- On this edition of "ARTEFFECTS," giving mud an artistic second life.

- Natural building is kind of this synthesis of sustainable materials, non-toxic materials, but then it also brings in connection to place and then a connection to people.

- [Beth] Turning waste into wonder.

(excited music) - When people say, "What's your guys' secret sauce?

What's the difference?"

And I'm like, "It is artistic freedom."

(lively music) - [Beth] And paper silhouettes with a three-dimensional message.

- Art's supposed to be meaningful.

If you're cutting silhouettes, it's supposed to be something to tell a story.

(classical music) - That's all coming up on this edition of "ARTEFFECTS."

(playful music) - Funding for "ARTEFFECTS" is made possible by: Sandy Raffealli with Bill Pearce Motors, Heidimarie Rochlin, in memory of Sue McDowell, the Carol Franc Buck Foundation, and by the annual contributions of PBS Reno members.

(light music) - Hello, I'm Beth Macmillan and welcome to "ARTEFFECTS."

In our featured segment, we meet Kyle Isacksen of Reno.

Isacksen is a natural builder who uses nothing more than what's simply beneath our feet.

He takes clay, sand, straw and other materials and creates a variety of structures.

And he takes his work to another level by using techniques of ancient civilizations.

(lively music) - There's some things in life that have these magical qualities that seem to be like rooted in our DNA.

I am Kyle Isacksen.

I live in Reno, Nevada and I am a natural builder.

For me, natural building is kind of this synthesis of, you know, local materials, sustainable materials, non-toxic materials, but then it also brings in connection to place and then a connection to people, which fosters community.

(lively music) But it's also growing food.

It's also providing habitat for the birds and the bees and the insects.

If you look anywhere around the world, people have been building with clay rich soils like forever.

And it's something that resonates with us.

And we've had just generations and generations of connection to these materials.

And when we teach people how to use them, it's almost like a coming home where they, they get it, intuitively get it.

(gentle music) So my wife and I were teaching for a number of years and we had done some really interesting things around the country in different school settings from inner city, San Francisco to kind of rural New Hampshire, small town Minnesota.

We kept teaching, kept trying different things, and finally decided we really need to kind of leave this because we can't do exactly what we want to do with kids and we can't be in the world the way we wanna be.

And so we started looking at other alternatives, living more simply, living in smaller spaces, learning about natural building, organic gardening that we felt aligned more with our values.

(gentle music) This type of lifestyle requires a lot of creativity and it's enlivening and it's enriching.

We're surrounded by, you know, this paradigm of our culture, by kind of the way things are, and we're trying to do things a little differently.

There's a pile of cob and then it's sticky.

It's got the clay all integrated with the sand.

It's got the straw.

The name cob means loaf.

It's a Welsh word and it's a loaf because when you make cob, you're combining sand with clay-rich soil and with some sort of fiber, usually chopped up straw.

It just looks like mud.

When you gather it up into this loaf and you put it on a wall, you put it on a foundation and you start to pack it together, and when it hardens, it's like concrete.

Clay is super small and when you get it wet, it expands.

And so those fine clay particles like slip between all these different sharp sand particles.

As it dries, it pulls everything together and gets really, really tight and really strong.

And when you add straw or fiber, that fiber kinda runs through the whole matrix.

So you have a compressive strength with the clay and the sand, and then you have a tensile strength with the straw.

And it's durable.

It's sculptural.

It's really fun to work with.

Yeah, it lasts for centuries.

(light music) When you have a cob wall, it looks kinda rough.

When you move into the plaster side of things, you're screening the clay, you're screening the sand, you're chopping up the straw into finer and finer pieces and running that through screens.

So you get this really luscious fine material in add water.

- All right, I'll let somebody else do it, but I just love this stuff.

- That you can then spread with a trowel with your hands on top of this wall.

And usually, there's a few layers of plaster.

You're going from very rough and bigger materials to finer, finer, finer, finer till on the very end, you have something that's just like smooth and beautiful.

Clay is amazing in that it can handle rain.

There'll be, you know, the plaster will kinda wear away over time, but there's something about materials that wear well that is also beautiful.

Like when you have a pair of jeans or you have a pair of leather boots or you have an old man.

In their face, you see life there.

You see the passage of time.

You mark the passage of time.

It's something that's, you know, life has happened to it.

To me, that's part of it.

That's beautiful.

