Time transcripts of Art_Show

[00:00:00:000]	 

[00:00:01:200]	(funk music)

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[00:00:46:156]	- Gene and Dave Show.

[00:00:49:990]	- The following program may contain strong language

[00:00:51:288]	and brief nudity.

[00:00:54:630]	But don't get your hopes up, after all this is

[00:00:57:750]	public access t.v.

[00:00:58:212]	(rooster crowing)

[00:01:02:180]	This program was made possible from the support of

[00:01:05:167]	VSA of Texas.

[00:01:07:510]	- And Amerigroup.

[00:01:10:252]	- Hi folks, I'm Gene.

[00:01:12:234]	- And I'm Dave.

[00:01:13:258]	- And we're the

[00:01:14:207]	- Gene and Dave Show

[00:01:17:126]	- Well Dave this has been the season for our I mean--

[00:01:20:147]	- It has. - It's really--

[00:01:22:750]	- I mean Austin is really known for its art.

[00:01:25:090]	I mean there's artist communities all over the place.

[00:01:28:165]	And you know one of those artist communities happens to

[00:01:32:114]	cater towards people with disabilities.

[00:01:34:256]	- Exactly.

[00:01:38:299]	We had, we recently had a art exhibit called Contours

[00:01:41:267]	here in Austin.

[00:01:43:480]	And it was put on by the Mouth and Foot painting

[00:01:47:228]	artist organization.

[00:01:50:183]	- I didn't even know that existed.

[00:01:52:450]	- I didn't either.

[00:01:53:165]	- I've heard of people painting with their feet and their

[00:01:56:630]	mouth and a lot of the times you can't even tell.

[00:01:59:243]	It's just that they do such an amazing work. Yeah.

[00:02:02:249]	- Incredible work yeah.

[00:02:06:720]	But do we went to the exhibit here's April, 

[00:02:10:234]	from VSA was there.

[00:02:12:153]	You can see some of the folks from the gallery

[00:02:15:243]	in this picture.

[00:02:17:510]	And there's a picture of me between Mariam Pare and

[00:02:23:480]	

[00:02:28:181]	Alana Tillman all of these woman very talented.

[00:02:32:270]	And Sarah Parsons, there's a picture of me

[00:02:35:240]	with Sarah Parsons who lives here in Austin.

[00:02:40:390]	She going to tell us a little bit more about how she

[00:02:41:153]	got involved.

[00:02:47:283]	But just amazing pictures Dave to show the level of

[00:02:53:840]	the high level they are working at.

[00:02:59:147]	Here's a picture of Mariam painting gle, the pictures

[00:03:00:213]	I believe is entitled Chuck Close.

[00:03:03:630]	- Okay.

[00:03:04:130]	- And the level of detail is really incredible

[00:03:10:100]	

[00:03:12:174]	but let's get more from the artist themselves and start off

[00:03:14:990]	talking with Sara Jane Parsons.

[00:03:16:192]	- Alright, here's Sara Jane.

[00:03:18:183]	- Yea Dave did, painting.

[00:03:20:780]	Did I hear someone say painting?

[00:03:21:273]	- Painting today on the Gene and Dave show.

[00:03:24:690]	- Wow we are so lucky Dave to have with us Sara Parsons,

[00:03:28:180]	Sara Jane Parsons did I get that right Sara?

[00:03:31:207]	- Yeah Sarah Jane.

[00:03:33:137]	- Sara Jane.

[00:03:34:234]	And Sara Jane is a artist with a disability

[00:03:40:090]	who doesn't use her hands to paint.

[00:03:41:290]	You use what you call mouth sticks?

[00:03:46:101]	- Well you have attached dowels to my paint brushes

[00:03:50:630]	just to give me a little distance from my work.

[00:03:53:208]	I also enables me to do a little bit larger work

[00:03:57:450]	and I don't have to be right up in it.

[00:04:00:390]	Plus I came to realize I mean if it's was process in

[00:04:03:680]	figuring out what tools and how I wanted to use them.

[00:04:07:225]	But one of my first brushes

[00:04:09:153]	I was going through brushes so fast 'cause I didn't realize

[00:04:11:276]	if I kinda clench my teeth--

[00:04:13:194]	(group) - How hard I'm gripping them

[00:04:15:261]	and pretty soon I'm spitting out like

[00:04:18:192]	lacquer and splinters--

[00:04:19:252]	- Wood chips. - Yeah exactly.

[00:04:22:450]	And even still these dowels that I put plastic tubes over,

[00:04:25:123]	I replace those on a regular basis.

[00:04:27:132]	- Yeah I'm sure.

[00:04:28:243]	- So Sara Jane it's been a process for you.

[00:04:31:010]	You weren't always disabled were you?

[00:04:33:241]	- I wasn't always disabled and I never considered by someone

[00:04:37:156]	myself somebody who could draw or paint

[00:04:40:330]	so I became disabled when I was 20.

[00:04:43:530]	I was rear ended in a car accident,

[00:04:46:288]	I was asleep in the back.

[00:04:48:176]	Right, it was the 80's so I didn't wear

[00:04:50:297]	a seatbelt on. - Yeah.

[00:04:52:114]	- Right.

[00:04:53:640]	- A lot of us was wild and crazy back then.

[00:04:55:156]	- Exactly.

[00:04:56:222]	- So you learned to adapt through a

[00:05:00:480]	spinal injury and.

[00:05:02:600]	- I did.

[00:05:03:100]	- And how did you learn that you can paint?

[00:05:07:630]	Or you just.

[00:05:08:201]	- Well when I was in rehab you know I was wanting to

[00:05:12:108]	do anything.

[00:05:15:240]	I'm complete c4-5 so, I was just wanting some muscles

[00:05:19:174]	to come back I was wanting something to happen.

[00:05:23:480]	So at some point my occupational therapist just stuck a

[00:05:27:990]	marker in my mouth and Is like try to write something.

[00:05:30:225]	You know so I spent the afternoon writing my initials

[00:05:33:900]	and I was so excited.

[00:05:34:270]	And once I had my more mobility in my head

[00:05:39:270]	and neck then my junior high art teacher

[00:05:45:270]	took me took an afternoon painting workshop

[00:05:49:171]	and at that time then I was painting

[00:05:55:149]	with a brush without the dowel super close to my work

[00:05:57:138]	so I did a very small little painting

[00:05:59:243]	with some flowers in a vase

[00:06:00:201]	but I got excited about it and

[00:06:05:141]	just started working on it ever after.

[00:06:08:231]	- Very cool.

[00:06:09:181]	- So it became you passion. You did find your life.

[00:06:11:201]	- I fell in love.

[00:06:13:264]	Like I wasn't one of those kids grew up said hi I know what

[00:06:16:270]	I'm going to be when I grow up.

[00:06:18:870]	- Yeah.

[00:06:19:600]	- But this I fell in love with and

[00:06:23:198]	it's been amazing and it changed my life.

[00:06:27:180]	It definitely changed my life as a person

[00:06:29:186]	with a disability because I didn't know what I was gonna do

[00:06:32:134]	with myself.

[00:06:33:256]	And this is something that I can do forever.

[00:06:37:129]	- And as a matter of fact-- - Wow.

[00:06:38:153]	- You just really showed here in Austin recently called

[00:06:42:154]	a Contours is that right?

[00:06:44:910]	- That's right.

[00:06:45:410]	It's ending today actually at 5 o'clock.

[00:06:48:153]	- With several other folks from,

[00:06:52:135]	what is the organization MF--

[00:06:54:174]	- MFPA, the association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artist.

[00:06:59:123]	And we're an international organization,

[00:07:03:261]	self-help not charity.

