♪ >>> COMING UP ON "NYC ARTS," A VISIT TO THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM, AND THE EXHIBITION "AMERICAN WEATHER VANES: THE ART OF THE WIND."

WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE ARTISTRY OF THIS PRACTICAL TOOL.

>> "AMERICAN WEATHER VANES: THE ART OF THE WIND" IS AN EXHIBITION AT AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM AND BRINGS TOGETHER A NEVER BEFORE ASSEMBLED GROUP OF REMARKABLE AMERICAN WEATHER VANES, OBJECTS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT ATTENTION, THEY SIGNAL A SENSE OF PRIDE IN PERSONAL OR SOCIAL IDENTITY.

>>> A PROFILE OF A MODERN VIOLIN MAKER WHO DEMONSTRATES THE DELICACY REQUIRED IN CRAFTING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUMENTS.

>> EVERY VIOLIN I MAKE, I KEEP EXHAUSTIVE RECORDS ON EVERY ASPECT THAT I CAN.

IF INSTRUMENT OF MINE COMES BACK, AND I REALLY LIKE IT, I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER, I HAVE RECORD OF WHAT I DID.

>>> AND MEET MANHATTAN FLORIST LEWIS MILLER WHOSE ARRANGEMENTS BRIGHTEN THE LANDSCAPE.

>> THEY'RE FOR THE PEOPLE.

WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM AND INTERACT WITH THEM, OBVIOUSLY TAKE A PICTURE BUT TAKE A BLOSSOM HOME.

MORE WE CAN HAVE SOFT MOMENTS OF BEAUTY AND JOY FOR NO OTHER REASON, FOR AN HOUR, TEN MINUTES, JOB IS DONE.

>>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION.

THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN.

CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER.

THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION.

THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION.

THE ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION.

AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS "FIRST THINGS FIRST."

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY.

THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP?

RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE.

BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY -- >> SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS.

OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941.

LOOKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY.

WHETHER YOU'RE A LIFELONG COLLECTOR, FIRST-TIME BUYER, OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANNGALLERIES.COM.

>> AND BY -- >> UNIKA VAEV CUSTOM ACOUSTICAL PRODUCTS FOR WALL, CEILING AND FLOOR, AS WELL AS ACOUSTICAL DESIGN SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL NEEDS, INFORMATION AT UNIKAVAEV.COM.

♪ >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "NYC ARTS," I'M PAULA ZAHN.

FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM HAS GIVEN CENTER STAGE TO THE WORK OF SELF-TAUGHT AMERICAN ARTISTS.

EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHOSE CREATIONS PROVIDE A WINDOW INTO THEIR UNIQUE TIME AND PLACE.

CURRENTLY ON VIEW IS "AMERICAN WEATHER VANES: THE ART OF THE WIND."

IT EXPLORES THE ARTISTRY OF THE WEATHER VANE, A PRACTICAL TOOL USED TO MEASURE THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND THAT EVOLVED INTO ITS OWN ART FORM FROM A WOODEN ROOSTER TO A GREEK GODDESS POSED AS GRATEFUL DANCER, EACH WEATHER VANE REVEALS INTERPLAY BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY, ART AND CULTURAL HISTORY.

"NYC ARTS" VISITED THE MUSEUM'S LINCOLN SQUARE LOCATION TO SPEAK WITH CURATOR EMELIE GEVALT.

♪ >> "AMERICAN WEATHER VANES: THE ART OF THE WIND" IS AN EXHIBITION AT AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM AND BRINGS TOGETHER A NEVER BEFORE ASSEMBLED GROUP OF AMERICAN WEATHER VANES THAT TELL THE STORY OF THIS SEMINAL AMERICAN FOLK ART FORM FROM THE MID-18th CENTURY TO EARLY 20th CENTURY.

"AMERICAN WEATHER VANES: THE ART OF THE WIND" OPENED ON THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM'S 60th ANNIVERSARY.

WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCES AN EXHIBITION ON THIS THEME WHICH HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO HISTORY OF AMERICAN FOLK ART AS ONE OF THE FIRST AND REALLY IMPORTANT FORMS TO EMERGE AS AN OBJECT OF SPECIAL INTEREST FOR AMERICAN FOLK ART COLLECTORS AND ALSO AS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THIS FORM WHICH HASN'T HAD A COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT IN MANY DECADES.

IDEA BEHIND WEATHER VANES IS THEY'RE FUNCTIONAL BUT THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD STRONG AESTHETICS TO THEM.

ON A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE BUILDING THEY SIGNAL A SENSE OF PRIDE IN PERSONAL OR SOCIAL IDENTITY, THE RANGES THEY ADOPT SPEAK TO THOSE THEMES.

HORSES AND COWS ON BARNS AND R ROOSTER ON THE CHURCH.

STARTED TO BE APPRECIATED AS ART OBJECTS, SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE EXHIBITION AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO AT AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM IN GENERAL, CHAMPIONING ARTISTS AND WORKS OF ART NOT ALWAYS AFFORDED CENTER STAGE.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FORMS THAT EVOLVED AND BROUGHT TO BRITISH AND DUTCH AMERICAN COLONIES BROUGHT THROUGH IMMIGRANT CRAFTSMEN WHO BROUGHT SKILLS AND TRADITIONS WITH THEM.

ONE IS BANNER WEATHER VANE, STARTED OUT IN FABRIC FORM AS A FLAG, A SEINE, TO DISPLAY A COAT OF ARMS.

FROM FABRIC TO METAL.

MANY EXAMPLES IN THE SHOW, INCLUDING ONE MADE IN ORONO, MAINE.

ANOTHER EUROPEAN WEATHER VANE FORM THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY IS THE ROOSTER, THE WEATHER COCK.

DEVELOPED AS A PARTICULAR VEIN TO TOP CHURCHES IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY BECAUSE OF THE BIBLICAL STORY OF PETER'S DENIAL.

DURING THE LAST SUPPER JESUS PREDICTS THAT PETER WILL BETRAY HIM THREE TIMES BEFORE THE COCK CROWS.

CULMINATION IS GALLERY OF 19th CENTURY WEATHER VANES THAT EXPAND INTO DIFFERENT FORMS.

IMAGINATION TOOK FLIGHT IN THE VICTORIAN ERA AND VANE MAKERS MADE FAN AFTERTASTICAL FIGURES E TECHNOLOGICAL.

EARLIEST TEND TO BE UNIQUE EXAMPLES, WEREN'T REPLICATED MULTIPLE TIMES BUT ONE-OFF WORKS OF ART.

WOOD WAS A MATERIAL WIDELY USED IN BRITISH-AMERICAN COLONIES, SO ARTISANS WERE FAMILIAR WITH IT.

MID-19th CENTURY YOU START TO SEE COPPER BECOMING A MATERIAL OF CHOICE.

COPPER IS HIGHLY MALLEABLE, CAN BE EASILY WORKED INTO DETAILED WORKS OF ART THAT YOU SEE.

DURING TIME OF GROWING INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY, MAKERS BEGAN TO DEVELOP PROCESSES THAT ALLOWED THEM TO STEP UP THEIR PRODUCTION.

COLLECTORS HAVE ALWAYS APPRECIATED IN PARTICULAR THE HISTORICAL SURFACES OF WEATHER VANES BECAUSE THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE OUTDOOR OBJECTS THAT CHANGE WITH EXPOSURE TO WIND AND RAIN.

COPPER WEATHER VANES OFTEN DEVELOP A VELVETY OXIDIZED GREEN.

WHEN THE WEATHERIZING TAKES PLACE, YOU CAN SEE THE WONDERFUL LAYERS OF HISTORY ENSCRIBED ON THEIR SURFACES.

WEATHER VANES HAVE A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH HISTORICAL MEMORY, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

SENSE OF WEATHER VANE AS A MEMORY KEEPER ALIGNS WITH INSTANCES IN WHICH THEY BECOME TIME CAPSULES, MAKERS OR BE COLLECTORS HAVE TUCKED NOTES INSIDE.

