FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY FOUNDATION... ...NEW MEXICO ARTS, DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

...AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU THIS TIME, ON COLORES!

SIX YOUNG POETS, FINALISTS IN NEW MEXICO'S POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION, SHARE GREAT POETRY.

CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS INFLUENCED BY GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMIC BOOKS.

HISTORICALLY ACCURATE SHOES FROM THE 1700S TO THE 1940S COME TO LIFE IN THE MODERN DAY.

IT'S ALL AHEAD ON COLORES!

FOR THE LOVE OF POETRY.

>>JESSICA HELEN LOPEZ: POETRY IS MEDICINE.

IT IS A LOVE LANGUAGE.

FOR FOLKS WHO ENGAGE IN POETRY THEY ARE ENGAGING WITH THE STORY OF THEMSELVES, WHO THEY ARE, AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.

NO MATTER THE INTERPRETATION OF ANY GIVEN POEM BY ANY GIVEN POET.

I THINK THAT POETRY IS TRULY A FORM OF POWERFUL SELF-EXPRESSION AND HAS BEEN USED AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ORAL TRADITION AND STORYTELLING AND HONORING CULTURE-CULTURA--OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR CITIES, OUR VILLAGES-ALL OF OUR STORIES WOVEN TOGETHER FOR TIME IMMEMORIAL.

WHAT NEW MEXICO POETRY OUT LOUD DOES-WHAT THEY PROVIDE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM IS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE POETS THEY MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF OR HONOR THE POETS THAT THEY ARE ENAMORED WITH AND GET TO DANCE WITH THEIR WORK.

THEY'RE NOT JUST RECITING THEIR PIECES, THEY'RE NOT JUST COMPETING IN A COMPETITION, BUT THEY'RE TRULY GOING THROUGH THIS JOURNEY WHEN THEY'RE EXPANDING THEMSELVES AS THEY ENGAGE IN THESE POEMS, AS THEY UNPACK THESE POEMS FOR THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES AS YOUNG PEOPLE AND AS THEY CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD.

THEY GET TO WORK WITH THEIR SCHOOL CULTURE OR THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNITY, THEY GET TO WORK WITH THEIR PEERS ACROSS NEW MEXICO, THEY GET TO WORK WITH COMMUNITIES AT LARGE AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR SCHOOL COMPETITION OR THEIR STATE FINAL COMPETITION, AND ULTIMATELY AS THE STATE FINALISTS PREPARE TO COMPETE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.

BUT OVERALL AND ULTIMATELY IT IS A NATIONAL COMMUNITY AND SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT KIDS GET TO TAP INTO THROUGH THE LENS OF POETRY, THROUGH THE LENS OF STORYTELLING.

AND THEN THAT TRULY IS VALUABLE AND THE POETS THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO WITNESS THEIR VIVACIOUS ABILITIES IN RECITING-POETS AND THEIR POEMS IS GOING TO BE VERY HEARTFELT AND ENJOYABLE, BUT ALSO ABSOLUTELY INSPIRATIONAL SO I COMMEND THESE YOUNG POETS THROUGH AND THROUGH.

>>ANALISA IBARRA: I WILL TELL YOU WHY SHE RARELY VENTURED FROM HER HOUSE, IT HAPPENED LIKE THIS: ONE DAY SHE TOOK THE TRAIN TO BOSTON, MADE HER WAY TO THE DARKENED ROOM, PUT HER NAME DOWN IN CURSIVE SCRIPT, AND WAITED HER TURN.

WHEN THEY READ HER NAME ALOUD SHE MADE HER WAY TO THE STAGE, STRAIGHTENED THE PAPERS IN HER HANDS, PAGES AND ENVELOPES, THE BACKS OF GROCERY BILLS.