[00:07:05:192]	We are about 800 artist

[00:07:09:213]	in 78 countries worldwide.

[00:07:13:120]	The United States I believe we have 70 artist here.

[00:07:17:171]	And we all paint for the organization and.

[00:07:23:168]	

[00:07:24:238]	- Either with your mouth or your feet.

[00:07:26:102]	- Either by yup.

[00:07:27:870]	Either mouth or foot only. - Okay.

[00:07:28:295]	We're all painters who don't have the use

[00:07:30:222]	of our arms and hands.

[00:07:31:286]	And we submit work that get turned into cards,

[00:07:36:136]	calendars, mugs whatever the publishing houses

[00:07:40:162]	wanna use our designs for.

[00:07:42:123]	- Oh fantastic.

[00:07:43:125]	- And through that process,

[00:07:45:147]	the association is able to give us

[00:07:47:175]	some support in our work.

[00:07:49:260]	- Nice.

[00:07:51:165]	So it looks like you brought your table

[00:07:53:288]	and some paintbrushes.

[00:07:55:174]	Would you care to kinda show us a little bit about how

[00:07:58:135]	you do it.

[00:07:59:192]	- Yeah. I like to use watercolor.

[00:08:01:165]	And I do a lot of layers to bring out the nice dark

[00:08:05:249]	rich colors so some of what you'll see on here

[00:08:08:228]	is some I sketch.

[00:08:11:030]	And then some of what you'll see is just the underpainting

[00:08:15:273]	like the colors that's gonna be the start like the

[00:08:19:280]	leaves that you'll see that are yellow

[00:08:22:105]	are gonna be brighter and more up close looking.

[00:08:25:010]	And the leaves that I sketched in and painted it in blue are

[00:08:30:390]	going to be back in the background eventually.

[00:08:33:160]	- Excellent.

[00:08:34:249]	Well let's take a look and see how you do this.

[00:08:40:246]	

[00:08:44:270]	- So usually I do a lot, especially with

[00:08:50:203]	- How about if I get that-- - flowers.

[00:08:51:212]	out of the way for you.

[00:08:53:140]	- I do a lot of,

[00:08:57:147]	wet into wet. 

[00:08:59:470]	So I'm gonna wet the paper first.

[00:09:01:123]	- Oh.

[00:09:04:060]	- 'Cause I wanna get a really nice smooth look.

[00:09:10:258]	So if the paper is already wet, that'll help.

[00:09:17:243]	- I really felt watercolors would particularly difficult

[00:09:20:174]	because the.

[00:09:22:150]	- I use this,

[00:09:23:258]	my little color tester.

[00:09:26:960]	- Oh.

[00:09:32:930]	

[00:09:51:294]	- So for this line.

[00:09:53:760]	- It's like beauty being created right before our eyes.

[00:09:56:183]	- Right in front of us.

[00:10:00:261]	The next card.

[00:10:02:540]	Our next Hallmark greeting card right here.

[00:10:04:177]	- Yeah, yeah.

[00:10:11:240]	- And then I feel like

[00:10:15:030]	I've got too much color.

[00:10:17:228]	I can going back,

[00:10:20:201]	take a little off here and there.

[00:10:24:110]	And I'm already,

[00:10:25:153]	I'm always battling like my

[00:10:27:180]	animals fur.

[00:10:31:288]	- Animals that are organic

[00:10:35:147]	would you say your subject matter

[00:10:37:600]	is pretty much organic?

[00:10:39:156]	- Or I'm just am, always battling

[00:10:42:149]	having my pets fur in my paint.

[00:10:45:133]	- Oh.

[00:10:48:310]	- Leaning up on my paintings.

[00:10:49:288]	But yes, my subject matter.

[00:10:54:180]	Which I brought some other paintings if you wanna look.

[00:10:57:112]	- Yes a matter of fact we have five of your paintings.

[00:11:01:390]	- I like to do portraits I think

[00:11:05:225]	I've been working up to portraits for a longtime.

[00:11:11:222]	

[00:11:14:720]	So, I will let that dry and wait and see

[00:11:19:870]	what needs to be added.

[00:11:21:250]	- From what we see so far is beautiful.

[00:11:24:293]	How long did it take you to get to this point?

[00:11:27:259]	- I probably put about

[00:11:33:208]	a good 12 hours into this I would guess.

[00:11:39:700]	- Wow and how long do you usually work on a painting?

[00:11:41:174]	- I try to paint everyday. - Oh okay.

[00:11:44:268]	- Probably six days a week.

[00:11:46:260]	- Okay.

[00:11:47:210]	- I haven't worked with other disabled folks other than

[00:11:50:172]	to say,

[00:11:52:390]	I never knew I could do this.

[00:11:54:030]	- That's-- - prior to becoming disabled.

[00:11:55:177]	So it's not something that I adapted from doing it with

[00:11:59:190]	my hands prior to the accident.

[00:12:02:650]	So for me, it's great because it's something I could do

[00:12:07:195]	largely independently.

[00:12:09:207]	And it's something I do tell disabled people

[00:12:14:480]	you never know.

[00:12:15:117]	- Right. - Yeah, yeah.

[00:12:16:670]	- Just try. - What you can do.

[00:12:19:252]	- I'm using a photo reference actually about one of my

[00:12:23:390]	attendants took for me from some iris's in my neighbor's

[00:12:26:149]	garden on the corner down the street.

[00:12:29:213]	And I took this,

[00:12:31:210]	she took this picture for me last spring.

[00:12:33:240]	- Oh okay.

[00:12:34:960]	- And I love iris's 'cause they've got all sorts of crazy

[00:12:38:610]	shapes and veins and they kinda translucent,

[00:12:41:162]	and that lends itself kind of well with watercolor.

[00:12:45:720]	- Yeah and different textures and such.

[00:12:47:249]	That is super.

[00:12:49:620]	And I imagine that painting is rather therapeutic.

[00:12:52:510]	I'm guessing.

[00:12:53:510]	- Absolutely, it's a kind of meditation

[00:12:57:288]	in an of itself.

[00:12:58:276]	- Yeah, yeah.

[00:13:00:258]	Now if people wanna find out more information on

[00:13:06:000]	this organization, the MFPA,

[00:13:10:600]	where would they go for that?

[00:13:12:186]	- We have a website

[00:13:13:136]	www.mfpausa.com

[00:13:19:273]	People can sign up for our mailing list

[00:13:23:167]	to receive samples of what our publishing houses

[00:13:28:830]	are printing.

[00:13:33:180]	And or they can just look at--

[00:13:35:132]	- So you can order prints?

[00:13:36:237]	- You can order prints.

[00:13:37:187]	You can order cards, calendars.

[00:13:43:720]	It's also possible to be put on our mailing list

[00:13:46:126]	and that can be done through the website as well.

[00:13:49:195]	But also there's information about all 70 of us US artist.

[00:13:54:128]	So you can read all our bios, look at our work and--

[00:14:00:670]	(group)

[00:14:01:223]	- Folks wanna reach out to you personally,

[00:14:07:207]	can they do that?

[00:14:08:157]	Or do they need to go through the--

[00:14:11:105]	- Not now, I have my own website as well.

[00:14:14:360]	- Oh.

[00:14:14:291]	www.sarajaneparsons.com

[00:14:19:210]	- Excellent that's what we're looking for.

[00:14:22:480]	Well we're definitely going to have to visit that website.

[00:14:25:223]	And as a matter of fact, here it is kids.

[00:14:26:173]	Alright, anything else you can enlighten us about?

[00:14:32:170]	

[00:14:35:060]	- So you said you do portraits, you wanna do one of

[00:14:37:126]	Gene and I sometime?