(gentle music) - The thing about Kyle is he's just infectious.

He's so much fun to be around.

Kyle and Katie are both such good incubators.

This place is very much had the spark lit by Kyle and Katie.

- So we've known Nate for a long time and when he got this place, one of his goals was to offer workshops.

- [Nate] They knew what I was trying to do.

I wanted to land on some land and build a village.

(bright music) - So you have this group of people that are open to something new, that have a, in a sense, a vulnerability to learning a new way of life is really what it is.

- He's able to see that the community aspect of it is central and bring in just the love for life as you're building that totally eclipses our understanding of what construction's supposed to be about.

- I really like this method.

We call this the Canadian method because we're keeping our shoes on.

We're not like, you know, dancing in the mud itself, which can feel really nice.

(laughs) And you start getting into the materials, you get into the mud, you get dirty you process the things, you dig things up, you screen things.

And the whole time, people are talking to one another.

They're working side by side.

And by the end of the day, everybody is just smiles all around.

Everybody's dirty and then finish it with food.

It's a wonderful way to learn about the materials, to come together as a group, and then to use one of the things that we've created in feeding ourselves.

(bright music continues) It's amazing and it's magical.

There's a quote I like.

It's supposed to be an African proverb that says, "If you want to go fast, travel alone.

If you want to go far, travel in a group."

And I feel like natural building requires that.

There are traditions of natural building.

There have been, but it's kind of fallen away.

But there's been a desire to get back to that.

Like people have seen like, oh my gosh, we've lost something in this transition to this modern living.

We got to go to Kenya.

A Kenyan woman reached out to us and said, "Hey, I've always wanted to build with earth and there's a tradition in the Maasai community of using earth for shelter."

We got to know each other and eventually said, "Yeah, let's go do this."

And so we were there for five weeks and it was amazing because these eight apprentices were from all these different tribes.

(bright music) So we're honoring the techniques and the people and the practices of the past.

We're bringing those into the present.

And then we're also teaching a whole new group of people how to do this that will lead into the future.

So there's lots of entry points to getting into natural building.

You don't have to have, you know, five acres off grid somewhere and you're going to build some straw bale thing.

You just need some clay rich soil, some sand, a little bit of straw and just have at it.

When you're able to surround yourself with the materials that we need and that we use that are beautiful, that have some sort of history, maybe they're connected to a friend who made them, that's lovely.

I mean, that's a beautiful life right there.

- It's super moving.

It's so fun.

- We're lucky.

- To learn more about Kyle Isacksen, visit cobitat.org.

Now it's time for this week's art quiz.

Along with clay and sand, what is the third element used in creating cob?

Is the answer A, mineral deposits, B, gravel, C, straw, or D, alfalfa?

Stay tuned for the answer.

Now let's head to Ohio where social entrepreneur and sustainable fashion educator Priscila Teixeira inspires confidence, fosters creativity, and celebrates individuality through Columbus Fashion Academy.

She is transforming lives on garment at a time, but also building momentum in a generation that is ready for change.

(lively music) - [Priscila] We have already produced clothes to dress humanity.

And I always say it's not even just Americans guys, it's the entire world.

We have clothes enough to dress humanity for 250 years.

That is already produced.

That's out on the floors and there is no inventory for thrift stores.

We are talking about regular retailers.

Columbus Fashion Academy, it's a social enterprise and it's about transforming lives through sustainable fashion.

Columbus Fashion Academy started as an afterschool program and was through an invitation from the PTO president.

- How are you?

- I'm good.

Come inside.

You guys, this is gonna be such a fun time with you.

We are recruiting teachers basically.

And I said, you know, I'm not a teacher per se, but I can talk about fashion all day long and I know the power it has and I know how empowered it can be and how it can help with bullying.

So I'm always, you know, come to help and it's children I'm in.

We have from the mental health element to the sustainability and everything between empowering kids, empowering youth through making, through hands and fashion is our medium that we use as we learn about what's happening from, you know, behind the scenes of the dark side of fashion to how can we make in the power of wearing what you love and how your days can be better when you wear what you love.

- And with this, I'm going to this jean jacket.

I'm going to add pearls.

We can't control what our body looks like, but we can control what we wear.

And so fashion is how we show what the inside of our body looks like or what we want it to look like and how we feel.

(upbeat music) - We really (indistinct) our students to stay curious.

Always asking why and understanding why and asking.

