- [Announcer] Production of "Applause" on Ideastream Public Media is made possible by funding by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

(upbeat music) - [Kabir] Coming up, two new sculptures greet visitors at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Cleveland inspired the design.

Also meet a northeast Ohio restaurateur who got his start on stage as a DJ.

Plus Apollo's Fire lights up the stage with a stirring rendition of a Vivaldi masterpiece.

(upbeat music continues) Welcome back to our little corner of the arts and culture world, "Applause."

I'm Ideastream Public media's Kabir Bhatia.

At her studio in Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico, Rose B. Simpson created two large sculptures for the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The pair titled "Strata" now stand in the atrium, inviting visitors to pause between them.

(peaceful music) - I first came to Cleveland, I think two years ago.

I was introduced to the space.

First and foremost, saw the museum and the collection.

I was here for a really short amount of time, but we got to go to the lake.

I took my daughter to the Natural History Museum as well, and that was influential.

I've never been to Cleveland before or participated in anything really Ohio.

(laughs) So it was the first time being here, and I think one of the things that I was sort of struck by was industry, and how humans are able to dream up sort of an incredible manifestation of our dreams of civilization, right?

And that it's only a sort of a blip in this timeline of creation.

(peaceful music continues) At the base of the piece, there's a layer that is underground, right?

It's deep underground, it's prehistory, and there's a mystical creature (laughs) that wraps itself around in bone form, right?

And inside that is this like, these rugged pieces of like really ancient mountain.

It's the raw material of the past in a sense, right?

But it's still there, right?

It's what's holding it all up.

(peaceful music continues) Around the base around the feet of the beings are seismic braille.

I felt like it was really important for people to be able to run their fingers along the dots of welds of spot welds, and sort of feel that in their body, in a sense like we are always influenced by the movement of the Earth.

And then above that is sort of the strata itself, and it's the layers of the earth.

In New Mexico, when they cut a road through a hill, you'll see the different colors of the earth showing through, and then it kind of erodes and it makes these really, it's this really beautiful, sculptural form in different colors, and that was the inspiration for the body.

At the bottom of the bust, it's sort of where humanity begins.

That is our context, that's the hills, that's the cities, the landscapes that humans create and perceive, right?

And then we have our human.

(laughs) That's where we live, in that space, right?

And we are in this moment of perception with eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

We are witnessing, we are hearing, we are smelling, we are being in this space.

And we exist between the dream world and the spiritual place where we are in inspiration and thought, and that manifestation where we pull thought into creation itself.

And then the rain cloud, it comes back down all the way around, so it becomes a circle.

There's two of them, and they're witnessing each other.

(peaceful music) These pieces made my shop feel really small, and people would come by and I'd be like, "Hey, they're going to this place," and I'd show them on my phone, like the expanse of this room and saying, "You know, these look really big here, but we have to make them hold space in here, right?"

I mean, this room itself is so human.

It represents to me this like, this crazy manifestation of our dreams.

Someone one time decided to close in the space with this massive glass ceiling.

So the aluminum frame that's on the top of the heads is sort of similar to this, casting shadows and creating the architecture of our world.

I was very inspired by this space, and to make beings that exist in this space and remind us that this is incredible, and this is monumental, but it's also a blip in the story of time, and we humans are very silly things, right?

When we forget that we're a part of this much, much bigger story.

And I think the role of art in humanity is to give us back that patience to perceive the world around us, however we walk through the world, that we take a little bit longer to find the respect to perceive differently.

So I made these art pieces in an art museum, but it's right by the entrance, but sort of presents like an introduction to how you then enter the rest of the museum.

It presents you with a thesis statement that says, "How are you going to perceive what you're about to see?

Is it other than yourself, or is it actually you in reflection, and how do you see all things as a piece of yourself?"

Because we are this entire creation.

We are all of it all at once.

And when we see it as other, we have objectified it, and that's when we can judge and hurt it, but if we see it as ourself, then we experience and interact with it in a more respectful way.

(peaceful music continues) - They're like watchful guardians, in a way.

There's almost an effortless quality to them being here.

Even though it was quite a great deal of labor and effort on the artist's part, they sort of seem like they were just beamed down from somewhere, and look so perfectly situated here.

- This is the first time they all stacked up, because my studio is not this tall.

They're about 25, 27 feet.

Altogether, I believe they're a little over 2,000 pounds, maybe about 2,500.

(peaceful music continues) I'm really grateful, incredibly grateful for what it's taught me about access and support and collaboration and family and friendship.

I'm also humbled by it all, and how much work it was, and how what us little people are able to do, you know?

When we put a dream out there.

And then also trying to stay as long as I can in suspended disbelief, because that's what it's trying to teach us to do, is to be like can you be and listen in a sense that's past your head, and close your eyes and listen to what it's trying to tell you in a different way?

So when I sit in my silence, it'll speak to me more, and I hope it does that for other people too.

(peaceful music continues) - [Kabir] Rose B. Simpson's sculptures are on view in the atrium of the Cleveland Museum of Art through April 2025.

Kyler Smith is a Cleveland DJ turned restaurant impresario who parlayed his popularity on the turntables into turning tables at his downtown restaurant, Filter.

Film students at Cleveland State University followed the young musician, who teamed up with a creative chef to start something fresh.

The roots of the idea date back to Smith's days as a student.

- I don't think nobody knows their next moment, 'cause your next moment is you know what you want to do in life.

We want to be successful, we want bigger.

Yeah, that's like what we're achieving to, right?

But like everything can just happen.

Literally I'm in school, and this girl tell me I look like I could become a DJ.

I do look like I can be a DJ, because you know why?

'Cause if I become a DJ, I can throw these parties.

That's what I'm thinking.

I can be the man of DJ-ing these high school dance parties.

The type of individual that I am, I started researching DJ equipment.

I don't know what I'm looking for, I'm on YouTube.

I'm just looking how to become a DJ, what DJ equipment.

So I'm ordering all of this equipment from eBay, trying to figure out, is this how DJs create?

I'm just trying to create, figure it out, without asking no one did I know how to DJ.

MySpace is done, so the only thing I'm promoting on is Facebook.

You remember all the invite thing you can send out to people?

I used to send 10,000 invites.

It goes skyrocket.

The first party's successful, so our instinct was like up, yep, this is it.

It's time to start doing parties and DJ-ing.

I'm doing both.

(upbeat music) We went from being a biggest club DJ, concert DJ, to breaking artists to, you feel me?

To one day I'm just like, "Hey, let's just put that space on pause."

And now we're here in the restaurant space.

- Yeah, so I'm Chef Jarrett Mines, I'm executive chef and co-owner of Filter: the Experience.

I didn't go to culinary school when I outta high school, nothing like that, so I just kind of was like learning certain things to do and I kind of got obsessed with like the process of cooking.

And during that process I started like a meal prep service, and it kind of like helped me get like my food out there, and a lot of people like really took to it well.

I randomly get a message from this dude that's like, "Hey, my name's DJ KY.

I wanna try some your food, like you could pull up."

I'm like, "Oh yeah, for sure bet," 'cause you know, I was a personal chef at the time, so you know, that was a means to make money, and it was like I kind of, I didn't personally know him, but we were in familiar circles.

We're from Cleveland, and you know, everybody know everybody, so I was kind of familiar with his name, so I was like, "Okay, cool," and I went to his house and I made like a full spread like seafood mac, salmon, lamb chops, and he was like, "Yo, like this crazy, bro.

Like this crazy, like let's do a restaurant."

I'm like, "Ah, you know, I don't really, you know, I don't really know too much, you know, not necessarily too much," but I'm like, "I don't really, you know, know."

And then like COVID was big so I'm like, "Yo, I don't know how long we about to be in lockdown, so you wanna do a restaurant, like where, you know?"

So we just built a relationship during that time, and I would just, you know, go out there, you know, kick it with him.

We'd eat, chill, bounce ideas off each other, and it just kind of clicked.

And you know, I had a sense of who he was and what he wanted to do, and we kind of had the same like drive and vision for what we wanted to do.

So I'm like, you know, "Let's do it."

- I'm the owner of Filter.

We started last year.

We kicked off a popup around All-Star weekend.

Today 9:00, the city of Cleveland called me, the mayor's office and said, "KY, we got you.

We want to see you open," and that's what happened.

- It's All-Star weekend and it's Saturday, and Friday I got a truck with $15,000 worth of product on there, and I gotta figure out how we gonna get this in here, in this kitchen and on place in the next 24 hours, you know?

So yeah, I mean, you want that impact to be solid.

Like everybody here is dedicated.

I mean, you know, I got so much respect for KY. - Filter is Instagramable moments everywhere you turn here.

Every moment now makes you take a picture, and these moments happened over time.

The paintings, the design of the space has always been here, but each room, this was a all white room at first, but I made the DJ booth black, and kind of fit well.

My front lobby was all white.

That room is all gray.

The next room is all black.

It wasn't even fine dining at first.

It was a restaurant with a concept.

Right now it has turned into this fine dining, luxury high-end experience.

It's because of the culture that I'm building, and the environment, so as a Black owner, I have to protect way more things than a white operator is thinking about, because your clientele is built in through a graceful system.

'Cause I'm trying to create for a system that it's hard to create in, I still have to appeal to people that understands fine dining, and then I gotta still appeal to a Black clientele that systematically never was a part of growing up, to even understand what fine dining looks like in their eyes.

But for me, I just had a different vision, and I still do, of what greatness looked like.

One does not work without the other now.

Like the vision didn't work without Jarrett as being the chef of the food.

- We are prep-heavy kitchen, so we try to have everything ready for service so we're not trying to do things during service, because we get busy in like real clusters, so you know, we try and be ahead of the curve before we get, you know, open for service.

It's like every restaurant, you want to get in and see where you at, check your inventory, check your levels, make sure everything's ready to go, and then on the doors open, it's showtime.

- Today I have 250 reservations that understands date night, that understands birthday celebration, and guess what?

I understand the window that that clientele comes out, and after 10:00, some people that comes out at 10 to two in the morning is an elite clientele.

- Cleveland, it's your man Nick Cannon, and I want you to come join me for an exclusive dinner at the Filter with KY. We goin' up, we wildin' baby, let's go.

(upbeat music) - [Interviewer] What'd you think about Filter, bro?

- It was amazing, food was hella good, vibes is right, there it is.

- You know, we work hard.

We try and stay outta each other way as far as like our creative process and respect one another, and it's just a great experience, you know?

I feel like everybody should work in a restaurant for at least six months and it would change the world, 'cause the appreciation you will have for other people.

All of this has to do with connecting with people.

You know, the food is gonna connect me with the people here, but the people that put this uniform on every day and you know, come to work and clock in, and you know, able to come here and can provide for their families and it's a safe environment, and you know, I have ability to help control that, you know, that means the world to me.

- So it's just like dealing with Filter is like, it grew me up.

That's the best thing I can say, 'cause what it has developed to, everyone told me to stay away from it.

I think I'm doing something that we haven't seen in a long time.

Like who knows what Filter is going to be in 30 years?

'Cause I know it can go that long.

- [Kabir] This mini doc about Kyler Smith was produced by a trio of Cleveland State University film students, and made its debut at the Cleveland International Film Festival.

(upbeat music) Rug hooking is an art form people might not be aware of, but the craft is thriving in Cuyahoga County.

On the next "Applause," meet the Western Reserve Rug Hookers Guild, plus a visual artist's passion for yoga is seeping into her work, and in Cincinnati, they're singing away the stigma of mental health myths.

All that and more on the next round of "Applause."

♪ Don't show the world your true face ♪ ♪ It's dangerous to let them really see ♪ - [Kabir] You can watch past episodes of "Applause" with the PBS app.

When you think of Columbus, Ohio, bluegrass master doesn't necessarily come to mind.

However, Hayes Griffin is just that, a professional bluegrass guitarist who makes his home in the 614.

Now he's sharing his talents with the wider world as an online music teacher.

(bright guitar music) - Howdy there, my friend.

Today marks the beginning of your bluegrass guitar journey.

Bluegrass guitar is responsible for some of the most successful and technically accomplished country, rock, and metal musicians out there.

My uncle is the first one that really introduced me to the guitar.

I don't come from a musical family, but Uncle Bob played guitar in his church praise band, and knew all the basic chords.

And around the time I was getting to be eight, that's when I started to like develop my own musical tastes and really want to listen to music, and my uncle saw that and kind of cultivated the interest, and before long, a guitar just showed up at the house, and that was it.

I graduated from New England Conservatory in 2012 and immediately got a job touring.

And honestly, I got tired of the road life.

I couldn't really handle being gone for 300 days a year.

And in the midst of touring, I was actually able to teach some workshops at festivals.

In that, I found out that I actually loved teaching more than maybe playing music live in front of people.

I got a bigger kind of rush from sharing knowledge and seeing someone have the light bulb turn on.

So naturally a way to stay home and not tour was to teach via YouTube.

(bright guitar music) Hey there, music maker.

In today's video, I'm going to unpack one of the most essential tools for any guitarist out there, triads.

It can honestly be really intimidating, I think the YouTube format versus a one-on-one student.

I know it might seem weird, right?

Because you're exposed being in front of another person, but on YouTube you, you know, you get a lot of negative comments.

You get a lot of people who are in a bad frame of mind whenever they happen to see your video.

So you kind of have to be able to absorb that or deflect that and really see the people out there who are leaving you comments in your videos that are genuine and maybe asking questions.

You know, you have to be able to filter the hate out of there.

But once I was able to kind of like orient myself in that landscape, it's really via the comments section or people emailing you when they find the link in your description.

To me, the guitar club was a necessary next step after starting the YouTube channel, because so many people were interested in more of a close relationship and connection with me.

(calm guitar music) I completely stand by my ability to play the guitar well and deliver valuable information to these people.

I just, as someone who went through a conservatory, there is this like pomp and status that comes with being an educated musician, and I guess my bluegrass background has kind of maybe humbled me in the other direction where it's like I'm confident in what I know, and I know that I can show up to any gig and deliver something valuable.

But I think that mindset intimidates beginners, quite honest.

It's either Gen Z kids who have no money whatsoever to pay for lessons, so they're watching YouTubes, or retirees with, you know, some disposable income and the time they never had to learn the guitar.

They're not there for that whiplash style conservatory professor that's screaming at 'em and throwing cymbals and stuff like that, you know?

They're there to have fun, and I want to give 'em part of that.

(bright mandolin music) I started on guitar, I played a little bit of a three finger banjo like bluegrass banjo, that was my second instrument, but really fell in love with the mandolin when I was in my mid 20s.

I think the mandolin is a brighter, more distinct solo voice than the guitar.

It stands out of a mix more.

The human ear hears treble frequencies as louder than lower frequencies, so the mandolin just cuts through a mix.

And I was always a bit of a shy kid.

I always wanted to be in the background, but was always observing and being like, I think I could do what that guy's doing, you know?

So the mandolin almost kind of gave me that voice I think when I picked it up.

I was like, "I can be the lead voice now."

Once I started to see the connections between hip hop, bluegrass, classical, and you know, West African drum music and stuff like that, you know, it was really that kind of light bulb eyes-on kind of thing, and I was like, "I have to share this with people."

Because if you treat music like a language, then genre doesn't matter, and I think that's actually the kind of mission of my YouTube channel and my guitar club now.

People see bluegrass when they get there 'cause that's what they expect, but I'm trying to show them that it's a lot deeper and a lot more than that.

So I think that's kind of my educational mission with YouTube and the whole video delivery service.

I can reach more people with that, and hopefully show them that things aren't quite as stark and divided within the world of music.

Thanks so much for checking this lesson out, my friends.

I really appreciate you tuning in.

We'll catch you in the next one.

(bright music continues) - [Kabir] If you like to get out and about in northeast Ohio and enjoy the region's arts and culture, here's a heads up.

"The To-Do List" is your source for not only regional arts events, but also stories about the arts.

Sign up for this free newsletter online at arts.ideastream.org.

It's time to wave goodbye, my friends.

Thanks for watching this round of "Applause."

I'm Ideastream's Kabir Bhatia, leaving you with a rousing rendition of Vivaldi's beloved violin concerto "Summer" from his 18th century masterpiece, "The Four Seasons."

It's performed by Northeast Ohio's premier Baroque orchestra, Apollo's Fire, enjoy.

(lively orchestral music) (lively orchestral music continues) (lively orchestral music continues) (lively orchestral music continues) (lively orchestral music continues) (lively orchestral music continues) (lively orchestral music continues) (bright music) - [Announcer] Production of "Applause" on Ideastream Public Media is made possible by funding by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.