[00:14:39:020]	- I'd be happy to. - Yeah.

[00:14:39:252]	- That would be awesome.

[00:14:41:144]	- Get me a good picture. - We can feature,

[00:14:42:281]	we can feature that on our website that would be

[00:14:44:292]	really cool. - Oh yeah, yeah.

[00:14:46:184]	Or we can have cards made.

[00:14:48:196]	- That too.

[00:14:49:190]	- Yeah.

[00:14:50:214]	- That sounds great.

[00:14:51:264]	- I can do it either way.

[00:14:52:255]	I can do it like short and sweet like with,

[00:14:57:780]	I like to do ink and wash.

[00:14:59:273]	I can do that real quick.

[00:15:01:177]	Or I can do something more detailed.

[00:15:04:252]	Would you like to see anymore of my other work?

[00:15:07:450]	- Yes, absolutely.

[00:15:08:670]	Got a long--

[00:15:09:720]	- Classic, - You can,

[00:15:10:380]	you can go with-- - Classic Texas spring.

[00:15:12:109]	- You can tell this lady's from Texas.

[00:15:15:690]	- Wow, that's watercolor?

[00:15:17:183]	- It sure is.

[00:15:18:213]	- Wow, that is amazing.

[00:15:20:267]	- Look at that Texas Longhorn.

[00:15:22:150]	- Yeah.

[00:15:28:147]	

[00:15:30:114]	- Seashells.

[00:15:33:141]	I found the shells,

[00:15:35:660]	I found these shells in South Carolina when I was

[00:15:37:183]	nine years old.

[00:15:39:201]	- Wow.

[00:15:40:197]	- I did, I studied them.

[00:15:43:198]	- If you go to South Carolina now all you'll find is water.

[00:15:47:720]	- Exactly, I'm little worried actually.

[00:15:49:246]	- 'Cause of the hurricanes like that.

[00:15:51:297]	- And then this is one of my first iris paintings.

[00:15:57:183]	- Oh the early work of Sara Jane, okay.

[00:16:03:180]	

[00:16:04:195]	- Those are iris's actually in my front yard.

[00:16:06:270]	- Oh wow, awesome.

[00:16:09:189]	So you took a picture of them and then you.

[00:16:12:192]	- Crystal actually photographed

[00:16:14:210]	them for me.

[00:16:14:271]	- Okay.

[00:16:15:221]	- And then I took and combined a couple photos

[00:16:20:273]	to be that painting.

[00:16:23:270]	So a couple different--

[00:16:24:120]	- So you usually put the picture next to you and just paint

[00:16:26:251]	from the picture?

[00:16:27:217]	Or you just take a picture-- - No I just.

[00:16:29:140]	- and then remember it and paint it.

[00:16:31:480]	- A little of both. - Yeah?

[00:16:33:171]	I put my I usually sit my iPad up, so I'll have the photo.

[00:16:37:111]	- Okay. - Okay.

[00:16:38:174]	- But and I play with colors,

[00:16:41:123]	do what I want with it to work it

[00:16:43:189]	out how I want but there's definitely a level of working

[00:16:48:430]	with the iPad and the photo.

[00:16:50:186]	- Have you ever paint on the iPad itself?

[00:16:53:330]	- I don't. - Okay.

[00:16:54:141]	- I've yet to find a stylus or

[00:16:56:780]	anything that works for me with any of that

[00:16:59:210]	touchscreen stuff.

[00:17:01:276]	- Crystal, you wanna get in the shot here our television

[00:17:04:297]	audience would like to know what you look like.

[00:17:06:250]	- Yeah - We mentioned your name and

[00:17:09:111]	if you could move over this way a little more here we'll

[00:17:12:261]	get you...

[00:17:13:298]	There we go!

[00:17:15:180]	There's Crystal folks helping us out with the photography

[00:17:19:159]	and helping Sara Jane with getting set up here.

[00:17:24:870]	And we do appreciate you coming out here

[00:17:27:153]	and we're looking forward to the next showing you have.

[00:17:32:265]	Grace said we'll be announcing that on our show.

[00:17:38:162]	- Awesome, thank you so much for coming out.

[00:17:40:141]	- Thank you so much for having me.

[00:17:41:910]	- And you are very welcomed.

[00:17:43:990]	I look forward to seeing the Gene and Dave portraits.

[00:17:46:200]	- Yeah, yeah.

[00:17:47:520]	- Yeah.

[00:17:49:810]	- Amazing and in addition to paintings,

[00:17:52:150]	they do cards and other things so--

[00:17:56:147]	- Right.

[00:17:57:162]	Painting is not my forte but I tell you what,

[00:17:59:171]	I'm amazed by these people that are

[00:18:02:390]	painting with their, their mouth.

[00:18:04:186]	I mean they just do some really amazing work.

[00:18:07:136]	- Yeah.

[00:18:13:133]	

[00:18:15:206]	And of course if you want more information on these artists

[00:18:17:750]	or the MFPA you can find them on the summary page

[00:18:22:270]	of our show.

[00:18:24:240]	Just go to our show on Art and you'll see it there.

[00:18:28:240]	But use, let me just show you again.

[00:18:32:580]	Here's a picture by Mariam Pare.

[00:18:35:111]	This is of a Chuck Close.

[00:18:41:108]	

[00:18:43:218]	And Dave we're outside of the.

[00:18:47:261]	- Sterling Event Center.

[00:18:49:148]	- You got that right.

[00:18:50:102]	- Yeah, we just watched the VSA Awards,

[00:18:54:169]	VSA Texas Awards and boy

[00:18:56:267]	what a great group of peoples some great energy

[00:19:00:150]	and man who says people with disabilities

[00:19:03:420]	can't do art?

[00:19:04:570]	We've got a lot of talented artists here in Austin.

[00:19:08:184]	Oh it's such a great

[00:19:09:134]	you need to go down and see the art work.

[00:19:12:215]	And if you folks wanna see more of their artwork,

[00:19:15:136]	of course you can make actually willing view a art show.

[00:19:19:294]	Will have Jordana a guest on our show.

[00:19:26:220]	And you can contact her

[00:19:28:277]	as well as some other folks through VSA

[00:19:31:192]	They did a super job they almost make me wish I had talent.

[00:19:35:166]	- Yeah, yeah me too!

[00:19:37:296]	- Well.

[00:19:39:780]	And Dave I couldn't help but take a picture of

[00:19:42:270]	or have someone take a picture of me between

[00:19:44:252]	Celia and Sharron

[00:19:47:228]	Rush from Knowbility, two of the leaders in the Austin community.

[00:19:54:156]	That we've been closely involved with so.

[00:19:57:240]	- Yeah and the art show was, was amazing.

[00:20:01:102]	They had hor'Dourves.

[00:20:02:153]	They had live music.

[00:20:03:284]	The guy playing guitar that happen to use a wheelchair too.

[00:20:07:650]	- Yeah that was Wayne. - Yeah Wayne. Yup.

[00:20:11:165]	- In fact Wayne's got our closing music for the art show.

[00:20:16:300]	- Yeah. - And...

[00:20:17:310]	- Dave, we are oh so lucky to have Jordana with us.

[00:20:20:194]	- We are, she's an award winner.

[00:20:24:108]	- That's, that's right.

[00:20:25:174]	She won the Spark Award.

[00:20:27:180]	- The Spark Award.

[00:20:28:000]	- From VSA for her glasswork.

[00:20:31:207]	Now this is unusual,

[00:20:32:249]	we've talked to artist before who do painting.

[00:20:36:810]	But Jordana you're the first person we talked to

[00:20:39:600]	that works with glass.

