(gentle music) >> Marco: Chicago, New York, LA.

that's where graffiti was born.

And to know that we were part of that movement.

To see it now, and it's in all the music videos, it's in all the video games, it's in all the commercials.

Glad that we were part of that, part of that movement.

>> Carolyn: I enjoy being able to bring music to our community and any community.

That's a very special and very rewarding part of the job.

>> Kelley: Rensselaer is a great place to be a part of.

Between market studios and Art League and Prairie Arts Council, and the murals and the schools, and just everything that everybody does, it's just a really neat thing to be a part of.

♪ I feel tired ♪ ♪ I feel left out ♪ ♪ Set aside ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find the strength, y'all ♪ ♪ To survive ♪ >> Announcer 1: Doing as much as you can as quickly as you can is important to me.

Life is short.

And the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

(upbeat music) >> I have a very strong connection to other students.

Everyone makes an effort to help each other.

I'll remember the feeling of being here, the feeling that I was a part of a family.

>> Announcer 2: Ivy Tech offers more than 70 programs with locations in Michigan City, LaPorte and Valparaiso.

New classes start every few weeks.

Ivy Tech, higher education at the speed of life.

To get started, visit ivytech.edu.

>> Announcer 3: Family, home, work, self.

Of all the things you take care of, make sure you're near the top of the list.

NorthShore Health Centers offers many services to keep you balanced and healthy.

So take a moment, self-assess, and put yourself first.

From medical to dental, vision, chiropractic, and mental health, NorthShore will help get you centered.

You help keep your world running, so make sure to take care of yourself.

NorthShore Health Centers, building a healthy community, one patient at a time.

(gentle music) >> Announcer 4: Eye on the Arts is made possible in part by South Shore Arts, the John W. Anderson Foundation and the Indiana Arts Commission, making the arts happen.

Additional support for Lakeshore Public Media and local programming is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle music) (lo-fi music) >> My name is Marco Salazar.

I had a very good upbringing.

I had very wonderful parents, and they did instill in us a lot of good morals and values as kids growing up.

And they invested a lot in myself, my brother, my younger sister.

They put us through private school.

You know, we went to church, and really strong into our books and studies.

But I always had that art.

I always drew as a kid, cartoons and Popeye, and Superman and Batman.

I used to always draw the comic books.

And my mother, like I said, my mother, she really focused on my talent at a young age.

So she nurtured me by buying me my art supplies, and buying me my comic books, and all these little how-to drawing books.

And so I trained myself, like, just entertain myself with through art as a young kid, you know?

So I was very fascinated by animation, by comics.

All that was nurtured at home.

All that was nurtured by the community.

And all of that was nurtured also by what I was exposed to as far as, like, programming and TV shows and things like that, you know?

Then when I got into high school, then the actual graffiti movement was well on its way.

And that's when I was just overwhelmed by the culture of hip-hop.

(hip-hop music) We're celebrating 50 years of hip-hop this year.

There was the breakers, I had friends who were breakdancers.

I had other friends that were DJs, and I had other friends that were rappers and lyricists, and I fell into that whole genre of graffiti art.

I was in junior high, barely in high school, and I was getting commissioned walls to do sides of hardware stores.

And we would go and paint these walls and get street cred.

I came up here in East Chicago in the early '80s.

We got a bad rap in a way because these gang members are tagging up the neighborhood and putting up their areas and marking their territory.

And to the lay person at the time, they were the same in one, you know?

And us as graffiti artists, as young urban artists, to be stigmatized as a gang member, and being it frowned upon instead of it being, you know, worked with as a youth, we ran into a lot of issues when we were young.

But the art, art saved my life.

I would say that.

Absolutely, art saved my life.

The art, the movement, the culture, and especially where we're at and representing that for our region.

(lo-fi music) I've been involved in many movements because of an artist, because I'm an artist, using my artwork as a vehicle to convey messages of social justice, of cultural identity.

I've happened to move to different parts of the country, and I've always managed to come back home because this is where I am and this is where I belong.

I get motivated, I get inspired by seeing the things that we tried to get across when we were younger, and seeing it now.

To give you an example, like graffiti art, when we started it, it was frowned upon, you know?

But now it's a folk art.

It's an American folk art, and it's as American as apple pie and rock and roll and jazz, you know?

And you go anywhere around this globe and you will see graffiti art that was born and raised here in the United States, in metropolitan urban cities, Chicago, New York, LA.

That's where graffiti was born.

And to know that we were part of that movement back in the early '80s, man, and stuck with it.

