>> COMING UP, STARS WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH TONIGHT, A LOCAL ARTIST HONORS THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.

>> I JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP PEOPLE.

>> OH, MY GOSH, THAT IS SO LOVELY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> CELEBRATING THE RICH PUERTO RICAN AND LATIN X CULTURE THROUGH PUBLIC ART.

>> TO HAVE A PUBLIC ART PROJECT WHERE YOU GET TO SEE VOICES THAT ARE WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE PIECES, ON A REGULAR BASIS, LIKE THAT'S JUST POWER RIGHT THERE.

>> AND USING ART TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE.

>> EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE.

WHATEVER THAT VOICE IS, AND TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A PRETTY POWERFUL STATEMENT.

>> DETAILS ON THOSE STORIES AND MORE UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" AND PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

>> GOOD EVENING, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT."

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MAY BE FADING IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IN ITS WAKE, IT LEAVES ROUGHLY 600,000 LIVES LOST DUE TO THE VIRUS.

AS MANY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE FINDING WAYS TO HONOR THEIR LOST LOVED ONES, A LOCAL ARTIST IS OFFERING IS TO HELP.

ROBERT MARQUEE IS PAINTING PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19 AND HE'S DOING IT FOR FREE.

"CONNECTING POINT"'S ROSS LIPPMANN VISITED THE STUDIO TO SEE HIS WORK AND TO LEARN ABOUT THE REMARKABLE LIFE LED BY ONE OF HIS MOST RECENT SUBJECTS, FORMER SPRINGFIELD RESIDENT FRANCIS BORDEN HUBBARD.

>> DEEP IN THE WOODS OF ASHFIELD WHERE THE MORNINGS ARE CALM AND QUIET, ROBERT MARQUEE HEADS INTO HIS STUDIO.

ON HIS EASEL IS A PHOTO, AND AN EMPTY CANVAS.

MARQUEE IS A PORTRAIT ARTIST AND JUST AS HE HAS WITH COUNTLESS FACES BEFORE, HE WILL SLOWLY BRING THIS PICTURE OF FRANCIS BORDEN HUBBARD TO LIFE.

>> WHEN I ASKED TO DO THE PORTRAIT, I ASKED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERSON SO I KNOW, I KIND OF KNOW WHO THEY ARE, AND I ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, A FEW HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS, SO SICKENED KIND OF -- I HAD NEVER PAINED ANYONE THAT I HAVEN'T KNOWN BEFORE.

>> AND HE WILL NEVER GET TO KNOW FRANCIS.

SHE DIED ON APRIL 11, 2020, FROM COVID-19.

>> I WILL DO THIS, AND THEN I WILL CHANGE IT A BIT, AND COME BACK AND REPAINT IT.

>> THIS IS ROBERT'S MOST RECENT PROJECT.

EVERY PERSON HE'S PAINTED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAS DIED FROM COVID.

>> I JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT HELPED PEOPLE.

SO I PUT SOMETHING UP ON FACEBOOK.

I GOT, I THINK I GOT THREE RESPONSES.

I HAVE A FRIEND WHO, WHOSE SISTER DIED, I HAVE A FRIEND, AND SO I STARTED DOING IT.

AND IT FELT LIKE -- IT FELT REALLY GOOD.

>> FROM THERE WORD SPREAD OF MARQUEE'S PORTRAITS AND MORE REQUESTS CAME FOR HIM TO PAINT LOVED ONES LOST DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THERE WAS SANDY PULASKI.

RUTH McBRIDE.

FRANK BUSH, AND BRITNEY BRUINER RINGO, BUT TODAY, HE'S PAINTING FRANCIS, IS A WOMAN WHO TOUCHED MANY LIVES AS A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL AND ADVOCATE.

>> SHE WAS A WONDERFUL STORYTELLER, BUT MOST, YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE WAS A MENTOR TO ME.

>> INCLUDING TERESA GLEN.

>> I MET HER WHEN SHE CAME TO MY CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

FRANCIS WAS ASKED TO COME AND SPEAK TO THE CLASS.

SHE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES AS AN ORGANIZER, AND I JUST -- I LOVED HER.

