♪ >> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY -- >> DO YOU CONTINUE TO BE TAPPED IN?

>> AT LEAST UNTIL I HIT THE 50 MARK.

I INTEND TO KEEP DANCING FOREVER.

THAT'S WHY I'M DANCING NOW.

>> NO AGE LIMIT ON TAP DANCING?

>> THERE IS AN AGE LIMIT BUT THERE IS NO SELL BY DATE.

OLD TAP DANCERS ARE OFTEN REALLY GOOD TAP DANCERS AND ARE NO LONGER DOING HAND SPRINGS OR CARTWHEELS.

>> I HAVE OTHER SKILLS BUT I FIND WHEN I TAKE A DAY OFF, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

I WANT TO MAKE ART?

I WANT TO SEE MUSIC.

I WANT TO PLAY MUSIC.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK FROM MATERNITY LEAVE.

MICHELLE AND HER HUSBAND PHIL WELCOMED THEIR SECOND SON TROY IN APRIL.

CONGRATULATIONS, HE IS BEAUTIFUL.

>> IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL TIME AT HOME AND I'M EXCITED FOR ALL THE GREAT STORIES WE ARE WORKING ON.

BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A STORY WE FIRST AIRED IN JANUARY.

BRIAN JONES IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED TAP DANCERS IN RHODE ISLAND.

HE HAS BEEN TAPPING OUT HIS LIFE STORY FOR FIVE DECADES.

YOU MEMBER -- YOU MAY REMEMBER HIM FROM HIS DAYS WITH THE ALL TAP REVIEW.

THE PERFORMER AND CHOREOGRAPHER CONTINUES TO SHARE HIS LOVE WITH AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES.

>> IT IS CLOSING NIGHT.

WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> HE HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING CROWDS FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

BUT ON THIS NIGHT, HE IS TAKING A BACKSEAT.

AFTER MONTHS CHOREOGRAPHING A DANCE ROUTINE FOR STUDENTS, HE IS SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON THEM.

>> I FELL IN LOVE WITH TAP DANCING IN 1971.

MY 11TH GRADE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS SHOWING THE MOVIE 42ND STREET AND I MADE A JOKE ABOUT RUBY KEELER'S TAPS, THAT THEY WEREN'T REALLY BEING MADE BY HER FEET THAT SOMEBODY WAS OFFSCREEN DRUMMING ON A TIN CAN.

MIKE THIS TEACHER WAS INCENSED, JUMPED UP AND TAP DANCED.

SHE WAS A VERY SOBER WOMAN AND AFTER CLASS I ASKED HER, WHERE DID YOU LEARN THAT?

SHE SAID, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, WE WERE ALL GOING TO BE THE SECOND SHIRLEY TEMPLE.

AND SHE SHOWED ME THE FIRST STEP.

THE SECOND STEP WAS BRUSH.

AND I PRACTICED AT HOME AND THE NEXT THING THE LAST, I SHOULD THEM TO HER AND SHE SAID YES.

I WAS GOOD ENOUGH AT IT THAT I HAD A PAIR OF TAPS PUT ONTO MY LOAFERS, PRACTICING ON A CONCRETE FLOOR.

DON'T DANCE ON A CONCRETE LORE.

SHE ROPED ME INTO BEING THAT YEAR'S HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF ANYTHING GOES.

I WAS A TAP DANCING SAILOR IN THE 11TH GRADE.

>> BUT BEFORE THE DANCERS TAKE THE STAGE.

>> BRIAN JONES, MAYBE YOU CAN HAVE A LITTLE BABY TAP THERE.

>> HI, EVERYBODY.

>> I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO IF NOT LEAP UP, BE EXTREMELY ENTHUSIASTIC.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THAT END AT OUR FIRST REHEARSAL I WAS VERY THESE AND THRILLED TO DISCOVER TECHNICALLY EXCELLENT DANCERS.

YOUNG PEOPLE THAT CAN ALREADY DO THE BASICS.

VERY NICE.

SAME THING.

>> I LOVE PLAYING WITH MUSIC IN DIFFERENT RHYTHMS THAT CAN GO WITH IT AND I FOUND IT'S A VERY GOOD WAY FOR ME TO EXPRESS MYSELF.

I WAS EXCITED TO WORK WITH BRIAN AND LEARN MORE FROM HIM.

IT WILL BE MY FIRST TIME ON THE I'M VERY EXCITED.

AND I THINK THIS WILL GET PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT TAP AGAIN FOR SURE.

AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LOST ART BUT MORE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO APPRECIATE IT AGAIN.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT COME BACK EVEN BIGGER THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

>> LONG BEFORE JONES BECAME A RESPECTED CHOREOGRAPHER, HE WAS MAKING A NAME HIMSELF AT THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN.

>> DEAR REMEMBER THE MOMENT IN 1975 WHERE YOU WERE DANCING TO HAPPY FEET.

THAT SONG I HAVE BEEN PLAYING.

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND THAT NIGHT?

>> WE WERE YOUNG AND I THINK WE WERE IN THE SECOND YEAR.

WE PUT THAT DANCE TOGETHER AND WE MADE UP THE STEPS THAT THE ENGLISH TEACHER HAD TAUGHT ME A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER.

WE WERE NERVOUS WRECKS.

I'M SURPRISED THAT WE WEREN'T STUMBLING ALL AROUND BUT WE HAD PRACTICED AND DRILLED.

>> YOU ARE BEAMING AS YOU SAY THIS.

>> THESE ARE WONDERFUL MEMORIES BECAUSE THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF REGULAR LIFE IN 1971.

THAT WAS FLOWER POWER HIPPIE TIME SO A LOT OF STRIKES ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR, THE BEATLES WERE BIG.

THINGS ARE SHIFTING FROM ROCK 'N' ROLL TO ROCK.

I WAS HAPPY TO BE ENGAGED IN SOMETHING THAT SEEMED CLASSIC TO ME.

>> I THINK MANY MAY RECOGNIZE YOU FROM YOUR TIME DURING THE ALL TAP REVIEW.

TAKE ME BACK TO THOSE DAYS.

>> I'M PROUD THAT IT LASTED 10 YEARS.

WE REOPENED THE OCEAN STATE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND IT WAS DESTINED TO BECOME A PARKING LOT IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND A WHOLE GROUP CAME TOGETHER.

ETHEL MERMAN, THE ALL TAP REVIEW.

THEY REOPENED THE THEATER 50 YEARS AFTER IT ORIGINALLY OPENED.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE DANCER WITH THE LIGHTEST, FASTEST FEET AROUND.

>> I WEIGH 120 POUNDS, SO MAYBE IT'S JUST A TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION.

BUT MY ENGLISH TEACHER, THAT WAS HER STYLE.

UP ON THE BALLS OF HER FEET, LEAPING AND SPRINGING.

IT VERY FRED ASTAIRE-ISH.

HIM AND BILL ROBINSON WROUGHT TAP DANCING UP OFF THE GROUND AND INTO THE AIR.

THAT HAS BEEN MY STYLE AS WELL.

>> THE GENRE OF MUSIC THAT APPEALS TO YOU.

>> ANYTHING.

I LOVE TECHNO MUSIC FOR ITS UN-SYNCOPATED MARCH LIKE RHYTHMS.

I LOVE SWING, WALTZ, ANYTHING WITH A REGULAR BEAT.

>> YOU ARE NOT JUST 1930'S AND 19 THESE.

>> I THINK ALL TAP DANCERS HAVE A LOVE FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S WHERE MODERN TAP STARTED.

>> YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A VAUDEVILLIAN.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

>> MY PRIMARY AIM IS TO ENTERTAIN.

I WANT TO SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN THE AUDIENCE TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.

AND I WANT A 70-YEAR-OLD MAN TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.

AND BY WORKING ALL SORTS OF CROWDS JUST AS VAUDEVILLIAN'S DID.

>> IT HAS CHANGED FROM WHEN YOU FIRST BEGAN.

>> IT SURE HAS.

WHEN I KNEW IT FIRST IN THE 70'S, IT WAS A REPLICATION OF EARLIER FORMS.

THEN GLOVER AND OTHER PEOPLE CAME ALONG AND SORT OF WRENCHED IT BLACK INTO A BLACK HERITAGE.

IT HAD BEEN ALMOST EMBARRASSING TO BE A TAP DANCER AND BE BLACK AT A CERTAIN POINT.

WHAT WAS LEFT WAS ALL THESE SEMI-EMBARRASSING HOLLYWOOD CLIPS.

FOR THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS, THEY WERE WONDERFULLY INVENTIVE TAP DANCERS.

WOULD THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN HOLLYWOOD IN THE 30'S.

HAD THEY BEEN YOUNG NOW, THEY WOULD BE KINGS OF TAP DANCING.

AND SO TO BE A PERSON IN THE 70'S OR 60'S WEARING AN AFRO, YOU KIND OF AVOIDED TAP DANCING.

LUCKILY, THANKS TO SABIAN AND OTHERS SAYING WE DON'T ACCEPT THAT ANYMORE, TAP HAS FINALLY REGAINED ITS APPROPRIATE PARENTHOOD AS A BLACK AND AMERICAN DANCE FORM.

>> AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TAP, IS IT DEAD?

>> IT HAS BEEN DEAD AND BACK AT LEAST FOUR TIMES IN MY LIFETIME.

THERE IS ANOTHER YOUNGER GENERATION OF PEOPLE BRINGING IT TO LIFE AND THEY ARE NOT ONLY GREAT, THEY ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT ALL THE PREVIOUS REVIVALISTS KINDA FORGOT IN THE THRILL OF TAP, WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THE DANCE MEANS SOMETHING.

TO GIVE IT A STRUCTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT QUALITY WHERE IT WOULD REACH REQUIRE US AND BE OF INTEREST TO A NON-TAP CROWD.

I SEE THIS HAPPENING NOW.

>> YOU BELIEVE ANYBODY CAN PUT ON TAP SHOES AND BECOME A DECENT TAP DANCER.

?

>> MANY PEOPLE SAID I HAVE TWO LEFT FEET BUT IF YOU CAN WALK AND YOU HAVE A SENSE OF RHYTHM AND JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY DOES.

PICKING UP THE FACILITY OF TAP IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT.

>> BUT CAN ANYONE LEARN THESE BASICS?

MY PRODUCER PUTS ME TO THE TASK.

>> THAT SOUND AS A BRUSH AND WHEN YOU GET REALLY GOOD AT THIS -- STEP, SHUFFLE.

THAT'S WHAT PRACTICE DOES.

AT LUNCH.

THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S IT.

>> THAT IS THE HARDEST PART.

>> TO HIS CREDIT, HE IS A PATIENT MAN.

>> HOLD FOR APPLAUSE.

WHOEVER IS THROWING ROSES AND $20 BILLS.

>> IT WAS TIME TO PUT ALL THOSE TAP STEPS TOGETHER.

>> THREE STRIKES YOU ARE OUT AT THE OLD BALLGAME.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> HE SAYS HE INTENDS TO KEEP TAP DANCING FOR MANY MORE YEARS.

>> DO YOU EXPECT TO CONTINUE TAP DANCING FOR -- >> AT LEAST UNTIL I HIT THE 50 MARK.

I INTEND TO KEEP DANCING FOREVER.

I NEVER STOPPED.

>> THERE IS NO AGE LIMIT ON TAP DANCING?

>> THERE IS AN AGE LIMIT, BUT THERE IS NO SELL BY DATE.

OLD TAP DANCES ARE OFTEN REALLY GOOD TAP DANCERS AND THEY ARE NO LONGER DOING HAND SPRINGS HER CARTWHEELS.

SO I WANT TO COMPETE ON A THEATRICAL GROUND.

I WANT THEM TO LEAVE FEELING AS THOUGH THEY HAD DANCED.

>> BRIAN JONES RECENTLY FINISHED TEACHING SUMMER CLASSES AND PLANS TO RESUME TEACHING TAP DANCING IN SEPTEMBER.

>> AND NOW, BILL BARTHOLOMEW FIRST INTRODUCED US TO HIM IN MARCH.

HE'S BEEN ENTERTAINING THE EYES AND EARS OF NEWENGLAND FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.

VISUAL ARTIST AND MUSICIAN DAN BLAKESLEE.

>> I DON'T CUT CORNERS AND NEVER HAVE.

I'M HOPING THAT AFTER I'M GONE, THAT MY ARTWORK AND MUSIC WILL STILL CONTINUE TO LIVE.

>> FOR A NEW ENGLAND ARTIST AND MUSICIAN DAN BLAKESLEE, A PASSIONATE WORK ETHIC AND SELF STARTER MENTALITY HAS BEEN THE KEY TO HIS CREATIVE VITALITY.

PLACING HIS OWN MULTIPLATFORM TRAIL, HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A DISTINCT CHARACTER YOUR IN NEW ENGLAND AND BEYOND, SOMETHING HE SAYS CAN BE TRACED TO HIS CHILDHOOD ROOTS.

>> MAINE IS WHERE I'M FROM.

AND THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE LIFE, I GREW UP IN A HOUSE THAT WAS VERY ARTFUL.

A MUSICAL FAMILY AND I WAS DABBLING WITH BOTH ART AND MUSIC GOING UP -- GROWING UP.

>> IT LANDED HIM AT THE INSTITUTE OF ART AT BALTIMORE WHERE HE REALIZED DEVELOPING A WIDE ARRAY OF BILLS, HE COULD PRODUCE A VARIETY OF CONTENT TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A SUCCESSFUL ARTISTIC CAREER.

>> WHEN I GET OUT OF ART SCHOOL, I CAN BUILD A LIGHTBOX.

I TURNED CARPENTRY OR WOODWORKING AND IF I NEEDED TO PHOTOGRAPH, I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHY.

BUT THE THING THAT I GRAVITATED MOST WARDS IS DRAWING THAT HAS BEEN WITH ME MY ENTIRE LIFE.

IT IS ALSO SOMETHING I CAN HAVE ON ME AT ALL TIMES.

>> ART SCHOOL WAS SO INTENSE HE NEEDED TO FIND AN ESCAPE FROM THE PRESSURE AND HE FOUND IT IN SONGWRITING.

>> MY PARENTS GOT ME A GUITAR WHEN I WAS 18 AND IT WAS SITTING IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM AT ART SCHOOL AND I WAS DOING AN OVERNIGHT PROJECT AND I WAS LIKE I'M GOING TO LOSE MY MIND UNLESS I DO SOME ELSE.

SO STARTED PLAYING GUITAR AND THAT SORT OF SPARK THIS BIG INTEREST IN PLAYING MUSIC AND I DID NOT KNOW I WOULD BE DOING BOTH AS A DUAL CAREER THE REST OF MY LIFE.

>> HE RECORDED HIS FIRST ALBUM IN A BASEMENT BEFORE RETURNING BACK HOME TO MAINE, FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I MOVED BACK HOME.

I DID ALL THIS ARTWORK AT ART SCHOOL, NOW WHAT AM I GOING TO DO.

>> HE DECIDED TO MAKE A CRITICAL DECISION WHICH CHANGED HIS LIFE.

>> I'M GOING TO DO MUSIC ONLY.

THOSE WORKING AT A LOBSTER RESTAURANT AND WORKING THERE FOR A FEW SUMMERS AND SO I STARTED PLAYING GIGS.

WHEN YOU PLAY GIGS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SHOW POSTERS.

I WAS STILL DRAWING.

AND I STARTED PLAYING SOME ART SPACES AND BREWERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I HAD BEEN PLAYING THERE THE WHOLE SUMMER AND I SAID WE LIKE YOUR POSTERS.

>> BY WORKING AS A SINGER-SONGWRITER, HE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPANDING HIS OPPORTUNITIES AND REACH AS A VISUAL ARTIST.

HIS BOSS GAVE HIM AN ULTIMATUM.

>> HE SAID I CAN'T HIRE YOU BACK.

I SAID WHAT?

I'M ONE OF YOUR BEST EMPLOYEES.

AND I HANDED HIM MY TAPE AND HE SAID, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE PLAYING MUSIC.

OK, HERE'S THE DEAL.

BECAUSE MANY SHOWS AS YOU CAN THIS SUMMER AND YOU CAN WORK IN BETWEEN.

IN THE NEXT YEAR, YOU HAVE TO BE OUT THERE PLAYING.

>> HE TOOK HIS BOSSES ORDERS TO HEART.

CREATING A NEW POSTER FOR EVERY GIG.

LATER, HE MOVED TO BOSTON WHERE HE SET OUT TO PERFORM EACH AND EVERY DAY.

HE DID NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOCATION.

FOR HIM, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF CREATING LIVE MUSIC.

>> IF I DID NOT HAVE A GIG ABOVE GROUND, I WOULD BE PLAYING UNDERGROUND.

THAT REALLY HELPED BROADEN MY REACH BECAUSE ANY RANDOM PERSON WALKING DOWN THE SUBWAY, IF THEY STUMBLED ACROSS THE MUSIC AND LIKED IT, THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD THAT ASKED VARIANCE.

>> HOW MANY YEARS DID THAT GO ON FOR?

>> I DID THAT OFF AND ON FOR 20 YEARS.

>> OVER THE FOLLOWING DECADES, HE BEGAN TO TOUR NATIONALLY.

EXPANDING HIS FAN BASE ON A NIGHTLY BASIS LIKE AT SOUTHWEST -- SXSW IN AUSTIN.

HE MOVED TO PROVIDENCE JOINING A GROWING INDIE FOLK COMMUNITY LARGELY BASED AROUND THE CITY'S COLUMBUS THEATER AS WELL AS THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL.

>> IT HAPPENED PRETTY NATURALLY AND ORGANIC.

I WENT TO MY FIRST EVER FOLK FESTIVAL 11 OR 12 YEARS AGO.

AND I WAS SO ENAMORED AT HOW DOWN EVERYBODY WAS.

>> HE BECAME A POPULAR MEMBER OF THE FOLK FESTIVAL'S UNDERCURRENT OF UNOFFICIAL PERFORMERS.

EVENTUALLY INVITED TO DELIVER A SANCTION PERFORMANCE IN 2019.

IN 2021 AFTER A HIATUS, NEWPORT FOLK RETURNED NAME TO THE FESTIVAL'S OFFICIAL BUSKER.

IT WAS THE FIRST PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.

SOMETHING HE SAID FESTIVAL PRODUCER J SUITE CONCEIVED WHILE SLEEPING.

>> THREE DAYS BEFORE THE FESTIVAL HE SAID I WOKE UP FROM A DREAM AND YOU WERE THE OFFICIAL BUSKER FOR NEWPORT FOLK STUBBLE.

I'M LIKE, YES.

FOR YEARS, I WAS AT THE END OF THE FESTIVAL WHILE PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO GET THE FERRY.

AND IT WAS SO NICE TO BE ASKED TO BE PART OF THAT FESTIVAL.

>> HE RELEASED 10 ALBUMS INCLUDING CHRISTMAS RECORDS AND ONE UNDER HIS ALTER EGO DR. GASPED.

HE HAS SET OUT -- SOLD COUNTLESS PIECES OF ART.

BUT PERHAPS HIS MOST FAMOUS CREATION IS THE BEER LABEL.

HE WAS RANKED THE TOP BEER LABEL .

AND IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY HIS CAREER.

NO SURPRISE THAT THE ANSWER WE GOT WHEN WE ASKED HIM WHICH HAD HE PREFERS WEARING.

VISUAL ARTIST OR MUSICIAN.

>> IT'S A BIG QUESTION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WITH ME, FOR MY EXPERIENCES, I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT BOTH THAT I CAN'T -- I CAN DO OTHER OCCUPATIONS.

I HAVE OTHER SKILLS.

WHEN I TAKE A DAY OFF, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

I WANT TO MAKE ART.

>> HE IS LIVING FULL-TIME IN KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE.

>> A LOOK AT A CULTURAL CENTER WHERE VISITORS CAN SEE THE GENIUS OF AN ARTIST WHO PAID HOMAGE TO THE GREAT ITALIAN MASTERS OF THE RENAISSANCE ONE GLORIOUS BRUSHSTROKE AT A TIME.

>> WELCOME TO THE SAINT ANNE ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER.

MANY PEOPLE DRIVE BY THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH AND WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE, THE OUTSIDE GIVES NO HINT WHATSOEVER AS TO WHAT IS CONTAINED INSIDE.

IT CONTAINS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF FRESCO ARTWORK IN NORTH AMERICA.

THE SAME STYLE AS THE SISTINE CHAPEL IN ROME.

SOME PEOPLE CALL IT THE SISTINE CHAPEL OF RHODE ISLAND.

WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS NOT WHAT THE PARISHIONERS SAW BACK IN THE DAY.

THEY WERE FINISHED IN GREAT STUCCO CEMENT.

THERE WERE NO STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS, AND THERE WAS NO MARBLE.

IT WAS A BYPRODUCT OF THE AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

MANY MILLS OPENED AND THEY TURNED OFF TO CANADA.

SAINT ANNE'S WAS THE SECOND OF THE FRENCH-CANADIAN PARISHES THAT WERE OPENED.

THEY ADDED THE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS WHICH WERE IMPORTED FROM FRANCE AND IN THE 1940'S, THEY DECIDED TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE COLOR TO THE BUILDING.

AND SO HE VISITED DIFFERENT CHURCHES AROUND NEW ENGLAND AND FOUND THE ITALIAN ARTIST.

HE WAS BORN IN ITALY AND HIS FATHER WANTED HIM TO TAKE OVER THE FAMILY TEXTILE BUSINESS.

HE HAD A HUGE PASSION FOR THE ARTS.

HIS FATHER BEAT HIM WITH A STICK AND DISPLACED A COUPLE OF HIS VERTEBRAE.

OVER SEVERAL YEARS HE DEVELOPED A PRONOUNCED HUNCH.

BUT HE WASN'T DETERRED.

HE WALKED TO THE TRAIN TRACKS WITH THIS INCREDIBLE BACK PAIN AND HE WAS HOMELESS FOR JUST ABOUT A YEAR.

ONE DAY, AN ARTIST WHO TAUGHT AT THE FAMED ACADEMY OF FLORENCE LITERALLY TOOK HIM INTO HIS HOUSE AND GOT HIM INTO THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.

HE MARRIED.

PART OF THE HONEYMOON, THEY DECIDED TO VISIT SOME FRIENDS THAT HAD COME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES WHILE HE WAS HERE IN BOSTON.

HIS FATHER WROTE HIM AND SAID, DON'T COME HOME.

THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN ITALY, THINGS WERE NOT GOING SO WELL IN EUROPE.

PART OF WHAT HE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT WAS HE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO HIS OWN SISTINE CHAPEL.

IT DOESN'T PRESENT ITSELF OFTEN.

FOR EIGHT YEARS, THERE WAS WOODEN SCAFFOLDING IN THE BUILDING SOMEWHERE.

SOME OF THE INTERESTING FACES WE HAVE.

ONE IS THE PARISH SEXTON.

THE PARISH JANITOR IS PORTRAYED AS JONAH IN JONAH AND THE WHALE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT JONAH AND THE WHALE, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PHYSIQUE, THIS GREAT BODY.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS A COAL FIRED FURNACE SO HE WAS IN THE BOILER ROOM, SHOVELING COAL.

THE STORY WITH THE PAINTING OF THIS BUILDING HAS SO MANY SIMILARITIES TO WHEN MICHELANGELO PAINTED THE SISTINE CHAPEL.

THERE WAS CONTROVERSY.

HE PAINTS ADAMANT EVE.

THE MOTHER SUPERIOR TO LITTLE REVOLT BECAUSE SHE WASN'T HAPPY THAT THESE FIGURES WERE NUDE.

HE GOES TO DO ANOTHER PAINTING CALLED THE REBELLION OF THE ANGELS WHERE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN THE HEAVENLY ANGELS ARE CASTING THE REBELLIOUS ANGELS INTO HELL.

AND THAT PAINTING, MICHAEL IS PIERCING ONE OF THE REBELLIOUS ANGELS AND YOU CAN SEE PART OF HER FACE AND HE BASED THAT FACE ON THAT MOTHER SUPERIOR.

ALL THE FACES IN THE WALLS AND THE CEILINGS, EVERY SINGLE FACE WAS A PARISHIONER THAT THAT IN THESE SHOES WERE A MEMBER OF THE CITY.

AND WHAT WE'RE SAVING IS NOT JUST A CHURCH STRUCTURE, BUT A SCRAPBOOK AND A SNAPSHOT.

A MOMENT OF TIME, THESE PEOPLE IMMORTALIZED AND TEXTILE WORKERS.

HERE WE HAVE PORTRAITS OF THE COMMON PERSON AND YOU DON'T SEE THAT AND A LOT OF PLACES.

>> THANKS TO DOMINIC FOR THAT TOUR.

SAINT ANNE'S ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER STARTED LIFE AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

IN THE 1990'S AMID DECLINING ATTENDANCE, THEY DECIDED TO PUT THE PROPERTY UP FOR SALE.

CITIZENS POOLED THEIR RESOURCES AND FOR THAT, MANY ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

AND THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEK.

YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE ALL OF OUR STORIES OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST AVAILABLE ON ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THANK YOU.

GOOD NIGHT.