You know, a lot of people, you know, kind of frowned upon.

They, "Oh, you're trying to make this place look like New York" and you know, this and this and that, but they don't see the cultural significance of it.

It's worth so much.

It's priceless.

Glad that we were part of that, part of that movement.

(lo-fi music continues) (bright orchestral music) >> I am Carolyn Watson and I'm Music Director of the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra.

I certainly knew that I wanted to be a musician and I wanted to be a violinist and violin teacher, which was in fact my first career.

So I did that for a number of years.

Before somehow conducting found me, it was only just a hobby.

And I found myself on the podium more and more doing a lot of work.

And I thought, "Wow, wouldn't it be cool to learn a little bit more about that?"

And brought me to the United States, actually, to the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

And that for me was very much the beginning in very many ways, because it opened my eyes to the possibilities of a career as a conductor, which I hadn't up until that time really contemplated, I think, because I very much enjoyed being a violinist.

And with the teaching work that I was doing, felt a little bit like the writing was on the wall.

The universe was kind of trying to tell me something.

So I was like, "You know, maybe I should sort of look into this hobby of mine a little bit more."

So here we are.

The first stage for any conductor is to select the program.

So after that's happened, that happens quite a bit in advance, often 12 months.

And then the next thing is to study and prepare the scores.

Depending on the complexity of the music, the length of the piece, the number of instruments, that process can vary in the amount of time that it takes.

Looking at a score, figuring out what's happening musically, the structure of the piece, what connects to what, you know, you're looking through all of the instruments, figuring out what their role is at any given time, whether it's a principal role.

Have they got the melody?

And or like, whether they're part of the accompaniment.

Putting all of the pieces of that jigsaw puzzle together, that's what happens in rehearsal.

So that's, for me, the most exciting part is the first rehearsal.

It's also the most nerve wracking, right?

Because you don't quite know what's going to to happen.

They look at their parts, they possibly listen to some recordings and figure out, you know, what needs to happen, what fingerings they do, what bowings.

And then we all come together at the first rehearsal and then try and put that all together.

And usually that process is really about me leading and shaping and helping them understand, you know, how their part, what they've been working on at home by themselves, how that fits into the whole.

You know, because yeah, we've got some 80, 70, 80 people on stage.

But that's something that, you know, musicians I think are very used to doing.

It's like we just have to be at our best tonight.

And we will be at our best tonight because we've got an audience to play for.

We've got our community to play for.

(audience applauding) (sweeping orchestral music) I'm listening for everything.

I'm listening for absolutely every instrument that's playing at any one particular time.

And I am synthesizing and processing in nanoseconds, obviously, because things happen in real time.

Can I hear the articulation?

If I can't hear the articulation as clearly as I would like, I'm gonna show them with my hands.

Just remind them this is what I'd like.

I'm listening to see whether the melody is coming out from the woodwind section.

If it's not, I'm gonna show the strings.

I'm gonna remind them perhaps to play a little down so that we can hear that solo clarinet.

I'm listening to make sure that the brass and the percussion when they come in, that they're not overpowering.

For me, again, I think it's the most special thing.

It's the blend, right?

It's having all of those instruments together and, you know, there's a drama there.

There's an intensity that I feel you only get from live, symphonic music.

(orchestral music continues) My role as a conductor, it's very much a facilitator, I think.

And what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to do a lot of things simultaneously.

That's very much the job.

And I'm trying to help the musicians and depending on where they are and where we are in the process, and also the group that I'm working with, that help could look a little bit different.

So at the very initial stages, I'm offering reassurance.

You know, as musicians are about to enter and they're about to play, I give them a nodding look or a cue with my hands to say, "Yes, you're in the right place.

Please play now."

I also try to help show, is this a loud entry?

Is it a softer entry?

What kind of sound should we be having?

What kind of articulation?

Should we play long or short?

So all of those sorts of things, that's what I'm showing with my hands.

I am reminding them of some things.

Sometimes I try to get a little bit ahead of the game and give them a sort of, you know, preemptive, like, "Don't even think about doing that there" kind of thing.

If we have to change tempo, that's a very big part of my role.

So I set the tempo because we've gotta get everyone to do that at the same rate.

So that's also what I'm doing up there.

I enjoy being able to bring music to our community and any community.

And particularly when you get someone who's just like, "Wow, I never heard that piece before.

That's amazing."

Or, "I didn't know that."

Or, "That was fantastic.

I had no idea how moved I would be."

That's a very special and very rewarding part of the job.

(orchestral music) (audience applauding) (upbeat music) >> Rensselaer is a great place to be a part of.

