>> PRODUCTION OF BROAD AND HIGH SPONSORED BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ART COUNCIL.

FROM THESE CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS... AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THIS TIME ON BROAD AND HIGH ME THAT CON ARTIST WANTS TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THEY BELONG.

EXPERIENCE THE WORK OF AN ARTIST WHO ATTEMPTS TO CONVEY HUMAN EMOTION AND BEHAVIOR IN HER PAINTINGS.

HEAR THE WORDS AND SOUNDS OF A TALENTED HIP-HOP ARTISTS.

THIS AND MORE RIGHT NOW ON BROAD AND HIGH.

>> WELCOME TO BROAD AND HIGH.

BENEDICT SAWYERS ARTWORK IMAGINES THE POSSIBILITY OF BELONGING.

THE MESSAGE CONVEYED THROUGH MEDIUMS RANGING FROM DL TO PERFORMANCE TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND WRITING.

LATELY HE HAS BEEN PAINTING VIBRANT SILK CANVASES THAT RAPTURE AND IN TROUT.

WE FOLLOWED HIM AS HE CRAFTED A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OUTSIDE OF HIS COLUMBUS STUDIO.

WATCH AS HE INCORPORATES THE NATURAL WORLD INTO HIS ART AND SCIENCE GREATER MEETING THROUGH THE POWER OF A DRAWN LINE.

I GUESS.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT SOMETIMES IS THIS IDEA OF THIS BASIC EVERYDAY STUFF THAT YOU WILL MISS IF YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS JUST DRAWING.

IT IS FLABBERGASTING TO ME THE DRAWING IS SOMETHING WE ARE EVEN CAPABLE OF AS PEOPLE.

TO ME IT IS THE CONDENSING OF THIS ENTIRE OUTSIDE SPACE, IT'S COMING INTO THE BODY AND COMING AT A BOTTLENECK POINT.

ART IS NOT THE SPACE WHERE I GET TO BE CONNECTED TO THE NATURAL WORLD.

I GET TO MAINTAIN MYSELF AS AN ARTIST.

IN THAT SPACE I THINK THERE IS A NICE WAY OF GROWING AS A PERSON.

I DO NOT LIKE TO HAVE A PLAN WHEN I ENTER.

THE SILK AND TAKE WHATEVER TOOL I AM USING TO DRAW ON.

THERE IS USUALLY NOT A PREDETERMINED IDEA OF WHAT THINGS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

I REALLY ENJOY THE MYSTERY, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE HARMONY THAT IS THERE, WHICH IS THE HARMONY BETWEEN MYSELF, THE WORK IN THIS EXTERNAL SPACE.

A LINE CARRIES SENSITIVITY.

IF YOU ARE FEELING A CERTAIN WAY YOUR LINE QUALITY IS GOING TO REFLECT THAT.

THE SILK ITSELF IS ALSO IN CONVERSATION WITH THE ATMOSPHERE AROUND IT.

IF IT IS REALLY DRY THE DIE IS GOING TO LEAD A SPECIFIC WAY.

YOU ARE GOING TO GET DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT RESULTS.

THE SENSITIVITY OF THE MATERIAL, I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE HUGELY BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO ME SILK IS A REALLY WONDERFUL MATERIAL TO WORK WITH FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

IT HAS ITS OWN PRESENCE AND REMINDS US OF OURSELVES.

IT IS LITERALLY BREAKING DOWN LIGHT IN THIS VERY MYSTERIOUS WAY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT SILK IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IDEA OF LUXURY.

I LIKE TO PUSH AGAINST THAT A LITTLE BIT.

THE ONE THAT I AM MAKING IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SILK BEING AN EXPENSIVE MATERIAL, AT LEAST HISTORICALLY.

I CAN MAKE THINGS MESSIER AND APPLY IMAGES TO THE MATERIALS THAT ARE UNEXPECTED.