I JUST IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT, THIS IS AN AMAZING PERSON THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW.

>> SHE EVENTUALLY MOVED TO SPRINGFIELD, AND BECAME A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL FOR THE CITY.

AT ONE POINT, SERVING AS THE HIV AIDS DIRECTOR IN THE 1990s.

THAT'S WHERE SHE BECAME THERESA'S MENTOR AND LONG-TIME FRIEND.

>> SHE BELIEVED IN THE POWER AND THE ABILITY OF COMMUNITIES TO CHANGE HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND SHE ALSO FELT LIKE THE CITY LIKE SPRINGFIELD, IT'S LIKE THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT FOOD.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE VERY SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A FIRE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.

>> BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP IN FRANCIS'S LIFE WAS WITH HER SON, SCOTT.

SHE MOVED TO SPRINGFIELD IN ORDER TO HELP SCOTT RAISE HIS CHILDREN.

WHEN FRANCIS DIED, THERE COULD NOT BE A FUNERAL.

INSTEAD, AN ON-LINE VIGIL WAS HELD FOR NEARLY THREE HOURS.

>> MY MOTHER WAS TRULY MY BEST FRIEND, MY CONFIDANTE, MY HERO, MY MENTOR, MY COACH.

SHE WAS MY EVERYTHING, AND WE HAD A UNIQUE, BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP.

>> TERESA ASKED MARQUEE -- >> -- TO PAINT FRANCIS.

>> TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MAKES SOME SENSE.

>> SO THAT SHE COULD GIVE THE PORTRAIT TO SCOTT.

>> I KNOW HOW HEARTBROKEN I AM, AND I KNOW HOW HEARTBROKEN HER SON IS, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE THE PAINTING AND GIVE IT TO HER SON, AND SO THAT INSPIRED ME EVEN MORE.

I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HIS -- HOW HE'S CREATED THIS PORTRAIT OF THIS PERSON THAT I SO LOVE AND APPRECIATE.

OH, THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!

OH, MY GOSH.

>> IT LOOKS JUST LIKE HER.

>> IT DOES.

OH, MY GOSH, THAT IS SO LOVELY.

YOU DID SUCH A BEAUTIFUL JOB.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> I AM ALWAYS NERVOUS, WHEN MIKE COMES IN TO SEE IT, DID I DO IT RIGHT?

>> YOU DID.

YOU DID.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> FRANCIS BORDEN HUBBARD LIVED A FULL LIFE.

>> I AM SO IMPRESSED.

LOVE HER FACE.

SHE LOOKS SO, SO HAPPY.

>> AND WHILE A PAINTING CAN'T BRING HER BACK, IT CAN CERTAINLY KEEP HER MEMORY ALIVE.

>> PART OF ME WAS NOT SURE THAT I WANTED TO CONNECT THE MEMORY OF HER WITH THE PAINTING AND THE MEMORY OF HER DEATH OF DYING OF COVID.

I WANTED TO REMEMBER HER FROM DAYS THAT WE SPENT, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER DOING THINGS AND WORKING TOGETHER, WHICH IS A LOT OF WHAT WE DID.

I DIDN'T WANT TO REMEMBER HER AS A HERO IN A PANDEMIC.

I WANTED TO REMEMBER HER AS FRANCIS, WHO WAS A BELOVED FRIEND AND MENTOR.

>> IF YOU HAVE DRIVEN DOWN MAIN STREET IN HOLYOKE, REENLTSDZ, RU MAY HAVE NOTICED NEW DECOR, THE HEART OF HOLYOKE HAS BEGUN UNVEILING NEW PUBLIC ARTWORK AND MURALS RATED BY ARTIST THAT IS REFLECT THE PUERTO RICAN AND LATIN X CULTURE OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.

I SPOKE WITH THE SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF HOLYOKE, ALONG WITH ARTIST FRANKIE AND GABRIELLE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE PROJECT AND HOW THEY HOPE OTHERS WILL BE INSPIRED BY IT.