[00:20:40:243]	- This called very is a.

[00:20:43:090]	A different way of working with art,

[00:20:46:180]	is a different kind of,

[00:20:49:294]	a different art form that I worked with before,

[00:20:53:195]	I love doing it.

[00:20:55:138]	- You know how did you get started?

[00:20:56:243]	- How I get started in the glasswork?

[00:21:00:330]	I was here, I lived here about six months

[00:21:05:221]	and couldn't find yeah (mumbling).

[00:21:10:810]	and I have a horse among other stuff that I was

[00:21:16:108]	trying to I just moved here and I no longer had a job.

[00:21:22:233]	And I need to find something for me to do.

[00:21:27:147]	And I was driving down where I live

[00:21:31:780]	not far and I was driving past it

[00:21:36:000]	and there was this studio that was

[00:21:39:262]	The Glasswork.

[00:21:41:167]	And so I went in, I talked to the guy to my instructor,

[00:21:47:164]	

[00:21:50:243]	sorry.

[00:21:53:231]	- Take your time.

[00:21:54:186]	Paul Tarlow, so I went in and heard of Paul and Karen

[00:21:59:560]	and they're the owners of the studio.

[00:22:02:150]	And they said to me this is something you can do

[00:22:07:900]	and I got involved with that and I've been working there

[00:22:12:510]	about 10 years now.

[00:22:14:177]	- Wow.

[00:22:15:185]	Just going into the studio--

[00:22:16:177]	- Just going in the studio.

[00:22:17:127]	- You found a new passion.

[00:22:18:297]	- Exactly.

[00:22:19:273]	- That's amazing. That is great.

[00:22:21:610]	- So it taught me in many different ways, so I'm very

[00:22:25:198]	happy to be there and they're great group of people

[00:22:32:141]	that are there.

[00:22:33:111]	It's more like a friendly community,

[00:22:35:296]	it's very family oriented.

[00:22:38:780]	I feel like a part of a group.

[00:22:40:246]	- Very cool. - So it's been really nice to

[00:22:43:180]	work with that.

[00:22:44:000]	With them and everyone at the studio.

[00:22:46:297]	So it's awesome doing that.

[00:22:48:216]	- Now when we were in the green room before we came out

[00:22:51:252]	here to the studio, you mentioned you just started

[00:22:54:168]	working with jewelry.

[00:22:56:350]	(mumbling) - Yeah.

[00:22:58:440]	I, when I was younger I did I had bead work.

[00:23:01:228]	So that's how I got into the glasswork with the necklace

[00:23:07:150]	piece design I'm wearing and then this is some of my work

[00:23:11:243]	Can I rea, that's really where the passion came from.

[00:23:16:197]	It's like I wanna learn how to work with it in a way that

[00:23:21:060]	was different than did bead work.

[00:23:23:273]	So I can combined the two of them together.

[00:23:27:252]	So--

[00:23:28:202]	- That is a beautiful necklace you're wearing.

[00:23:30:930]	- Thank you yeah. - This is pretty.

[00:23:31:121]	This is a fused glass art and it's a

[00:23:37:118]	

[00:23:39:980]	(mumbling) piece.

[00:23:40:168]	This is one of my favorite, I love working with (mumbling).

[00:23:45:600]	It's very shiny and very colorful,

[00:23:49:108]	I love as you can see

[00:23:52:300]	my outfit is very colorful and I absolutely love it.

[00:23:56:291]	- You are an artist.

[00:23:58:420]	- Yes I am definitely.

[00:23:59:990]	- Now you're also wearing a green necklace.

[00:24:04:150]	- A green, you mean (mumbling).

[00:24:06:281]	- Oh yeah what would you call it?

[00:24:07:231]	- That's why that's part of the dress.

[00:24:09:124]	- A statement piece okay then.

[00:24:10:740]	- A statement, these,

[00:24:11:490]	that's why the dress so.

[00:24:12:213]	- Okay.

[00:24:14:132]	Let's see what else you brought here.

[00:24:17:120]	- I've done.

[00:24:18:273]	this is another one I absolutely love is

[00:24:22:990]	this is called vitrigraph.

[00:24:25:240]	And what you do is you can pull a.

[00:24:29:198]	It comes out of hot kiln and it comes down and you get to

[00:24:35:510]	play with it hot.

[00:24:37:840]	So you can put that into, this is what it would look like

[00:24:42:720]	when it's fused together.

[00:24:44:540]	So there's many different ways of working with the glass

[00:24:48:291]	and have it get be very different.

[00:24:53:420]	So but this is really great of getting out of my shell and

[00:24:59:234]	being who I am.

[00:25:01:240]	And being happy about what I'm doing.

[00:25:05:480]	So.

[00:25:08:450]	- I'm sure some of the folks in our viewing audience

[00:25:10:168]	will be curious, you have a disability--

[00:25:13:167]	- (mumbling) Traumatic brain injury.

[00:25:15:213]	I was hurt when I was three years old,

[00:25:16:163]	I was hurt by a garage door.

[00:25:20:291]	It came down straight on my back and I couldn't walk.

[00:25:25:195]	I couldn't talk.

[00:25:27:174]	That's why I sound a little different is,

[00:25:32:177]	that I, I sound a little different because I had

[00:25:37:780]	extensive speech therapy from the age of

[00:25:43:152]	three to the age of 19.

[00:25:46:168]	I was in speech at least once a week.

[00:25:51:159]	But I had extensive therapy

[00:25:56:840]	throughout my life.

[00:25:57:228]	So I was at the hospital like once a week

[00:26:03:810]	to get physical therapy and then occupational therapy.

[00:26:07:195]	So a lot of this work is going back to the occupational

[00:26:12:480]	therapy because this is very much

[00:26:15:190]	what the therapist wanted me to do.

[00:26:21:165]	They wanted me to work with my hands and be able to pick

[00:26:26:420]	little things up.

[00:26:27:246]	Like when I first started out,

[00:26:31:240]	that I couldn't pick up a quarter.

[00:26:34:510]	So I gained a lot back through hope

[00:26:38:250]	with the help of

[00:26:42:120]	wonderful therapists.

[00:26:44:120]	But they're not gonna be back here in Texas,

[00:26:47:285]	they're back in Wisconsin.

[00:26:48:235]	So I lived in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for 30 years.

[00:26:54:232]	

[00:26:56:210]	So that was kind of what's.

[00:26:59:162]	- So now we're at this glass place here in Texas that

[00:27:03:195]	you went to.

[00:27:04:147]	- Yup.

[00:27:05:162]	- They weren't afraid of having you near--

[00:27:07:189]	- No--

[00:27:08:139]	- With the hot glass?

[00:27:09:880]	- They would be with me man I always,

[00:27:11:520]	I'm kinda nervous around this much glass,

[00:27:13:270]	glass in front of me because I shake and I don't

[00:27:16:135]	wanna drop it right?

[00:27:17:159]	- What so nice is I did bring a lot of it with me

[00:27:22:990]	but you can kinda see that with theirs is they have

[00:27:26:240]	bigger pieces of this and it's very easy to work with.

[00:27:31:440]	And it works so nice is they do,

[00:27:33:295]	you can do as much you want or you can like.

[00:27:38:182]	I wanna have a home studio,

[00:27:41:390]	the studio I work at is they

[00:27:44:210]	have all the kilns and you could work there and be in a

[00:27:50:105]	a nice environment and talk and have all different kind

[00:27:54:930]	of friends there.

[00:27:55:141]	But what's really nice is the environment

[00:27:59:150]	is so great for me and I feel like a a part of the group.

[00:28:04:283]	So and.