SHE CLOSED HER EYES FOR A MINUTE, TOOK A BREATH, FROM HER MOUTH PERFECT WORDS EXPLODED, INTACT FORMULAS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

SHE DARED TO RHYME WITH WORDS LIKE COCHINEAL AND DESCRIBE THE SKIES LIKE DIADEM.

OBSCURELY WORDED INCANTATIONS FILLED THE ROOM WITH AN ALCHEMY THAT MADE THE VERY MOLECULES QUAKE.

THE SOLITARY WORD SHE HANDLED WITH KEEN PRECISION IN HER UPSTAIRS ROOM CAME RUMBLING OUT TO MAKE THE ELECTRIC LIGHTS FLICKER.

FORTY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WERE TREATED FOR HYPERTENSION.

TWENTY-YEAR-OLD DARK-HAIRED BEAUTIES FOUND THEIR HEADS HAD TURNED A MOSES WHITE.

HER SECOND POEM ERASED THE MEMORY OF EVERY CELL PHONE IN THE NIGHTCLUB, AND BY THE FOURTH LINE OF THE SIXTH VERSE THE GRANDMOTHER IN THE UPSTAIRS APARTMENT HAD BEEN CURED OF HER RHEUMATISM.

THE PAPERS REPORTED THE POWER OUTAGES.

THE AREA HOSPITALS TAXED THEIR EMERGENCY GENERATORS AND SIRENS WERE HEARD TO WAIL THROUGH THE NIGHT.

QUIETLY SHE MADE HER WAY TO THE EXIT, WALKED TO THE TERMINAL, AND RODE BACK TO AMHERST.

SHE NEVER LEFT HER ROOM AGAIN AND NEVER >>MICHELLE MONTEZ: IT WAS A PICTURE I HAD AFTER THE WAR-A BOMBED ENGLISH CHURCH-I WAS TOO YOUNG TO KNOW THE WORD ENGLISH OR WAR, BUT I KNEW THE PICTURE.

THE RUINED CITY STILL SEEMED NOBLE.

THE CATHEDRAL WITH ITS ROOF BLOWN OFF WAS NOT LESS GODLY.

THE CHURCH WAS THE SAME, PLUS RAIN AND SKY.

BIRDS FLEW IN AND OUT OF THE HOLES GOD'S ALL OUR DESIRE FOR LOVE OR CHILDREN IS TREATED LIKE RAGS I KNEW SO MUCH AND SANG ANYWAY-LIKE A BIRD, WHO WILL SING UNTIL IT IS BROUGHT DOWN.

WHEN THEY TAKE AWAY THE TREES THE CHILD PICKS UP A STICK AND SAYS, "THIS IS A TREE, THIS THE HOUSE AND THE FAMILY," AS WE MIGHT.

THROUGH A DOOR OF WHAT HAD BEEN A HOUSE, INTO THE FIELD OF RUBBLE WALKS A SINGLE LAMB, TILTING ITS HEAD.

CURIOUS.

UNAFRAID.

HUNGRY.

>>BARBARA AKIN: WHEN YOU ARE OLD AND GRAY AND FULL OF SLEEP, AND NODDING BY THE FIRE, TAKE DOWN THIS BOOK, AND SLOWLY READ AND DREAM OF THE SOFT LOOK YOUR EYES HAD ONCE, AND OF THEIR SHADOWS DEEP.

HOW MANY LOVED YOUR MOMENTS OF GLAD GRACE, AND LOVED YOUR BEAUTY WITH LOVE FALSE OR TRUE, BUT ONE MAN LOVED THIS PILGRIM SOUL IN YOU, AND LOVED THE SORROWS OF YOUR CHANGING FACE.

AND BENDING DOWN BESIDE THE GLOWING BARS, MURMUR, A LITTLE SADLY, HOW LOVE FLED AND PACED UPON THE MOUNTAIN OVERHEAD, AND HID HIS FACE AMID A CROWD OF STARS.

>>ZOE SLOAN CALLAN: ANGELS DON'T COME TO THE RESERVATION.

