>>> THIS VPT PRODUCTION IS MADE ' SAY BY THE WYANT FUND, PROMOTING CANADIAN/U.S.

CROSS BORDER PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

>>> JEROME COUËLLE'S PAINTINGS, DOMINATED BY HIS WHIMSICAL SURREALISTIC ANIMALS, ARE CHARMING AND DISARMING, MUCH LIKE THE MAN HIMSELF.

THE TALENTED CANADIAN ARTIST, DESIGNER, AND ILLUSTRATOR, JEROME COUËLLE, IS MY GUEST NEXT ON "PROFILE."

>>> JEROME COUËLLE WAS BROUGHT UP IN SOUTHERN FRANCE AND HAS LIVED SUCCESSIVELY IN AFRICA, THE U.S., ITALY, AND CANADA.

HE WAS AN EXECUTIVE FOR ITALY'S LA RINOCENTE AND CANADA'S LA BAIE, IN CHARGE OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION FOR THOSE MAJOR DEPARTMENT STORES.

HE HAS WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED DELIGHTFUL MULTILINGUAL CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST, THE ACCLAIMED COUËLLE TURNED TO FULL-TIME PAINTING OVER 20 YEARS AGO, AND HIS WORK IS IN COLLECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

HE CONTINUES TO WORK DILIGENTLY IN HIS STUDIOS, ONE JUST OUTSIDE OF TORONTO AND THE OTHER, IN NORTH HERO, VERMONT, TO KEEP UP WITH COMMISSIONS.

>> YES.

>> [LAUGHTER] >> YOU ACTUALLY LEFT A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND CREATIVE BUSINESS CAREER, WHICH WE'LL GET BACK TO IN A MINUTE, TO -- NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO TO GO FULL-TIME PAINTING, AND I'D JUST LAKE TO SHOW SOME OF THAT.

ONE OF THE EARLIER ONES HERE AS A COMMISSION FOR THE FLYNN THEATRE.

IT HAD JUST KIND OF FINISHED ITS RENOVATION.

YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE CREATURES DOING THINGS IN THE WINDOWS AND FUN STUFF.

>> I KNOW.

THEY WANTED ME TO PUT ONLY ANIMALS, YOU SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO.

I SPECIALIZE IN ANIMALS, YOU SEE.

AND THAT'S IT.

>> SO SURREALISTIC ANIMALS.

THERE'S ANOTHER ONE FROM ABOUT 15 YEARS A GOI REALLY LOVE THAT'S CALLED THE UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING.

OR PERHAPS THIS WAS THE NAME OF THE HOLE -- WHOLE SHOW.

IT HAS FISH ON BICYCLES, AND THERE'S A FISH FLYING AFTER A BIRD, AND YOU KNEW ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING OR WERE CONCERNED 15 YEARS AGO.

>> OH, YEAH.

15 YEARS AGO I KNOW THAT.

>> [CHUCKLING] AND WHAT WAS YOUR IDEA BEHIND THIS PAINTING?

>> WELL, IT WAS TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENED.

FOR INSTANCE, THE BIRDS AND FISH, IT WAS TOO HOT THERE, SO THEY COME TO VERMONT AND THEY ARE EATING THE BIRD OF VERMONT.

THE FISH COME IN BICYCLING BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO -- NO WATER ANYMORE, SO THEY HAD TO GO ON BICYCLES.

>> IT'S WONDERFUL.

YOUR FATHER WAS WELL-KNOWN.

>> HE WAS AN ARCHITECT.

>> HE HUNG OUT WITH PEOPLE LIKE PICASSO AND SALVADOR DALI, I HEAR.

WHAT WERE THE INFLUENCES OF HIM, THIS CREATIVE SPIRIT, AND THE OTHER -- >> I SAID, WHEN I GO UP, I WANT TICOR DO ROY TO -- CORD DO ROY TO SMELL TURPENTINE, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.

>> DID YOU CONSIDER ART SCHOOL, THOUGH?

>> NO.

>> DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE AN ARTIST EARLY ON?

