>>> PRODUCTION OF "BROAD & HIGH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL.

SUPPORTING ARTS, ADVANCING CULTURE, AND CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO ARTISTS, EVENTS, AND CLASSES AT COLUMBUSMAKESART.COM.

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>> THIS TIME ON "BROAD & HIGH," WE VISIT THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART TO VIEW "THROUGH VINCENT'S EYES."

A CLEVELAND ARTIST AND AUTHOR SHARES HIS BOOK THAT WAS NEARLY 60 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

WE TOUR SOME OF THE CITY'S OUTDOOR SCULPTURES THAT WERE CREATED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS.

AND LEARN HOW PRINTMAKING BECAME A FORM OF MEDIATION FOR A FRANKLINTON BASED ARTIST.

THIS AND MORE RIGHT NOW ON "BROAD & HIGH."

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>> WELCOME TO "BROAD & HIGH."

I'M YOU HOST, KATE QUICKEL.

THE WORKS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT WITH THE TRAVELING IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH EXPERIENCE.

BUT DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SEE SEVERAL OF HIS PAINTINGS IN PERSON, RIGHT NOW, AT THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART?

WE TALKED WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NANNETTE MACIEJUNES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR EXHIBITION.

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>> NANNETTE, THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

I WASN'T EXPECTING TO SEE SO MANY WORKS BY VAN GOGH HERE.

>> YES, THERE -- THIS IS A FANTASTIC EXHIBITION.

WE ORGANIZE IT WITH THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART, AND OUR ITERATION OF THE SHOW HAS 17 VAN GOGHS.

THEY'RE EASY TO FIND.

THEY'RE ALL ON THE BLUE WALLS.

WE'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ONE FROM THE THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA IN MADRID.

AND THEY ARE SURROUNDED, THOUGH -- THOSE 17 VAN GOGHS ARE SURROUNDED BY 150 WORKS BY OTHER ARTISTS HE LOVED.

THESE ARE THE ARTISTS THAT HE LOVED AND INSPIRED HIS CREATIVITY.

SO THIS SHOW IS REALLY ABOUT DISCOVERING VAN GOGH'S CREATIVITY.

>> AND VAN GOGH HAS TO BE ONE OF YOUR MOST LOVED PAINTERS THAT PEOPLE COME SEE.

>> HE IS.

HE IS BELOVED.

AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS SHOW IS THAT WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT HIS EMOTIONAL LIFE.

WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT HIM ANYWAY BECAUSE HE WROTE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER.

I MEAN, THAT'S HOW WE KNOW WHICH ARTIST THAT HE ADMIRED AND WAS THINKING ABOUT.

WHETHER THEY WERE CONTEMPORARIES LIKE MONET AND GAUGUIN OR WHETHER THEY WERE FROM THE PAST LIKE CHARDIN OR REMBRANDT, WHICH ARE IN THE SHOW.

AND WE KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT, YOU KNOW, HE -- EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT VAN GOGH'S INCIDENT WITH HIS EAR.

BUT WHAT WE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT -- MOST OF US DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IS THE ART WORLD OF WHICH HE WAS A PART.

HE WASN'T AN ISOLATED FIGURE.

HE WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE ART WORLD OF HIS TIME, AND THIS SHOW REALLY EXPLORES THAT.

WHICH I -- IT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT.

>> YOU GET A LOT OF CONTEXT BY GOING THROUGH THE EXHIBITS AND READING.

>> YEAH.

YOU REALLY CAN, AND PEOPLE ARE TELLING ME THEY'RE COMING BACK SEVERAL TIMES.

LIKE, THIS IS A SHOW THAT HAS ENOUGH DEPTH THAT YOU WANT TO COME BACK TWO OR THREE TIMES BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH TO DO IN ONE VISIT.

>> I DON'T ENVY A MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR THESE DAYS.

FIRST, YOU HAVE COVID TO FACE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO YOUR BUILDING.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THIS TALKING OF ALL THESE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, ESPECIALLY A VAN GOGH THAT -- KIND OF OVERWHELMING.

>> YES.

>> HOW DOES THIS FIT IN -- HOW DOES THIS, THIS KIND OF EXHIBIT FIT INTO THESE TIMES NOW?

>> WELL, IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE PEOPLE BACK IN THE GALLERIES.