BATS, MAYBE, OR OWLS, BOXY MOTTLED THINGS.

COYOTES TOO.

THEY ALL MEAN THE SAME THING: DEATH.

AND DEATH EATS ANGELS I GUESS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN AN ANGEL FLY THROUGH THIS VALLEY EVER.

GABRIEL?

NEVER HEARD OF HIM.

KNOW A GUY NAMED GABE THOUGH.

HE CAME THROUGH HERE ONE POW-WOW AND STAYED-TYPICAL INDIAN.

SURE HE HAD WINGS, JAILBIRD THAT HE WAS.

HE FLIES AROUND IN STOLEN CARS, WHEREVER HE STOPS KIDS GROW LIKE GOURDS FROM WOMAN'S BELLIES.

LIKE I SAID NO INDIAN I'VE EVER HEARD OF HAS EVER BEEN OR SEEN AN ANGEL.

MAYBE IN A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT OR SOMETHING.

NAZARENE CHURCH HOLDS ONE EVERY DECEMBER, ORGANIZED BY PASTOR JOHN'S WIFE.

IT'S NO WONDER PASTOR JOHN'S SON IS THE ANGEL-EVERYONE KNOWS ANGELS ARE WHITE.

QUIT BOTHERING WITH ANGELS, I SAY, THEY'RE NO GOOD FOR INDIANS.

REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME SOME WHITE GOD CAME FLOATING ACROSS THE OCEAN?

TRUTH IS THERE MAY BE ANGELS, BUT IF THERE ARE ANGELS, UP THERE LIVING ON CLOUDS OR SITTING ON THRONES ACROSS THE SEA WEARING VELVET ROBES AND GOLDEN RINGS, DRINKING WHISKEY FROM SILVER CUPS, WE ARE BETTER OFF IF THEY STAY RICH AND FAT AND UGLY AND EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR OWN DISTANT HEAVENS.

YOU BETTER HOPE YOU NEVER SEE ANGELS ON THE REZ-IF YOU DO THEY'LL BE MARCHING YOU OFF TO ZION OR OKLAHOMA OR SOME OTHER HELL THEY'VE MAPPED OUT FOR US.

>>VANESSA SOSA: THE GLORIES OF OUR BLOOD AND STATE ARE SHADOWS, NOT SUBSTANTIAL THINGS.

THERE IS NO ARMOR AGAINST FATE.

DEATH LAYS HIS ICY HAND ON KINGS: SCEPTER AND CROWN MUST TUMBLE DOWN AND IN THE DUST BE EQUAL MADE BY THE POOR CROOKED SCYTHE AND SPADE.

SOME MEN WITH SWORDS MAY REAP THEIR FIELDS AND PLANT FRESH LAURELS WHERE THEY KILL.

BUT THE STRONG NERVES AT LAST MUST YIELD.

THEY TAME BUT ONE ANOTHER STILL: EARLY OR LATE THEY STOOP TO FATE AND MUST GIVE UP THEIR MURMURING BREATH WHEN THEY, PALE CAPTIVES, CREEP TO DEATH.

THE GARLANDS WITHER ON YOUR BROW, THEN BOAST NO MORE YOUR MIGHTY DEEDS.

UPON DEATH'S PURPLE ALTAR NOW SEE WHERE THE VICTOR VICTIM BLEEDS.

YOUR HEADS MUST COME TO THE COLD TOMB.

ONLY THE ACTIONS OF THE JUST SMELL SWEET AND BLOSSOM IN THE DUST.

>>JENNA TULONEN: WE HAVE WALKED IN LOVE'S LAND A LITTLE WAY, WE HAVE LEARNT HIS LESSON A LITTLE WHILE AND SHALL WE NOT PART AT THE END OF DAY WITH A SIGH, A SMILE?

A LITTLE WHILE IN THE SHINE OF THE SUN, WE WERE TWINED TOGETHER JOINED LIPS, FORGOT HOW THE SHADOWS FALL WHEN THE DAY IS DONE, AND WHEN LOVE IS NOT.