I THINK IN THAT SPACE AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO ENTER THE WORK IN A WAY THAT IS A LITTLE MORE LESS BARRED BY PRECONCEIVED IDEAS OF WHAT THE MATERIAL IS.

SILK IS INCREDIBLE.

I CAN CREATE AN ENTIRE EXPEDITION.

I CAN ROLL IT INTO A SINGLE TWO AND SHIPPED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT IS VERY AFFORDABLE.

IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THE ELABORATE OR EXPENSIVE FRAMING.

IN ADDITION, I THINK THERE IS A GREAT COMFORT THAT COMES FROM THE MATERIAL AS WELL.

YOU CAN WRAP YOURSELF IN THESE OBJECTS IF YOU WANTED TO.

I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THAT.

THIS PIECE STILL HAS RESIST ON IT.

IT STILL HAS EXCESS DYE.

ONCE IT IS WASHED ALL OF THAT WILL RUN OUT AND THE SILK WILL BE ONE COHESIVE PIECE, DIFFERENT FROM A PAINTING WHERE THINGS ARE LAYERED.

MATERIAL TOGETHER.

EVERYTHING IS VERY COMPLICATED.

TO COME INTO THOSE SPACES WITH HIS EARNESTNESS, JUST TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT DOES FEEL HOPEFULLY THAT IT IS FOR WHOEVER HAPPENS TO BE WITH IT IS IMPORTANT.

THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY AND ALSO CHALLENGING BOTH SPACES IN SOME CAPACITY.

LATELY I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT ABOUT HOW THE WORK CREATES A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL EITHER CONSOLED OR AS IF THEY BELONG.

HEARING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE WORK IN THAT SPACE IS HOW I FEEL WHEN MAKING THE WORK.

I'M REALLY NOT RIDDLED WITH ANY FORM OF ANXIOUS THINKING OR WORRY.

I AM JUST EXISTING IN THE MOMENT AND TRYING TO EXIST IN THE MOMENT WHERE I FEEL LIKE I AM AT HARMONY WITH SOMETHING BIGGER THAN MYSELF.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THE BLACK BLEEDS OUT A LITTLE BIT.

IT BRINGS ON A SPECIAL QUALITY WHERE IT IS STILL ALIVE AND TAKING ITS SHAPE DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

THERE IS JUST THIS DEEP LOVE FOR BEING OUTSIDE AND BEING CONNECTED TO THE NATURAL WORLD.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT I THINK ABOUT BEING IN THE WOODS IN THE NIGHT WITH THE WIND ROLLING THROUGH.

LOOKING OUT AT THE LAKE AND MY GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE.

THOSE KINDS OF MOMENTS WHICH I THINK ARE UNIVERSAL.

THINGS THAT I THINK I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO SEARCH FOR IN MY DAILY REGULAR LIFE.

I BELIEVE IN A PRACTICE OF COMING BACK TO SOMETHING BIGGER.

FOR ME THAT IS JUST NATURE.

ART IS A VEHICLE FOR THAT WHERE IT IS NOT THE END GOAL.

I THINK THE END GOAL IS THAT MOMENT OF BEING CONNECTED AND CENTERED AND THE CHALLENGE WITHIN THAT AND THE DOUBT THAT COMES FROM THAT.

THE LOVE THAT ONE HAS TO INSTILL AROUND THE DOUBT.

BEING OKAY WITH THIS IDEA OF NOT KNOWING.

ALLOWING FOR SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS AND UNDESCRIBABLE, I JUST REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> TO SEE MORE OF HIS WORK CHECK THEM OUT ONLINE.

NEXT, WE NEED A BATON ROUGE PAINTER WITH AN UNCANNY TALENT FOR CAPTURING HER SUBJECT ON CAMERA IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

IN HER WORK SHE STRIVES TO REFLECT NOT JUST PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, BUT WHAT SHE OR HE MIGHT BE FEELING AT A SPECIFIC MOMENT IN TIME.