Between market studios and Art League and Prairie Arts Council and the murals, and the schools, and just everything that everybody does, it's just a really neat thing to be a part of.

That's a really cool thing to say about the place that you live.

(upbeat music continues) >> When I came, it was like mid '80s, so I was familiar with Jasper County Art League.

They were trying to do more to expand the arts.

And then the Prairie Arts Council came along, which is an umbrella for the arts.

Then that also invited like writers, artists, musical.

So that also expanded for other people to be included.

(upbeat music continues) >> Art League was a group of people that liked to get together to create art and learn about art and be a part of the art scene.

But I think the Prairie Arts Council really having a gallery in town started putting us on the map for the most part because we had a place to show artwork.

We had openings.

So we had that beginning art scene going on.

And that council also brought in lots of things like music, theater, writing, all different aspects of art and made it all important.

Artists come to the Prairie Arts Council because we're starting to have shows that more people come in and bring their artwork here.

Of course, our murals are bringing more people into the area.

And I think that people just like our little town.

>> When St. Joe was open, I feel like that was Rensselaer's identity was, "Well, we have St.

Joe."

And then when that school closed down, there was a lot of regeneration that took place.

And at that point, I think Rensselaer their had to go, "Well, who are we?"

And a few people really took the helm and kind of dug in and decided that we're gonna invest 'cause we like where we're at.

We like this town.

We like the size of this town.

We like this lifestyle.

And the identity that emerged, I think is a creative community that supports the arts, and as a quality of life thing.

I really like living kind of in a rural spot, but within 45 minutes I'm in a larger city, and within an hour and a half, I'm in Indianapolis or Chicago.

So I really like that location a lot to be able to reach with my artwork.

I don't know that Rensselaer really attaches itself to being part of the Chicago scene or the Indianapolis scene.

I think that Rensselaer kind of, for that reason, because it doesn't associate north, south, whatever, it kind of stands alone.

So it's kind of had it its own vibe.

And we were able to build something here with the murals.

It really has an attitude of loving and supporting the creativity.

(lo-fi music) >> I wouldn't say any of the murals take away from what's going on in the town.

You can tell it's a community that cares about each other.

You can tell it's a community that wants to grow.

They compliment that very well.

You know, there are absolutely incredible murals here.

It seems like it fits in here, which is a wonderful thing.

And it's a rare thing.

And I think that the fact that you show up here and it just makes sense that all this art is on the walls of this town, I think that speaks volumes.

(lo-fi music continues) >> That's another thing that makes our community a community, is the fact that these murals were brought to our town with lots of different avenues.

Like the Prairie Arts Council donated money, we wrote grants.

And also at the very beginning, I mean, it was just people putting money in a jar.

(chuckles) You know what I mean?

So here I am, the art teacher going, "Oh yeah, I want a mural."

So of course I'm putting money in a jar at the station or handing it over to somebody, and they're making this fund to start this whole thing.

So it started off really like, "Oh, we're just gonna put a couple things up," you know?

And now it's just grown into this thing that lots of people in the community are a part of.

And I think it's also grown because now we have, we were bringing artists from other areas, famous artists.

Now we have artists from our community actually painting murals.

So it's really great having that and having my students like Addie Kane and Trenton Mush paint murals.

I mean that's, as an art teacher, that's really, really rewarding to see them take what I've done in the classroom, and it's still important to them.

And they're also community-based because they wanna bring that love of art into their community.

So it's rewarding as a teacher to see that happen.

But I think it's just nice, after I was in the elementary and middle school today, seeing my other art teachers, it's really great to see what they're doing and see that enthusiasm.

And then to know when they get to the high school, they've had this really great, crazy elementary art teacher who's doing all these fun things.

And then they've gone to the middle school and learned even more on top of that from another great art teacher.

And then they come here and they have the building blocks that make it easy for me to be a teacher.

(upbeat music) >> I think it's vital that the children start having art in their curriculum as young as possible.

Creativity is something that the children kind of lose as they get older.

They start to get more self-conscious.

And the raw emotion of kids just creating from their imagination is something that we have to start with young so that we can build it up for when they get older.

It's not like math where one plus one equals two.

There's more than one right way.

The kids ask me all the time, "Can I do this?

Can I do that?"

"Yes you can, 'cause you're the artists."

And it's wonderful to teach in a community where you feel like you're actually being supported and that they do support the arts and want our children to have art as part of their curriculum.

>> We just have this great system, from preschool on up, until graduation.