WE HAVE MADE NO VOWS, THERE WILL NONE BE BROKE, OUR LOVE WAS FREE AS THE WIND ON THE HILL, THERE WAS NO WORD SAID WE NEED WISH UNSPOKE, WE HAVE WROUGHT NO ILL.

SO SHALL WE NOT PART AT THE END OF DAY, WHO HAVE LOVED AND LINGERED A LITTLE WHILE, JOIN LIPS FOR THE LAST TIME, GO OUR WAY WITH A SIGH, A SMILE?

BREAKING ARTISTIC BOUNDARIES.

THEY HAVE AN URGENCY ABOUT THEM, THERE'S SOMETHING VERY TOPICAL.

SO THE EXHIBITION "BEYOND THE CAPE" IS REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE ARTISTS WHO ARE INSPIRED BY COMICS BUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

THEY ARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, POLITICS, RACE RELATIONS.

THERE ARE MANY ARTISTS LIKE LICHTENSTEIN AND WARHOL WHO ARE INFLUENCED BY COMICS, BY POP CULTURE.

BUT IN THIS YOU'LL FIND OUR ARTISTS WHO REALLY ARE TELLING A STORY THAT'S SOMETIMES QUITE DEEP, QUITE DARK.

KERRY JAMES MARSHALL IS LOOKING AT THE STREETS OF CHICAGO.

WILLIAM WILEY'S TAPESTRY THAT IS LOOKING AT THE SHOOTING OF A MAN WHO THE POLICE THOUGHT HE WAS PULLING OUT A GUN, BUT IN FACT HE WAS PULLING OUT HIS WALLET.

I'M FINDING RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT, JUST KIND OF SEEING MY WORK AGAINST THESE OTHER ARTISTS' WORK, IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE SPEAKING CLEARLY WITHOUT HOLDING BACK ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM AND WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN THEIR PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY ARE LIVING.

MY NAME IS MARK THOMAS GIBSON.

I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MIAMI, FLORIDA.

I AM AN ARTIST.

I'M ALSO AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, TYLER SCHOOL OF ART.

I KIND OF PLAY WITH POP CULTURE.

I PLAY WITH COMICS, I PLAY WITH HISTORY, I PLAY WITH LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

THIS BOOK HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS IDEA OF UTOPIA.

ONCE I ACTUALLY START ENGAGING WITH THE PRACTICE OF DRAWING, THEN I'M STARTING TO FORMULATE WHATEVER MY ACTUAL ANSWER IS ABOUT THAT SUBJECT.

IN THIS CASE, THIS ONE WAS UTOPIA AND SO BY THE END OF IT I ACTUALLY COME TO AN ANSWER FOR MYSELF AND I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE ACTUALLY FOUND THAT TYPE OF ANSWER ANY OTHER WAY.

EVERY PAGE IS AN INDIVIDUAL DRAWING, 350 OF THEM THAT TELL THE NARRATIVE OF MY MAIN CHARACTER.

I USE AS MY PROTAGONIST A WEREWOLF CHARACTER, WHICH IS THE IDEA OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN TRAUMATIZED BUT THEN BECOMES A TRAUMATIZER.

I THINK ABOUT THAT A LOT IN AMERICA, THAT KIND OF CONTINUOUSLY...

IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHERE PEOPLE BECOME TRAUMATIZED BY EITHER BEING ECONOMICALLY OPPRESSED OR SEEING A LOVED ONE MURDERED OR SEEING CULTURE ACT AND RESPOND TO THEM AS AN "OTHER" WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY A PART OF THE FABRIC OF THIS COUNTRY.

AND THEN THAT GETS PASSED ON, LIKE TO YOUR KID THAT GETS PASSED ON TO THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THEM BECOME PAINTINGS, SOME OF THEM DO NOT.