AND THOUGH WE ARE STANDING IN THE GALLERIES, I DO WANT TO SAY YOU AND I ARE STANDING IN THE GALLERIES UNMASKED ONLY 'CAUSE WE ARE DOING THIS INTERVIEW.

I WEAR MY MASK ALL THE TIME IN THE GALLERIES.

WE DO ASK PEOPLE TO DO THAT TO OBSERVE THE CITY'S MASK MANDATE IN PUBLIC SPACES.

SO IT'S BROUGHT PEOPLE BACK, BACK TO THE GALLERIES, BACK TO THEIR MUSEUM.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE REALLY ONLY CLOSED FOUR MONTHS EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THIS HAS REALLY SPARKED PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO THE MUSEUM.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND I THINK THAT -- THE THING THAT'S HAPPENING IN COLUMBUS IS EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT VAN GOGH.

RIGHT?

EVERYBODY IS LIKE, "HAVE YOU SEEN?

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?"

AND SO I THINK THEY -- THE EXPERIENCES COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.

THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.

THIS IS ABOUT ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART.

THAT IS A VIDEO, MUSIC EXPERIENCE, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE.

SO I THINK THAT THEY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.

THESE KINDS OF SHOWS, FOR MUSEUMS, TAKE FOUR AND FIVE YEARS TO ORGANIZE.

AND EACH ONE OF THESE WORKS OF ART HAS TO BE BORROWED FROM A DIFFERENT MUSEUM.

SO THESE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THAT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

THE IDEAS IN THE SHOW TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK ANOTHER CORE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY ART MUSEUM.

WE'RE A NONPROFIT.

WE'RE ABOUT SHARING THE ARTS WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.

SO THERE IS AN UPCHARGE FOR -- FOR VAN GOGH, BUT ON -- ON SUNDAYS WHEN THE GALLERIES -- OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION GALLERIES ARE FREE, THAT'S THE ONLY CHARGE.

SO I THINK THAT REMINDING PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT TO GO TO AN IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH, TOO.

BUT THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY MUSEUM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE TO COME AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE READ ABOUT THE BRUSH STROKES AND THE TEXTURE YOU CAN SEE, BUT I WAS REALLY, KIND OF, OVERWHELMED WHEN I CAME HERE AND SAW IT FOR MYSELF, YOU KNOW.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE SCULPTURE.

THERE'S SO MUCH TEXTURE TO IT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD GET FROM ANOTHER KIND OF EXPERIENCE.

>> NO.

RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE'RE STANDING AMONG THREE VAN GOGHS.

AND VAN GOGH PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, TOUCHED EACH OF THESE.

HE PAINTED EACH OF THESE WORKS.

THEY -- THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL.

AND I THINK THERE'S STILL TODAY, FOR US, THE AWE OF SOMEONE WHO CAN DO THAT.

THE -- ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE SHOW IS IT TAKES YOU FROM HIS VERY EARLY WORK TO -- IN FACT, CINCINNATI'S PICTURE WAS PAINTED WITHIN JUST A, PROBABLY, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF HIS LIFE.

VAN GOGH'S WHOLE CAREER -- PEOPLE FORGET THIS -- IS EXACTLY TEN YEARS LONG.

I MEAN, HE TRIED MANY -- TO BE MANY, MANY OTHER THINGS BEFORE HE BECAME A PAINTER.

AND THIS IS A CAREER THAT ONLY -- THE ARC IS ONLY TEN YEARS, AND YET, THE WORK CHANGES SO MUCH.

AND WHAT WE -- MOST OF US KNOW ARE THESE LATE, VIBRANT COLORED PICTURES.

AND THEY ARE JUST ENTRANCING.

I MEAN, YOU JUST KIND OF LOOK AT THEM, REALLY, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THIS IS A GREAT SHOW, AND IT MAKES YOU REALIZE THAT THAT'S WHY NEED TO KEEP LOOKING AT A BROADER AND BROADER RANGE OF ARTISTS.

BECAUSE HUMAN BEINGS TAKE CARE OF WHAT MATTERS TO THEM.

AND THESE PICTURES ARE TAKING CARE OF -- BY GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE THAT PASS THEM DOWN OR A MUSEUM THAT TAKES CARE OF IT GENERATION AFTER GENERATION FOR A COMMUNITY.