[00:28:07:291]	- So more than just physical occupational therapy--

[00:28:10:135]	- Exactly, it's--

[00:28:11:294]	- A mental therapy.

[00:28:12:244]	- Exactly and what's so nice is because I

[00:28:19:150]	do open eyes I guess I'm calling it

[00:28:23:153]	speaking advocate I'm working

[00:28:26:490]	through them and they then a really good organization for me

[00:28:31:204]	to be working with because

[00:28:34:228]	it's open me up to new friendships.

[00:28:38:103]	I was kind of quiet and I can only open up to

[00:28:43:720]	my family and friends.

[00:28:45:276]	And now I wanna fr, I would never lot of friends

[00:28:48:168]	when I was younger I just, it was just too hard.

[00:28:52:252]	It was really difficult to make friends because

[00:28:57:174]	I was so different.

[00:28:59:930]	And everyone in the

[00:29:03:660]	in my town knew my history so it was

[00:29:08:450]	very difficult to get away from it.

[00:29:11:222]	They would wonder, the adults would wonderful with me but

[00:29:16:201]	kids were kind of cruel.

[00:29:18:294]	- Kids can be rough sometimes. - Yeah

[00:29:20:117]	- Yeah - Kids can be really rough so.

[00:29:22:269]	- So how did you get involve with VSA?

[00:29:25:960]	- I was actually I would sell my artwork

[00:29:30:260]	and I needed some money so and I was,

[00:29:33:249]	my mother was looking through the newspaper and said there's

[00:29:37:234]	a organization called VSA and

[00:29:41:750]	she said, they are having a art show,

[00:29:44:156]	did you wanna go do that?

[00:29:46:165]	And so I went down, talked to April.

[00:29:50:144]	And April and I got talking about all my art

[00:29:55:210]	and she said we would love to have come in

[00:29:58:168]	and do the art show.

[00:30:02:660]	So I've been a part of that now for about nine years.

[00:30:06:143]	- And that's during the holidays right?

[00:30:07:220]	- That's during the holiday season.

[00:30:08:170]	- Yeah.

[00:30:09:120]	And they do sell 24/7 online.

[00:30:13:108]	I will give you guys a business card but I, you can go to

[00:30:19:030]	greenglass@hotmail.com

[00:30:21:216]	and that's where I'm located is

[00:30:26:720]	- Green Glass.

[00:30:28:243]	- Grand. - Grand.

[00:30:30:480]	- Grand glass.

[00:30:32:185]	- @hotmail.com.

[00:30:34:950]	- And that's how we can email you.

[00:30:35:213]	- That's how you can get ahold of me.

[00:30:37:165]	I will give you my business card when I leave.

[00:30:40:700]	- Okay.

[00:30:41:660]	And that's all that

[00:30:45:060]	you can find me that way and--

[00:30:46:122]	- Do you have a website?

[00:30:47:225]	- I have a website.

[00:30:48:231]	It's also same name.

[00:30:50:183]	- Okay.

[00:30:51:157]	So-- - mygrandglass.

[00:30:52:181]	- Exactly so.

[00:30:54:125]	- myGrandglass.com?

[00:30:55:294]	- Yup, .com.

[00:30:57:720]	- Okay.

[00:30:58:220]	- Now tell us about some of these big pieces here that--

[00:31:00:294]	- Big pieces okay I (mumbling).

[00:31:06:171]	When I'm sorry, I'm tryna think of what I'm going to say.

[00:31:10:153]	- That's okay.

[00:31:11:145]	- But this is a very special glass.

[00:31:15:162]	My, the studio I work at had a ten,

[00:31:20:168]	they been in business about as long as I been doing glass,

[00:31:25:111]	this is about 10 years they been in business so they.

[00:31:30:198]	The company that you get the glass from

[00:31:33:204]	made them a very special glass

[00:31:38:510]	and these really in the tie dye between the stuff

[00:31:41:255]	so this is their glass their special glass

[00:31:45:228]	for their birthday.

[00:31:46:240]	- Whoa. - So after 10 years

[00:31:49:150]	they made a special glass for them.

[00:31:52:570]	So that's what this is and it's pretty much all

[00:31:56:183]	the tie die look.

[00:31:58:210]	And under that I have som more pieces there

[00:32:03:129]	and then I have a,

[00:32:06:176]	this is kind, this is the most,

[00:32:11:102]	the mo, a lot of what I do I do a lot

[00:32:14:117]	of stock its called a staple.

[00:32:17:123]	And you put pieces on there and them

[00:32:20:240]	it fuses down and you can make this in any shape you want.

[00:32:24:272]	I rather do a two (mumbling).

[00:32:27:216]	So that's why I did with this

[00:32:30:750]	and I've got other the matching pieces

[00:32:32:150]	that goes with this so we.

[00:32:34:287]	This is one of my pieces I'm going to be keeping so.

[00:32:40:234]	- That one's not for sale.

[00:32:42:270]	- That one's not for sale but there's all different kind of

[00:32:46:159]	molds than different things and this is

[00:32:52:630]	another piece that I did that kind of like this stuff

[00:32:56:162]	again but its called Stringer and you just lay it on

[00:33:01:630]	and it's done in many different ways

[00:33:05:279]	and you could do it flat or long stem.

[00:33:12:102]	A lot of these processes.

[00:33:14:201]	This process was one step.

[00:33:18:171]	This was maybe one.

[00:33:20:219]	Those that (mumbling) is one that create this the

[00:33:26:480]	tie dye look was one step.

[00:33:29:162]	This piece that I'm going to be showing you that matches

[00:33:34:090]	that outfit.

[00:33:35:135]	This is a...

[00:33:41:132]	

[00:33:46:060]	I forgot the name of it but this piece was done four

[00:33:50:090]	different ways.

[00:33:50:259]	So I cut, I cut it out

[00:33:55:700]	so you make a big black

[00:33:58:219]	and you get to cut it down

[00:34:00:273]	and make it in a way that's very different

[00:34:04:213]	and this is how that was done

[00:34:08:730]	and then I go in and they have

[00:34:11:990]	a grinding area that you take these pieces when you not

[00:34:16:330]	this was like the last set but they was probably

[00:34:21:205]	six full nights so four different ways

[00:34:25:274]	of working with the glass.

[00:34:28:720]	So it was, this was done by (mumbling).

[00:34:32:750]	So you did different pieces each night and you got to

[00:34:37:219]	get this piece after you done and then you go in the

[00:34:40:258]	back and you grind it down and then you put it in a slump.

[00:34:45:279]	You slump it down.

[00:34:48:360]	So that's how this one was done.

[00:34:50:129]	And a lot of my jewelry

[00:34:52:213]	that this piece in particular,

[00:34:56:252]	that's how I was,

[00:34:58:090]	I was doing that is raw is

[00:35:01:125]	I put on these anyday pieces together

[00:35:05:182]	and fused that all together

[00:35:09:300]	and put texture so it's a clear glass

[00:35:14:127]	and tattered on the other stuff

[00:35:18:930]	and that gets fused on and if you like it,

[00:35:21:132]	you can cut that out and they have a cutting area.

[00:35:25:157]	They have a sandblaster.

[00:35:28:990]	They have all this different areas.

[00:35:30:100]	So you can go in and you can use that for what

[00:35:35:114]	half an hour and you pay for the time you're there.

[00:35:38:227]	But it's absolutely wonderful

[00:35:40:212]	To kind of immerse yourself in that work

[00:35:45:610]	and it's been a wonderful outlook for me.

[00:35:49:246]	- Well that's a an amazing story Dave she just driving by

[00:35:54:960]	this glass place one day. - Yeah.