MOST OF THEM DO NOT.

BUT IN THIS CASE, THIS WOULD LATER BECOME "LIBRARY ONE AND TWO."

I WANTED TO KIND OF SHOW AN AREA THAT HAD BEEN LIVED IN AND KIND OF OVERGROWN IN THOUGHT.

MY MAIN CHARACTER IN THIS NARRATIVE THAT THIS COMES FROM, DON'T REALLY KNOW EVEN WHAT TIME PERIOD IT IS THAT HE'S IN.

SO YOU HAVE A SWORD AND KIND OF A HILT, A KIND OF A SPEAR.

YOU HAVE LIKE BOOKS THAT ARE KIND OF CONTEMPORARY.

SO THERE'S "UTOPIA" OF COURSE.

AND THEN THERE'S "BELOVED" YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT BOOKS THAT I'VE READ GROWING UP THAT TOLD ME SOMETHING OR MADE ME THINK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AROUND SLAVERY, RELATIONSHIPS ABOUT AMERICAN EXPANSIONISM, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING AROUND AMERICA AS THESE KINDS OF CANNONS OF LIKE WHO ARE WE?

WHERE ARE WE?

PART OF WHAT I FIGURED OUT IN THE WHOLE UTOPIAN THING WAS THAT IT REALLY KIND OF COMES DOWN TO COMMUNICATION, SO YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO ACTUALLY NAVIGATE WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT.

>>THIS EXHIBITION I THINK IS YET ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT HERE AND THAT IS TO BREAK THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THESE SILOS OF ART FORMS WHERE YOU HAVE THE GRAPHIC NOVEL, THE COMIC, AND YOU HAVE FINE ART.

WELL HERE YOU HAVE THIS SORT OF BLENDING OF THE TWO.

>>AND IT WAS KIND OF HARD BECAUSE WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU'D GO TO AN ART SCHOOL PER SE, THEY SAY, OH, THAT'S NOT ART.

AND THEY WOULD THROW THAT ASIDE OR KIND OF DEMEAN IT OR DEMOTE MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY ACTUALLY WORKED WITHIN ILLUSTRATION, WORKED WITHIN POLITICAL ART, WORKED WITHIN CARICATURE.

IT'S, IT'S REALLY KIND OF EMBEDDED IN ART PRACTICE.

AND IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO LASCAUX AND LOOK AT THOSE LIKE CAVES, I MEAN THERE'S SOME CARICATURE KIND OF GOING ON IN THAT AS WELL.

SO THAT WAY IN WHICH WE KIND OF THINK THROUGH NARRATIVE AND SEQUENTIAL ART, UM, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PRESENT.

RECREATING SHOES.

>>AMERICAN DUCHESS IS A SMALL COMPANY THAT MAKES NEW OLD SHOES.

WE TAKE A REALLY OLD DESIGN, SOMETHING YOU SEE IN A PAINTING OR IN A MUSEUM AND WE MAKE IT WORK FOR MODERN WEAR AND COMFORT EXPECTATIONS.

EVERYTHING FROM THE 18TH CENTURY, 19TH CENTURY AND 1920S, '30S, AND '40S AS WELL.

AMERICAN DUCHESS STARTED AS MY PERSONAL BLOG ON HISTORIC COSTUMING.

I LIKED TO MAKE THINGS, I USED TO MAKE THOSE THINGS FOR MYSELF AND WEAR THEM TO AN EVENT, A PICNIC OR A DANCE, IT'S JUST WHAT I DID FOR FUN.

AND I THOUGHT I'LL BLOG ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE A WIG, OR HOW TO DO THIS DRESS, CAN LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT SHARING MY MISTAKES AND LEARNING THAT WAY.

YOU DON'T WANNA PUT ALL THIS TIME AND EFFORT AND SOMETIMES A LOT OF MONEY INTO YOUR BEAUTIFUL DRESS AND THEN HAVE NO SHOES TO WEAR WITH IT BECAUSE IT CRUSHES THE ILLUSION.