I ALWAYS TEASE AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION IS HELD IN PUBLIC TRUST.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT MY MONET LIVES HERE.

MINE LIVES HERE.

MY SEVERAL MONETS LIVE HERE.

AND THEY ARE HELD IN TRUST FOR -- FOR ALL OF US, FOR GENERATIONS SO THAT MY GRANDCHILDREN CAN COME HERE AND SEE THAT.

WHICH IS WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR COLLECTION CONTINUE TO GROW AND CHANGE AND REPRESENT ALL OF US.

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>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE VAN GOGH'S PAINTINGS FOR YOURSELF, VISIT THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 6th.

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>> AFRICOBRA WAS A REVOLUTIONARY COLLECTIVE OF ARTISTS STARTED IN THE '60s TO ADDRESS ISSUED OF EQUALITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

A BOOK BY THE SAME NAME WAS RELEASED THIS YEAR BY ONE OF THE FOUNDERS AND WELL KNOW ARTIST, WADSWORTH JARRELL.

THE BOOK DISCUSSES THE ORIGINS, PRINCIPLES, AND IDEAS OF THE GROUP, AS WELL AS INCLUDING IMAGES OF SOME OF THIS VIBRANT ART.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> CLEVELAND ARTISTS WADSWORTH AND JAE JARRELL HAVE SPENT THEIR LIVES CREATING IMAGES OF BLACK POWER AND BEAUTY.

THE JARRELLS WORK AS INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND AS MEMBERS OF AFRICOBRA, A COLLECTIVE ESTABLISHED IN 1968 TO CREATE ART ADDRESSING ISSUES OF EQUALITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

WADSWORTH'S NEW BOOK, "AFRICOBRA," DOCUMENTS THE GROUP'S HISTORY, ORIGINS, AND ITS MISSION.

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ART BROUGHT JAE AND WADSWORTH TOGETHER IN THE 1960s.

THEY BOTH STUDIED AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO AND BEGAN DATING.

JAE, STUDYING FASHION DESIGN, AND WADSWORTH, PAINTING.

>> SHE WAS DESIGNING FASHIONS WHEN I MET HER.

SO, AND SHE HAD A BUSINESS.

I PAINTED AT NIGHT AND ON THE WEEKENDS.

AND CHICAGO WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS MOVEMENT AND OUR ART.

ART HAD, IN THE PAST, ALL BEEN BASICALLY CREATED, ESPECIALLY MOVEMENTS, NOT IN A CITY LIKE CHICAGO.

IT WAS NEW YORK CITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS MAKING CHICAGO A MAJOR CITY WHERE ART CAME OUT OF.

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>> THE '60s WERE A TUMULTUOUS TIME IN U.S. HISTORY -- THE BEGINNING OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT AND THE CALL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

INSPIRED BY THE MOVEMENT, IN 1965, BLACK POETS, MUSICIANS, WRITERS, AND ARTISTS IN THE NEW YORK-NEWWARK AREA STARTED THE BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT TO CREATE BLACK ART FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

IT SOON SPREAD TO MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

IN CHICAGO, WADSWORTH AND OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS COLLABORATED ON A LARGE OUTDOOR MURAL CALLED "THE WALL OF RESPECT."

IT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY.

>> THE FIRST THING HAPPENED IN CHICAGO WAS THE -- WAS "THE WALL OF RESPECT" THAT WENT VIRAL.

NOT JUST NATIONALLY, BUT INTERNATIONALLY.

AND THIS WAS THE FIRST VISUAL ART DURING THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT.

NEW YORK OPENED UP THE REPERTORY -- THE BLACK REPERTORY THEATRE WITHOUT ANY VISUAL ARTS.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS CHICAGO WAS THE FIRST ONE TO PUT VISUAL ARTS DURING THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT THAT WENT VIRAL -- WAS "THE WALL OF RESPECT."

>> WITH THE SUCCESS OF "THE WALL OF RESPECT" IN 1968, WADSWORTH AND JAE JARRELL AND THREE OTHER CHICAGO ARTISTS LAUNCHED AFRICOBRA.

THE AFRICAN COMMUNE OF "BAD" RELEVANT ARTISTS.

AS VISUAL ARTISTS, THEY WERE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT.