>> WELL, I ALWAYS PAINTED AND, WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I USED TO HAVE A COMIC STRIP, YOU SEE, AND I USED TO SEND THE COMICS -- I USED TO PRINT THEM MYSELF, A LITTLE PRINTING SYSTEM, AND I USED TO SEND THEM TO THE ONES IN MY FAMILY I LIKED.

BECAUSE CORDUROY, I DIDN'T LIKE, SO THEY DIDN'T GET MY COMIC STRIP.

>> SO YOU BASICALLY ARE A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST.

>> OH, YES.

>> DID YOU GO TO ART SCHOOL AT ALL?

>> NO.

NO.

>> YOU JOINED THE MILITARY AS A YOUNG MAN AFTER WORLD WAR II.

>> YES.

IT WAS JUST AFTER THE WAR, YOU SEE, AND I WAS IN MILITARY SCHOOL.

THEY SHORTENED IT AFTER THAT, ONE YEAR AND A HALF, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST AFTER THE WAR, YOU SEE, AND IT WAS VERY NICE, BECAUSE THE GERMANS HAD DESTROYED THE FRENCH MILITARY SCHOOL, SO YOU WENT AND TOOK OVER THE GERMAN MILITARY SCHOOL.

AND IT WAS VERY NICE THERE.

>> AND THEN YOU WERE STATIONED IN THE SAHARA AND WEST AFRICA?

>> NO.

IN NORTH AFRICA, IN THE SAHARAS.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT LANDSCAPE THAT TIME IN YOUR LIFE INFLUENCED WHAT YOU DO NOW?

>> OH, YES.

>> IN WHAT WAY?

>> IN THE SAHARA, THE HILL AND THE SAND, YOU SEE A LOT OF YELLOW AND SAND COLOR IN MY PAINTINGS, AND THE BLUE SKY OF PRO -- PROVENC, E OF COURSE, YOU SEE.

>> WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CANADA?

>> WHEN I LEFT THE ARMY, I STARTED WORKING FOR ELCAN.

THEY HAD MINING IN THE FRENCH GINNNYS.

ONE MAN THOUGHT I SHOULD GO TO CANADA AND HE WOULD INTRODUCE ME TO THE PRESIDENT OF ALCAN, WHICH HE DID, AND I WENT THERE, BUT I DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH AT THAT TIME.

I ONLY SPOKE GERMAN AND FRENCH, YOU SEE.

AND SO THE OUTCOME WAS VERY NICE.

THEY PUT ME IN AN APARTMENT TO LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH, SO DID I THAT.

AFTER A YEAR, I SPOKE ENGLISH, YOU SEE.

>> ALCAN, THIS IS DISTRIBUTION OF ALUMINUM?

>> THEY ARE THE SMELLTER, YOU SEE.

>> HOW DID YOU END UP AS A DESIGNER IN DEPARTMENT STORES?

>> BECAUSE A GOOD FRIEND WAS MY PROFESSOR, AND HE KNEW ME WHEN I WAS 15, 14, AND THAT I WAS A LITTLE FUNNY, YOU SEE, AND I USED TO DO FUNNY DRAWING.

AND I WAS GOOD AT THINGS LIKE THIS.

SO HE CALLED ME IN MONTREAL, YOU SEE, WITH ALCAN WAS AND SAID, JEROME, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THAT COUNTRY?

UP IN THE SNOW, LIKE VOLTAIRE WOULD SAY.

HE SAID, I NEED SOMEBODY LIKE YOU TO LOOK AFTER THE DESIGN PACKAGING, YOU SEE, AND THE PRESENTATION OF MERCHANDISE, YOU SEE.

>> HM.

>> SO I WENT OVER THERE, AND THEY SENT ME FOR A YEAR TO CHICAGO TO LEARN A LOT OF THINGS FROM SEARS, YOU SEE.

MERCHANDISING FROM SEARS.

AFTER THAT, AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, I CALLED MY FRIEND, THE PRESIDENT OF RINOCENTE, AND I SAID, THERE ARE TWO VICE PRESIDENTS THERE WHO ARE RETIRING.

THEY TAUGHT ME MERCHANDISING.

CAN I HIRE THEM AS CONSULTANT?

OH, BE DELIGHTED.

HE SAID, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED.

