CHRONICLES CADDO PARISH LINE BY LINE.

I ANTICIPATE IT TO BE ANIMATED BY EVERY RULE.

SHE LOVES THE NIGHT LIFE BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

VIBRANT ANIMAL PORTRAITS.

AS A KID I ALWAYS LOVED ANIMALS.

AS AN ADULT ALWAYS ENJOYED ART, SO I PAINT ANIMALS IN ACRYLIC USUALLY IN BRIGHT COLORS.

CREATIVITY YOU CAN WEAR ON YOUR SLEEVE.

I'M AN ARTIST THE.

I'M NOT A JEULER.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE JEWELERS THAT ARE BRILLIANT.

AND A MUSEUM DEDICATED TO CHANGING THE WAY WE SEE THINGS.

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 BEING PART OF "ART ROCKS" WITH ME, JAMES FOX-SMITH, PUBLISHER OF COUNTRY ROAD MAGAZINE.

THE ILLUMINATING POWER OF POETRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT IT MAKES US REFLECT ON AND CONNECT WITH THE PARTS OF LIFE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE PASS UNNOTICED.

CADDO PARISH'S POET LAUREATE POETIC X, BELIEVES DEEPLY IN THAT POWER.

WHO NEEDS POETRY?

HE SAYS?

EVERYBODY.

THE CHAIRMAN AT THE TIME WAS TO WRITE A COMMISSION PIECE FOR THE EVENT.

ART IS A PRODUCT OF MAN.

AND WITH TIRLS AND TOOLS ARE SKILLFULLY USED TO RELATE OR COMMUNICATE TO OUR MILLENNIUM EXPERIENCE.

THE WILD CROWD APPLIED PER SE VEINS.

I ANTICIPATED TO BE ANIMATED BY EVERY ROOM.

MY HEART IS A PRODUCT OF ART.

IT WOULD BE LIBERALS, ME NOT THE BALLOON.

MY DAY IS FULL OF OCEAN SPRAY.

PLUS I'M MARRIED TO THE MOON.

SHE LOVES THE NIGHT LIGHT BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

SEE A RETURN SOON.

FOR THE STORIES HANDS FULL OF BLACK BETTER REGION HE PICKED OUT THE FOREST AND BEFORE SHE CAN OPEN HER MOUTHY BECOME FEEL WHAT OGOD'S WILL IN.

TELL ALL ABOUT THE DOLPHINS, THE MERMAIDS, THE DESERT PLAINS AND THE CASCADES.

THE GRAVITY, THE CORNERSTONE, THE IMAGINATION SITS AROUND THE SUNSET GALERIE.

I HAVE EMBRACED POETRY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME OVER THE YEARS TO HAVE SELF-AWARENESS, BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MY SURROUNDINGS AND HOW TO BE COMMUNICATE MESSAGES FAIRLY TO OTHER PERSONS.

I OFTEN WRITE ABOUT HISTORY, ART, PHILOSOPHY, VARIETY OF SUBJECTS, OUR ETYMOLOGY, METAPHYSICS, BOUGHT ANY, HUMAN ANATOMY, ASTRONOMY, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES, CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES, SOCIAL TOPICS.

WHEREVER MY MIND MAY GO AT THAT TIME FROM WATCHING MY SURROUNDINGS AND WHAT'S TAKING PLACE, THEN I WRITE ACCORDING TO WHAT I SEE.

ONCE I ZOOM IN ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT I BEGAN TO TAKE MENTAL NOTES.

AND THE MENTAL NOTES BEGAN TO PUT THEMSELVES TOGETHER IN AN ODDLY FASHION AND I DOCUMENT AND THEN I'M ABLE TO PUT A PICTURE BACK TOGETHER THEN THE OBJECTIVE FOR ME IS TO MAKE SURE THAT MESSAGE WAS TRANSFERRED, MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER COMPLEX I MAY SIMPLIFY, POETRY IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER NOW BECAUSE PERSONS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THEMSELVES.

WHEN I OBSERVE HUMANITY AND A LOT OF ISSUES, ESPECIALLY GUN VIOLENCE, THEN I BECOME MORE DEDICATED TO PRESENTING POETRY AND WANTING TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THE CAUSE.