>> WHEN YOU'RE CREATING THESE GOWNS, THEY ARE ART PIECES.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT SHOES, IT JUST KILLS IT.

AND WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE PHOTOS OF YOURSELF OR SOMEONE'S TAKING PHOTOS OF YOU AND YOU LOOK AT THOSE LATER, YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY, "I LOOK LIKE I WALKED OUT OF A PORTRAIT."

>>YOU'RE NOT GONNA ACHIEVE THAT WITH TENNIS SHOES UNDER YOUR DRESS.

BELIEVE ME, I'VE SEEN IT.

HISTORIC SHOES ARE NOT LIKE SHOES TODAY, THEY HAVE STRANGE CLOSURES, THEY HAVE SPECIFIC TOE SHAPES, OR LACK OF TOE BOXES, THEY'RE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT, SO NOBODY WAS REALLY MAKING THAT KIND OF THING AND I SAID, "WELL, OKAY MAYBE I'LL HAVE A GO "AND MAKE SOME SHOES," NOT BY HAND, WE COULDN'T MAKE ENOUGH OF THEM TO MAKE A LIVING DOING THAT.

SO I FOUND A MANUFACTURER AND WE DEVELOPED A PROTOTYPE, I PUT IT ON THE INTERNET AND DID A PRE-ORDER FOR THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN.

AND IT FUNDED OVERNIGHT.

OVERNIGHT WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THE PRODUCTION RUN AND I WAS LIKE "OH MY GOD," I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING LIKE, "OH, OH THIS IS A THING, OKAY, I'M GONNA DO THIS, "THIS IS WHAT I'M GONNA DO."

MY FIRST DESIGN WAS GEORGIANA, NAMED AFTER THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE.

IT WAS MADE OUT OF DYEABLE SATIN, IT WAS OUR FIRST GO, PEOPLE WERE EXCITED ABOUT IT, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT AND IT WORKED.

WE JUST KEPT PRODUCING LIKE THE NEXT ONE, THE NEXT ONE, THE NEXT ONE.

A TYPICAL 18TH CENTURY SHOE, THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC HALLMARK THAT YOU MIGHT SEE ON THOSE ARE LATCHETS WITH BUCKLES.

SO THIS IS THE WAY THAT 18TH CENTURY SHOES CLOSED, YOU HAVE THESE TWO STRAPS.

YOU PUT ONE STRAP THROUGH HERE, YOU STICK THE PRONGS THROUGH THE OTHER ONE, YOU CAN MAKE THEM AS TIGHT AS YOU WANT, YOU CAN KEEP TIGHTENING THEM.

AND IT MAKES YOUR SHOES LOOK VERY PRETTY.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY IS VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

>>SO THE BASIC PROCESS STARTS WITH LOOKING AT ORIGINAL SHOES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS.

>>Lauren: IT'S BRAINSTORMING, SO WE JUST KIND OF ALL GET TOGETHER AND GO "WHAT SOUNDS COOL, WHAT HAVE WE NOT MADE BEFORE, "WHAT ARE THE TRENDS IN THE COMMUNITY?"

A LOT OF IT IS RESEARCH LOOKING AT OLD MAGAZINE ADS, CATALOGS, ORIGINAL SHOES IN OUR COLLECTIONS.

>>I'VE GONE TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MUSEUMS AND STUDIED THINGS HANDS ON SO THAT WAY I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY'RE CONSTRUCTED AND WHAT GOES INTO THE INTERNALS OF THEM AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

ALL OF THAT RESEARCH GETS DONE GRADUALLY AS WE FIND INSPIRATIONS, SAY WE NEED A BOOT FOR THIS TIME CREATED AND WE GO AND FIND LOTS OF DIFFERENT EXAMPLES AND PICK WHAT ONES REALLY SPEAKS TO US, WHAT WE THINK WOULD TRANSLATE WELL TO A MODERN DESIGN.