SO TWO PEOPLE THAT REALLY KNEW ABOUT MERCHANDISING, AND WE STARTED TO BUILD SPECIAL STORES TO SHOW THE PEOPLE OVER THERE HOW TO MERCHANDISE -- YOU KNOW -- BY TYPE, BY FASHION, BY COLOR AND, WITHIN THE COLOR, BY SIZE.

WHEN I CAME TO NORTH AMERICA, EVERYTHING WASN'T BY SIZE, YOU SEE, AND IT WAS RIDICULOUS, BECAUSE THE HIGHER ON THE SHELF WERE FOR THE SMALL SIZE, AND THE LOWER WAS THE BIG SIZES.

WOMEN, YOU KNOW -- >> WAIT A SECOND.

RIGHT.

>> AND LA BAIE TRUSTED ME, SO I COULD DO NO WRONG WITH LA BAIE.

I BECAME FRIENDS WITH THE PRESIDENT, SO I HAD MY OFFICE ON THE 31st FLOOR WITH THE CORNER OFFICE YOU SEE AND THINGS.

>> YOU WERE AN EXECUTIVE.

>> I KNOW.

AND WE HAD OUR OWN PLANE.

SO I DID MOST OF MY TRAVELING WITH THE COMPANY PLANE, WHICH WAS NICE, YOU SEE.

>> VERY NICE.

THIS ART OF PRODUCT DISPLAY AND WINDOW DRESSING MUST HAVE BEEN VERY EXCITING DURING THAT TIME.

WAS IT A FAIRLY NEW APPROACH TO ART?

>> OH, YES.

>> BOTH IN ITALY AND MILAN, LA RINOCENTE AND LA BAIE.

>> I WENT TO DENMARK AND TOOK PICTURES, DID SOME KIND OF INDUSTRIAL SPYING, YOU SEE.

>> AHA.

>> BUT IT WAS VERY NICE.

AND IT WAS NOT REALLY SPYING.

THEY WERE VERY NICE AND LET ME TAKE PICTURES.

I HAD A BIG SHOW, YOU SEE, COMING BACK INTO TORONTO, AND I CALLED MY SHOW, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.

THE UGLY STORE THEY HAVE IN LA BAIE, TOO, SO ALL THE MANAGER WAS VERY MAD AT ME, BUT THE PRESIDENT WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE THAT WAS PERFECT FOR ME.

>> YOU COULD DO ALL THESE I KNOW CRED BIBLY CREATIVE THINGS THEN.

>> I KNOW.

AND I HAD VERY GOOD PEOPLE WORKING WITH ME, YOU SEE.

>> AND THEN, ON THE SIDE, YOU'RE ILLUSTRATING AND WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

>> YES.

THAT WAS WHEN I WAS IN ITALY.

WHEN I WAS IN RINOCENTE, YOU SEE.

>> WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE HERE.

THESE WERE ALL MULTILINGUAL.

YOU WRITE IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES.

>> WHEY SPEAK, YOU SEE.

I ENJOYED THAT VERY MUCH, BUT AFTER THAT MONDADARI START SELLING EVERYTHING TO DISNEY.

SO MY DRAWING, MY ILLUSTRATIONS DIDN'T LOOK LIKE WALT DISNEY, AND I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO LOOK LIKE WALT I DIDNY, SO I QUIT, YOU SEE, AND I DIDN'T WRITE FOR THEM ANYMORE.

AND I TRIED TO HAVE THEM PRINTED IN CANADA, BUT MY COLOR WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPRODUCE, SO I SAID, OK.

I'M GOING TO PAINT.

>> THAT'S A SHAME, BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY CHARMING.

I ALSO HEARD YOU TAUGHT CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

>> I TAUGHT CHILDREN HOW TO PAINT.

NOT HOW TO PAINT BUT HOW TO USE COLOR AND TELL THEM, WHEN YOU WANT TO PAINT, THEN TRY TO PAINT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT.

IF YOU FEEL LIKE DRAWING, PAINTING A DOG THREE FEET LONG, GO AHEAD.

DO IT, YOU SEE.

SO -- YOU KNOW -- AND THEY LOVED IT.

>> YEAH.

>> ARE CHILDREN INNATELY TALENTED?

>> OH, YES.

>> HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT ISN'T KIND OF DRAWMED -- DRUMMED A WAY IN EDUCATION?

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE TO DRIVE A CAR, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE TO BE A PARENT.

A LOT OF PARENTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR CHILDREN, YOU SEE.

I MEAN, I HAVE SOME PARENTS -- SOME CHILDREN DOING LITTLE PORTRAITS, AND THE PARENTS WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND, AS SOON AS THE CHILD WOULDN'T LOOK, THEY'D JUST THROW IT IN THE GARBAGE, IN A WASTEPAPER BASKET, BEFORE LEAVING THE SCHOOL.

THEY JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

>> IT MUST BE WONDERFUL TO HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER -- >> APPROXIMATE CO, YES.

SHE'S MARVELOUS.

SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD GOING ON 50.

SHE KNOWS HOW TO READ, TO WRITE, YOU SEE, AND SHE COME TO MY PLACE IN MY STUDIO AND SHE PAINTS ALL THE TIME.

>> AND GIVES YOU HER PAINTINGS, I'M SURE.

IT TAKES ME BACK TO YOU AS A CHILD.

MUCH OF YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS GROWING UP IN THE MIDST OF WORLD WAR II -- >> YES.

>> -- AS A CHILD AND PREADOLESCENT IN OCCUPIED FRANCE, IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.

>> IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

WE HAD HARDLY ANYTHING TO EAT, NO MILK, NO NOTHING, ONLY BEETS AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

WE ARE ON BLAIJED TO EAT AT SCHOOL BECAUSE, AT HOME, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING.

AND I WAS IN NICE AT THAT TIME.

WE LIVED IN NICE DURING THE WAR, YOU SEE.

BUT IT WAS -- YOU KNOW -- MY FATHER WAS IN FRANCE.

AND WHEN THE PEOPLE WOULD COME AND ASK HIM, BECAUSE HE HAD A FARM ON HIS PROPERTY, FOR EGGS AND THINGS L AND FRUITS, HE WOULD GIVE THEM, YOU SEE.

AND PRUSTO USED TO COME WITH HIS WIFE AND BICYCLE TO CANNES TO ASK IF -- TO GIVE HIM SOME FRUITS, EGGS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WE WOULD OF COURSE GIVE IT TO HIM.

HE WAS A VERY NICE MAN WITH HIS WIFE.

>> DID YOU FEEL IN DANGER IN FRANCE?

>> IT WAS NOT SAFE, YOU SEE, AND IT WAS PRETTY BAD.

WHAT SAVED ME, BECAUSE I SPOKE GERMAN, YOU SEE, BECAUSE I WAS STOPPED BY A GERMAN, PUT AGAINST A WALL, YOU SEE, AND HE WANTED TO SHOOT ME.

>> AND YOU WERE JUST A BOY?

>> I WAS -- >> 11 OR 12?

>> YEAH.

I WAS 12, YOU SEE.

BUT AFTER THE LIBERATION -- YOU KNOW -- THE G.I.

LIBERATED US.

WITHOUT THE G.I., WE'D ALL BE SPEAKING GERMAN IN EUROPE, YOU SEE.

SO THEY SAVE OUR LIFE, BUT THERE WAS NO LAW.

FRANCE WENT LAWLESS ABOUT THREE MONTHS, AND PEOPLE WOULD COME AND -- AGAIN, FRENCH PEOPLE, AND TAKE YOUR THINGS.

IF YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM THINGS, THEY WOULD KILL PEOPLE.

THE RESISTANCE AND THE ARMAMENT, AND THEY WERE JUST LIKE THE GANGSTER.

SO IT WAS PRETTY BAD.

AFTER THAT, WE HAD POLICE.

BUT IT TOOK US THREE MONTHS IT WAS -- YOU KNOW -- NOTHING.

COMPLETELY LAWLESS.

>> WELL, I WANT TO GET BACK TO YOUR PAINTINGS WHICH ARE NOT ONLY WHIM SICK CAL BUT THEY HAVE THE SENSE, SOME OF THEM, THAT YOU HAVE SEEN SOME REAL DANGER AND THREAT IN YOUR LIFE.