ONE EXAMPLE IN THE SHOW IS BEAUTIFUL WOODEN HEART AND HAND WEATHER VANE MADE FOR A TAVERN IN ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, AND ARTISANS DID THAT, TUCKED A NOTE INSIDE TO DOCUMENT MAKING THIS OBJECT.

SOMETHING WE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT PLANNING THE EXHIBITION WAS THE WAY WEATHER VANES PROMPT US TO PAUSE.

IF YOU LOOK UP MIGHT SEE AN OBJECT THAT TAKES YOU BY SURPRISE AND ALLOWS THE VIEWER TO EXPERIENCE A MOMENT OF BEAUTY AND UPLIFT.

IT'S A MOMENT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY WITHIN THE ORDINARY.

>>> NEXT, "NYC ARTS" VISITS THE BROOKLYN STUDIO OF A MODERN VIOLIN MAKER TO DISCOVER THE UNIQUE SKILLS AND DELICATE PROCESS INVOLVED IN CREATING AN OUTSTANDING INSTRUMENT.

REGARDED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST CONTEMPORARY MAKERS, SAMUEL DISCOVERED HIS CRAFTS AS A TEENAGER AND WENT ON TO STUDY AT VIOLIN MAKING SCHOOL OF AMERICA IN SALT LAKE CITY.

EVER SINCE THEN, HE'S SPENT CAREER CREATING VIOLINS FOR WORLD'S MOST TALENTED MUSICIANS.

♪ >> I WAS INTERESTED IN SCULPTURE AND ART FROM AS LITTLE AS I CAN REMEMBER, ALWAYS DOING SCULPTURE.

I THINK I WAS GOOD AT IT AND EVERYONE PRESUMED I WOULD BE A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST.

WHEN I WAS 13 I READ A BOOK ABOUT A VIOLIN MAKER AND GOT INTERESTED IN INSTRUMENT MAKING.

USES ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF ART BUT FOR A PURPOSE.

IT PERFORMS WELL FOR IT DOESN'T, DEPENDENT ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL.

IF SOMEONE COMES TO ME TO HAVE A VIOLIN MADE, THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND FIRST OF ALL WHY DID THEY COME TO ME.

PRESUMABLY THEY'VE HEARD INSTRUMENTS OF MINE.

I WANT TO SEE THEIR VIOLIN.

I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT.

ARE THEY A SOLOIST, AGGRESSIVE STRONG PLAYER, SUBTLE PLAYER, SOFTER?

THEN I WILL GO BACK TO MY SHOP AND IT'S UP TO ME TO DECIDE WHAT I WILL MAKE FOR THEM TO SERVE THEIR NEEDS.

ALL AROUND HERE, WOOD STOCK, SOME OF MY WOOD STOCK, IT'S LIKE A COLLECTION OF WINE OR SOMETHING, COMES FROM ALL OVER EUROPE, BEEN BUYING WOOD FROM THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER.

HAS TO SIT FOR A LONG TIME BUT THEN I CAN GO THROUGH THAT, AND I PICK WOOD BASED NOT JUST VISUALLY BUT ON ITS DENSITY AND STIFFNESS, HOW I THINK IT WILL BEHAVE IN THIS MODEL.

FIRST I HAVE TO MAKE WHAT IS CALLED THE RIB STRUCTURE, THE SIDES, THOSE ARE BENT OUT OF THIN WOOD AROUND A FORM WHICH I'VE DESIGNED.

FROM THE RIBS, THE SIDES I MADE, I WILL CREATE THE OUTLINE OF THE INSTRUMENT, THE TOP AND BACK.

RIBS ARE BENT BUT TOP AND BACK, THAT ARCH IS CARVED IN.

IT'S COMPOUND IN MANY DIRECTIONS.

THE ARCHING IS CRITICAL TO THE TONE COLOR.

PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE VIOLIN IS THE FRONT, THE TOP, PART THAT VIBRATES THE MOST.