AND FROM THERE, WE DO A LOT OF SKETCHES, A LOT OF IDEATIONS, AND THEN ACTUALLY COME UP WITH THE FORMAL LINE DRAWING AND WE PUT LITTLE TINY DETAILS OF THE SOLE SHOULD BE THIS MANY MILLIMETERS, THIS ISLET SHOULD BE THIS MANY MILLIMETERS WIDE.

ALL THE LITTLE TINY DETAILS IN THERE SO THAT WAY THE FIRST SAMPLE THAT WE GET BACK IS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET TO RIGHT.

>>THERE IS NOBODY WHO KNOWS ABOUT HISTORIC SHOES AND HOW TO MAKE THEM BETTER THAN NICOLE RUDOLPH.

>>WHEN I WAS AT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, I ENDED UP LEARNING HOW TO DO WOMEN'S SHOEMAKING IN THE PROPER 18TH CENTURY STYLE ALL BY HAND, NO MACHINES, ALL HAND-STITCHED AND ASSEMBLED.

>>WE'RE BASED HERE IN RENO AND THIS IS WHERE WE DO ALL OF THE DESIGN, ALL THE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING HAPPENS HERE AS WELL.

WE ALSO PACK, SHIP, AND DO LOGISTICS OUT OF HERE SO THERE'S A BIG WAREHOUSE ATTACHED TO THIS LITTLE TINY OFFICE.

WE DO EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE ACTUAL MANUFACTURE 95% OF THE WORLD'S SHOES ARE MADE IN HOUJIE, IT IS IN SOUTH CHINA, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN HOUJIE AND IT'S A CITY THAT IS BUILT FOR SHOE PRODUCTION.

FACTORIES, COMPONENTS, MARKETS, LEATHER PRODUCERS, JUST EVERYTHING YOU NEED.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ALSO MANUFACTURE OUR SHOES.

THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH THERE ARE AMAZING.

WE PRODUCE FANTASTIC SHOES IN CHINA BECAUSE I GET ON A PLANE AND I GO OVER THERE AND I MAKE SURE OUR QUALITY PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE AND THAT OUR MATERIALS ARE GOOD AND THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR MANUFACTURER IS GOOD.

THEY REALLY ARE INTO THEMSELVES A SCULPTURAL INTERESTING PIECE OF ARTWORK AND THEY SHOULD STAND ON THEIR OWN BEFORE YOU EVEN PUT THEM ON YOUR FEET.

AND THEN TO ADD THAT IN, TO ADD THE WHOLE COSTUME AND TO ADD THE CLOTHES, THE DRESSES, EVERYTHING, IT JUST ENDS UP COMPLETING THE WHOLE THING.

>>THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT ARE INTO HISTORIC COSTUMING OR THEY'RE MOVIE COSTUMERS OR STAGE COSTUMERS, THAT'S A WHOLE MARKET I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN WE STARTED, I WAS JUST MAKING SHOES FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.

IT'S ABOUT HELPING OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COSTUMING COMMUNITY BE THEIR BEST SELVES IN THE 18TH CENTURY OR THE 19TH CENTURY TO MAKE THEIR MOST BEAUTIFUL DRESS AND IMPRESSION OR CHARACTER.

WE WANT TO CREATE A FUN ENVIRONMENT TO HELP PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD TIME PLAYING DRESS UP.

TO VIEW THIS AND OTHER COLORES PROGRAMS GO TO: NEW MEXICO PBS DOT ORG AND LOOK FOR COLORES UNDER WHAT WE DO AND LOCAL PRODUCTIONS.

ALSO, LOOK FOR US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

"UNTIL NEXT WEEK, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING."

FUNDING FOR COLORES WAS PROVIDED IN PART BY: FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY FOUNDATION... ...NEW MEXICO ARTS, A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

...AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU