- Tonight on our place our time, we'll meet one of Hampton Road's most admired artist Barkley Sheex.

We'll see the joyful art of carousel animals on exhibit in Portsmouth, and we'll hear from the jazz quintet moments notice.

And here's your host, Vianne Webb.

Welcome back to our - Place.

Welcome back to our place our time.

The cultural magazine program for Hampton Roads.

Barkley Sheex has been capturing the beauties of landscapes and seascapes in Hampton Roads, together with the faces and figures of our neighbors for more than 25 years.

His paintings and his personality, if you'll witness his half dozen books and his television series, have made him a nationally known spokesman for this area.

I'm delighted that Barkley Sheex will be my guest on this program.

Before I talk with him, however, I want to join with you in a visit to a new exhibit of Barclay Sheex paintings at the Virginia Beach Maritime Historical Museum.

Guiding us will be our reporter, Tim Mur.

- I wonder Vianne, if the grizzled old coast Guardsman who manned this lifesaving station would've appreciated the paintings of Barkley Sheex, I suspect they would have for sheik's exhibit on the second floor of the 85-year-old station compliments the ship bottles, the scrimshaw, and the nautical instruments that have a satisfactory and now permanent place here.

This is a charming museum, this Virginia Beach Maritime historical museum.

It preserves the only remaining lifesaving station in Virginia and one of a mere handful left on the Atlantic coast.

This is a place that has memories of heroic stories and Barkley Sheex has cunningly brought to it 28 paintings with maritime or familiar themes of the Atlantic Coast from models in the museum of older boats that used to work, Hampton Roads, waters Rise, modern Successors in Sheex Pictures.

I thought we'd show you several of sheik's pictures together with some of the maritime history on permanent display.

And we'll talk with three people who know and have stories to tell about Barkley Sheex.

- I am Barkley's art dealer and publisher in this painting here.

I saw him finish it when I visited him in his studio one day, and as soon as I saw it, I said, that was a beautiful work of art and something that we could sell to the surf fishermen up and down the East coast.

He, he liked that idea and so I took a picture of it and sent it out to sporting goods salesman and and surf fishermen to find out what they thought about it.

Well, lo and behold, when it came back they said this painting was dull, no action.

Where are the four wheel drive vehicles?

Where are the beer cans and where are the fish?

No fish.

It's dull.

We don't want it.

So I went back to Barkley and said, broccoli.

They thought that was a wonderful piece of art, but something that they didn't want.

Could we put the four wheel drive vehicles in there, the beer cans and have somebody catching fish?

He says, yes, and I'll enjoy doing it.

And he will.

He's different than most artists.

He does what he wants to do, which is right here and now he's gonna do what I want him to do and what all these surf fishermen want him to do.

And we're gonna have a print that will sell to the surf fishermen up and down the east coast.

- I know Barkley in a number of ways, he's been a colleague and we've, I've taken art classes with him.

I've gone blue fishing with him and Turkey shooting, things like that, and one of his great watchers paintings is hanging in my house of his wife Edna.

She's become a close friend.

A funny, funny story Barkley told me we were over at Kosin one evening and he had been telling us about the fact that the house had been broken into three times, I think over a period of one winter, but all of the stuff that was taken, tape decks, electronic equipment, stuff like that, none of this bothered him.

He doesn't worry about things like that, but he was so disturbed that none of his paintings had been taken.

- I've known Barkley Sheex for 28 years, both as a friend and a colleague.

Story that comes to my mind is, has to do with how he students react to Barkley.

He has such a zest for life and such an enthusiasm that it's really contagious.

We took a group of students to Italy once on a painting trip and we landed in Rome and it was nice and cold in the wintertime.

And of course Barkley gave instructions for the students to go out painting.

We all headed out with pencil paper and paints in hand, and the excitement of being in a room and being abroad for the first time, of course, got to the students and they wandered away later that night when it was time for a formal critique of work, the students scrambled around the pencil where we were staying, pulled out of frames in the hotel room's work that was obviously done by the owner's nephew took it down for critique and Barclays spent an hour critiquing all this questionable work that was hanging in the hotels, which for me proves that you know, students and friends of Barclays don't like to let him down - Les than a lifetime ago.

This lifesaving station was about the only structure you could see along this stretch of Virginia Beach.

Now it stands a sentinel to historic deeds in between a crush of temporary bedrooms and fast food pumps.

It honors memories and art.

- I can't think of a more appropriate setting for the paintings of Barclays Sheex than the Virginia Beach Maritime Historical Museum.

We've seen his paintings and heard about him and with me now is Barkley Sheiks Barkley.

I think everybody in Hampton Roads knows who you are and many people in this nation.

You are so renowned, you're no stranger to television, nor to channel 15 for that matter.

And over the years, I think I've only talked with you one time, which you probably don't remember, and there are a million questions to ask you.

First of all, I'd, I'd like to know what kind of response you would like us to have as the viewing public to your paintings.