ONE THAT WE HAVE, THE HOUSE OF MYSTERIES, I WANT TO SHOW, AND I JUST WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

YOU HAVE A CAT WITH A BIG GRIN BUT A BIRD WITH AN ARROW THROUGH IT.

>> THE BIRD IS LOOKING, YOU SEE, WHAT THE MEANING OF LIFE, BECAUSE ALL THE WINDOWS ARE DARK, YOU SEE.

SO NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE, YOU SEE.

BUT THE CAT IS A SORCERER, AND HE KNOWS, AND HE IS LAUGHING, HA-HA-HA HA, WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO SEE THERE'S NOTHING, THERE IS GOING TO BE SHOCK FOR THEM.

AND THAT'S IT, YOU SEE.

SO IT IS SAD IN A WAY, BUT IT IS NOT, BECAUSE -- YOU KNOW -- THERE'S A LOT OF COLOR, AND SOME OF THE BIRDS ARE SAYING, OH, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BEHIND WHAT YOU SEE IN THE WINDOW, YOU SEE.

>> I WANT TO SHOW RED BIRD NOW AND ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE THESE FANSY FULL CREATURES D FANCIFUL CREATURES.

THIS SEEMS VERY INNOCENT, BUT HE'S LAYING EGGS THAT ARE CRUSHING FLOWERS.

>> I KNOW.

BUT HE'S ALSO TRYING TO EAT.

IT'S A BIG MAN -- A BIG BIRD, BIG ANIMAL, YOU SEE, AND HE THINKS HE'S BIG; HE CAN DO EVERYTHING.

SO HE EATS A LOT OF BIRDS.

AT THAT TIME, HE IS SO AMAZED THAT SOMEBODY COULD STAND UP TO HIM THAT HE LAID AN EGG, AND THE EGG FELL ON THE FLOWER, AND THE FLOWER IS NOT PLEASED.

>> THE FLOWER IS NOT PLEASED.

WHEN YOU ARE COMING UP WITH THESE, DO YOU SKETCH THEM FIRST, YOUR PAINTINGS?

>> NO.

I DO DIRECTLY ON THE CANVAS.

IS IN MY HEAD, YOU SEE.

>> SO THE STORY GROWS.

>> THE STORY GROWS, YOU SEE, AND AS I PAINT, THE STORY GROWS.

I MAKE AN ANIMAL OUT OF IT, YOU SEE, SO I CAN REPAIR THINGS, YOU SEE.

SO I DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE A BIRD THERE OR A DOG THERE, BUT I MEAN -- YOU KNOW -- SOMETHING WENT WRONG, SO I CORRECT THE THING BY MAKING AN ANIMAL AND USE THE MISTAKE.

>> YOU DID THIS WONDERFUL PAINTING FOR Y2K OF COURSE WHEN EVERYBODY WAS AFRAID THAT ALL OUR COMPUTERS WOULD FALL APART.

IT'S THIS WONDERFUL PAINTING OF BUGS.

>> BUGS.

THEY SAID TO US, OK.

ONLY AS BUGS, YOU SEE.

>> AS THAT COMMISSIONED OR IS THAT JUST WHAT CAME TO YOU FROM HEARING -- >> IT CAME TO ME.

IT WAS BOUGHT RIGHT AWAY.

>> I BET.

>> IT WAS JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE -- YOU KNOW -- I FIND THIS IS STUPID, THIS Y2K.

IT WAS RIDICULOUS, YOU SEE.

SO IT'S JUST WHERE ALL THE BUGS WERE BUGGING THE COMPUTERS.

NO.

THE BUGS WERE ALL SMILING.

>> THEY HAVE EMOTIONS, A SENSE OF HUMOR.

>> OH, YES.

>> THERE'S REAL HUMOR IN THESE BUT ALSO SOME VERY STRONG EMOTIONS THAT YOU CAN SOMEHOW -- >> OH, YES.

YOU SEE, ALL MY PAINTINGS HAVE A MEANING.

AND SOMEBODY, WHEN THEY WANTED TO BUY ONE OF MY PAINTINGS, SAID, I WANT THIS PAINTING.

IT'S SO CUTE.