THAT'S MADE OUT OF SPRUCE FROM THE EUROPEAN WOODS, THE STRONGEST PER UNIT OF WEIGHT.

WHAT'S CHALLENGING IS WHILE I'M MAKING IT, I'M RELATING TO IT IN VISUAL AND TACTILE WAY, BUT WORKING AS VIOLIN, IT'S SC VIBRATING IN WAY NOT VISIBLE TO THE EYE BUT VERY REAL.

IT'S LIKE A LONG CHESS GAME.

WON'T KNOW IF I'M MAKING RIGHT CALLS UNTIL IT'S STRUNG UP AND WORKING FOR A WHILE.

SOMETHING YOU MAKE, CHEST OF DRAWERS, BUILD A HOUSE, TO SOMETHING VIBRATING IN HUMAN INTERACTION.

♪ NOT ALIVE EXACTLY, BUT IT'S LIKE IT'S ALIVE.

EVERY VIOLIN I MAKE I KEEP EXHAUSTIVE RECORDS ON EVERY ASPECT ABOUT IT THAT I CAN, WOOD CHOICE, MODEL, ARCHING, THICKNESSES, WEIGHTS, TONES, VARNISHES, BASE DIMENSIONS.

IF AN INSTRUMENT OF MINE COMES BACK, I REALLY LIKE IT, WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER, I HAVE RECORD OF WHAT I DID.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SOMEONE COMES BACK SAYING IT'S NOT AS OPEN OR FOCUSED AS SHOULD BE.

I CAN LOOK AT NOTES, SAY I MAY HAVE BEEN CONSERVATIVE, I MAY HAVE ROOM TO TAKE WOOD OUT.

OR MIGHT BE TOO FLEXIBLE, PUT IN A LITTLE REINFORCEMENT.

YOU NEVER REALLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING UNTIL YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

IT PUTS ME ON THE SPOT ALL THE TIME WHEN I TEACH.

MOST OF THE GREATS HISTORICALLY, INCLUDING STRAD VARIOUS WERE IN STUDIO, HIGHER LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT THAN A SINGLE CRAFTSPERSON OR ARTIST.

ON THE ONE HAND I'M TRAINING COMPETITION, ON THE OTHER HAND FEEL IT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE SYSTEM THAT I PRACTICE.

I'M NOT A MUSICIAN, I BUILD THINGS WITH A METHOD BASED ON SKILL.

IF I CAN CONVEY THAT, YOU COULD SAY IT'S PROOF OF CONCEPT.

ART NEVER EXISTS IN A VACUUM, WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE THAT GO INTO IT, WHAT ARE THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE THAT ENTER THE FIELD IN IT, THE DEMANDS OF THE CLIENTELE AND AUDIENCE.

I'VE HAD WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES WORKING WITH GREAT MUSICIANS.

CONTACTED BY ISAAC STERN TO MAKE A COPY OF HIS, TO MEET ISAAC STERN FOR ME WAS LIKE I DON'T KNOW, MEETING THE POPE, HE'S LEGENDARY.

INSTRUMENT WAS FINALLY DONE, I BROUGHT IT TO MR. STERN WHO WAS INCREDIBLY GRACIOUS.

♪ WHEN MR. STERN PASSED AWAY, THE TWO INSTRUMENTS I HAD MADE FOR HIM WERE PART OF HIS ESTATE AND WERE AUCTIONED OFF.

THAT VIOLIN WAS RECENTLY SOLD TO CHAD HOOPS, A WONDERFUL SOLOIST IN HIS 20s AND THINK IT'S VERY FITTING PLACEMENT AND MR. STERN WOULD BE VERY PLEASED.

IT WAS AN ODD FEELING TO SEE MY WORK HAS LEFT MY PURVIEW, IT IS NOW ENTERED THE WORLD WHERE IT LIVES ITS OWN LIFE AND HAS ITS OWN HISTORY.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE SEEN MY OWN WORK GO FROM DECENT ALTERNATIVE TO MUSICIAN TO SOMETHING THAT IS SOUGHT AFTER AND HAS A PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF VIOLIN MAKING.