[00:35:56:177]	- And thought she'll check it out and now it's become her

[00:36:00:102]	passion-- - Right.

[00:36:01:520]	It's amazing how people find their passions.

[00:36:06:440]	- And so she's very skilled.

[00:36:09:279]	I wish I had some talent like that.

[00:36:12:162]	But so you can also go to Jordana's website

[00:36:18:390]	and check out her other work but.

[00:36:20:192]	- Yeah or join in on the fun,

[00:36:22:300]	go to the glass gallery with them and

[00:36:24:248]	learn how to do glass yourself.

[00:36:27:192]	It may be your next true passion.

[00:36:30:241]	- Exactly

[00:36:31:191]	- Gene we keep talking about passion,

[00:36:32:282]	we need to do a show on passion someday.

[00:36:35:480]	- Oh what a great idea Dave.

[00:36:37:840]	- We'll have to do a show - Let's do that.

[00:36:38:900]	- on passion yeah.

[00:36:40:960]	And you know as we're talking about passions.

[00:36:44:273]	We can't forget about Glenn Towery.

[00:36:47:223]	- Oh Glenn Towery yeah.

[00:36:48:258]	- He was at the ceremony and we got talking to him about

[00:36:53:240]	how he copes with his PTSD through art.

[00:36:59:210]	

[00:37:00:102]	- Yeah, it's amazing.

[00:37:01:710]	Art is very therapeutic and so it help him,

[00:37:07:680]	

[00:37:08:750]	it helped his wife.

[00:37:09:294]	Interesting story.

[00:37:10:264]	You don't wanna miss that folks.

[00:37:12:165]	- Okay. - Okay.

[00:37:14:108]	- So Dave, when we were at the VSA Awards we happen to meet

[00:37:19:150]	Glenn Towery.

[00:37:20:240]	And then Glenn was telling me about

[00:37:22:102]	the artwork that does.

[00:37:23:285]	Glenn you're a disabled vet right?

[00:37:25:282]	- Yes I am, I am 100% disabled.

[00:37:28:050]	But my mind is not (laughing). - Except with two legs.

[00:37:31:370]	- That's good.

[00:37:32:500]	- And you've made some art.

[00:37:34:630]	You brought some art to the studio today.

[00:37:36:168]	What did you bring with you?

[00:37:38:180]	- I brought a painting of the 369th Regiment

[00:37:42:990]	from World War I.

[00:37:43:490]	It's called Ghost Patrol.

[00:37:46:120]	- Wow.

[00:37:46:262]	- And you know it's a painting that just shows the,

[00:37:50:198]	what these men went through when they served over in

[00:37:54:264]	France during World War I.

[00:37:56:225]	They were segregated unit, they didn't have a...

[00:38:00:201]	They were digging ditches for the longest and then some

[00:38:04:960]	French generals came over and saw them and saw them

[00:38:07:147]	working out and they were like what about those guys?

[00:38:09:285]	And Pershing said, "Oh those guys, you know, first time

[00:38:12:167]	"somebody shoots at them, they gonna cut and run."

[00:38:15:600]	But this is real American History because the French

[00:38:18:228]	general asked,"Well can we have 'em?"

[00:38:20:267]	They said yeah,"Oh yeah, sure you can have 'em, but they

[00:38:23:200]	"can't fight in American uniform you know if you're gonna

[00:38:25:299]	"to put them on the line, they won't be embarrassing us."

[00:38:28:149]	(laughing)

[00:38:30:120]	These guys turned out to become the most decorated regiment

[00:38:34:219]	in modern warfare history.

[00:38:36:720]	- Oh wow.

[00:38:37:180]	- So you're paintings have historical relevance as well as

[00:38:41:135]	well as artistic appeal.

[00:38:43:141]	- Absolutely, and you'll notice everything I paint

[00:38:46:282]	is a clock.

[00:38:48:180]	If it's not a clock, by the time I get through with it, it's a clock.

[00:38:51:104]	(laughing) - How did you get started

[00:38:53:620]	painting clocks with clock faces?

[00:38:55:210]	- Well it's very interesting.

[00:38:57:252]	My wife, she got breast cancer.

[00:39:02:030]	And when she got the diagnosis, my wife is a fantastic

[00:39:05:960]	artist, she really is and I knew how much joy that she got

[00:39:08:294]	from painting.

[00:39:10:380]	And so I wanted her to paint

[00:39:14:144]	to keep that joy up to help fight the cancer.

[00:39:17:141]	And she refused.

[00:39:19:111]	She said not, I'm concentrating on beating the cancer.

[00:39:23:540]	So if you wanna paint something, you paint it

[00:39:25:285]	but I'm not painting.

[00:39:27:360]	I hadn't painted at that time.

[00:39:28:204]	And so I was like wow, I was getting angry that she wouldn't

[00:39:32:171]	paint 'cause I wanted her to get well you know.

[00:39:35:900]	I was getting angry at the cancer and we had this clock up

[00:39:38:111]	in my den and I asked her one day I said,"Baby I said."

[00:39:40:264]	Trying to enc,

[00:39:41:214]	"Why this is interesting,

[00:39:42:212]	"why don't you paint a clock, paint this clock."

[00:39:44:203]	And she said no and don't ask me anymore.

[00:39:47:200]	- Wow. (laughing)

[00:39:48:294]	- So when she came home, you know because my wife worked

[00:39:53:150]	while she was having treatment.

[00:39:54:276]	- Wow. - We worked different

[00:39:55:226]	schedules.

[00:39:56:252]	I had taken that clock down and painted it.

[00:39:59:221]	And I put a lot of attitude into it to you know.

[00:40:02:103]	(laughing) - Alright.

[00:40:03:280]	- Said don't dare me to paint a clock, I'm gone paint this

[00:40:06:990]	clock--

[00:40:07:490]	- So what she think when she saw it?

[00:40:08:252]	- She had so much joy-- - Oh Great.

[00:40:12:145]	- She loved it so much, she talked about that painting

[00:40:15:219]	for hours and I said hmmmm, okay.

[00:40:21:159]	So she came home the next day, I had went and bought it,

[00:40:23:252]	painted another clock.

[00:40:26:105]	So she beat cancer and she's the joy and pride of my life.

[00:40:31:109]	She changed my life for me and.

[00:40:34:630]	- And you for hers apparently.

[00:40:35:217]	- Both of us right for each other.

[00:40:37:288]	And now, I am close to having painted 100 clocks.

[00:40:43:151]	- Wow.

[00:40:45:228]	- So the day next time someone says where does the time go,

[00:40:49:137]	you can tell them say Glenn's place.

[00:40:51:161]	- Yeah. - Yes.

[00:40:52:144]	Or you can look me up online just ask for

[00:40:55:205]	Art of Time that's my website. - Art of time.

[00:40:59:189]	- Art of time Glenn Towery and you can see all,

[00:41:03:183]	you can see about oh I say 80 of my clocks.

[00:41:07:420]	- Okay.

[00:41:07:292]	- So Dave we-- - So the Gene and Dave show

[00:41:10:570]	get the hundredth clock?

[00:41:11:194]	- Yeah of course. (group)

[00:41:12:249]	Would you paint a Gene and Dave show clock?

[00:41:14:251]	Or I can paint Gene and Dave.

[00:41:15:201]	- There you go.

[00:41:16:151]	One hundred clock.

[00:41:17:114]	'Cause I like to paint portraits too.

[00:41:19:111]	- That would be awesome we'd love that yeah.

[00:41:21:890]	- I can do that.

[00:41:22:450]	- Like Gene-- But you got to give me

[00:41:22:295]	a picture,

[00:41:24:030]	I paint from a picture.