>> WE FORMED A COLLECTIVE THAT WE NAMED COBRA, IN THE BEGINNING.

AND WE -- WE ADDED SOME "AFRI" TO IT TO MAKE IT "AFRICOBRA."

AFRICAN COBRA 'CAUSE THERE WAS FIVE FOUNDING MEMBERS WHO WAS JEFF DONALDSON, JAE JARREL, WADSWORTH JARRELL, BARABARA JONES-HOGU, AND GERALD WILLIAMS.

>> THEMES WITHIN THE ART INCLUDED AFRICAN DESIGNS AND POSITIVE MESSAGES OF UNITY.

THE GROUP EMBRACED THE USE OF LETTERING, STRAIGHT LINES, AND BRIGHT VIVID COLORS KNOWN AS KOOL-AID COLORS TO CREATE A BLACK AESTHETIC.

>> KOOL-AID COLORS ARE AN AGGREGATION OF BRIGHT, INTENSE COLORS WITH A SENSIBILITY AND HARMONY.

KOOL-AID COLOR WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT BLACK PEOPLE WAS WEAR -- CLOTHING THEY WAS WEARING IN THE '60s.

REAL BRIGHT COLORED CLOTHING.

SO WE CHOSE THAT AS ONE OF -- THAT WAS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE WE CHOSE.

AND WE HAD FRONTAL IMAGES WHICH IS INSPIRED BY AFRICAN SCULPTURE WHICH IS ALWAYS A FRONTAL VIEW, NEVER A THREE-QUARTERS VIEW.

WHICH REPRESENTS STRENGTH AND DIRECTNESS.

AND WE WANTED TO USE POSITIVE IMAGES -- IS ANOTHER PRINCIPLE.

>> AFRICOBRA HELD ITS FIRST MAJOR EXHIBIT, "TEN IN SEARCH OF A NATION," AT THE STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM IN 1970.

ITS PURPOSE WAS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND EMPOWER THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WADSWORTH REMAINED A MEMBER OF AFRICOBRA UNTIL 1998, EVENTUALLY FINDING HIS WAY TO CLEVELAND, HIS WIFE JAE'S HOMETOWN.

OVER THE DECADES, HE BEGAN TO SEE A RETELLING, A REVISION OF THE HISTORY OF AFRICOBRA AND SOUGHT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

>> I WROTE THE BOOK BASICALLY TO CORRECT ALL OF THE IMPROPER -- INFORMATION WAS OUT ONLINE AND EVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING PUT OUT ABOUT IT IN WRITING BASICALLY WAS NOT RIGHT.

EVEN -- EVEN THE MEMBER OF THE GROUP, THE GUY THAT WAS BASICALLY THE SPOKESMAN ONE OF THE GROUP.

HE STARTED WRITING FALSE THINGS ABOUT THE GROUP THAT, YOU KNOW -- DROPPING TWO MEMBERS, ADDING A MEMBER THAT DID NOT EXITS, DID NOT JOIN THE GROUP.

SO THAT'S WHY I WROTE THE BOOK.

>> SOME 60 YEARS LATER, THE WORK OF AFRICOBRA ARTISTS IS BEING RECOGNIZED.

IN 2017, THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART PURCHASED A PAINTING BY WADSWORTH JARRELL FOR MORE THAN $97,000.

IN ADDITION, THE HISTORY, IDEAS, AND PAINTINGS FOUND BETWEEN THE PAGES OF THE BOOK "AFRICOBRA" ARE BEING TAUGHT IN ART CLASSES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> AFRICOBRA IS -- IS FAR MORE ABOUT THAN JUST MAKING ART.

YOU WAS -- READ THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A POLITICAL SLANT WITH AN AESTHETIC.

IT'S ABOUT POLITICS, LIFE.

IT'S AN ART HISTORY BOOK.

ART'S INITIATIVE, NOT JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN ART HISTORY.

IT'S ART HISTORY PERIOD.

>> IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, THE SCULPTURE CENTER IN CLEVELAND RELEASED A TOUR OF PUBLIC ARTWORK IN COLUMBUS BY ARTISTS THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

NAMELY, SCULPTURES MADE BY AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS.