>> FROM 2017 AND 2018, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES A NEIGHBORHOOD PUERTO RICAN, AND THAT BEING ART, CULTURE, CELEBRATION, FESTIVALS, AND HISTORY REALLY IS MAKING IT A -- MAKING IT A PUERTO RICAN, LATIN X COMMUNITY.

YOU ARE REALLY SHOWING THE HEART OF THAT.

>> AND WHAT IS THE GOAL AND VISION BEHIND THIS PROJECT?

>> THE GOAL IS TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE COMMUNITY THAT HAPPENED HERE IN HOLYOKE FOR MANY YEARS.

ALSO, MAKE MAIN STREET WHAT IT IS, SORT OF LIKE WHAT HAS BEEN, REALLY, BRING IT MORE AND HIGHLIGHT THE COMMUNITY, AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, BUT ALSO, TO CELEBRATE WHAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING IN MAIN STREET.

>> AND SPEAKING OF THE CROWD FUNDING CAMPAIGN, OF THE PROJECT, YOU RECEIVED OVER $25,000, WHICH EXCEEDED THE ORIGINAL GOAL OF 20,000.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO SEE THE COMMUNITY REALLY SHOW UP AND ENDORSE THIS PROJECT?

>> IT WAS A GREAT FEELING TO GO BEYOND.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL THAT IT WAS MATCHED, SO NOT ONLY DID WE RECEIVE $25,000, BUT WE RECEIVED AN EXTRA 20,000.

>> SO THIS BRINGS THE PROJECT WAS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BEGIN UNVEILING THE FEATURED ARTWORK ON MAIN STREET.

HOW ARE THE ARTISTS CHOSEN FOR THIS PROJECT?

>> TO DO WORKSHOPS, WHICH CONCLUDE VERY ENGAGING, WITH YOU ARE A COMMUNITY TO SELECT THE ARTIST, SO WE DID THAT VERSION VIRTUALLY IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE COULD.

IT WAS STILL LIMITING.

AND WE HAVE HAD ARTISTS APPLY ON-LINE, AND WE ALSO GIVE THE OPTION FOR THE DROP-OFF AND ALL THAT, AND FROM THERE, WE HAD OUR COMMITTEE SELECT THE LOCAL ARTISTS BASED ON THE APPLICATION.

>> FRANK RECEI -- FRANKIE, YOU A SELF TAUGHT COLORBLIND ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN PART OF SEVERAL PROJECTS IN SPRINGFIELD, INCLUDING FRESH PAINT AND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MURAL.

HOW DID YOUR JOURNEY WITH ART BEGIN, AND WHY HAS IT BEEN IMPORTANT FOR YOU, TO BE SO INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ART-MAKING PROJECTS?

>> I STUCK TO IT MORE OR LESS JUST MAKING PICTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, CARTOONS.

COMICS.

AND THEN THE GRAFFITI ERA CAME, BREAK DANCING AND, OF COURSE, I WAS ENTRENCHINGED IN THAT, BUT THAT WAS NOT MY CAREER, MY CAREER WAS IN DENTISTRY SO I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ART.

IT WAS IN 2015, THAT I SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

AFTER THAT -- THAT'S WHEN I REALLY, REALLY DEDICATED MYSELF TO THE ART.

>> HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THIS HOLYOKE PROJECT?

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT IT AND WHAT INTERESTED YOU IN IT?

>> IT IS FASCINATING BECAUSE IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO, ONE, YOU HAVE A VOICE.

BUT YOU ALSO GET TO DECORATE A CITY.

YOU GET TO EXPRESS YOURSELF, VISUALLY, WITH THESE.

AND I WANT -- MY BIG THING IS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY A PART OF IT BY HELPING ME PAINT SOME OF THESE THINGS.

>> NOW, YOUR PIECE OF THIS PROJECT IS TITLE IS TRANSITION OF THE ANCESTORS.

EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THIS ARTWORK IS AND WHAT INSPIRED IT.

>> IT WAS PUERTO RICO THEMED, BUT I DIDN'T WANT -- I WANTED IT TO BE MORE HISTORICAL TIME LINE THAN YOUR BASIC START.

SO, I WENT TO WORK, DID RESEARCH, LIKE 50 HOURS OF RESEARCH IN HOW THE PROJECT IS GOING TO GO.

I STARTED WITH THE FREE COLUMBUS ERA, WITH THE INDIANS, AND THE NATIVES.

AND AS TIME GOES ON, I TRANSITIONED TO NEW YORK, AND SHE'S ONE OF THE FEW THAT HAVE WON A GRAMMY, AN EMMY, AN OSCAR, A TONY AWARD, SO SHE REALLY PUT IT OUT THERE FOR US.

UNDERNEATH HER, I PUT -- I ALWAYS FORGET HER NAME, BUT SHE WAS A PRODUCER IN PUERTO RICO AND A VERY FAMOUS TELEVISION FIGURE.

AS WE GO ALONG, I ADDED THE BASEBALL PIONEER FOR OUR RACE.

HE WAS AN ALL-STAR.

AFTER THAT, I PUT HECTOR.

HE WAS A PIONEER FOR THE SALSA AND AFTER HIM, I PUT A PERSON WHO IN THE 1920s, HE GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, BUT HE WAS ALSO A PIONEER AND A REVOLUTIONARY, A LAWYER FOR OUR CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES.

HE SPOKE SIX LANGUAGES.

I HAD TO ADD HIM TO SHOW A LITTLE COMBINATION OF WE ARE NOT ALL JUST MUSIC.

WE ARE A BIT OF EVERYTHING.

>> AND YOU ARE ALSO A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST, AND MULTI-MEDIA ART ACTIVIST WITH A SCIENCE BACKGROUND.

IN YOUR BIO-IT STATES WITH AN AFRO QUEER DISABILITY JUSTICE LENS, YOU ASK WHOSE STORIES AREN'T BEING TOLD.

WHY DO YOU APPROACH YOUR ARTWORK THROUGH THAT LENS AND HOW HAS THIS INFLUENCED YOUR PIECE FOR THIS PROJECT TITLED, "I SHAPE SHIFTER."

>> I CHOSE THAT BECAUSE OF MY OWN IDENTITY, FIRST OF ALL.

IT BEGINS WITH SORT OF BOTH MYSELF AND WHEN I SAY I, IT'S THIS PERSON, BUT ALSO, MY ANCESTORS, WHICH IS PART, YOU KNOW, IN THAT PERSPECTIVE, IS PART OF WHAT DREW ME TO THIS PROJECT.

YOU KNOW.

HONORING THE ANCESTORS, AND JUST VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO BRING THOSE VOICES FORWARD, RIGHT, AND TO DO SO INTENTIONALLY AND CONSISTENTLY, JUST LIKE ALL THE TIME, NOT LIKE YEARS THE DAY OR THE MONTH OR WHATEVER BUT THIS IS ALL THE TIME.

SO TO HAVE A PUBLIC ART PROJECT WHERE YOU GET TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL FACES AND ARTWORK AND, YOU KNOW, AND ARTWORK AND VOICES THAT ARE WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE PIECES, ON A REGULAR BASIS, THAT'S JUST POWER RIGHT THERE.

>> AND IN ADDITION, TO YOURS AND FRANKIE'S ARTWORK, WHAT OTHER PIECES OF ART CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE ALONG MAIN STREET?

>> SO FRANKIE'S WORK WAS WHAT WE PUT A FACE TO THE INSTALLATION, WE ARE WORKING TO LIGHT UP AND INSTALL ARTWORK ON FOUR VINTAGE TOWERS THAT ARE LIKE THE GATEWAY TO, TO MAIN STREET.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT A STATEWIDE RECOGNIZED CULTURAL DISTRICT THERE.

SPECIFICALLY, PUERTO RICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT.

WE HAVE ABOUT 95% OF OUR LATINOS, OR LATIN X, SORRY, RESIDENTS IN HOLYOKE, AND WE ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE OTHER LATIN X, IN OUR CITY.

SO THIS IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT.

DEFINITELY, WE CAN SEE IT FOR YEARS TO COME, AND IT WILL CHANGE DIFFERENT WAYS, AND IT CAN BE FROM ARTWORK TO EVENTS TO THIS, SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED AND OPEN TO SEEING HOW IT LOOKS.

