♪ >> MANCHESTER, VERMONT, FOR OVER 30 YEARS THE CHARACTER OF THE STARK VERMONT LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN PAINTED BY THE DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN ARTIST LUIGI LUCIONI.

>> A 20th CENTURY RENAISSANCE MAN, LUIGI LUCIONI HAS BROUGHT THE CRAFTSMANSHIP FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE FARM BUILDINGS AND THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS.

AND HIS HEIGHTENED REALISTIC STYLE CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE VERMONT SINGING.

>> THE HIGHLY DETAILED CHARACTER OF THE LUCIONI PAINTINGS HAVE COME POSITIONS THAT ARE QUIET AND PEACEFUL, AND A RELIEF FROM THE EXPLOSSIVE CHARACTER FROM MUCH OF CONTEMPORARY ART.

IT PRESENTS SIMPLIFIED DETAILS OF NATURE THAT FORCE THE EYE OF THE VIEWER THE LIBERTY OF CONTEMPLATION.

THE CIRCUS TEXTURE OF LUCIONI'S WORK HAS A PRISTINE, ENAMEL QUALITY, THAT ILLUMINATES THE TRACK OF THE BRUSH AND HAS SOME AFFINITY WITH THE MASTERS AS WELL AS THE ITALIAN PAINTERS OF THE 15th CENTURY.

THE SMALL VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER, VERMONT HAS BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR MANY OF THE ARTIST PAINTINGS.

EVERYONE IN THE AREA HAS SEEN LUCIONI SET UP HIS EASE ILL BY -- EASE ILLON THE STREETS AND AE TOWN, BUT FEW OF THE NATIVES REALIZED THAT THE LUCIONI PAINTINGS ARE HIGHLY PRIZED AND HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED AT THE MOST IMPORTANT ART GALLERIES IN THE COUNTRY.

SUCH AS THE NATIONAL ACADEMY, THE CHICAGO ART INSTITUTE, THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY, THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE AND THE CORCORAN ART GALLERY AND PURCHASED FOR PERMANENT DISPLAY BY THE WHITNEY AND THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK CITY.

>> ALL RIGHT, COME ON, IT'S TIME TO PACK.

IT'S 6:00.

I PUT IN MY AGO HOURS TODAY, SO I GUESS THAT IT'S ALREADY.

SEE, I USUALLY DO THIS AROUND 8:00 IN THE MORNING AND WORK UNTIL NOON, AND I GO FOR LUNCH, AND I COME BACK AND I WORK UNTIL 6:00.

THAT'S MY REGULAR ROUTINE, AND I REALLY ENJOY IT VERY MUCH.

YOU SEE, I LIKE TO PAIN RIGHT ON THE SUBBECAUSE WELL, IT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT OF COURSE I DON'T PAINT IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS.

I SOMETIMES MOVE A MOUNTAIN, A TREE, LEAVE OUT A CHURCH STEEPLE, MOVE IT IN.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO VERMONT MANY YEARS AGO, I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE.

I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS BACK IN NORTHERN ITALY AGAIN.

AND, OF COURSE, I WOULD BE COMING BACK EVERY SUMMER TO PAINT HERE.

IT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE, BUT I ENJOYED IT AND I LIKEN IT VERY MUCH.

COME ON, ROBIN, LET'S GO.

COME ON.

COME ON.

>> LUCIONI FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE RUGGED CHALLENGE OF THE VERMONT LANDSCAPE AS A YOUTH WHEN HE VISITED RELATIVES IN BARRIE, VERMONT, AND THEREAFTER, HE SET HIMSELF THE TASK OF CAPTURING THE MOOD OF THE VERMONT SCENES ON HIS CAMPUSES.

LUIGI LUCIONI WAS BORN IN NORTHERN ITALY NEAR MILAN.

AS A CHILD HE SHOWED UNUSUAL TALENT IN DRAWING, AND SO ATTENDED ART SCHOOL.