USING THE CENTER'S MAP AS OUR GUIDE, WE DECIDED TO REFAMILIARIZE OURSELVES WITH THIS LOCAL ART AND THE ARTISTS WHO MADE THEM.

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>> JAZZ IS A LOVE OF MINE.

IF YOU LISTEN TO THE STONE WHILE YOU'RE SCULPTING, YOU'LL HEAR THE SOUND OF THE HAMMER.

THE SOUND OF THE CHISEL.

IT'LL BEGIN TO GIVE YOU A -- A FEELING OF MUSIC.

>> SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, LIKE ALL OTHER ARTS INSTITUTIONS, WE CLOSED OUR DOORS AND OUR EXHIBITIONS WERE CLOSED.

AND AT THAT TIME, I WANTED TO OFFER PEOPLE SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO DO IN THE SAFETY OF THE OUTDOORS AND WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT IN LINE.

SO WE CREATED THREE CURATED OUTDOOR SCULPTURE TOURS.

I CHOSE THE BIG CITIES IN OHIO.

CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI, AND COLUMBUS.

THE COLUMBUS TOUR WAS CURATED BY DESTYNI GREEN WHO WAS AN INTERN WITH THE SCULPTURE CENTER LAST SUMMER.

SHE TOOK IT UPON HERSELF DURING HER INTERNSHIP TO FIND AFRICAN AMERICAN SCULPTORS THAT HAD NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED IN THE OHIO OUTDOOR SCULPTURE DATABASE.

AND SO THAT'S HOW THIS TOUR CAME TO BE.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ] >> WE'RE STANDING IN KWANZAA PLAYGROUND ON BRYDEN ROAD.

UM, IT'S BEEN HERE SINCE 1993.

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WELL, THERE ARE SEVERAL, SEVERAL ARTISTS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE.

ACTUALLY, ALL THE ARTISTS WERE ASKED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD REFER TO OUR AFROCENTRIC ANCESTRY.

AND SOMETHING THAT WAS IMAGINATIVE AND PLAYFUL.

SO WHAT I DID, I SAID, "WELL, I WILL CREATE SOMETHING THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO COME."

SO THEY END UP BEING NAMED AFRICAN PORTALS.

THE FIRST PORTAL WAS MADE OF CEDAR WOOD.

AND IT GOT KNOCKED OVER WHEN WE HAD -- A BIG STORM CAME THROUGH COLUMBUS AND TORE TREES UP.

WELL, IT TORE TREES UP AND KNOCKED MY PORTAL OVER, SO WE HAD TO CREATE A NEW ONE.

AND IN SO DOING, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD GO TO METAL.

THERE'S A SYMBOL IN THE FRONT, ADINKRA SYMBOL, IT LOOKS LIKE A BUTTERFLY.

AND IT'S A -- IT'S A WELCOMING SYMBOL.

THE DRUM IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE DRUM IN AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL IN AFRICA.

BUT IT'S A SYMBOL THAT CALLS PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE DRUM REPRESENTS.

IT'S CALLING YOU.

"COME, YOU ARE WELCOME.

YOUR HEART IS PROJECTED HERE."

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>> WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OUTDOOR SCULPTURE IS THAT IT ALLOWS YOU TO SEE YOUR SPACE IN A NEW WAY.

LIKE ARCHITECTURE, IT HELPS TO DEFINE THE SPACES WE LIVE IN AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.

ANDREW F. SCOTT IS AN ARTIST WHO WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN BUT ATTENDED OHIO STATE AND RECEIVED HIS MFA IN OHIO STATE.

HE HAS A SCULPTURE AT THE KWANZAA PLAYGROUND IN COLUMBUS WHICH IS CALLED "BAOBAB TREE."

AND THE BAOBAB TREE IS AN IMPORTANT TREE WHICH IS OFTEN FOUND IN THE ECOSYSTEMS OF AFRICA.

AND OFTEN, THE TREE IS A PLACE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO LINGER AND TO SIT AND TELL STORIES.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WHERE THE BAOBAB TREE'S LOCATION IN COLUMBUS IS THAT IT'S IN THIS PLAYGROUND WHERE CHILDREN CAN CONVENE AND CLIMB THE SCULPTURE, AND THEY, TOO, CAN SHARE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES.

>> THE MEDIUMS THAT I LIKE TO WORK WITH IS COPPER, LEATHER, AND WOOD.