HER RECENT WORK AND BITES VIEWERS TO CONSIDER THE INNER SELF.

LET'S LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS WORK IN HER PROCESS.

>> EACH OF MY PAINTINGS HAVE DIFFERENT STORIES.

THIS PAINTING IS ABOUT PEOPLE IN HUMAN NATURE SUCH AS SURVIVAL MECHANISMS ARE PERSONAL GREED THAT THEY DECIDE TO IGNORE BY COVERING THIS HOLE.

BY BUYING EXPENSIVE THINGS ARE GOING TO PARTIES AND MAKING SMALL TALK.

I AM INTERESTED IN PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS.

I WAS DOING WORK UNTIL NOW TO ADDRESS HUMAN NATURE THROUGHOUT TIME AND CULTURE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM OR FROM WHAT TIME YOU ARE FROM.

HUMAN NATURE IS THE SAME.

WE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME.

WE CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER THROUGH EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.

I THINK I WAS OVERWHELMED THINK HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE.

THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW IS PEOPLE ARE SO DIVIDED.

MANY HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS.

THEY ARE STILL OPINIONS.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY CANNOT REALLY PASS WITH EACH OTHER.

IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO SPACE FOR EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.

WE GROW UP AND BECOME OUR OWN PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BELIEFS ABOUT THINGS.

THAT MAKES LIVING IN THE WORLD INTERESTING.

ALSO, WHEN I SEE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES THERE ARE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP THEM AGAINST PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM NOT OURS.

THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME.

THAT IS WHY I STARTED THINKING WHY DO WE BECOME "WE?"

HOW THAT I BECOME MYSELF?

THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO FOCUS ON MYSELF IN TALKING ABOUT DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ISSUES THAT I HAVE.

SINCE I REMEMBER, EVERYTHING THAT I DID, ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT I MADE, HOW I DID, IT WAS DICTATED BY MY FEAR, MY ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

I GAVE AN ARTIST TALK AT THE GALLERY.

A PERSON APPROACHED ME AND STARTED ASKING ABOUT A JOEY HE READ MY WRITINGS ABOUT SUFFERING FROM OCD.

HE TOLD ME HE HIMSELF SUFFERS FROM OCD.

HE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THEN.

HE WAS THERE FROM NEW YORK CITY.

HE HAD PEOPLE THAT HE COULD RELATE TO.

NOW HE SEES JOEY RAMON IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

THERE IS A BIG CONNECTION BETWEEN HIM AND THAT STORY.

I ALSO HAVE THE STORY.

WE TALKED ABOUT OCD FOR A LITTLE BIT.

I FELT IT IS A PERSONAL CONNECTION.

WHENEVER I HEAR SOMETHING LIKE THAT I THINK WHAT I DO MAKE SENSE.

THAT IS WHY I'M DOING WHAT I DO.

THERE IS A PERSON WHO COMMENTED THAT SAID THERE WERE WRITINGS THAT ACCOMPANY EACH PAINTING.

AS SOON AS SHE SAID THAT SHE FELT VERY CONNECTED TO THE PAINTINGS THAT I DID AND HOW I FEEL ABOUT HUMAN NATURE.

SINCE I GAVE BIRTH TO MY SON FIVE YEARS AGO I GET FLASHBACKS OF MY CHILDHOOD ALL THE TIME.

I THINK THE REASON I HAVE THE MENTAL ISSUES IS THAT I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.

I WAS SURROUNDED BY REACTION TO WHAT I DID AS NEGATIVE THAN POSITIVE.

I FEEL LIKE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO ME FORMING INSECURITIES AND LOW SELF-ESTEEM.

EVENTUALLY SELF-DOUBT.

I CATCH MYSELF SAYING HARSH THINGS TO MY SON, SOMETIMES WITHOUT THINKING.

I REALLY THINK ABOUT IT AND I SOAK BECAUSE THE TRAUMA, IT DEPENDS ON HOW SENSITIVE THAT CHILD IS.