That goes not only when we are creating a garment or making a bag, whatever that we might be making with our hands, but also asking outside.

So when you're shopping, asking who made my clothes?

- Learning how to sew, I think that is a good thing that I learned and I'm probably most likely going to use it in the future, learning how to sew and learning how to put pieces together to make something beautiful.

I think that was a key takeaway.

(upbeat music continues) - We believe that fashion is not only for the 20 years old going to college.

It's for all of us.

We all get dressed every day and we are all affected by it.

I love mixing the older and the younger because the beauty that has from that kindergartner when they see the fifth grader on the same classroom or walk in the room away, it's like, you know, it's God, right?

It's like the fifth grader, "Oh my God, I'm on the same class as them?

I'm making clothes like them?"

So there is that power and that leadership and that mentorship, which is part of what we do as well.

The same as the fifth grader that start being sometimes uptight and like start being super self-conscious.

And so then they see that freedom of that kindergartner completely going wild and being completely free and fearless.

So there's that encouragement.

So that goes with the intergenerational.

Same level for our instructors.

We have every single age group from 14 to I don't know what age.

Everybody's welcome and we love it because not just the intergeneration, there is so much of talking and communicating and learning to look at eye to eye, which is one of the reasons why we are tech-free.

We really want people to engage and look at and learn to communicate.

They need to learn how to talk and they can.

We just need to encourage more.

You know, give them agency.

And that is one thing that is happens when you're doing stuff by hands.

It's a great time because people get on their zone and everybody's listening, right?

So there's the magic and it's a great time for us to be having conversations.

- One thing that I did enjoy was learning how to use a sewing machine because I wanted to start like making my own clothes just in case I didn't find anything I liked.

So I think I would probably be able to make new designs using fabric and I think I could also upcycle clothes to make it look like something I would wear and like better.

(upbeat music continues) - I was really excited because I read the description about like upcycling fashion and that just seemed really cool to learn about like, how to make the fashion industry more sustainable since there's so much like fast fashion.

Like it's become a part of our culture, but it's not a good thing.

And it's nice to take a step back and like make more special pieces.

It's definitely inspired me to make more clothes on my own and like dig through my closet, like things that I don't really like that much anymore and like turn them into something fresh and re-wear them.

(upbeat music continues) - I've learned that it takes a really lot of material and it harms the environment to make most clothes.

And when people buy clothes they don't need and they just sit in a closet or a drawer for a really long time, it's a really, really big waste.

So you try to be conservative and think about what you're shopping for when you shop so that you don't end up being wasteful.

- Sustainability, core behind everything that we do, we buy nothing new.

So if we have something new, it's a dead stock.

Something or somebody donated something.

But other, I'm the kind of, you know, even a light bulb, I try to get at the thrift store.

That hardcore.

So that is sustainability.

And then we talking about that all the time again.

As we are making things we're always dropping those data, those informations and talking about it.

But we also show some things and some people, if you are like an official educator, some people have told me like, "Priscila, you tell some things to those kids.

They're too young to learn about that."

You know, so for example, I go and I talk about one thing in the fashion history that happened in Asia.

Those workers were telling their managers, "This is not safe."

And of course, they're being completely ignored and being pushed to produce, produce, produce so they can sell, sell, sell.

And then eventually, that whole building collapsed.

And that was almost 1,400, almost 1,500 people died, mainly kids and women.

And that changed the history of fashion.

What I believe is kids, we should not be hiding things from them.

We should expose more and more.

They're the leaders today and tomorrow.

Let's get them informed right now.

One of the reasons why we are where we are is because we didn't learn this when we are young.

It's not that we are bad people.

We just didn't know any better for the most part.

So anyways, there's that.

So I believe that, you know, some kids may be, some things is going to go over their head, but there's a seed.

And we see because we have this huge retention that people just come back over and over and over and they're remembering they're doing it and adding little pieces.

When people say, "What's your guys' secret sauce?

What's the difference?"

And I'm like, "It is artistic freedom.

And that is something that is non-negotiable."

I'm like, "That means more chaos.

That means more craziness."

That's 100%.

But it's non-negotiable.

It always drives me crazy when there is like those classes where, you know, like people go and do like, "Oh, everybody, let's create totes."

And everybody handed to the kids a bunch of kind of, you know, blank kind of totes.

"Oh, go create it."

And then, okay, somebody makes a polka dot, somebody makes a little car, somebody makes a flower, but they're still totes.