♪ >>> MANHATTAN FLORIST LEWIS MILLER LIKES TO BRIGHTEN UP NEW YORK BY SHARING HIS ART WITH THE PUBLIC.

HIS POP-UP ARRANGEMENTS KNOWN AS FLOWER FLASHES HAVE APPEARED ALL OVER THE CITY.

SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC HE'S CREATED SEVERAL FLASHES TO HONOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND THE RESILIENT SPIRIT OF NEW YORK CITY.

WE JOIN MILLER AND HIS CREW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON ONE OF THEIR EARLY MORNING ADVENTURES.

>> FLOWERS WERE ALWAYS PART OF MY DNA.

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF GARDENERS, BUT WENT FROM LANDSCAPE AND HORTICULTURE TO THE FLOWER WORLD.

HERE I AM.

THE FLOWER FLASH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF BOPPING AROUND MY BRAIN FOR A WHILE.

DIDN'T HAVE A NAME.

IT WAS SORT OF MORE THIS VAGUE IDEA OF HOW TO TAKE FLOWERS AND FUSE THEM IN AN URBAN CITY ENVIRONMENT.

FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH THE BUSINESS, THINGS GOING SUPER WELL, AND NEEDING TO FEEL CREATIVELY ENERGI ENERGIZED AGAIN AND ALSO FEELING THE NEED IN MY OWN WAY TO GIVE BACK.

I'M SURROUNDED BY FLOWERS ON DAILY BASIS AS ARE MY CLIENTS AND WE TEND TO GET IMMUNE TO HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE AND WHAT AN EXPRESSION OF JOY THEY ARE TO PEOPLE.

IT'S TAKING BEAUTIFUL AND EPHEMERAL AND WITH THE TEXTURE OF GRIT OF THE CITY LIFE TO CREATE SOMETHING SPONTANEOUS, FLEETING AND ABSTRACT.

WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME FINDING LOCATIONS THAT FEEL NEW YORK FIRST.

THAT COMBINED WITH THE SEASON, WHAT'S LOOKING GOOD, ALSO THE FLOWER FLASHES ARE ACCUMULATION OF OLD FLOWERS FROM THE MARKET, STUFF LEFT OVER FROM THE STUDIO AND LEFT OVER FROM EVENTS, SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT AS WELL.

FLASHES HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.

WE PLAN IT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEN WE JUST DO IT, SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THERE'S AN ANXIOUS ENERGY, IT'S USUALLY DARK, LOT OF TIMES IT'S COLD.

FLOWERS ARE FOR NEW YORKERS, FOR THE PEOPLE.

I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM, INTERACT WITH THEM.

OBVIOUSLY TAKE A PICTURE BUT TAKE A BLOSSOM, TAKE SOME HOME.

NEW YORK IS NEW YORK, ALL THESE PEOPLE PILED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

TO ME THE TWO BIGGEST LUXURIES IN THE CITY ARE NATURE AND SPACE.

SO MORE WE CAN HAVE SOFT MOMENTS OF JUST BEAUTY AND JOY FOR NO OTHER REASON, EVEN IF IT'S FOR AN HOUR OR TEN MINUTES, JOB IS DONE.

>>> FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, THE MTA ARTS FOR TRANSIT PROGRAM HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSFORMING OUR UNDERGROUND INTO A VAST CANVAS FOR PUBLIC ART.

MOSAICS, GLASS, BRONZE AND OTHER MATERIALS NOW ADORN THE PREVIOUSLY DECAYING AND FORGOTTEN WALLS AND CORRIDORS OF OUR SUBWAYS.

♪ >> I SAID OH, BOY, I WANT TO DO -- WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE, THAT'S THE CENTER.

AND I WENT IN THERE, AND GOT IT.

WORKED FOR ME.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO I ASSOCIATE WITH MY LIFE, GROWING UP IN HARLEM, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, POLITICIANS, ALL OF THESE TRULY GREAT PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MY LIFE AND MADE ME KNOW THAT I COULD DO ANYTHING I WANTED BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING IT.

