(SOUND OF MACHINE BEING TURNED ON.)

(SOUND OF PAPER PULP CHURNING.)

NARRATOR: THIS UNASSUMING MIXTURE WILL SOON BE TRANSFORMED INTO A WORK OF ART.

LONNIE HUTSON, ARTIST: I JUST TAKE THE PULP AND THEN ADD DIFFERENT COLORS AND MATERIAL.

NARRATOR: LONNIE HUTSON IS AN EXPERT IN PAPERCASTING.

IT'S A CENTURIES-OLD TECHNIQUE OF PRESSING WET PAPER PULP INTO MOLDS TO CREATE SCULPTURAL FORMS.

HUTSON: I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE THE FISH BE MOSTLY GARNET AND MICA.

NARRATOR: HUTSON IS KNOWN FOR HIS DETAILED PAPERCASTS OF REAL FISH, FROM TINY SCULPIN TO MASSIVE STURGEON.

HUTSON: MOST OF THE MATERIAL USUALLY COMES FROM WHERE I GOT THE FISH.

IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE BONDED TO THAT FISH AND ITS RIVER.

NARRATOR: IT'S ART IN THE SERVICE OF CONSERVATION.

HUTSON: THE WHOLE THING I'M INTO IS INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO NATIVE FISH OF THE RIVERS.

NATIVE FISH ARE VERY PRECIOUS.

THEY REALLY DICTATE THE HEALTH OF A RIVER.

(SOUND OF WATER) NARRATOR: HUTSON IS AN ACCOMPLISHED BOATMAN WHO GUIDED TRIPS DOWN SOME OF THE WILDEST RIVERS IN THE AMERICAN WEST AND ALASKA.

HUTSON: I GOT REALLY ADDICTED TO, UH, RIVER-RUNNING.

IT'S INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL, REALLY POWERFUL.

NARRATOR: WHILE ON THE TRIPS, HE WOULD OFTEN COME ACROSS LARGE ANIMAL TRACKS.

HE STARTED MAKING PLASTER CASTS OF THEM TO TAKE BACK HOME.

BUT THEY WERE VERY HEAVY.

ONE DAY HE REMEMBERED THE TECHNIQUE OF PAPERCASTING HE HAD LEARNED WHILE GETTING HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN FINE ARTS.

HUTSON: WHEN I FIGURED OUT THAT IF I MADE A RUBBER MOLD, I COULD GO FORWARD WITH MAKING A PAPER CAST OF THESE ANIMAL TRACKS, THEN I THOUGHT, "WELL, I'M ONTO SOMETHING HERE AND I'M GOING TO CHASE THIS DOWN."

SO I GOT INTO DOING THE FISH.

NARRATOR: HUTSON'S PROCESS INVOLVES TAKING A FISH THAT'S NO LONGER ALIVE, PLACING IT IN A BOX WITH SAND AND THEN MAKING AN IMPRESSION OF IT.

HE THEN MAKES A PLASTER VERSION OF THE FISH AND EVENTUALLY A RUBBER MOLD OUT OF THAT.

TODAY, HUTSON'S FILLING MOLDS HE MADE OF TWO CUTTHROAT TROUT FROM IDAHO.

HUTSON: I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS DOING ANY KIND OF WORK LIKE THIS.

MOST PEOPLE CAST PAPER INTO RIGID, HARD MOLDS AND I'M CASTING MY PAPER INTO A RUBBER MOLD, WHICH IS VERY UNIQUE.

NARRATOR: HIS LARGEST PROJECT WITH PAPERCAST FISH WAS CALLED "38 MINUS," NAMED AFTER THE 38 NATIVE FISH IN IDAHO AT THE TIME.

HUTSON: I CAST ALL 38, AND THE "MINUS" IS BECAUSE THE NUMBER WAS GOING TO GO DOWN.

WE SEE IT SUFFERING EVERYWHERE.

YOU KNOW, THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON, THE MAIN SALMON, THE SNAKE.

THERE'S NO FISH IN THERE ANYMORE.

NARRATOR: HUTSON GOT HIS SPECIMENS FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES AND FRIENDS.

FOR THE STURGEON, THE LARGEST FISH HE CAST, HE WENT TO A COMMERCIAL HATCHERY.

HUTSON: YOU JUMP IN THE WATER; IT'S WAIST DEEP, AND YOU GOT THESE HUGE FISH SWIMMING AROUND YOU.

SO YOU'RE STANDING THERE AND THESE BIG THINGS JUST COME BRUSHING UP AGAINST YOU AND YOU'RE GOING, "THIS IS CRAZY."

NARRATOR: HE HAD TO BUILD A SPECIAL BOX FOR THE STURGEON BECAUSE IT WAS SO HEAVY, NEARLY 500 POUNDS WITH ALL THE PLASTER.

HUTSON: THIS WAS A BIG DEAL.

THIS WAS REALLY A BIG PROCESS.

NARRATOR: HUTSON'S DESIGNS OFTEN HAVE A DYNAMISM.

THE FISH AREN'T JUST STATIC.

THEY SOMETIMES DISAPPEAR, AS IF UNDERWATER.

HUTSON: YOU'RE NOT SEEING ALL THE FISH.

YOU'RE SEEING JUST PARTS OF IT.

YOU FEEL LIKE IT IS MOVING THROUGH THE PLANE, THE SURFACE.

GAIL SIEGEL, ARTIST: I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH IN HIS WORK.

EVEN THOUGH THESE FISH WERE NOT LIVE WHEN THEY WERE CAST, THERE IS LIFE IN THESE WORK AND THEY'RE REPRESENTING LIFE.

NARRATOR: GAIL SIEGEL, A PAINTER, MET HUTSON IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

THE TWO BONDED OVER THEIR MUTUAL LOVE OF ART AND WILD RIVERS.

SIEGEL: I HAD THIS DEEP, INGRAINED DESIRE TO BE OUT IN THE WILDERNESS.

NARRATOR: THEY GOT MARRIED, STARTED A RAFTING COMPANY AND BUILT A HOME TOGETHER IN NORTH-CENTRAL IDAHO.

SIEGEL: WE ASKED EACH OTHER WHAT OUR DREAMS WERE, AND LONNIE'S WAS TO HAVE A SMALL RIVER RAFTING COMPANY, AND MINE WAS TO HAVE A CABIN IN THE WOODS.

SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF OUR DREAMS.

NARRATOR: AFTER 25 YEARS OF ADVENTURES, THOUGH, THE COUPLE RECENTLY HUNG UP THEIR OARS TO DEVOTE THEIR LIVES TO THEIR OTHER PASSION, ART.

THEY WORK SIDE-BY-SIDE IN A STUDIO NEXT TO THEIR HOME.

SIEGEL'S PAINTINGS, LIKE HER HUSBAND'S PAPERCAST FISH, EXPLORE LIFE UNDER THE SURFACE, BUT IN AN ABSTRACT WAY.

SIEGEL: MY WORK IS ABOUT LAYERS -- ABOUT LAYERS OF LIFE, LAYERS OF EXPERIENCE.

AND MY PERSONAL INTEREST IS TO SEE WHAT RISES TO THE TOP, THESE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT ARE, ARE PIVOTAL.

NARRATOR: SHE WORKS INTUITIVELY, OFTEN NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN UNTIL SHE STARTS PAINTING.

SIEGEL: YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A POURING PROCESS TODAY, WHICH IS WHERE I'M LAYING DOWN THE INITIAL LINES OF THE PAINTING, AND IT'S VERY MUCH IN THE REALM OF ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM.

THE WHOLE PROCESS IS ABOUT MOVEMENT WITH THE ARM.

AS THE PIECES GET BIGGER, THE MOVEMENTS HAVE TO GET BIGGER.

I GET COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN THE MOMENT AND NOTHING IS IN MY MIND OTHER THAN THE ACT OF MAKING THE WORK.

THEN I WILL BE GOING OVER IT WITH LAYERS OF COLOR.

AS I ADD THE LAYERS, I'LL ALSO BE MAKING MARKS IN THOSE LAYERS AND THEN THE NEXT LAYER GOES ON.

HUTSON: OH, THAT'S, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I LIKE IT A LOT.

YOU HAD SOME FUN.

SIEGEL: YEAH, I DID.

IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE ART IN A VACUUM.

AND SO TO HAVE YOUR PARTNER BE AN ARTIST, YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN TURN TO AND SAY, "WELL, IS THIS O.K.

OR DOES THIS SUCK?"

HUTSON: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

NARRATOR: THE TIMING, THOUGH, HAS TO BE JUST RIGHT.

HUTSON: I WILL NOT GIVE GAIL FEEDBACK UNLESS SHE ASKS FOR IT, BECAUSE I GET IN TROUBLE.

(LAUGHTER) SIEGEL: HE DOES.

(LAUGHTER) HUTSON: WHAT KIND OF BACKGROUND DO YOU THINK?

NARRATOR: BACK IN THE STUDIO, HUTSON NOW CONSULTS WITH SIEGEL ON THE BACKGROUND FOR HIS PIECE.

SIEGEL: THAT'S NOT GOOD.

THAT'S TOO...YELLOW.

HUTSON: OH, I COULD PUT IN SOME, UM, THE ASH.

SIEGEL: MAZAMA?

YEAH.

HUTSON: YEAH.

SIEGEL: YES.

HUTSON: I LIKE THAT.

THIS IS MAZAMA, MOUNT MAZAMA ASH, FROM WHEN CRATER LAKE BLEW UP.

I GATHERED THIS ASH FROM IDAHO.

THIS NEXT PHASE IS A LITTLE MORE TEDIOUS.

I JUST SORT OF LAY OUT THE BACKGROUND AND THEN I GOT TO PRESS OUT AS MUCH WATER AS I CAN.

IF YOU DON'T PRESS IT ENOUGH, THE IMPRINT OF THE FISH IS NOT THAT GOOD.

SIEGEL: LONNIE'S WORK IS VERY PROCESS-ORIENTED.

IT'S VERY METHODICAL.

IT'S MIND-BLOWING TO ME.

(SOUND OF FANS TURNING ON) NARRATOR: WITH THEIR WORKS DONE FOR THE MOMENT, BOTH ARTISTS TURN ON FANS TO LET THEM DRY.

(SOUND OF SCRAPING) SIEGEL: WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO COVER BOTH OF THOSE BOARDS COMPLETELY WITH THE GRAY PAINT AND I'M GOING TO MAKE MARKS IN THE PAINT AND THEN EVENTUALLY I'M GOING TO SAND.

I MIGHT MAKE ALL KINDS OF MARKS TODAY AND AT THE END WHEN WE GET TO THE FINAL PIECE, WE WON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH AT THE END OR NOT.

SO IT IS FOR ME A METAPHOR OF LIFE.

IT'S LIKE, "WELL, I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT, BUT I GUESS NOT."

OR "I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

LOOK, IT REALLY WAS."

NARRATOR: OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, SIEGEL WILL CONTINUE TO LAYER, MARK, AND SAND HER PAINTINGS.

SIEGEL: IT'S LIKE SILT.

I JUST BUILD UP LAYERS AND LAYERS AND LAYERS AND THEN I EXCAVATE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M DIGGING UP BURIED TREASURE.

HUTSON: I AM TRULY AMAZED AT HOW SHE IS WORKING THE SURFACE QUALITY OF THE PAINTING.

A LOT OF ABSTRACT WORK CAN BE REAL FLAT AND PLAIN AND SHE HAS GONE VERY DIMENSIONAL.

AND THAT DEPTH SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL IN MY MIND.

NARRATOR: IT'S ALL LEADING UP TO AN EXHIBITION AT A GALLERY IN MOSCOW, IDAHO.

THE PAINTINGS WE SAW HER BEGIN NOW LOOK VERY DIFFERENT, WITH MULTIPLE LAYERS ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL COLORS.

SIEGEL: IT'S MY TIME TO STEP AWAY FROM THE WORK ITSELF.

AND MY HOPE IS THAT THE VIEWER WILL COME IN AND BRING THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES TO THE PAINTINGS, AND PERHAPS FIND SOME SELF-REFLECTION.

TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING IS PERSONALLY REWARDING TO ME, AND THAT'S WHAT THESE PAINTINGS ARE.

THEY, THEY COME FROM WITHIN AND IT'S WHAT KEEPS ME GOING.

SIEGEL: I LOVE IT.

THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE ROCKS.

GOOD JOB.

NARRATOR: HUTSON'S "38 MINUS" SERIES WAS SHOWN IN 2025.

AND WHILE WELL-KNOWN FISH LIKE THE STURGEON AND SALMON GARNERED ATTENTION, HE'S JUST AS PROUD OF THE SMALLER, LESSER-KNOWN FISH HE'S MEMORIALIZED AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT.

HUTSON: IT'S THOSE LITTLE BITTY FISH AND THE SUCKERS AND THE PIKEMINNOWS.

THEY ARE TRULY PART OF THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM.

IF WE LOSE THOSE, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE WHOLE SYSTEM.

WE SEPARATE SCIENCE AND ART BY TOO BIG A GAP, AND THE CLOSER WE CAN BRING THAT TOGETHER IS, IS I THINK HEALTHIER.

(MUSIC)