- Well, I think your own personal response, I think for me to tell you the response would be what perhaps if, if you did that you'd get what you deserve.

You should respond to it in your own way.

- I don't ever want to get what I - Deserve.

None understand.

- No, but I knew that you did in, in one of your books, poetry pieces more like thoughts, meditations.

Do you see the paintings that way when you work as, as meditative statements, as visual representations, philosophical, spiritual, all of the above.

- Yes.

You know, I thought so.

All of those, what I get from a might not be what the viewer would get.

I'm compelled to do certain paintings because you're just compelled to do it.

And I think for me to, to say what the observer should get, I think really sometimes artists are like a spiritual medium.

They, they may think that they're doing and I may think this is exactly what I'm doing and yes, that's exactly what I'm doing, but I think a lot of times they're like a spiritual medium.

They bring something about.

- So we hope that that is true of those of you who are those special artists that help us to see things.

I was reminded to ask you about light, light in painting, which is so important, and the comments that various painters have made about the special light in the area of Hampton Roads, which has been much your focus, certainly if we go down into North Carolina, is there a special light?

Does light vary as you go up and down the coast?

- Well it does.

You know, I'd always heard about the Mediterranean light and when I got to the Mediterranean I saw the light visually speaking and at certain times the light here because of the bay and because of the ocean, we have that sort of Mediterranean light that has a certain clarity about it, that accentuates form a great deal.

And that's intriguing.

It is for me because of recently I've become very much preoccupied with, with the capture of light or the presentation of it, - The capture of light.

It's interesting that you say you have gotten involved in that because I always thought that that was one of the most compelling things about your work was the light in them, although that light varied.

I remember when you first started into acrylics and I saw a painting of yours in, at a gallery in, in nags head, and that true watercolor impression that you're able to get with that and, and the clarity of that light, and that's been many years ago when you first started in, - Well, I might have been concentrating on it, but I perhaps wasn't as aware of it as I am now.

And at some of the things that I'm doing actually are just an excuse to portray light.

It isn't the subject matter as much as, as this subject matter seems to, to be a, a good stage in which I can bring or attempt to bring this light about.

- I wondered if you, what are the special things even now that you, that you have wanted to paint?

I know one of course is the Queen Ann's lace, which is so indigenous - To this area.

A lot of people think of that as my trademark, but it's difficult for me to separate my art from my life.

And so I live in this environment.

So the people and the life and the countryside and the, and the buildings are, are going to be, those are going to be the subjects that I'm going to be involved in.

You know, as I sit here looking at you, I can, I can see a painting and I've often wondered if I lived out in Arizona, if I would be doing these terrible Amazonian paintings.

Is that what this - Reminds you of with the turquoise necklace?

No, no, no.

And all of that.

No.

It's funny.

Those are the things you say that, that have captured you.

I think I shall always think of your paintings.

Of course.

First impressions as people, the woman's face and the hat and the looking off into the distance.

And that will always say Barkley sheiks to - Me.

Well, a lot of my watchers were paintings of my wife who has certainly I know that been an important part of my life.

And for me, that's the way I work.

I think every artist has to work in their own way, but for me, I cannot separate my life from my work.

- Well, before we go, you've got to comment on the new thing we'll be looking for and that's the Kennedy Space Center Commission.

I want to know how in the world you're going to do a painting of Mars.

Of the surface - Of Mars.

Well, I did that for, for a long time.

I was the only one who knew what Mars looked like and I've already done that painting and it is, it's quite large.

It's, you know, well over a hundred feet.

And I did it with great big brushes and spray guns and it was a commission that NASA gave to me and I was delighted to do.

It was a grand experience and the scientist gave me lots of information on what things were supposed to look like and I did a number of things for the I a lunar landing testing.

I did a number of panels and, and put minerals in them so they could test them to see if the lunar landing device could pick up the minerals.

Actually, it was all staged right here, WHRO, and they never got to the moon.

They just cut to my paintings.

- Amazing What television can - Do it.

- Barclay sheiks time goes by too fast with you and and we have to move on to some other things, but thank you for all the beauty you've let us see and see more clearly.

- Well and for talking with us on the program today, - Be you Barclay's exhibit at the Virginia Beach Maritime Historical Museum.

Museum is only one of many events taking place these days in Hampton Roads.

We've chosen some other events we think you'd like to know about, and here are our choices.

There are many museums in Hampton Roads, big and small, and one of the most enterprising and imaginative in recent years has been the fine Arts Gallery of the Portsmouth Museums in the restored 1846 courthouse.

The exhibit there now of more than 30 carousel animals will certainly take you back to your childhood.

Our Liz Macintosh refreshes our memories.

- Remember what it was like as a child to ride a carousel rushing for the grandest animal climbing to the back of your chosen seed, your miles in the air clutching the center pole.

The music begins and the ride comes alive.

You can relive that feeling here in Portsmouth's 1846 Courthouse Museum at a special exhibition called Catch a Brass Ring Carousel Art from the Charlotte Dinger Collection.