WAS JUST THE CENTER OF CULTURE IN THOSE DAYS, AND I SAW THEM ALL, WE ALL LIVED TOGETHER.

W.E.B.

DUBOIS LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME, AND THURGOOD MARSHALL, SEE THOSE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

THOSE PEOPLE WERE JUST NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE.

WE WAIT UNTIL 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND GO UP TO 155th STREET AND CATCH DUKE ELLINGTON COMING OUT OF THE SUBWAY, AND HE WOULD STOP AT A LITTLE DINER THERE ON THE CORNER AND WE'D BE IN THERE WAITING FOR HIM.

HE WOULD COME IN AND HE WOULD ORDER A PINT OF ICE CREAM TO GO, AND WE WOULD JUST SIT THERE AND DROOL OVER HIM.

BUT YOU COULDN'T RUN UP TO THESE PEOPLE AND START YELLING ABOUT, AUTOGRAPH, NO, THEY DON'T DO THAT.

JUST BE COOL.

WE DID.

BUT WE ALSO GOT TO SEE HIM.

IT WAS SO WONDERFUL.

THERE'S NO LAW SAYING YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THE SPECTERS, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF KIER SECURERA.

I WANT THE LIGHT AND SHADE, I ELEVATE ALL OF IT.

CERTAIN KIND OF FREEDOM, COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD.

AND INTERESTING WAY TO USE THE SPACE, INJECT PEOPLE IN THE SPACE, HAVE THEM MOVING THROUGH IT.

>> HOW COME YOU DON'T PUT YOURSELF ON THE WALL?

YOU KNOW?

>> I HAVE MYSELF FLYING SOMETIMES, SOMEWHERE.

PLEASE, I DON'T LEAVE MYSELF OUT OF ANYTHING.

IT'S AN IDEA, SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT, PUT MYSELF OVER THERE WITH THE ARTISTS.

DIDN'T GIVE IT A THOUGHT.

>>> I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM THIS EVENING, I'M PAULA ZAHN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING US AND WE HOPE YOU JOIN US NEXT TIME.

>>> NEXT WEEK ON "NYC ARTS," A LOOK AT NEW MOYNIHAN TRAIN HALL, REIMAGINED SPACE AND CIVIC PRIDE.

CREATED A WORK CALLED THE HIVE, A SCULPTURE THAT HANGS DOWN FROM THE CEILING, SURPRISED OF DOZENS OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

THEY'VE SORT OF BEEN INSPIRED BY BUILDINGS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AS WELL AS THEIR OWN ARCHITECTURAL INVENTIONS.

>> VISIT TO THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO SEE A HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR COLLECTION OF AMERICAN PAINTINGS.

>> BEHIND ME IS THE RETURN OF THE 69th REGIMENT, IRISH REGIMENT IN 1862 FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.

WANG HAS USED THIS AS KIND OF SHOWPIECE TO SHOWCASE HIS ABILITY AS A GENRE PAINTER, AS A PORTRAITIST AND AS A LANDSCAPIST.

>> AND LOOK AT CURRENT EXHIBITIONS THAT CELEBRATE THE HISPANIC SOCIETY MUSEUM AND LIBRARY'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF ART FROM SPAIN AND LATIN AMERICA AS WELL AS LITERATURE.

♪ ♪ >>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION.

THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN.

CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER.

THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION.

THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION.

THE ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION.

AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS "FIRST THINGS FIRST."

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY.

THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP?

RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE.

BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY -- >> SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS.

OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941.

LOOKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY.

WHETHER YOU'RE A LIFELONG COLLECTOR, FIRST-TIME BUYER, OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANNGALLERIES.COM.

>> AND BY -- >> UNIKA VAEV SINCE 1975 PROVIDING FABRICS AND DECORATIVE ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS AS WELL AS CUSTOM ACOUSTICAL DESIGN SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL NEEDS, INFORMATION AT UNIKAVAEV.COM.