IF I AM PAINTING OR IF I AM IN THAT ZONE IT IS ALMOST A MEDITATIVE STATE.

IT IS ESCAPE FROM THE MIND-SET.

I TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS I CAN SO THAT I CAN KEEP MYSELF CALM.

PAINTING, EVEN MAKING LITTLE SKETCHES HELP WITH MY ANXIETY.

I AM PERSONALLY VERY CONNECTED TO THIS PIECE.

PAINTING IS DIFFICULT.

THE EYES REFLECT LIGHT.

IT REFLECTS THE THING THAT PERSON IS LOOKING AT.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS AS WE GO ON.

IT IS NOT JUST ONE COLOR.

YOU SAY OKAY THIS PERSON'S EYES ARE BLUE, BUT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY TRY TO PAINT, IF YOU PAINT A FLAT BLUE IS NOT GOING TO BE REALISTIC.

THERE ARE SO MANY SHADOWS AND LIGHTS AND BETWEEN.

YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE ICE --THE EYES LOOK REALISTIC.

I OVERLAPPED TWO OR THREE IMAGES.

PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING.

PORTRAITS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT THE EYES.

IT IS ABOUT THE LIPS, IT IS EVERYTHING.

ON TOP OF THAT EVERYONE'S FACE IS DIFFERENT.

I NEED TO PAINT EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE FACE.

THE FACE, IT'S MUSCLE ON TOP OF IT.

IT IS SKIN ON TOP OF IT AND DEPENDING WILL BE WRINKLES.

THERE IS A LOT TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU PAINT A PERSON'S FACE.

IT IS HARDER TO PAINT SOMEONE WHO WAS CLOSE TO ME.

MY HUSBAND LOOKS HAPPY IN THIS PICTURE, BUT TO ME HE DOESN'T.

HE IS KIND OF THROBBING ON THE SURFACE, BUT HE HAS HIS OWN STRUGGLES.

I KNOW ABOUT IT LIVING WITH HIM EVERY DAY, I KNOW WHEN HE IS TRULY HAPPY.

WHEN HE SMILES AND LAUGHS AND WHEN HE IS VERY CONTENT.

THIS IS NOT A SMILE HE HAS WHEN HE IS TRULY HAPPY.

HE IS A MOTION, IT WAS HIS PROFILE, HE WAS SLEEPING AND I TOOK THESE IN THE LOW LIGHT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PAINTING OVER THERE, I DID FIVE PAINTINGS IN THE SERIES.

THEY WERE CALLED BLOOD PAINTINGS, LIKE MOTIONS LAYERED.

WHENEVER THEY GO UP ARE MANY PEOPLE TEND TO DO WHATEVER GOES WITH THE FURNITURE OR THE CARPET WHEN THE TREND IS GONE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY USE.

I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL FIND MORE RELATABLE SO THAT IT WILL BE A PART OF YOU.

>> 50 MORE OF HER WORK CHECK OUT HER WEBSITE.

>> EVAN THOMAS KNOWN AS TRACK MANIFEST FOUND HIS RHYTHM AS A TODDLER BY BANGING ON WASHERS AND DRYERS.

HE FOUND HIS VOICE BY CREATING RAP AND PERFORMING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TALENT SHOWS.

WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HOST HIM IN OUR STUDIOS FOR A RECENT BROAD AND HIGH PRESENTS RECORDING SESSION.

TAKE A LISTEN.

>> I GO BY THE NAME OF TRACK MANIFEST.

[ MUSIC ] >> TO HEAR MORE CHECK OUT TREKMANIFEST.COM.

WELL THAT'S OUR SHOW.

YOU CAN FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES ON MINE AS WELL AS OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT WOSU, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

[ MUSIC ] >> PRODUCTION OF BROAD AND HIGH FUND THAT IN PART BY GREATER COLUMBUS ART COUNCIL.