WE HAVE A PLAN OF WHERE TO INSTALL WHAT, BUT IT IS, DEFINITELY, A CHANGE AND ADJUSTING TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKES US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT 2 DOESN'T IT DOESN'T STOP THERE, YOU CAN FIND US ON-LINE ANY TIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL FISHING AND BOATING WEEK, AND IN OUR DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE PRODUCER DAVE FRASER JOINS EXPERT ANGLER RICHARD TOPIER IN CHESTERFIELD TO DISCUSS HIS LOVE OF BAMBOO FISHING RODS AND PASSION FOR FLY FISHING.

>> YOU TEND TO END UP IN PLACES THAT ARE VERY KIND OF SCENIC, VERY NATURAL WHERE YOU JUST GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENJOYMENT BEING IN THOSE LOCATIONS.

I OFTEN SAY TO PEOPLE THAT I AM, I HAVE BEEN IN SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD, FLY FISHING, AND NOT CATCHING FISH.

IT'S BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY THAT SOMETIMES THE CATCHING OF THE FISH REALLY IS ALMOST INCIDENTAL.

>> DON'T MISS THE DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE AVAILABLE ON-LINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

STEVEN BEGAN BUILDING DMARS 1986, BUT WITH THE DESIRE TO PLACE THE SUMMER SONGS OF THE 20S 20s AND 1930s, HE MADE A TRANSITION TO THE UKULELE HE BROUGHT ONE ALONG ON A FAMILY CAMPING TRIP AND PLAYED IT AROUND THE CAMPFIRE, AND AFTER A HUSBAND AND WIFE WERE OFFERED TO BUY IT FROM HIM ON THE SPOT, HE MADE HIS FIRST SALE.

FAST FORWARD YEARS LATER, AND THE SNOWSHOE UKULELE COMPANY WAS BORN.

THE PRODUCER, DAVE DAVE, BRINGS, BRINGS US THE STORY.

>> IN HIS UNASSUMING WORKSHOP IN MASSACHUSETTS, STEVEN BENDS AND SHAPES WOOD AND CREATES INLAYS TO MAKE UKULELES.

IT WAS A REQUEST TO MAKE ONE FOR THE WIFE OF A FRIEND THAT FIRST LED HIM DOWN THIS PATH OF BEING WHAT HE CALLS, AN ACCIDENTAL LUTHIER.

>> SHE LOVED IT.

SHE WAS IN HER 60S, AND FINALLY FOUND THE GIFT OF MUSIC.

AND I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT, SO THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.

>> ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER, AND BEFORE HE KNEW IT'SED ASSEMBLED A COLLECTION OF WOODWORKING TOOLS IN HIS BASEMENT, AND WITH HIS DOG AT HIS SIDE, HE FORMED A SNOWSHOE UKULELE COMPANY.

>> WE HAD A BUMPER CROP OF RABBITS RUNNING AROUND THE YARD.

SO I WAS LIKE, OH, HOW ABOUT A SNOWSHOE?

SO, THE SNOWSHOE HEIR, AND THEN MY DAUGHTER DREW UP THE LOGO, AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS PERFECT.

THIS IS WHAT I WANT.

I WAS NOT PLANNING ON BUILDING UKULELES, BUT IT'S ALL THAT I WANT TO DO.

>> IT TAKES ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE A UKULELE, ACCORDING TO HIM, AND HE MAKES THEM IN THREE SIZES, BARITONE, TENOR, AND SOPRANO.

>> THANKFULLY THEY ARE LITTLE INSTRUMENTS, AND SO I DON'T NEED A HUGE HEAD ROOM OR BIG, BIG HUGE TABLES.

I CAN -- I WORK -- I BUILT MY FIRST UKULELE ON MY SKI TUNING BENCH.

[LAUGHTER] SO, I MEAN, IT'S PROGRESSED SINCE THEN, BUT YEAH, YOU CAN BUILD THEM IN A CLOSET.

>> THE UKULELE ORIGINATED IN THE 19th CENTURY AS A HAWAIIAN ADAPTATION OF THE PORTUGUESE MACHETE.

A SMALL INSTRUMENT.