IT IS SO MUCH SPIRITUAL INFORMATION MOVING IN BETWEEN SPACES, AND PERSONS ARE SO BUSY WITH THEIR LIFESTYLES THAT THEY ARE NOT USUALLY ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS MOVING IN BETWEEN SPACES.

I AM INTO ETYMOLOGY.

I LIKE TO PUT WORDS TOGETHER TO WHERE THE MESSAGE CAN PROPERLY BE RELAYED, THAT PERSONS CAN UNDERSTAND MORE THAN BEING HUMAN, THAT THEY ARE SUPERNATURAL, THAT THEY ARE PHENOMENAL, AND THAT THEY MAY THROUGH MY WRITINGS AND OTHER WORKS BE ABLE TO PINPOINT IT WHEN THEY SEE SIGNS OF SPIRITUALITY MOVING IN THE PHYSICAL.

WHEN I SEE PERSONS OR PEOPLE REALLY GETTING THE MESSAGE IN MY TO ETRY IS VERY MOTIVATING WHEN I'M READING POETRY OR PERFORMING POETRY NOT ALL THE TIME DO PERSONS GET IT BUT USUALLY I KNOW THAT ONCE THEY ARE ABLE TO REFLECT THAT'S ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE READING MY WRITTEN WORK THEN THEY CAN SEE THE MESSAGE UP CLOSER THAN THEY DO WHEN I'M RECITING.

ONCE I READ SOME OF KING DAVID IN THE BIBLE.

I FOUND A REFLECTION OF MYSELF.

DAVE TO WHERE DAVID HIMSELF ENLIGHTENED ME TO SEPARATE SELFZ ARE FROM DISTORTION AND SEPARATE SELF FROM WICKEDNESS OR TO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN WHAT I'M SAYING IS PROVIDING MUSIC.

THE MESSAGE IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I'M WRITING, BUT I USUALLY COVER THE "X" FACTOR WHERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PATTERN AND REPETITION THAT SHOWS THAT THERE IS A RHYTHM IN THE POETRY.

IT HELPS WITH MEMORIZATION.

I THINK THAT BEING IN YOUR WRITTEN MATERIAL LONGEST.

NURSERY ROD SIMONS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE AND IF YOU CAN LAND MESSAGE PROPERLY IT WILL LAST FOR A WHILE.

BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY EITHER HAVE TO BE LYRICAL TO HAVE LONGEST.

THE MESSAGE CAN BE SO STRONG AND DIRECT TO WHAT'S GOING ON AND IT TOO WILL LAST A VERY LONG TIME.

POETIC X IS A POETRY BOOK THAT I SELF-PUBLISHED.

YOU CAN FIND THAT IF IT'S TEN LINES, TEN WORDS, MAYBE THERE'S A SYMBOL INSIDE OF A POEM TEN TIMES, THERE'S A TO DO IT YOURSELF POEM WHERE THERE ARE TEN LINES LEFT BLANK FOR PERSONS TO JUST FILL IN THE POEM AS THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT EVERY POEM IS A TEN-LINER AND FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN.

I LEARNED IN THE SCHOOL AND NATURE FIRST WHERE I BEGAN TO OBSERVE MY SURROUNDINGS AND TO WRITE AND THEN THE PARTS AND PIECES BEGAN TO MANIFEST.

PERSONS SHOWED UP IN THE FORM OF INFORMATION, SO I WAS INQUISITIVE ABOUT THE DESTINATION THAT I WANTED TO GO TO SOMEONE APPEARED AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO MOVE FURTHER ALONG THAN I WOULD PERFORM AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE APPEARED AND THEN I WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FURTHER ALONG.

I HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT.

WHEN THE PHONE RINGS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY I'M THERE.

I HAVE A FEW POEMS THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR HUMANITY TO GRASP THE WHOLE LOVE AND DO TIME EVEN IF CLASSROOMS, SIT DOWN A PROFESSOR SIT DOWN AND HAVE COLLEGE STUDENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, SIT DOWN AND JUST STUDY MY POETRY.

PEOPLE RELY ABOUT 75 TO 100 TIMES JUST SHOWING HOW VERY IMPORTANT IT IS FOR HOPE TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN SOCIETIES.