Who am I to tell you that you are a tote person?

Maybe you are a backpack person.

Maybe you're a satchel person.

I don't know.

Who am I to tell you what to wear?

Go a little bit more.

You going?

- Yeah.

- [Priscila] We'll do our back stitch.

Keep going.

- Fashion kinda boosts your confidence and your day will, at least in my opinion, your day will be like better if you like what you wear and if you're comfortable with what you're wearing.

(excited music) - Whenever I try to make something, it's more of like a, I'm kind of making it for myself and I just hope that you like it too.

But it's not like a, I'm doing it for someone else or hoping that someone else sees it for me.

(excited music continues) - Fashion has that power and there's so many labs.

Nobody's better than anybody.

And the artistic freedom goes with that.

And again, that means chaos in our classroom.

But anyways, that's our secret sauce.

That's something that if they want to put this stuff in a box, I'm like, "No, no, no, not happening because we're all different."

So that kind of guides everything that we do.

And you see when we are in the studio how sometimes, even though if we say, okay, this fashion lab is going to be about embroidering pearls.

We might, you know, come up with some themes, some things to kind of give some... But many times, the kids go like, "Oh, I'm gonna do a skirt."

And you know, there's some people that they go super fast.

Some people, they go super slower, whatever it is.

I'm not going to push anybody through to just check a box.

And I always tell them like, I work for the kids, not for the parents.

- What fashion means to me is that you can express yourself about what you create and you won't get judged for it.

- Yeah, and you should not because it doesn't matter what other people think about.

You are the one wearing.

- Exactly.

- You are the one who has to- - You like it, and you wear it and (indistinct).

- To find out more about this creative community, go to columbusfashionacademy.com.

Now let's review this week's art quiz.

Along with clay and sand, what is the third element used in creating cob?

Is the answer A, mineral deposits, B, gravel, C, straw, or D, alfalfa?

And the answer is C, straw.

(excited music) For our final segment, we meet Turburam Sandagdorj of Reno with black paper, sharp scissors, and a lot of patience and technique.

This artist creates highly detailed silhouettes.

Through his process, which he has perfected for more than 30 years, he celebrates his Mongolian heritage, his love for nature, and an appreciation for a simple lifestyle.

(bright music) - My name, Turburam Sandagdorj.

I am a Mongolian American professional silhouette artist.

I create silhouettes called Tsagasun Baru.

Tsagasun Baru is the paper silhouette art in Mongolian.

My father influences me as the artist.

In the college, I learned ceramics.

Ceramics is three-dimensional.

The ceramics and the paper cuts is not different.

It's the same thing.

It's the same feelings.

Just you're using different tools and materials.

You need to grab the paper and scissors and start to cut.

It's very important in the silhouette, the tools, the scissors.

I try with using that accuracy tool into the fragile materials.

(gentle music) I using hot press paper.

It's very thin.

It's almost like silk and you just cut straight into a curve.

I always think about connection.

Without connection, all the alliances collapse down.

I try to start to end just one image, one meaning, one feeling.

Sometimes you see this whole concept in your mind.

(gentle music continues) A lot of my arts express the life of the nomads.

The nomadic lifestyle also is very minimal.

The nomads love the nature.

That's my message.

I love the nature.

You see the open space and the sky like the blue, like the ocean.

And the night you see just the Milky Ways, thousand stars and you just connect.

It talks with you.

(gentle music continues) I always simplify everything.

It's kind of minimal.

I just choose the minimal life for me is that works for me and also expressing into my art.

I illustrated more than 40 books, mythology, the folktales, poetry, and history.

I love the history.

It's made me think about where I came from.

(gentle music continues) - To learn more, visit sturo.art.

And that wraps it up for this edition of "ARTEFFECTS."

If you want to watch new "ARTEFFECTS" segments early, make sure you subscribe to the PBS Reno YouTube channel.

And don't forget to keep visiting pbsreno.org to watch complete episodes of "ARTEFFECTS."

Until next week, I'm Beth Macmillan.

Thanks for watching.

- [Narrator] Funding for "ARTEFFECTS" is made possible by: Sandy Raffealli with Bill Pearce Motors, Heidimarie Rochlin, in memory of Sue McDowell, the Carol Franc Buck Foundation, and by the annual contributions of PBS Reno members.

(gentle music) (excited music) (excited music continues)