I SAID, I'M SORRY.

IT'S NOT FOR SALE.

MY PAINTINGS ARE NOT CUTE.

THEY ALL HAVE MEANING.

AND MY CHILDREN'S BOOKS ALSO, THEY HAVE A MEANING, YOU SEE.

BUT I ENJOY PAINTING VERY MUCH.

>> EVERYONE IS AN ISLAND, CLEARLY A TURN ON "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND."

THERE ARE OBJECTS IN THIS ONE.

THERE ARE HOUSES, BOATS.

ARE THEY TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY?

>> IT WAS A FAMILY BOAT, YOU SEE.

THOSE PEOPLE HAD A DAUGHTER AND A BOY.

THE DAUGHTER A LITTLE OLDER, THE BOY A LITTLE YOUNGER.

THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER ARE THE HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER.

IT'S A LITTLE ISLAND.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT FAMILY IS NICE, BUT IT'S A BIT OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY, LIKE MANY, MANY FAMILY.

THE WINDOWS ARE NOT LIT.

YOU CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE WINDOW.

THERE'S NO WALL OR NOTHING.

YOU SEE THE WATER THROUGH THE WINDOW.

AND THEY HAVE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE A BATH.

THAT'S A BATH OF LIFE.

IT'S A GAME, YOU SEE.

>> THE GAME BOARD.

>> IT'S A GAME BOARD.

IT'S THE GAME OF LIFE.

AT THE END OF THE ROAD THE BOAT.

IT'S NOT READY.

YOU SEE THAT THE BOAT OF THE IT'S NOT READY.

YOU SEE THAT THE BOAT OF THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER ARE ALMOST READY, BUT THE WINDOWS ARE NOT LIGHT IN THEIR HOUSE, YOU SE.

AND THE GIRL, SHE HAS THE DOOR LIT ONLY.

SHE HAS SOMETHING THAT THE PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE, YOU SEE.

BUT SHE STILL HAD TO LEARN.

THE BOAT IS ALL READY.

SHE PUTS THE MAST ON, THE FLAGS, AND IT'S ALMOST READY.

SO FOR THE BOY, THE BOAT IS NOT READY.

THE BOAT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED.

AND THERE'S ONLY A HALF A WINDOW LIT, YOU SEE.

>> SO HE'S GOT A WAYS TO GO, BUT THEY'RE ALL VERY SEPARATE.

>> OH, YEAH.

THEY ARE VERY SEPARATE.

>> THE MOON IS FULL OF ARROWS.

>> BECAUSE THE MOON IS SUBCONSCIOUS IN LIFE AND IS VERY POWERFUL.

THAT REPRESENT THE MOON AND THE ARROW ALWAYS REPRESENT THE SUBCONSCIOUS.

SOMETIMES IS THE SUN BUT MOST OF THE TIME IS THE MOON.

THE MOON IS VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY POWERFUL.

>> FOR YOU, GETTING ONE OF THOSE ARROWS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.

>> IT'S A GOOD THING.

>> HEARTBREAK.

THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PIECE WHERE THERE CAT -- SMOKING CAT -- AND BLINDFOLDED AND IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PIECE THAT I THINK YOU TOLD ME WAS PAINTED AFTER A DIVORCE.

>> YES.

OH, YES.

WELL, EVERY TIME -- I HAVE TWO DIVORCES.

EVERY TIME MY WFE -- BECAUSE, YOU SEE, I WAS PAINTING AND WORKING, YOU SEE, AND THE WIFE WANTED TO -- YOU KNOW -- GO HERE AND THERE AND THINGS LIKE THIS, YOU SEE.

AND SO, YOU'RE NO FUN.

YOU PAINT ALL THE TIME, AND YOU TRAVEL FOR YOUR COMPANY.

SO, ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY THOUGHT, BUT I ALWAYS MADE A PAYMENTING FOR THEM WHEN THEY LEFT ME, YOU SEE, AS A GIFT.

THIS IS A GOODBYE PAINTING, YOU SEE.

GOODBYE PAINTING.

BUT -- YOU KNOW -- I STAYED VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH MY SECOND WIFE, YOU SEE.