PYTHAGORAS' THEOREM IS ONE.

IT'S JUST "A" SQUARED PLUS "B" SQUARED EQUALS "C" SQUARED.

SO IF YOU FILL UP THE TOP TWO BOXES WITH WATER, IT WILL EQUAL THE BOTTOM BOX.

>> ANOTHER SCULPTURE OF NOTE ON THE COLUMBUS SCULPTURE TOUR IS OMAR SHAHEED'S "FAMILY."

IT'S CREATED OF LIMESTONE.

AND IT'S A SCULPTURE THAT'S CARVED TO REPRESENT FOUR FIGURES.

ONE IS LED TO BELIEVE THEY ARE MOTHER, FATHER, A DAUGHTER, AND A SON.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THE FACES ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE.

THERE AREN'T ANY RECOGNIZING FEATURES.

>> I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE ANYONE.

ANY ONE PERSON.

I WANTED IT TO BE A VILLAGE.

MORE THAN ONE PERSON.

SO I LEFT THE FACES OUT.

SO I -- I'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT I SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH.

IS ACTUALLY CREATE SOMETHING WITHOUT A FACE SO WE CAN SAY, "OKAY, THAT'S A FAMILY."

BECAUSE THERE'S NO -- THERE'S NO JUDGEMENT GOING ON HERE.

I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THERE -- ON -- THAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

ON EARTH.

IS ACTUALLY TO COME TOGETHER AND BE A FAMILY.

>> THE COLUMBUS TOUR RECOGNIZES ARTISTS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED AND THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED IN HISTORY.

AND WHAT WE HOPE THE COLUMBUS TOUR DOES IS BRING THESE ARTISTS TO THE SURFACE AND CELEBRATE THEIR WORK.

>> WHEN CIVILIZATIONS HAVE GONE, WHAT DO THEY DO?

THEY LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE ARTISTS LEFT BEHIND.

[ LAUGH ] >> VISIT SCULPTURECENTER.ORG TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SCULPTURE TOUR IN COLUMBUS AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT PIECES OF PUBLIC ARTWORK.

>> ANGELA STIFTAR IS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER WHO HAS FOUND REFUGE FROM HER FAST PACED DIGITAL DESIGN CAREER BY TURING TO THE SLOW AND MEDITATIVE PROCESS OF CARVING AND PRINTMAKING.

HER LINOCUTS, WHICH SHE MAKES INSIDE HER STUDIO AT 400 WEST RICH IN FRANKLINTON, ARE INSPIRED BY HER LOVE OF NATURE, HISTORY, AND FOLKLORE.

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>> BY DAY, I'M A GRAPHIC DESIGNER WORKING, PRIMARILY, ON THE COMPUTER.

I'M WORKING FOR CLIENTS, FAST PACED, AND I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CARVING PROCESS.

I'M REALLY SLOWING DOWN WITH NO UNDO BUTTON, BEING PRESENT.

I LOVE FINDING INSPIRATION FOR PIECES.

I FIND MOST OF IT IN NATURE, IN TRAVEL, IN DIFFERENT CULTURES, IN FOLKLORE.

THE PRINTMAKING MEDIUM THAT I'M USING IS CALLED LINOCUT.

AND LINO STANDS FOR LINOLEUM.

AND I HAVE USED THE LINOLEUM IN YOU'RE ABLE TO GET, MAYBE, A LOT FINER OF DETAIL.

TYPICALLY LINOLEUM IS ALSO MOUNTED TO A WOODEN BLOCK.

SINCE I AM NOT RUNNING MY PLATES THROUGH AN ACTUAL PRINTER, AND I'M JUST HAND PRESSING, THERE'S REALLY NO NEED FOR ME TO HAVE IT ON A STURDY, LIKE, WOODEN BLOCK.

SO, UM, PRETTY MUCH ALL SIGNS POINT TO THIS SPECIFIC MEDIUM, UM, WHICH IS MORE OF A RUBBER.

I KIND OF FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO CARVE.

I SOMETIMES, ACTUALLY, PUT IT AT AN ANGLE OR BEND IT AROUND SOMETHING SO I CAN, MAYBE, GET A DIFFERENT, UM, LIKE, STROKE OR A DIFFERENT WIDTH OF THE CARVING.