30 of her finest figures will be on display dating from 1870 to 1930.

The exquisite carvings will include the elaborate lead horses and menagerie animals interest in carousel figures as art has been spurred by the work of Charlotte Dinger, author of a comprehensive book on the history restoration and collection of carousel art.

I've - Always loved the carousel and as a child, I visited a park called Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey and I loved the ride that was there.

It was a wonderful large carousel, one of the most elaborate ones ever carved, and my children were also riding that carousel for many years.

Just recently in the eighties, the early eighties, there's become a resurgence of interest in the operating carousel.

For many years the rides disintegrated.

They were at the mercy of storms and fires and many of them disappeared, but the public is now aware of the beauty of the carousel and there is an interest all around the country in preserving this arc form.

- Carousel figures have only recently been seen as fine art.

In the past, they were thought of as simple toys that had gone out of fashion.

Today, carousel figures enjoy the attention of children and collectors alike.

Animals can be identified by unique features characteristic of certain carvers and companies.

An animal can be dated by the expression on its face or the position of the eyes.

- When I look at a carousel animal, I look for animation, movement, excitement in the carving.

I look for realism in some of the carvings.

Each animal has its own personality and it's something that's very subjective.

There should be an emotion.

When you look at a carousel animal, you should fall in love with it, and that's what I do with all the ones I have.

There are three distinct styles of carousel art.

The first style is the Philadelphia style, which represents the very realistic animals that were carved in Philadelphia by Gustaf, Denzel Daniel Mueller, and the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.

These animals are well proportioned and very realistic.

And in contrast we have the Coney Island style, which were flamboyantly carved animals in exaggerated poses, laden with jewels and very fancy trappings.

In contrast to that, we have the very simple country fair style animals which travel to the rural parts of America.

The animals are usually farm animals, either chickens or dogs or pigs.

The animals had to be packed and moved weekly from fairground to fairground Throughout the farm communities, they were much smaller in size and much simpler in design, but nevertheless, they're very charming.

When most people think of the carousel, they think of horses, but there are a number of beautiful menagerie animals that were carved.

Some of them were just very charming and realistic.

Others were frightening to children.

The seahorse is a good example of an animal that would've scared young children.

Also, the massive lions and tigers, they were never ridden quite as much as the other animals because the children were afraid of them.

And the carousel operators have told me these stories and they can tell by the amount of wear on the paint.

The horses always had to be painted more often than the menagerie animals.

Each of these animals comes with its own fascinating bit of history.

This is a wonderful teddy bear carved by Charles Loof in Coney Island, and it's a very early animal.

One of the earliest ones in my collection is carved around 1880 and it's extremely rare.

There're only five known in the country.

It's very heavy animal.

It takes four men to move it, and its head is actually swiveling because it has a bolt assembly rather than a dowed assembly.

Almost all carousel animals were dowed and glued, but this head is so heavy that they had to actually use a bolt to keep it on.

This is a wonderful lead horse by one of the great Coney Island carvers, Marcus Charles Illian.

And what makes this a lead horse is the fact that it's very, very fancy, the wonderful carvings of a cherub behind the saddle.

There's a griffin on the blanket and the signature of the carver is on the front of the animal.

Most carvers never sign their work, but Marcus Illian signed a few pieces that he considered his very finest.

And it's signed Mc Illian CI for Coney Island.

The animal also of course has many jewels, which is typical of the Coney Island style and a a very fancy trappings.

As you can see, it's one of my favorite animals.

- Tim Close is the arts curator here at the Portsmouth Museums.

- We brought this exhibition to the Portsmouth Museums because we wanted a major exhibition that would both educate and entertain at the same time when it would appeal to a wide audience.

And I think Charlotte Dinger collection of carousel animals does just that.

Both young and old audiences enjoy the exhibition, and I think it's an exhibition that everybody should see.

- Many carousels have been lost to fires, storms and neglect, but exhibitions like the Dinger Collection have focused public attention on a priceless and disappearing American art form.

- It's my hope that an exhibit of this type would encourage people to preserve the American carousel.

There are only 80 carousels of this type with these grand horses and animals on board left in the United States and the American Carousel was the finest of all carousels.

They're much more beautiful than the ones that were produced in Europe, and it's an art form that should be preserved.

Ketchu - Brass ring is presented in cooperation with the Museum of American Folk Art.

The exhibit will be here in the 1846 Courthouse Gallery through the end of this month - From the memories and music of carousels.

We're gonna swing a bit now to the sounds of jazz and the quintet moments'.

Notice Jazz fans will recognize that the name of the quintet comes from a final John Coltrane number.

Should you want to hear moments' notice performing one of these nights, just visit the judge's chambers restaurant and lounge in downtown Norfolk.

Next week on our place our time, we'll have a progress report on a new arts center for Virginia Beach.

We'll honor a first citizen of music in Hampton Roads, a teacher, composer, conductor, and performer.

Ronald Marshall and Walter Nuna will play the piano for us.

Join us then on our place, our time.