>> AND I LIKE THE HEART MAY BE BROKEN, BUT THERE'S GOOD ESCAPING.

THE FISH IS ESCAPING.

>> I'M A FISH.

I'M A PATSY, YOU SEE.

>> [LAUGHTER] >> IS ESCAPING THE SCENE.

ONE OTHER INTERESTING PAINTING YOU SHOWED ME IS A WHORE HOUSE.

>> BEG YOUR PARDON?

>> A WHORE HOUSE.

THESE ARE TWO PIECES OF PAINTINGS WHERE YOU'RE EXPRESSING SOMETHING DIFFICULT.

>> OH, YES.

I MEAN IN THE SENSE -- >> BUT THERE'S HOPE IN BOTH OF THEM.

>> YES.

THE PROSTITUTE IS TIRED OF BEING PROSTITUTE.

SHE HAS A POTTED PLANT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE HOUSE, AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I AM SO FED UP TO BE HERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THAT FLOWER, THAT PLANT GROWS, YOU SEE.

SO SHE HAS A PICTURE WITH A BEAUTIFUL PLANT THAT WILL BECOME A PLANTED TREE, YOU SEE, AND SHE SAYS, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE, YOU SEE.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER GIRL?

>> LIKE DARK OUT, BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE THE SLAVES.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT -- YOU KNOW -- IT'S A VERY BAD JOB TO BE IN A WHORE HOUSE LIKE THAT.

AND THERE IT IS, YOU SEE.

SO THAT'S THE -- >> BUT THE OTHER FULL OF COLOR, FULL OF HOPE.

>> OH, YES.

>> A CHANCE OF MOVING ON.

>> I KNOW.

>> OPTIMISTIC.

ARE YOU OPEN FILM -- OPTIMISTIC BY NATURE?

>> YES.

I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND I SMILE.

>> YOU'VE SEEN THE DARK SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE AS WELL, BUT -- >> WELL, YES.

I SHOW THEM IN MY PAINTING OR WITHIN THE CORNER OF THE PAINTING THERE'S SOMETHING DARK, YOU SEE, BUT USUALLY THE COLOR AND THE THINGS ARE MORE POWERFUL, YOU SEE, AND THE HAPPINESS IS MORE POWERFUL, YOU SEE.

>> I BELIEVE AN A LAMES YOU NOW, ALTHOUGH OF COURSE YOU HAVE FRENCH BORN, BUT YOU HAVE A STUDIO IN AN HISTORIC HOUSE IN NORTH HERO.

>> OH, YEAH.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> YES.

I HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF VIDEO OF IT.

BUT WHY VERMONT?

WHY IS THIS A PLACE THAT YOU COME TO?

>> BECAUSE I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE STATES, AND THE ONLY STATE I REALLY LIKE IS VERMONT.

PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE RELAXED IN VERMONT, AND THERE'S MUCH MORE TRUTH.

THEY ARE NICER.

FOR INSTANCE, I CRASH MY CAR YESTERDAY, YOU SEE.

MY NEIGHBOR, THE FIRST THING HE DID IS HE CAME TO PICK ME UP.

NOT ONLY PICKED ME UP, BUT HE BROUGHT ME HERE IN BURLINGTON TO RENT A CAR, YOU SEE.

AND HE WAS PLEASED TO DO IT.

HE BROUGHT ME TO MONTREAL BECAUSE I WANTED TO GO TO HOSPITAL IN MONTREAL BECAUSE IT'S FREE FOR US, YOU SEE.

BUT THERE IS SUCH A LINE, I HAD TO WAIT AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS BEFORE GETTING TO GO TO MAYBE X-RAY, YOU SEE.

SO HE BROUGHT ME BACK TO NORTH HERO, YOU SEE, AND -- >> FANTASTIC.

I'M SO SORRY.

WE ARE ALL OUT OF TIME.

>> THAT'S OK.

>> FANTASTIC.

TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JEROME COUËLLE, YOU CAN VISIT VPT.ORG FOR A LINK TO HIS WEB SITE, AND YOU CAN EVEN FIND A PODCAST OF THIS PROGRAM.

WHILE YOU'RE THERE, PLEASE DROP A LINE TO "PROFILE."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

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