JOURNEY OF THE CANDIDATE X MAN IS ANOTHER POEM THAT I HOPE PERSONS WILL LOOK INTO MORE BECAUSE IT'S EXPLAINING SPIRITUALITY IN A SIMPLIFIED FASHION.

BLACK IS THE BASIS OF A POEM THAT I WROTE HIGHLIGHTING BLACK ARTISTS IN MUSIC, BLACK PUBLICATIONS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MUSIC HISTORY.

IT'S A GROOVY PIECE, YOU KNOW, AND HIS MUSICAL IS LYRICAL VERY MUCH SO AND YOU KNOW, I THINK PERSON WILL BE ABLE TO REALLY EMBRACE THAT NO MATTER WHAT RACE OR NATIONALITY, YOU KNOW, COME FROM, IT'S A WONDERFUL POEM.

HERE IN LOUISIANA THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR JUST SITTING THERE ON THE COUCH BECAUSE OUR STATE IS THICK WITH SOCIAL EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS TO DISCOVER OF THE HERE'S A LIST OF SOME EXHIBITS, PERFORMANCES AND FESTIVALS COMING SOON TO A TOWN NEAR YOU.

FOR MORE ABOUT THESE AND LOTS MORE EVENTS IN THE CREATIVE SPACE VISIT LPB.ORG/ARTROCKS YOU'LL FIND LINKS TO EVERY EPISODE OF THIS PROGRAM SO TO SEE OR SHARE ANY SEGMENT AGAIN VISIT LPB.ORG/ARTROCKS.

EMILY REID ADORES ANIMALS.

SHE REGISTERS HER AFFECTION IN MULTI-COLORED PATTERNED PAINTINGS OF ALPACAS, DONKEYS, ROOSTERS AND MORE.

WE VISIT HER IN HER STUDIO IN RENO, NEVADA, TO ABSORB HER WORK AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HER PROCESS.

AS A KID I ALWAYS LOVED ANIMALS, AS AN ADULT ALWAYS ENJOYED ART, SO I PAINT ANIMALS IN ACRYLIC, USUALLY IN BRIGHT COLORS AND LOTS OF PATTERNS.

I PAINT IN THE STUDIO IN MY HOUSE, SO I'M USUALLY PAINTING RIGHT ON THE FLOOR.

AND MY HOUSE IS IN MY FARM, SO I HAVE ANIMALS ALL AROUND ME, WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY.

ONCE YOU GOAT A COUPLE ANIMALS, PEOPLE ASK YOU IF YOU'LL TAKE MORE.

AND IF I CAN GIVE THEM A HOME THAT THEY LIVE HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE OTHER ANIMALS I USUALLY SAY YES.

I'M A LITTLE BIT BAD AT SAYING NO.

I HAVE ABOUT 40 ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE THAT WERE ALL IN NEED OF HOMES, AND ARE ALL KIND OF SUPPORTED BY MY ARTWORK SO THE ANIMALS I LIVE WITH INSPIRE MY ARTWORK AND WHEN I SELL MY ARTWORK IT ALLOWS ME TO PROVIDE A HOME FOR MY ANIMALS.

SO IT'S KIND OF A COOL RELATIONSHIP THAT WE SHARE.

WE HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

I HAVE THREE DOGS AND A PIGEON.

I HAVE 22 CHICKENS AND TWO EMUS AND TWO ALPACAS.

I HAVE TWO DONKEYS AND A MINI-HORSE AND I HAVE THREE MINI-PIGS AND THREE GOATS.

RIGHT NOW ALPACAS ARE KIND OF POPULAR AND THEY HAVE GOT, YOU KNOW, THEIR CRAZY LITTLE CARTOONY FACES, SO THOSE ARE GOOD ONES TO PAINT.

I'VE PAINTED THE PIGEON TUBS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND MY TORTOISE, PHINEAS.

THE DONKEYS HAVE MADE IT INTO A COUPLE PAINTINGS.

THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN I PAINT.

I EITHER KNOW WHAT COLORS I'M GOING TO USE AND I PAINT THE BACKGROUND FIRST OR I KNOW WHAT SUBJECT I'M GOING TO PAINT AND I SKETCH THAT OUT RIGHT ON TO THE WOOD.

I LIKE TO LEAVE ALL MY MISTAKE LINES OR CONTOUR LINES SO I HAVE LOTS OF LITTLE SHAPES TO PAINT AND ADD PATTERN TO.