WHEN HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, HIS FAMILY MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE LUIGI CONTINUED WITH HIS ART STUDIES, AND AT 15 HE ATTENDED THE COOPER UNION SCHOOL OF ART AND STUDIED WITH THE EMINENT TEACHER WILLIAM STARKWEATHER.

AT 19, HE WAS ACCEPTED BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ART, AND RECEIVED A TIFFANY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP.

AFTER FOUR MORE YEARS OF SCHOOLING, LUIGI WAS ATTRACTED TO THE MUSEUMS OF EUROPE AND IN FRANCE AND ITALY, HE STUDIED THE PAINTINGS OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS AND OF THE RENAISSANCE ARTISTS.

ON HIS RETURN TO AMERICA, HE SET UP HIS STUDIO IN NEW YORK CITY.

THERE ON WASHINGTON SQUARE, HE WORKED FURIOUSLY, FULL OF INSPIRATION FROM HIS STUDY ABROAD.

UNTIL HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN HIS FIRST ONE-MAN SHOW IN 1927.

THIS FARMHOUSE IN MANCHESTER WAS PURCHASED BY LUCIONI IN 1939 AFTER HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE PAINTING THE VERMONT SCENERY.

THE LITTLE YORKSHIRE TERRIER FOLLOWS HIS MASTER WHEREVER HE GOES.

WITH HIS TWO SISTERS, ALICE AND AURORA, HE SPENDS HIS SUMMERS IN VERMONT AND HIS WINTERS IN NEW YORK CITY.

THE BARN ON THE MANCHESTER PROPERTY HAS BEEN COMFORTABLY CONVERTED INTO THE ARTIST'S STUDIO.

IT IS OFTEN FILLED WITH THE RECORDED MUSIC OF THE OPERA OF HIS NATIVE ITALY DURING THE ARTIST'S PAINTING SESSIONS.

END OF THE DAY, I USUALLY, WHEN- I COME INSIDE, WORK ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR A HALF-HOUR TO TOUCH UP TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY HAIR OR DIRT OR THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I USE MY MAGNIFYING GLASS TO THERE IS NOT ANYTHING SO FAR.

I WORK ON TWO THINGS TODAY, ONE WAITING FOR ME TO GO OUT TOMORROW MORNING.

THIS IS MY AFTERNOON PAINTING.

I WANT USUALLY WORK ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS.

IT TAKES ME A COUPLE OF SUMMERS TO DO THAT.

YEARS AGO, I USED TO BE ABLE TO DO ONE IN THE MORNING AND ONE IN THE AFTERNOON, ALL IN ONE SUMMER.

AS I GROW OLDER, I EITHER EXPECT MORE OF MYSELF OR I AM GETTING SLOWER.

I DON'T KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS, I HAVE TO HAVE ALL THIS TIME TO WORK.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM SO-CALLED.

I SUPPOSE IF I HAD TO BE NAMED SOMETHING, I WOULD BE CALLED A REALIST.

HOWEVER, I DON'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT POP ART.

IT'S ALL RIGHT, IT DOES NOT BOTHER ME, IT'S ALL RIGHT FOR THEM, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS.

BUT, AS LONG AS THEY LET ME DO WHAT I PLEASE.

OF COURSE, I HAVE THE GREATEST ADMIRATION FOR SUZANNE AND THE FRENCH IMPRESSIONISTS, BUT I EVEN HAVE GREATER ADMIRATION FOR THE GREAT RENAISSANCE, DA VINCI, MICMICMICHAELANGELO AND OTHERS,I HAD MY CHOICE TO BE LIKE ONE OR THE OTHER, I THINK THAT I WOULD TRY TO ASK FOR THE RENAISSANCE, BUT HOWEVER, I DON'T HAVE MY CHOICE YOU, SO I DO THE BEST THAT I CAN AND I HOPE MY MESSAGE GETS OVER TO THE PUBLIC.

>> IN CELEBRATION, AND IN RECOGNITION OF LUIGI LUCIONI'S ART, IT HAS BEEN APPRECIATED IN AMERICA FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM OF AMERICANA IN 1968 COLLECTED A LONE EXHIBITION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE PAINTINGS THAT COVER THE COMPLETE PAINTING LIFE OF THIS FINE ARTIST.

THE PAINTINGS OF LUIGI LUCIONI OWNED BY VARIOUS MUSEUMS AND PRIVATE COLLECTORS TRAVELED HERE TO THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN TOWN OF SHELBURNE, VERMONT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THIS MUSEUM COMMUNITY OF FINE OLD NEW ENGLAND BUILDINGS CONTAINED THE TREASURES OF THE FOLK ART OF PIONEER AMERICA, INCLUDING PAINTINGS, WOOD CARVINGS, AND QUILTS AND RUGS AND DOLLS AND TOYS.

SLEIGHS AND CARRIAGES AND A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE, AUTHENTIC AMERICANA.

THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE GROUNDS, THE LAST OF THE COAL BURNING SIDE WHEELER LAKE BOOKS, OVERLOOKS THE WEB GALLERY OF AMERICAN ART, AND THAT PERMANENTLY EXHIBITS THE PAINTINGS OF THE FINEST AMERICAN ARTISTSFROM JOHN COPLEY TO ANDREW WYATT.

HERE THE LUIGI LUCIONI COLLECTION WAS ON DISPLAY.

OWNERS WERE WILLING TO PART TEMPORARILY WITH THEIR PAINTINGS IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS EXHIBITION POSSIBLE.

69 PAINTINGS IN WATERCOLOR AND OILS AND 31 ETCHINGS, REPRESENTING LUIGI'S PAINTING YEARS FROM 1923 TO THE PRESENT.

>> THE CAMERAS BY LUIGI LUCIONI WAS PURCHASED BY THE METROPOLITAN IN 1931.

MR.

NORMAN KENT, EDITOR OF THE MAGAZINE, AMERICAN ARTIST.

>> AT THE TIME, OF THE PURCHASE BY THE MUSEUM, IT REPRESENTED THE YOUNGEST PAINTER TO ENTER THE COLLECTION.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS CAMPUS THAT RECOMMENDED IT TO THE MUSEUM?

IT MADE IT WORTHY OF THE PURCHASE BY SO YOUNG OF AN ARTIST.

LET'S LOOK AT THE DETAILS, NOTE THE FINE RENDERING OF THE CLOTH, THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE GLASS, AND THE LIVELY SURFACE OF THE PAIRS, AND THE DRY CHARACTER OF THE SURFACE OF THE PEWTER.

ALSO THE RATHER QUIET AND RESERVED COLOR OF THE WHOLE CAMPUS.

SO CHARACTERISTIC OF LUIGI'S PAINTING.

LET'S LOOK AT THE OTHER PAINTINGS IN THE COLLECTION.

THE ARTITHE LIFE FLICKERING THRE PATTERN OF THESE TREES HAS BEEN HANDLED WITH GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

IN THIS CANVAS, T THE ARTIST PREFERRED SPACE AND DISTANCE AND THE USE OF COOL COLOR AND THE DESIGN.

THIS CANVAS ENTITLED TWO WILLOWS, IS OWNED BY THE FAMOUS WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART LOCATED IN NEW YORK.

EVERYONE CAN APPRECIATE THIS CANVAS MORE IF HE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE EFFECT OF THE POWERFUL THRUST OF THE TWO TREES.

THIS WHOLE LANDSCAPE IS ACTIVATED BY THE POWERFUL, WHICH ARE MADE UP BY THE LIMBS AND TRUNKS OF THESE TREES.

IN THIS CANVAS, THE BIG SHADOW, LUCIONI HAS REALLY PAINTED A PORTRAIT OF A LOVELY SUMMER AFTERNOON.

NOTICE HOW EFFECTIVELY HE HAS ILLUMINATED THE RED SILO, IN CONTRAST TO THE SHATTERED FOREGROUND, AND THE SUNLIGHT FLICKERING THROUGH THE TREES AND THE TEXTURE OF THE LARGE TREE IN THE FOREGROUND.

NOW, THIS SAME GENTLE CHARACTERISTIC IS TO BE FOUND IN THE WATERCOLOR, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, WE ARE FACED WITH THE FALL AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL FOLIAGE.

SEE HOW EFFECTIVELY LUCIONI HAS EXPLOITED THE COLOR AND THE TEXTURE AND THE PATTERN OF THE LIGHT COMING THROUGH THESE AUTUMN COLORED LEAVES.

THE AFFECTED SHADOW ON THE HOUSE AND THE BARN.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY HIGHLYHIGHLY DE25 DEDETAILED CO.

THIS FORCES THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER THROUGHOUT THE COMPOSITION LEADING US OUT BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS TO THE VISTA BEYOND.

WE KNOW FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM THAT HE MAKES A TIGHT PENCIL DRAWING PRELIMINARY TO THE WATER COLOR, AND THIS ACCOUNTS FOR NO SMALL MEASURE FOR THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE FORMS, ALL OF THE PATTERNS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED AND CONTRIVED TO ACHIEVE THIS.

THIS IS A MAJESTIC CANVAS, AND ONLY ONE WHO IS THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH ITS SUBSTANCE AND THOROUGHLY IN LOVE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE COULD HAVE ACHIEVED SUCH A BEAUTIFUL RESULT.

BRIGHT COLOR AND HARD EDGE MAKE THIS A VERY GAY AND INVITING CANVAS.

ARTISTS ARE ASKED WHY THINGS APPEAL TO THE MORE THAN SHINY ONES, AND THE REASON IS THAT THOSE THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN AGED HAVE CHARACTER AND EASE WHEREAS THINGS THAT ARE NEW LACK IT.

THE LEVEL OF THIS OIL PAINTING HAS GIVEN THIS CLUMP OF TREES A MAJESTIC APPEARANCE.

HOW FAITHFUL THIS ARTIST HAS BEEN TO THE NATURAL VERMONT LANDSCAPE, AND PARTICULARLY, TO ITS MAJESTIC TREES.

NO ARTIST THAT I KNOW OF HAS MADE MORE TREE FORMS AND PATTERNS THAN LUCIONI.

THIS OIL PAINTING SPACE SHSP-- ENTITLEDTHE BRICK HOUSE,E OF THE MISS LATE ELECTRA.

IT IS SEEN AGAINST LAKE CHAMPLAIN WITH THE MOUNTAINS IN THE DISTANCE, AND IN THE FOREGROUND, A HANDSOME ELM, SO CHARACTERISTIC OF VERMONT.

NOW WE MOVE OVER TO THIS WATERCOLOR, WHICH IS SO HIGHLY REGARDED BY THE ARTIST, AS WELL AS MYSELF, THAT I LEARNED TODAY THAT HE HAS RETAINED IT IN HIS PRIVATE COLLECTION.

ONE CAN UNDERSTAND HIS AFFECTION FOR THIS PAINTING, FOR UNLIKE SO MANY OF HIS OTHERS, IT HAS A LARGE QUALITY WHICH RECOMMENDS IT PARTICULARLY TO ARTISTS, AND MAKES IT A VERY EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION OF HIS WATERCOLOR TECHNIQUE.

EXPRESSIVE DRAWING IS AT THE BASE OF ALL OF LUCIONI'S WORK, EVIDENT IN HIS PORTRAITS, AND IN THIS ONE OF HIS SISTER, IT IS THIS RENAISSANCE-LIKE CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT HAS GIVEN THE PORTRAIT ITS EXPRESSIVE CHARACTER.

IN THE REALM OF FIGURATIVE PAINTING, IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE PORTRAIT.

LUCIONI HAS PAINTED A MIRROR IMAGE OF HIMSELF WHEN HE WAS IN HIS 40S.

IN THIS OIL PAINTING, LUCIONI HAS ATTEMPTED A VERY DIFFICULT MOTIVE, THE PAINTING OF BIRCHES, AGAINST A SUNLIT BACKGROUND FROM MOUNTAINS AND SKY, MANY ARTISTS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO PAINT BIRCHES BUT FEW HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT AS WELL AS HE.

LUCIONI IS AN ARTIST OF GREAT STAT SEIZURE.

-- STATURE.

HE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH THE TRADITIONAL REALIST MOVEMENT IN AMERICAN PAINTING, AND HE HAS NOT BEEN SWAYED BY THE VARIOUS FACETS OF AMERICAN ART THAT HAVE TAKEN SO MANY INTO THE FIELD OF ABSTRACTION.

HIS PARTICULAR PLACE HAS TO DO WITH A VERY SPECIAL VISION THAT HAS ACCOUNTED FOR A LARGE VOLUME OF PAINTINGS, ROUGH OVER A PERIOD OF MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

THE FACT THAT HIS WORK IS TO BE FOUND IN MANY DISTINGUISHED PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AS WELL AS MANY MUSEUM COLLECTIONS, IS EVIDENCE OF HIS SPECIAL WORK.

BUT, IN HIS VISION, LUCIONI HAS A SPECIAL UNIQUENESS THAT IS QUITE HIS OWN.

I BELIEVE THAT THE WORK OF THIS IMPORTANT ARTIST WILL LIVE LONG BEYOND HIS OWN TIME.

FOR IT SPEAKS IN A COMMON LANGUAGE THAT ALL MAN CAN UNDERSTAND, AND THAT EVEN THE ART CRITICS CANNOT HELP BUT RESPECT.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF OUR BEING AN ARTIST IS THE PAINTINGS YOU KEEP YOURSELF.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU AFTER YOU HAVE GONE, AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT I AM GOING TO LEAVE SOME OF THEM TO -- TO THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM, AND AMONG THEM, A PORTRAIT OF MY FATHER, WHICH I CONSIDER THE BEST PORTRAIT THAT I HAVE EVER DONE.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG I DIDN'T APPRECIATE MY FATHER VERY MUCH.

BUT AS I GREW OLD, I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAD A LOT OF COURAGE TO LEAVE A SMALL TOWN IN NOTHERN ITALY AND COME TO AMERICA AND BRING A FAMILY OVER, FIVE CHILDREN AND A NEW COUNTRY.

SO, I REALLY BEGAN TO APPRECIATE WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN THAT HE WAS.

LATER ON, WHEN HE WAS, WHEN HE WAS ALREADY 75, WHEN I PAINTED HIS PORTRAIT, I HAD QUITE A WONDERFUL TIME WITH IT BECAUSE HE HAD A KIND OF A HARD, GRUFF EXTERIOR, WHICH WAS JUST AN EXTERIOR, BUT LIKE ALL MEN, THEY WANT TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE THE MASTER OF THE FAMILY, BUT I GOT UNDERNEATH THAT EXTERIOR, AND WHILE I PAINTED HIS PORTRAIT, I WAS VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN HIS HANDS BECAUSE HE HAD HAD ARTHRITIS AT THAT TIME, AND I TRIED TO SHOW THAT BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN QUITE A FINE CRAFTSMAN IN COPPER AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND ALSO THERE WAS A BIT OF SYMBOLISM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED IN THE PAINTING, A LITTLE SLAIN IN THE CORNER OF THE FIREPLACE, AND WHICH SHOWS THAT HE STILL HAS LIFE LEFT IN HIM, AND I TRIED TO PUT THAT IN, AND YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT -- I AM VERY HAPPY THAT I AM LEAVING WHAT I CONSIDER MY BEST PORTRAIT TO THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM.

¦ >> I HAVE THESE DAYS THAT I AM TERRIBLY DISCOURAGED.

IT'S AWFUL.

WHAT CAN I DO?

I MEAN, IF I DON'T HAVE ANY GREATER TALENT THAN THIS, IT'S NOT MY FAULT.

FOR INSTANCE, I AM CRAZY ABOUT OPERA, AND I LOVE TO PLAY THE PIANO.

I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE AT IT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY TALENT.

I KNOW.

I PRACTICE EVERY DAY BUT I DON'T GET ANYWHERE.

SO PEOPLE SAY WELL, WHY DO YOU WASTE YOUR TIME?

WELL, I ENJOY MYSELF, AND I KEEP SAYING WELL, I WASN'T GIVEN ANY BIGGER TALENT THAN THIS.

SO WHAT CAN I DO?

I MEAN, THAT'S THE BEST THAT I CAN DO, AND THAT'S THAT.

I DON'T LET ANYBODY LISTEN TO ME EXCEPT MY SISTERS, THEY MAY WHILE WASHING THE BREAKFAST DISHES, BUT IT'S TRUE, IN LIFE YOU DO THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, AND THAT'S THE BEST THAT YOU CAN DO.

YOU CAN'T HELP IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BIGGER TOON THAN THAT.

IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.

♪ >> I FIND IT SIMILAR TO NORTHERN ITALY, BUT IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND PICTURE-ESQUE THAT ALL YOU DO IS SET UP THIS, IN VERMONT, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE TO COMPOSE A BIT.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE ONE THING FROM ANOTHER AND PUT IT TOGETHER, BUT STILL, YOU DON'T HAVE IT MADE UP.

VERMONT IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S NOT ROMANTICKIC.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT VERMONT IS IT DOES NOT GO OUT OF ITS WAY TO ATTRACT SOMEONE, IT'S RUGGED, IT'S AUSTERE, IT'S RATHER COLD AT TIMES, BUT IT'S THERE, AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO IT.

IT'S A GREAT CHALLENGE.

I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN REALITY, AND I AM SORRY THAT PEOPLE CALL IT PHOTOGRAPHIC.

I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S RIGHT.

IF YOU PHOTOGRAPH A SCENE, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS IF YOU PAINED IT BECAUSE I MAKE QUITE A FEW CHANGES IN MY COMPOSITION, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, AND WHEN THEY SAY OH, IT LOOKS SO REAL, THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT I HAVE MOVED SOME TREES AND A COUPLE OF MOUNTAINS.

NATURE IS CONFUSION.

IN MY PAINTINGS, I TRY TO CLARIFY THAT CONFUSION TO BRING OUT THE REALITY THAT MAKES IT SEEM REAL WITHOUT COPYING IT.

YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ART.

YOU CAN'T REPRODUCE NATURE, BUT YOU MUST KNOW THE ESSENTIAL THING THAT MAKES THINGS SEEM ABSOLUTELY REAL.

IT'S SELECTION.

YOU CANNOT INTELLIGENTLY LEAVE OUT WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO INTELLECTEDLY PUT IN.

-- TO INTELLECTEDLY PUT IN.

IF YOU LEAVE SOMETHING OUT, UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT ANYTHING IN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ESSENTIAL THING IS TO LEAVE OUT.

I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC HAS COME TO A POINT THAT THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PAINTINGS ARE ALL ABOUT.

THEY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THINGS.

IF YOU PAINT A TREE, THEY WANT IT TO L TO LOOK LIKE THE TREE, T THE ESSENCE OR SPIRIT OR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT A TREE.

THAT'S A LITTLE ABSURD.

IT'S NOT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT A TREE BU HOW THE REST OF THE PUBLIC FEELS ABOUT IT.