IT HAS GOTTEN A WRAP THANKS TO TINY TIM'S TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS, BUT AS HE EXPLAINS IT, HAS BECOME MORE ACCEPTED IN THE MAINSTREAM MUSIC SCENE.

>> THE CHANGE WAS PAINFUL BUT IT CAME.

NOW, WHEN I TAKE THE UKULELE CAMPING, IT'S HEY, DO YOU KNOW ANY BETTER SONGS?

FOR OLD JAM GUY?

IT'S LIKE, THANK GOD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE TINY TIM WAS A GREAT MUSICIAN.

IT'S JUST THAT HE GOT CAUGHT IN THIS WHOLE SHTICK OF HIS THAT RUINED HIM AND THE UKULELE.

[LAUGHTER] ¶ FIVE FOOT TWO, EYES OF BLUE ¶ >> BOTH ROBYN HOFFMAN AND RICHARD PLAY THE UKULELES MADE BY HIM.

THE DUO PERFORM PUBLICLY AS THE UKULELE SCRAMBLE, AND AS THEIR NAME SUGGESTS, THEY PLAY A MIX OF SONGS FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE ROCK ERA.

>> WE LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC.

WE LOVE CLASSICAL MUSIC AND POP MUSIC AND ROCK MUSIC.

WE USE OUR UKULELES AS A LICENSE TO MESS WITH STUFF.

>> WE HAVE TWO OF STEVE'S UKULELES HERE, ROBYN, JUST WAS PRESENTED WITH HERS.

>> THIS IS MY BRAND NEW CUSTOM CONCERT.

>> AND THIS IS, ACTUALLY, A BARITONE UKULELE THAT STEVE MADE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AS A PROTOTYPE, AND I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST BARITONE THAT HE MADE.

>> YES, IT'S AN HEIRLOOM, DEFINITELY, BUT IT'S MORE SPECIAL THAN THAT TO PLAY AND TO PERFORM WITH BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS TO ME THE SPECIALNESS OF THE UKULELE COMMUNITY HERE.

>> SO WHAT STARTED FOR HIM AS A DESIRE TO MAKE SOME UKULELES FOR HIMSELF TO PLAY, HAS TURNED INTO A BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT IN HIS WORKSHOP BUILDING, AND LESS TIME PLAYING.

BUT, HE SAYS, HE'S OKAY WITH THAT.

>> I HAD PLANS TO BUILD A FOUR STRING TENOR, FIVE, SIX-STRING TENOR, BARITONE.

I BUILD ALL THE TIME NOW.

I PLAY A BIT, AND THIS IS MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION IS TO PLAY, PLAY, PLAY.

BUT, I JUST -- I JUST BUILD ALL THE TIME.

I THINK THAT BUILDING IS MORE OF A PASSION FOR ME NOW THAN THE ACTUAL PLAYING.

BUT, I STILL LOVE TO PLAY.

>> ORANGE IS USED AS THE IDENTIFYING COLOR OF THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRY.

AND A VIRTUAL ART EXHIBIT MARKED THE NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF THE WEAR ORANGE THIS MONTH.

THE EXHIBITION, WEAR ORANGE, A VIRTUAL ART EXHIBIT WILL TAKE PLACE IN EAST HAMPTON WITH SELECTED PIECES CURATED BY DORIS ON THE PUBLIC DISPLAY DOWNTOWN.

I SPOKE WITH HIM TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RAISING AWARENESS OF GUN VIOLENCE THROUGH ART.

>> WEAR ORANGE BEGAN WITH THE STORY OF A YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL GIRL FROM CHICAGO WHO WAS IN A MARCHING BAND AT OBAMA'S SECOND INAUGURATION.

AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT IN CHICAGO, SHE WAS SHOT.

I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC STORY OF THAT SHOOTING.

HER FRIENDS GOT THE IDEA TO USE ORANGE SINCE IT WAS HER FAVORITE COLOR.

AND IT WENT FROM THERE.

>> NOW, A COUPLE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME WHEN I WAS VIEWING THIS EXHIBIT WERE THE POWERFUL QUOTES AND STORIES THAT THE ARTIST INCLUDED ABOUT THE ARTWORK THAT WAS FEATURED IN THE EXHIBIT, AND ALSO, HOW MANY FORMS ART CAN TAKE.