AN I GUESS I JUST KEEP PAINTING UNTIL IT FEELS LIKE IT'S DONE.

THE ENERGY, I GUESS, FROM MY ARTWORK IS USUALLY A HAPPY ONE.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S TOO SOMBER AND I'M JUST UNABLE TO REALLY PAINT IF I'M STRESSED OR SAD OR IF I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT DOWN SO MOST OF MY ARTWORK EXPRESSES LIKE A MORE POSITIVE ENERGY.

I GENERALLY PAINT IN LARGE FORMAT WHICH TO ME IS LIKE FOUR FEET BY SIX FEET OR THREE FEET BY FOUR FEET, BUT I ALSO PAINTED A LARGE MURAL WHICH IS REALLY LARGE FORMAT DOWNTOWN FOR THE RENO MURAL EXPO.

I'M KIND OF EXCITED NOT EVERYONE BUYS ART AND NOT EVERYONE CAN BUY ART BUT IT'S A WAY TO KIND OF GET MY ART INTO THEIR LIVES.

I FEEL LIKE THE CONNECTION THAT I HAVE TO OUR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS REALLY INFLUENCES THE WAY I PAINT.

AROUND HERE, WE GET COLOR SKIES IN THE MORNING AND AT SUNSET.

AND LOOKING AT MOUNT ROSE, THE COLORS ON MOUNT ROSE ARE SO AMAZING.

AND ALSO IN THE DESERT AFTER IT RAINS YOU KNOW, THE SAGEBRUSH LOOKS EXTRA FRESH AND THE ROCKS HAVE OTHER COLORS THAT KIND OF POP OUT.

I'M JUST MOVED BY OUR COLORS AND OUR NATURAL BEAUTY AND I DON'T PAINT REALISTICALLY BUT I HOPE THAT THE FEELINGS THAT I EXPERIENCE SEEING THESE COLORS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THEM LOOKING AT MY ARTWORK.

THE MASS ART MUSEUM IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, IS A NEW MUSEUM IN AN OLD SPACE.

AND IT COMES WITH NEW IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN ART FANS.

AS A NONCOLLECTING MUSEUM ITS EXHIBIT SPACES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING DELIVERING A WIDE VARIETY OF CONTEMPORARY WORKS FROM ONE EXHIBIT TO THE NEXT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

HERE WE ARE, YOUR BRAND NEW MUSEUM.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANKS YOU.

WHAT'S THE ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WANT TO GIFT PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN HERE YET.

I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS THEIR SPACE, TO VISIT AND TO VISIT OFTEN BECAUSE WE ARE A TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACE THAT WILL CHANGE UP OUR SHOWS YEAR ROUND.

SHOULD WE GO IN?

I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

LISA TUNG IS THE MUSEUM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HAPPY TO BE RID OF THE OLD MASS ART GALLERIES.

A WARREN OF WINDING WAYS THAT DESPITE THE ART ON VIEW FEELING VERY MUCH LIKE THE FORMER GYMNASIUM IT ONCE WAS.

WE'RE REALLY JUST SPACES.

THERE'S A SPAS TO SHOW A SHOW, A SPACE TO SHOW ANOTHER SHOW BUT THERE WAS NO LOBBY, NO FRONT DOOR.

AFTER A 12 MONTH, 12.5 MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION MASS ART HAS REOPENED AS A FULL-FLEDGED MUSEUM WITH FREE ADMISSION.

TUNG CALLS IT A KUNSTHALLE, THE GERMAN WORD FOR A NONCOLLECTING MUSEUM.

ALLOWS US TO BE NIMBLE, ALLOWS US TO NOT BE, UP, BEHOLDEN TO A COLLECTION, THAT WE HAVE TO SHOW SOMETHING EVERY SO OFTEN BECAUSE IT'S IN STORAGE SOMEWHERE.

IN THE LOBBY YOU'LL FIND THIS.

WE GAVE GHOST 30 YEARS WORTH OF EXHIBITION EPHEMERA.

CATALOGS, POSES TERSE, UP IN CLIPPINGS, POSTCARDS AND THEY HAVE CREATED A CA LIED OSCOTT PATRICKIC PATTERNING OF PADNESS.

GAME CHANGERS IS A SHOW OF VIDEO GAMES AT PLAY WITH MUCH TO SAY.