[00:41:24:253]	- On a side of a hill-- (laughing)

[00:41:27:470]	I know tell me what you want.

[00:41:28:690]	You guys wanna be parachuting in your wheelchairs?

[00:41:32:640]	(laughing) - Oh there's a thought.

[00:41:35:520]	Well now you've got some more paintings you like to show us

[00:41:37:234]	Glenn, tell us about some of your favorite ones so we

[00:41:41:600]	can show 'em to the viewers.

[00:41:42:114]	- Well right now I paint in periods.

[00:41:44:234]	I'm kind of stuck on the Harlem Hell fighters because this

[00:41:47:204]	is the centennial-- - Glenn I'm sorry,

[00:41:49:164]	Harlem Hell Fighters--

[00:41:50:114]	- Harlem Hell Fighters, the 369 Regiment were called

[00:41:54:198]	the Harlem Hell Fighters.

[00:41:56:264]	That wasn't their real name.

[00:41:57:272]	The real name was the Harlem Rattlers and their emblem

[00:42:02:390]	looks like a rattlesnake about to bite.

[00:42:04:030]	- Oh. - Okay.

[00:42:04:294]	- But they were named the Harlem Hell Fighters from the

[00:42:07:291]	German Enemies that they fought.

[00:42:09:297]	They named them the Hell Fighters because every time they

[00:42:14:210]	fought them it was hell. - They were tough huh?

[00:42:15:185]	- Alright.

[00:42:16:168]	- I think, you know I wasn't there but--

[00:42:18:198]	- Yeah. - It only makes sense.

[00:42:20:138]	So but I painted another one the Harlem Hell Fighters

[00:42:23:199]	but I also I paint for my health.

[00:42:26:270]	Because I suffer from PTSD.

[00:42:28:168]	I'm a Vietnam combat veteran and I've discovered art.

[00:42:32:246]	I stopped, I been off my medications now

[00:42:35:270]	for two years and I substituted art.

[00:42:36:330]	And substituted art and for you veterans out there

[00:42:41:600]	and for you other people who have PTSD that's traumatic

[00:42:44:267]	but not war related,

[00:42:46:990]	art is a great way of processing what's going on inside

[00:42:50:147]	without medications or with less medications.

[00:42:54:390]	Depending on what you're needs are.

[00:42:56:210]	With me, it's been without.

[00:42:57:243]	And so--

[00:42:58:234]	- So Glenn can I ask you something kinda personal?

[00:43:01:116]	- Sure.

[00:43:02:660]	- I mean if you're, if you have the PTSD about war,

[00:43:07:183]	why would you paint pictures of war?

[00:43:10:470]	- Because--

[00:43:12:180]	- Doesn't that just bring it all up back--

[00:43:13:207]	Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:43:14:157]	- With you again

[00:43:15:107]	- Should be a unicorns and rainbows.

[00:43:16:237]	- Well here's the thing for me.

[00:43:17:273]	I served in the Navy.

[00:43:19:189]	So a lot of these paintings that I'm painting I haven't,

[00:43:23:860]	which is interesting.

[00:43:24:294]	I haven't painted anything Navy.

[00:43:26:243]	- Okay.

[00:43:27:193]	- Now I painted Army, Marine Corp, like but, nothing Navy.

[00:43:31:165]	- Okay, alright.

[00:43:32:236]	That makes sense. - So but I hadn't realize that

[00:43:34:252]	until you asked that--

[00:43:36:240]	- Really okay. - Question.

[00:43:37:105]	- So there's some form of avoidance think for me you know

[00:43:41:240]	from that standpoint. - Sure I would think there

[00:43:43:130]	would be.

[00:43:44:800]	I would think anything war, military related would

[00:43:47:720]	be avoidance but it's good that you, that you actually

[00:43:51:102]	do it.

[00:43:52:520]	Because it sparks conversations like this

[00:43:54:114]	and other people can know that you know they're not alone.

[00:43:57:275]	- Oh absolutely and I don't just paint war,

[00:44:00:270]	don't get me wrong.

[00:44:01:220]	I mean I paint a lot of things, I painted,

[00:44:05:114]	I do a lot of civil rights paintings.

[00:44:07:123]	I document history and people there.

[00:44:09:259]	I paint the things that are important to me were.

[00:44:12:279]	For me one of the things that I dealt with when I was in the

[00:44:15:228]	military, was I dealt with intense racism.

[00:44:18:105]	And so that becomes a release for me to paint,

[00:44:22:580]	to paint some of the stuff that historically that happened.

[00:44:27:000]	And but I also paint, I paint happy things, I paint you know

[00:44:30:330]	like this last painting I just did, is called

[00:44:33:210]	Art is healing.

[00:44:34:218]	- Alright.

[00:44:36:360]	- Bright for we can see it. (laughing)

[00:44:38:294]	- There you go, it's up on the screen right now.

[00:44:40:040]	- It's up on the screen.

[00:44:41:590]	And this painting is just about how you can

[00:44:45:226]	use art, any art to make you feel.

[00:44:49:231]	It's an abstract piece of art that I did,

[00:44:53:189]	and I painted it so fast.

[00:44:55:090]	Usually some of my paintings they may take me days,

[00:44:57:285]	a couple of days to paint.

[00:44:59:690]	- I painted this in a hour.

[00:45:00:294]	- Oh wow. - And it was a joy and I

[00:45:02:150]	talked about while I was painting it.

[00:45:04:590]	I talked about why I was painting this part of it

[00:45:08:230]	and that part of it.

[00:45:09:159]	And--

[00:45:10:147]	- Talk about it with who?

[00:45:11:200]	On video or?

[00:45:12:203]	- I talked about it on video with a guy who wanted

[00:45:16:297]	to come over and record me painting.

[00:45:19:102]	- Oh alright.

[00:45:20:102]	- So for another project,

[00:45:22:180]	I'm also with the Warrior chorus.

[00:45:24:192]	Have you heard of the warrior chorus?

[00:45:26:117]	- No, I haven't.

[00:45:28:510]	Have you Dave?

[00:45:29:620]	- No.

[00:45:30:780]	- It doesn't sound familiar.

[00:45:32:360]	Please enlighten us.

[00:45:33:186]	- Okay so, the Warrior chorus, it meets at the

[00:45:36:390]	University of Texas.

[00:45:37:940]	And it's a bunch of, it's a group of veterans

[00:45:41:156]	who have all experienced combat.

[00:45:45:150]	And one of the ways that we mitigate our feelings

[00:45:50:270]	is we do a performance.

[00:45:53:267]	Is based on Greek literature so what we do is,

[00:45:56:285]	we don't do Greek literature.

[00:45:58:720]	But we'll take a character like, I'm taking Achilles.

[00:46:01:278]	The god Achilles.

[00:46:03:174]	- Alright. - The Greek god.(laughing)

[00:46:06:210]	And I'm taking Achilles and I'm--

[00:46:07:171]	- I use Adonis for future reference.

[00:46:08:294]	- Oh good. (laughing)

[00:46:11:213]	- As long as your not Ajax.

[00:46:13:000]	What a character.

[00:46:14:330]	(laughing)

[00:46:15:117]	So if you haven't studied Greek, if you go look up some of

[00:46:18:480]	the terms, you'll understand what I mean by it.

[00:46:22:000]	Ajax was quite a character.

[00:46:24:207]	So what we do is put together at the end of the day,

[00:46:28:108]	we put together these shows.

[00:46:30:640]	Performances based on our experiences

[00:46:34:240]	out of what comes out of the workshop.

[00:46:36:217]	And so we'll be performing for the rest of the year.

