AND WORKING WITH THEM, IT'S A SKILL THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY WORK ON IT.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

JUST LIKE YOU TAKE APART A CHORDAL STRUCTURE AND YOU INVESTIGATE IT AND YOU SEE WHAT IS IT MADE OF?

YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND WORK IT OUT.

IN THAT SAME WAY YOU CAN WORK OUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND THEN PROVE YOUR ABILITY TO DO IT.

TO ME THAT ASPECT OF HOW YOU GET YOUR IDEA ACROSS SUCCESSFULLY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

HOW I BALANCE MYSELF BETWEEN MY OWN CREATIONS AND OTHER PEOPLE'S CREATIONS, THAT'S THE DELL DELICACY OF LIFE I THINK.

SO LET'S WRAP THINGS UP WITH A BIT OF MOLTEN METAL.

ROD FORD'S LIFE HAS HAD ITS FAIR SHARE OF TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS AND THAT'S THE SUBJECT MATTER FORD CHANNELS CREATING ONE OF A KIND SCRAP METAL SCULPTURES THAT SEEM TO BREATHE WITH A LIFE OF THEIR OWN.

TAKE A LOOK AND YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE WHY SOME ARE CALLING FORD ROBOT MAN.

LET'S FIND OUT WHY.

WHEN YOU CAME BACK, YOU'RE ANGRY AND YOU ALWAYS HAD THIS BURDEN ON YOUR SHOULDERS SAYING WHY DID YOU SURVIVE?

BUT I KEPT ONGOING UNTIL, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID YOU BETTER GET SOME HELP BECAUSE YOU REALLY HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE.

COME TO FIND OUT THAT PTSD INFLUENCES YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

IT'S THE BEST THERAPY I EVER CAME ACROSS.

YOU GET LOCKED IN AND TIME GOES AWAY AND YOU'RE FOCUSED.

IT'S THE BEST THERAPY IN THE WORLD, ABSOLUTELY.

MY NAME'S ROD FORD AND I WORK IN METAL AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS ACTUALLY.

IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I USED TO GO WAY BY ALLEYS AND I'D BRING STUFF HOME, STUFF I COLLECTED OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH AND DO DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THEM AS A KID.

LOOKING FOR A CRISP BLUE FLAME RIGHT THERE.

SO MY IMAGINATION WAS ALWAYS THERE ACTUALLY CREATING DIFFERENT THINGS OUT OF THE JUNK I BROUGHT HOME.

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COLLECTING JUNK, TREASURES, EXCUSE ME, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

I THOUGHT I'M GOING TO START PUTTING THESE THINGS TOGETHER.

AND SINCE WE WALKED THROUGH LIFELIKE ROBOTS, THAT IS THE THING.

AND THAT'S SORT OF WHERE IT EVOLVED AND I BECAME GOOD.

I USE THAT AS THE HEAD WHEN I WANT TO USE THE SPINE THAT'S IN HERE TO LOCK IT IN POSITION.

I BUILT THEM AS THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.

WALKING THROUGH LIFE, WE HAVE OUR LITTLE CAGE WE WALK THROUGH LIFE IN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN THAT CHANGES THAT PICTURE.

I'D BEEN GOING THROUGH THERAPY FOR YEARS AND IT WAS HOW CAN I RELATE THAT WHERE I CAN MAKE A STATEMENT THERE?

HE'S STANDING OUTSIDE A BIG PLATE GLASS THAT SAYS LIFE ON IT AND THAT LIFE IS FACING HIM.

AND HE'S LOOKING AT IT, BUT HE KNOWS HE CAN'T GET BACK TO WHERE HE WAS.

IT'S ALL DIFFERENT NOW AND THAT COMES FROM TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS SHIFTED YOU FROM THE REALITY YOU USED TO HAVE TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

THEY LOVE IT.

THEY COME UP HERE AND GO HOW IN THE HECK DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT?

I'M GOING I DON'T KNOW, BUT AS I WAS BUILDING IT, IT MADE SENSE.

METAL TALKS TO ME.

I DON'T KNOW.

THE TRICK IS TRYING TO PUT PERSONALITY INTO YOUR METAL AND TRYING TO MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE THEY COULD JUST WALK OFF AND DO IT.

SO I THINK I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT.

FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND DO IT.

DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CRITICS SAY.

IT'S FOR YOU.

DO IT FOR YOU.

AND IF OTHER PEOPLE LOVE IT, HOT DIGGITY, IT'S A GOOD DEAL.

I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP BUILDING.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO.

AND THAT'LL BE THAT FOR THIS EDITION OF "ART ROCKS," BUT REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN SEE AND SHARE EPISODES OF THE SHOW AT LPB.ORG/ARTROCKS.

IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT ELSE YOU'RE MISSING OUT AND ABOUT IN LOUISIANA, COUNTRY ROADS MAGAZINE MAKES A GREAT RESOURCE FOR DISCOVERING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ARTS AND CULTURAL CREWS THE BAYOU.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK I'VE BEEN JAMES FOX-SMITH AND THANKS TO YOU FOR WATCHING.

ART ROCKS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.