TRACY FULLERTON'S WALDEN INVITES A SLOWING DOWN WITH DEMERTZ FOR A COMPETITIVE PACE.

MOMO PIXEL'S HAIR NA IS BORN OUT OF PEOPLE'S PRED ELECTIONS FOR TOUCHING A BLACK WOMAN'S HAIR UNSOLICITED.

AND ARTIST AND MASS ART PROFESSOR JUAN OBANDO HACKED THE POPULAR PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER GAME TO CREATE PRO REVOLUTION SOCCER.

HIS GAME INSERTS MEMBERS OF MEXICO'S ZAP A IS IT TAKE ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION A CIVIL RESISTANCE GROUP ON TO THE SOCCER FIELD.

IT'S BASED ON A PROPOSED MATCH THAT NEFER MATERIALIZED.

EZLN, HE SAYS, ARE NOT UNLIKE COMPUTER AND GAME HACKERS.

PEOPLE ARE INTERVENING THE SYSTEM IS NO DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY THAT EZLN HAS INTERVENED THE MEXICAN SYSTEM.

UPSTAIRS A JAW-DROPPING INSTALLATION BY LISBON-BASED ARTIST JOANA VASCONCELOS.

I WANTED TO SHOW SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY SUSPEND SOMETHING UP IN THE SKY.

I WAS A LITTLE SELFISH.

I WANTED TO BRING AN ARTIST WHO HAD NEVER SHOWN IN BOSTON BEFORE.

HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WHEN THEY ARE UNDERNEATH?

THE IDEA IS THIS HAS FLYING IN THAT DRENCH AND OF COURSE SHE HAS A CENTER.

THIS CENTER IS LIKE ANY CHAPEL, ANY CATHEDRAL.

SHE WOULD BE THE LATEST IN THE ARTIST'S VALKYRIES SERIES IN WHICH SHE'S CREATED PIECES AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING PARIS, LONDON AND BILL BOO.

THE VALKYRIES ARE GODDESSES FLYING GODDESSES, WARRIORS.

HERE THE MUSEUM IS THE BATTLEFIELD, A PLACE SHE SAYS WHERE THE SPIRIT OF ART AND DREAMS ARE REVIVED.

THE PIECE IS NAMED FOR AND INSPIRED BY ELIZABETH MUMBET FREEMAN, AN ENSLAVED MASSACHUSETTS WOMAN WHO WAS THE FIRST TO SUE FOR HER FREEDOM.

OKAY, THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO READ OR WRITE SHE FOUGHT FOR HER RIGHTS AND FOR HER FREEDOM.

THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF THE VALKYRIES.

THEY ARE MADE IN HER LISBON STUDIO, A SPACE FOR MAGIC AS SHE DESCRIBES T. TEAMS OF ASSISTANTS CRAFT THE WORKS OUT OF DELIBERATERY CHOSEN FABRICS, IN THIS CASE THEY COME FRO MOZAMBIQUE, A NOD TO FREEMAN'S HISTORY, AND THEY ARE BEINGS, SHE SAYS.

YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS AS AN ANIMAL OR A PLANT OR AS A MONSTER FROM THE SEAWORLD.

YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS FROM A LOT OF ANGLES.

IT'S NOT UPON ME TO DECIDE WHICH ONE.

WHY NOT?

YOU MADE IT.

BUT I LIKE TO MAKE OPEN THINGS SO YOU CAN ANALYZE AND CHOOSE WHATEVER CONNECTS WITH YOU.

THAT'S THE IDEA.

ONE WRIT LARGE.

VERY LARGE.

COME WITH US NOW TO DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FOR A VISIT WITH VIRGIL TAYLOR, AN ARTIST DEDICATED TO WAICIAL ART.

HIS WORK IS INSPIRED BY THE ART OF THE ANCIENT COMMITTAL EAST AND SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TOO AND AS YOU'LL SEE TAYLOR'S PIECES ARE SUFFUSED WITH SPIRIT.

I PLAY WITH FIRE.

I ZONE OUT ON WORKING WITH METAL.

IT HAS -- IT SPOKE TO ME.

I'M AN ARTIST, I'M NOT A JEULER.

AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE JEWELERS THAT ARE BRILLIANT.

SOME OF THE STUFF THEY DO I COULD NEVER DO.

I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE OR THE TEMPERAMENT FOR IT BECAUSE MATERIALS TALK TO ME.

I GREW UP IN DETROIT AROUND CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

MY MOM WAS A HUGE ART FAN.

SO IT WAS ALSO, WHEN I THINK BACK ABOUT IT NOW, NOTHING IN OUR HOUSE EVER WENT UNUSED.

WE WERE ALWAYS CREATING STUFF.

SO I GUESS I HAD A NATURAL APTITUDE FOR IT.

I HAVE HAD A VERY INTERESTING LIFE, BUT I WASN'T DOING MY CRAFT ALL THE TIME.

I COME BACK TO IT THEN THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY, BIRMINGHAM BLOOMFIELD ART CENTER, I WAS IN MY 30s WHEN I DISCOVERED THIS PLACE AND SO THIS PLACE STARTED GETTING ME BACK INTO IT.

I HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF JEWELRY.

MOST OF THE STUFF THAT INSPIRES ME COMES OUT OF THE ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST.

THAT'S WHY I CALL IT THE ANCIENT GRAFT, ANCIENT AFRICA OR AFRICAN NATIONS, MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS.

MY INSPIRATION TENDS TO BE AROUND THOSE REGIONS, THOSE PROCESSES.

I HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR ANCIENT TECHNIQUES.

I WENT TO AFRICA LAST YEAR AND SPENT TIME WITH THE MASAI.

I WAS REALLY HONORED TO DO THAT AND FASCINATED BY THEIR PROCESSES BECAUSE THEY ARE SO RAW, AND WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE MAKING LIKE METAL OVER DUNG OVENS, WHICH IS PRETTY FASCINATING TO WATCH.

I DO A LOT OF REALLY ORGANIC STUFF.

I'M VERY FOND OF HAPPY ACCIDENTS.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES OTHER PEOPLE WILL GO FOR REFINING SOMETHING.

NO, NO, NO, NO, THAT'S PERFECT.

LEAVE IT JUST LIKE THAT.

IT WORKS FOR ME.

SO I DON'T STRIVE TO MAKE ART THAT IS REAL REFINED.

I HAVE A RING THAT I'M WORKING ON NOW.

HI NO CLUE WHEN I STARTED WITH THIS RING WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, AND I ENDED UP WITH A STONE THAT I HAD NO IDEA I WAS GOING TO GET, BUT IT JUST EVOLVED AND THE FINAL TOUCHES ARE THIS EVENING ON THAT PIECE.

I HAVE A CLIENT THAT'S ECUADORIAN.

I DID SOME PIECES FOR -- I DID A BANGLE BRACELET FOR HIM THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND THE DESIGN ENDED UP BEING MY INTERPRETATION OF AN ANCIENT ECUADORIAN PALATIAL AQUEDUCT FILLED WITH A BLUE RESIN.

IT WAS DONE IN COPPER, 18 KARAT GOLD AND STERLING SILVER SO THE RESIN THAT I USED IN IT IS BLUE, SO IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A POOL AT THE TOP AND LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS BLUE RUNNING THROUGH THE VEINS GAUSS I CRACKED IT OPEN.

I HAD ANOTHER CLIENT, A YOUNG MAN SHE WAS VERY CLOSE TO WAS KILLED IN THE A NAVAL ACCIDENT OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN A FEW YEARS AGO, AND SHE WENT TO HIS FUNERAL AT ARLINGTON AND THEY GAVE HER ONE OF THE SHELL CASINGS FROM WHEN THEY DID THE 21-GUN SALUTE FOR HIM.

I WAS IN THAT PRESIDENT'S HONOR GUARD.

I WAS IN THE UNIT THAT DID THAT SO WHEN SHE SENT ME THE SHELL CASING AND SHE WAS LIKE I NEED SOMETHING MADE OUT OF THIS AND I TOOK THE SHELL CASING AND TURNED IT INTO PART OF THAT BRACELET.

SO IT CAME OUT PRETTY REMARKABLE.

I WAS REALLY PROUD OF IT.

THAT'S A TREMENDOUS HONOR FOR ME, AND I HAVE HAD PEOPLE GIVE ME THEIR PARENTS' JEWELRY OR GRANDMA'S JEWELRY OR DIFFERENT PIECES.

I GOT THIS URN THAT I'M GETTING READY TO DO.

THAT'S JUST A HUGE HONOR FOR SOMEBODY TO ENTRUST THAT KIND OF THING TO ME.

I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN DOING SOME BRACELETS, AFRICAN, DIFFERENT PARTS OF AFRICA BUT THEIR CURRENCY JEWELRY, WEARABLE CURRENCY JEWELRY.

SOME PEOPLE GET MIFFED BECAUSE WHEN THEY SEE THEM A LOT OF TIMES THEY SEE IT AS REPRESENTING SLAVERY.

THE REALITY OF IT WITH THOSE BRACELETS, THOUGH, WAS THAT, YES, THEY SOMETIMES WERE INVOLVED IN SLAVE TRADING BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE USING THOSE BRACELETS AND THIS WEARABLE JEWELRY, THAT HAD LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO WITH SLAVERY.

THAT WAS A METHOD OF PEOPLE CURRENCY WEARING BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE POCKETS AND THINGS SO THEY WOULD WEAR THESE THINGS AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE A DISPLAY OF WEALTH.

PEOPLE WOULD BARTER WITH THEM SO IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF US WEARING DOLLAR BILLS OR $100 BILLS ON OUR WRISTS.

SO I HAVE BEEN DOING SOP OF THOSE RECENTLY.

THE BEADING THAT I DO I TYPICALLY USE AFRICAN TRADE BEADS.

THEY ARE TYPICALLY ANCIENT WITH A VALUE AND A LOT OF SIGNIFICANCE.

SO THE STUFF THAT I CREATE HAS SOME HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OR SOME MEANING TO ME.

SO WHEN I CREATE IT IT'S MORE THAN JUST A BEADED BRACELET OR BEADED NECKLACE.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S WHERE I COME FROM.

IT RESONATES WITH ME AND IT ALWAYS HAS.

FOR ME WORKING WITH ANY OF THOSE MATERIALS IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE SOMETHING AND CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL THAT SOMEONE WILL ENJOY AND OTHER PEOPLE WILL MARVEL AT, LOOK AT AND SAY, THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL OR INTERESTING OR WHATEVER.

IT'S JUST ALWAYS COOL.

I GUESS IT ALWAYS RESONATES WITH ME THAT WHY ARE WE ATTRACTED TO JEWELRY?

JUST LIKE WHY DO WE SING?

WHY DO WE DANCE?

WHY DO SOME THINGS MAKE US HAPPY?

WEARABLE ART OR JEWELRY FOR ME IS JUST PART OF THAT BEAUTIFICATION.

TRADITIONALLY, HUMANS LIKE TO EMBELLISH.

THEY LIKE TO BEAUTIFY THEMSELVES, WHETHER IT BE WITH PAINT, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT OLD CAVE DRAWINGS PEOPLE WOULD PAINT THEMSELVES WITH MUD OR WHATEVER AND THEN THEY WOULD ADORN THEMSELVES WITH BONES OR BEADS OR ROCKS OR WHATEVER THEY FOUND, FEATHERS THAT THEY FOUND THAT WERE BEAUTIFUL.

SO THERE'S SOMETHING TO ME THAT RESONATES WITH US AS HUMANS ABOUT BEAUTY, ABOUT THE EMBRACING OF BEAUTY.

FOR ME I THINK IT'S A REFLECTION OF OUR PSYCHES, OUR DESIRE TO ALWAYS EMBRACE THE BEAUTIFUL.

AND SO JEWELRY, WEARABLE ART, IS JUST ANOTHER COMPONENT OR ASPECT OF THAT.

AND THAT WILL BE THAT FOR THIS EDITION OF "ART ROCKS" BUT REMEMBER, EPISODES OF THE SHOW ARE ALWAYS ARCHIVED AT LPB.ORG/ARTROCKS AND IF YOU LIKE THE IDEA OF LEARNING MORE ABOUT LOUISIANA'S MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE AND PLACES, COUNTRY ROADS MAGAZINE MAKES A GREAT RESOURCE FOR DISCOVERING MORE OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT AND ABOUT.

UNTIL NEXT WEEKS I'M HAVE BEEN JAMES FOX-SMITH.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

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