I MEAN, THERE WAS PAINTINGS.

THERE WAS DRAWINGS.

THERE WAS SCULPTURES AND MUCH MORE.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE STORIES AND PIECES OF ARTWORK THAT LEFT THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU WHILE YOU WERE CURATING THIS EXHIBIT?

>> WELL, THE ONE IN THE MOVIE, WHICH WE ENDED WITH, IS MARCIA LEE, AND I JUST FOUND THAT STORY AT THE END.

SHE HAD SUBMITTED ORANGE FLOWERS IN HER ROCKS.

SHE WAS REALLY TOUCHED BY THE WHOLE THING.

AND IT SHOWS HOW SOMEBODY LIKE MARCIA CAN PICK UNDER THE PIECES AND WORK ON BEHALF OF GUN CENTS.

>> ONE OF THE FEATURED ARTISTS, ARCH McKINNIS, INCLUDED A QUOTE THAT SAID GUN CONTROL ISSUES HAVE SPLIT THIS COUNTRY APART.

COMMON SENSE GUN RESTRICTIONS ARE ALL THAT ARE NECESSARY.

I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT ON THE WEARORANGE.ORG WEBSITE IT STATES OVER 100 LIVES DAILY ARE LOST TO GUN VIOLENCE.

WHAT CHANGE DO YOU FEEL IS NECESSARY TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON DECREASING THE GUN VIOLENCE INCIDENT?

>> WELL, EVERYBODY HAS TO UNDERSTAND THE NEED, AND THAT GOES FROM, YOU KNOW, LOCALITIES, TOWNS, CITIES, YOU KNOW, STATE GOVERNMENTS AND OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.

IT'S -- IT'S THAT MANY -- IT'S THAT -- AT MANY LEVELS.

AND, YOU KNOW, STATE GOVERNMENTS, THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT, EVERYBODY HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT IS THE POWER OF VOTING.

>> AND I KNOW THAT YOUR ARTWORK IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE ART EXHIBIT, AND YOU USE AN INTERESTING TECHNIQUE.

YOU USE SOME HISTORICAL MAPS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THESE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE EXHIBITED IN OUR COUNTRY FOR A LONG TIME.

CAN YOU TALK TO ME MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> I STARTED OUT DURING THE PANDEMIC, USING AN IMAGE OF THE MAYFLOWER, AND I WAS USING THAT IMAGE AS A MAYFLOWER BECAUSE I HAD AN EMBROIDERY MY MOTHER MADE, AND I REALIZED WHEN I WAS FINISHED WITH THAT, KIND OF BODY OF WORK, THAT -- OF THE MAYFLOWER, THAT WELL, WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT MAPS, I, YOU KNOW, I SAW THAT MAP THAT IS FEATURED IN THAT PIECE IN THE EXHIBIT, YOU KNOW, AND I SAW THE GUNS.

IT WAS AMAZING.

IT'S WHERE WE LIVE.

>> FOR EVERYONE INTERESTED IN VIEWING THIS EXHIBIT, HOW CAN THEY DO SO?

>> THE VIRTUAL GALLERY PAGE WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE OF EASTHAMPTON CITY ARTS THROUGH AT LEAST SEPTEMBER.

THE WINDOW WILL BE ON DISPLAY THROUGH JUNE 29.

AND THE MOVIE IS ON MASSMOMS, WEAR ORANGE PAGE, WHICH IS WEARORANGESUMMERJAM.COM.

>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT THE BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY IS FOR ALL WHO VIEW THIS EXHIBIT?

>> THE TAKEAWAY SHOULD BE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE.

WHATEVER THAT VOICE IS, IT'S IMPORTANT.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A PRETTY POWERFUL STATEMENT.

>> THAT DOES IT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" FOR JUNE 11th, 2020.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW TONIGHT AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL ONLY CONTENT, AND MORE ON-LINE ANY TIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE, JOIN US AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 6:00 RIGHT HERE ON NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA FOR MORE STORIES AND THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" AND PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.