AT LEAST IF YOU CALL YOUR PAINTING A TREE, IT HAS TO LOOK LIKE A TREE.

I PAINT TREES TO LOOK LIKE TREES, AND I DON'T PAINT THEM TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHING ELSE.

EVERYTHING I PAIN, I PAINT TO LOOK LIKE WHAT IT IS.

YOU KNOW ONE THING THAT I AM, WHILE I AM HONEST.

A GREAT DEAL OF IT IS NOT GLAMOUR, BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU FEEL LIKE PAINTING, YOU PAINT.

IT IS NOT TRUE AT ALL.

WHETHER YOU FEEL LIKE PAINTING OR NOT YOU MAKE YOURSELF DO IT.

YOU CAN BE VERY, VERY TIRED BUT YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT BECAUSE IT'S A JOB LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.

IT'S NOT A GREAT GIFT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK AT.

IT'S HARD WORK.

ALL THE TIME.

BUT EVERYTHING IS HARD WORK.

NOT ONLY BEING AN ARTIST, I THINK A PAINTING HAS TO MOVE YOU TREMENDOUSLY.

IT'S AN EMOTION THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T DESCRIBE.

I DON'T THINK YOU COULD POSSIBLY DESCRIBE IT.

IF I WAS A POET I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT VERBALLY BUT I AM NOT A POET, I AM JUST A PAINTER.

AND FOR INSTANCE, WHAT I AM IN FRONT OF AN EMPTY CANVAS I HAVE TO BE MOVED TREMENDOUSLY BEFORE I DO ANYTHING, AND I AM VERY, VERY NERVOUS.

WHEN I GET GOING, IT'S A GREAT CHALLENGE, AND I THINK THAT THE DOING OF A PAINTING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

I THINK IN LIFE, ANYWAY, PEOPLE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING IN ORDER TO FEEL ALIVE, AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT I FEEL ALIVE.

WHEN I GET TOWARDS THE END OF A PAINTING, I AM NOT SO CRAZY ABOUT THE IDEA OF SIGNING IT, AND I ALWAYS THINK THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER, VERY SELDOM IS, BUT IT'S A PURELY EMOTIONAL THING I DO HOPE GETS OVER TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT ALL THE INTELLECTUAL TECHNICAL FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING.

THE EMOTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN A PAINTING.

YOU KNOW, AN ARTIST HAS TO REALIZE HIS LIMITATIONS.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN NATURE YOU CANNOT PAINT.

IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, WHEN I GET THROUGH PAINTING, WHEN THE SUN IS DOWN AND I SEE THE BEAUTIFUL BIRCH TREES AND THE COLORS, I HAD THIS FEELING, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FEELING OF RELIGION, A KIND OF HOLINESS BUT, AND YOU SAY YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY PAINT THAT, AND I KNOW THAT I CAN'T PAINT IT.

BUT, IT'S THAT FEELING, IT'S KIND OF AWE-INSPIRING.

I LOVE TO WORK.

I HOPE THAT I AM LEAVING GOOD TRACKS.

A LITTLE MARK OF SOME KIND.

OH, I DON'T EXPECT TO BE GREAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND, SO YOU JUST DIDN'T COME ON EARTH AND GO OUT THE LIKE NOTHING.

I MEAN, NO MATTER HOW GOOD OR HOW BAD IT IS, I TRY TO LEAVE SOMETHING, AND SOME PEOPLE FIND THEIR IMMORTALITY IN THEIR CHILDREN.

WELL, I AM NOT MARRIED AND MAYBE I AM THE END OF A REGIME THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

SO SAY TRY TO FIND THAT IN MY WORK AND LEAVE SOMETHING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD OR BAD IT IS BUT I DO THE BEST THAT I CAN.

THAT'S ALL THAT I CAN DO.

BUT IT IS THE BEST THAT I CAN DO.

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