SO FOR THE PIECE TODAY, I DECIDED TO DO A COMPOSITION OF ALL NATIVE OHIO WILDFLOWERS.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I GET TO PLAY WITH BOTH THE NEGATIVE AND THE POSITIVE SPACE OF THE WAX CIRCLE THAT THEY'RE IN AND THEN, IF YOU WILL, LIKE, GROWING OUT OF IT.

ONCE THE DESIGN IS ON THE BLOCK, I HAVE A SERIES OF DIFFERENT TOOLS.

UM, DIFFERENT SHAPES.

SOME ARE "V." SOME ARE "U" SHAPED THAT ARE USED FOR DIFFERENT PIECES AND DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES WHILE CARVING.

I THINK THE THING THAT I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT THE CARVING IS THAT IT'S A SLOW PROCESS.

YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON ONE THING.

I THINK CARVING IS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS I'LL EVER GET TO MEDITATING.

UM, USUALLY I'M THINKING ABOUT MORE THAN ONE THING AT ONCE OR PLANNING SOMETHING.

WHILE -- WHEN I GET INTO THE ZONE OF JUST FOCUSING ON THIS ONE PIECE WITH ONE TOOL IN MY HAND, UM, IT REALLY IS VERY RELAXING.

THE LAST STEP IS, UM, I ROLL THE INK OUT ONTO A FLAT SURFACE.

I NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO BUMPS ON THAT BECAUSE THEN THAT COULD AFFECT HOW MUCH INK IS ON THE ROLLER.

SO I ROLL OUT THE INK VERY THIN AND THEN ROLL IT ONTO THE BLOCK.

THE FIRST PRINT IS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE BECAUSE ROLLING THE INK OUT AND REALLY SEEING THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE BLACK AND WHITE, UM, IS REALLY EXCITING.

AND THEN, I'LL LAY THE PAPER OVERTOP OF THE BLOCK AND THEN USE THE BAREN TO, UM, PRESS THE PAPER INTO THE BLOCK.

UM, BASICALLY THE SAME AS A STAMP.

JUST UPSIDE DOWN.

SO INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE STAMP ON THE PAPER, YOU PUT THE PAPER ON THE STAMP, UM, SINCE MY PIECES TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT LARGER.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE COMING IN HERE AND SEEING THE WORK IS THE NOSTALGIA THEY HAVE FROM IT.

IT'S NOT A LOST ART, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING SO HAND DONE IN A WORLD OF DIGITAL THAT IT REALLY RESONATES WITH PEOPLE.

AND JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT IS -- IS HALF THE REASON I LIKE DOING IT.

BECAUSE I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND I THINK PEOPLE SEE THAT.

AND THEN THEY -- THEY EITHER GET PASSIONATE ABOUT IT OR THEY WANNA TRY IT AND, UM, OR JUST FIND SOMETHING ELSE THAT INTERESTS THEM JUST AS MUCH.

>> VISIT MIDWESTMERMAID.COM TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER WORK, OR GIVE HER A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM.

>> WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW.

REMEMBER YOU CAN FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES ONLINE AT WOSU.ORG, AS WELL AS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT WOSU, I'M KATE QUICKEL.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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>> KELLI MARTIN, FASHION DESIGNER.

I LEAN ON UNIQUE DETAILING AND UNCONVENTIONAL FABRICS.

MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM THE STREETS.

THE INITIAL CONCEPT IS THE MOST EXCITING.

THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES, AND I NEVER KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE.

I LEARN THAT DOING THINGS ON MY OWN TERMS REQUIRES HARD WORK.

TO FULFILL MY DREAMS, I HAVE TO MAKE THE WORLD THAT I WANNA LIVE IN.

THE ENERGY IN COLUMBUS IS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS.

WHEN WE HELP EACH OTHER MOVE FORWARD, NOTHING BUT SOMETHING POSITIVE CAN COME FROM IT.

I'M KELLI MARTIN.

FASHION IS MY ART.

AND THERE'S NO PLACE I'D RATHER MAKE IT.

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>> PRODUCTION OF "BROAD & HIGH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL.

SUPPORTING ARTS, ADVANCING CULTURE, AND CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO ARTISTS, EVENTS, AND CLASSES AT COLUMBUSMAKESART.COM.