And as a graduation sponsor, it's great to see that end result of 13 years of education and know that they've got a little piece of all this stuff to take out and figure out what they're gonna do with their life when they get outta here.

But I also love the fact that some of my kids that are becoming lawyers and doctors are still doing their artwork for mental health and relaxation and just flat out because they enjoy it.

So just because somebody doesn't go into an art-related career doesn't mean that they're giving up on what they enjoyed in their high school career.

(upbeat music continues) Your art, it comes from your heart, it's your feelings.

And you know, when people bring that to our community, they're leaving a part of them here, and they're leaving a part of themselves here for us to enjoy and love and appreciate.

>> Even though we are a small, rural community, the quality of work is outstanding.

>> Ryan: I feel like the artists are really unifying and coming together and working together.

So that's a really nice atmosphere to be in and feeds creativity as well.

>> I think it's hard to come through our community and not see, you know, that passion that we have for our community.

I mean, a lot of people say "Love where you live."

And I mean, that's really a quote for here, because lots of people are very Rensselaer, you know?

And I think that the small community, you embrace all those intricate little changes and you don't expect to see it.

You know, you drive through town, you're like, "Oh, there's a mural."

Like we're in Rensselaer.

And it's kind of cool that we used to have to go other places to see this.

(upbeat music continues) I think that's a great part about Rensselaer is people feel comfortable coming here.

You know, it's a safe, kind place.

People love each other and there's lots of opportunities here to be comfortable and share that kind of home environment of our town.

(bluesy guitar music) ♪ Things are not always ♪ ♪ What they seem ♪ ♪ See, the real life ♪ ♪ Is gettin' in the way of my dreams ♪ ♪ I get a little taste ♪ ♪ What I feel, yeah ♪ ♪ We'll get a heavy dose ♪ ♪ What is real ♪ ♪ I feel tired ♪ ♪ I feel left out ♪ ♪ Set aside ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find the strength, y'all ♪ ♪ To survive ♪ ♪ When I'm lookin' in my mirror ♪ ♪ Don't like what I see ♪ ♪ I see a broken man ♪ ♪ Staring right back at me ♪ ♪ I need a plan ♪ ♪ And a little good luck ♪ ♪ To see me through, see me through ♪ ♪ When times get rough ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ I feel tired ♪ ♪ I feel left out ♪ ♪ Set aside ♪ ♪ I'm tryin' to find the strength, y'all ♪ ♪ To survive ♪ (bluesy guitar music continues) ♪ See my woman and bills are all in face ♪ ♪ They both worry me ♪ ♪ And wanna be paid ♪ ♪ I ain't got much, baby ♪ ♪ But it's more than you need ♪ ♪ So don't forget, girl ♪ ♪ You were the one that picked me ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ That's why I'm tired ♪ ♪ I feel left out ♪ ♪ Set aside ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find the strength ♪ ♪ To survive ♪ ♪ I stopped feeling sorry ♪ ♪ For myself ♪ ♪ It is up to me and only but me ♪ ♪ Ay, and no one else ♪ ♪ My soul was dead ♪ ♪ But my spirit's alive ♪ ♪ I finally found the strength, y'all ♪ ♪ The strength to survive, yeah ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ I'm not tired ♪ ♪ I'm not left out ♪ ♪ Or set aside ♪ ♪ I finally found the strength, yeah ♪ ♪ To survive ♪ (gentle music) >> Announcer 1: Doing as much as you can, as quickly as you can is important to me.

Life is short.

And the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

>> Almost every single professor I've had, I'm on a first name basis.

By building that relationship with faculty, I was able to get involved with research.

It's one thing to read about an idea in a book versus physically doing it and seeing the results.

(upbeat music) >> Announcer 2: Ivy Tech offers more than 70 programs with locations in Michigan City, LaPorte, and Valparaiso.

New classes start every few weeks.

Ivy Tech, higher education at the speed of life.

To get started, visit ivytech.edu.

>> Announcer 3: Family, home, work, self.

Of all the things you take care of, make sure you're near the top of the list.

NorthShore Health Centers offers many services to keep you balanced and healthy.

So take a moment, self-assess and put yourself first.

From medical to dental, vision, chiropractic and mental health, NorthShore will help get you centered.

You help keep your world running.

So make sure to take care of yourself.

NorthShore Health Centers, building a healthy community, one patient at a time.

(gentle music) >> Announcer 4: Eye on the Arts is made possible in part by South Shore Arts, the John W. Anderson Foundation and the Indiana Arts Commission, making the arts happen.

Additional support for Lakeshore Public Media and local programming is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle music)