[00:46:41:050]	The actual, we're in rehearsals right now for our shows.

[00:46:46:120]	And we have art, painting, singing, acting, dancing.

[00:46:51:510]	We even have a guy that is doing something with a

[00:46:53:287]	Samurai sword.

[00:46:55:148]	- It's all veterans?

[00:46:56:130]	- It's all veterans.

[00:46:57:170]	- Okay.

[00:46:58:120]	- It's all veterans.

[00:46:59:700]	- And can the public view this or is--

[00:47:01:132]	- Yes the public,

[00:47:02:156]	our next performance is going to be November 15th

[00:47:05:294]	at the Belmont.

[00:47:07:173]	So at the Belmont we're doing a fundraiser for the

[00:47:12:330]	AVA Fest.

[00:47:13:183]	Can I say that?

[00:47:14:133]	- You can, our show is rerun quite a bit so.

[00:47:19:690]	And some shows folks this time might already past.

[00:47:23:249]	- Okay.

[00:47:24:199]	- But still we can, if want more information on that

[00:47:27:850]	would we go to your webpage or you have a separate one

[00:47:30:198]	for the--

[00:47:31:148]	- We have a separate one, you can go to avafest.org.

[00:47:35:190]	avafest.org.

[00:47:37:201]	And what we're doing is we're showing veterans that they

[00:47:41:258]	can heal themselves through art.

[00:47:44:390]	That art promotes healing.

[00:47:46:390]	We have so many veterans right now that are on all kinds of

[00:47:49:293]	medications and you know, being a veteran that has suffered

[00:47:54:285]	with PTSD and been on medication.

[00:47:57:166]	I can tell you personally how it's very difficult when you

[00:48:02:270]	already feeling a form of depression and then when you

[00:48:05:510]	adding some kind of a narcotic effect to that,

[00:48:08:870]	how it sometimes it depends on the person.

[00:48:11:150]	But sometimes it's not the best result.

[00:48:14:264]	And for me was, it began to be like okay so I'm already

[00:48:19:990]	depressed now I am high, I'm high and depressed or you know.

[00:48:23:600]	And so now without having to take the medication by

[00:48:27:137]	substituting the art, my life is opening up for me.

[00:48:31:120]	And I feel a richer existence.

[00:48:33:124]	- That is awesome, that was really great.

[00:48:35:207]	- Art is your passion.

[00:48:37:990]	- Art is my passion and it's also my passion to share art to

[00:48:39:560]	to share with the veteran community, their family members

[00:48:44:255]	and other people who are suffering from traumatic events.

[00:48:47:246]	Try art.

[00:48:49:212]	- And your wife.

[00:48:50:161]	- And my wife--

[00:48:51:288]	- You cured her cancer through art

[00:48:54:186]	right? (laughing)

[00:48:55:136]	- Well she cured her cancer throughout but I was there,

[00:48:58:390]	I tried everything in li,

[00:48:59:300]	I was like Father, I just met this woman but I don't want

[00:49:02:186]	to lose her so, show me what to do and but she's been in

[00:49:07:192]	remission, she's been cured I like to say that.

[00:49:10:112]	She has been cured now for since 2010.

[00:49:13:232]	- That's great news! - Thank you.

[00:49:14:227]	- That's incredible.

[00:49:15:240]	- Yes. - Yes.

[00:49:16:252]	- Now Glenn have you had any formal training in art?

[00:49:21:204]	- Now art appears in myriad forms.

[00:49:25:135]	- Okay. - So

[00:49:26:242]	as a singer, writer, actor, yes.

[00:49:31:253]	- Okay.

[00:49:33:510]	- Now, that was taken away from me during a period

[00:49:35:107]	of my life and the only thing that was left for me

[00:49:38:198]	I thought that my artist days were over you know.

[00:49:42:660]	But the only thing that was left for me was to

[00:49:44:126]	try painting.

[00:49:45:760]	(group)

[00:49:46:123]	I actually said a prayer, I told my wife, I said,"Wow

[00:49:49:167]	"I can't act anymore, I can't direct anymore, you know these

[00:49:54:206]	"things because of my lifestyle and some other things that

[00:49:57:119]	"happened in my world, I couldn't do them anymore."

[00:50:00:123]	And I prayed and I said, "Lord you know I really love

[00:50:05:233]	"being an artist but I can't do it,

[00:50:08:242]	"can you provide something for me?"

[00:50:11:106]	I didn't mean for him to give my wife cancer.

[00:50:13:110]	(laughing)

[00:50:14:273]	I didn't mean that.

[00:50:15:223]	- The Lord works in mysterious ways, Glenn.

[00:50:19:230]	I know but then through that process,

[00:50:22:990]	I started painting clocks.

[00:50:25:213]	- That's awesome, very wonderful.

[00:50:27:840]	- And I looked it up,

[00:50:28:340]	I'm probably, I maybe one of the only

[00:50:33:310]	artist in the world who paints clocks

[00:50:37:201]	the way that I do.

[00:50:38:151]	But everything I paint is but if it's not already a clock,

[00:50:43:390]	it's gonna be a clock by the time I finish with it.

[00:50:46:390]	- Well let's take a look at a couple of these clocks.

[00:50:48:140]	Can you tell us about one or two of 'em?

[00:50:50:264]	- Okay so see what A few of the brave

[00:50:55:167]	is another like I said I'm going through this

[00:50:57:192]	military period.

[00:50:59:770]	A few of the brave deals with these men that you see here,

[00:51:03:193]	I got all of their names.

[00:51:06:144]	This is during World War I, they had just won the

[00:51:09:219]	Croix de Guerre which is the highest medal for valor

[00:51:13:289]	that the French give.

[00:51:16:171]	It's nine of them.

[00:51:18:360]	And there just in my mind I surmise they were given this

[00:51:23:270]	award and then they told us come on over here next

[00:51:25:243]	to this, this building over here or this ship, I can't tell

[00:51:29:192]	what it is that they're standing in front.

[00:51:31:600]	And they kneel down and they took this picture.

[00:51:34:490]	- Oh okay.

[00:51:34:298]	- In the picture, you know you can see each man's

[00:51:39:192]	personality, it's like it's etched on their faces.

[00:51:43:234]	Who they are and what they went through.

[00:51:46:114]	- Wow. - Yeah.

[00:51:47:740]	- In order to earn those medals.

[00:51:49:183]	You know war is not, war is a practice that as veterans

[00:51:54:113]	I always like to say,

[00:51:55:162]	veterans can help us to get rid of war.

[00:51:59:105]	Because they been there.

[00:52:01:123]	We call ourselves a modern society.

[00:52:04:144]	And for all intents and purposes, we are, I mean we got

[00:52:08:129]	elec, we've got computers, we've got lights, we got

[00:52:11:188]	you know conveniences like cars and ships and planes

[00:52:16:390]	that fly.

[00:52:16:289]	But we still have not evolved our nature.

[00:52:21:020]	- Yeah.

[00:52:21:260]	- You know we still practice this thing,

[00:52:25:180]	this ritualist killing of our youth in war

[00:52:30:810]	you know and we need to evolve beyond that.

[00:52:34:209]	- Yeah.

[00:52:35:159]	- We need to move to the next higher plane,

[00:52:38:162]	the next higher level and it's--

[00:52:39:298]	- Right.

[00:52:40:248]	- It's my hope, it's my desire,

[00:52:43:162]	it's my you know

[00:52:45:118]	- Passion? - My prayer.

[00:52:46:180]	My passion that we do so because this is a beautiful world.

[00:52:51:174]	And all these people on this planet are beautiful and they

[00:52:54:440]	deserve to live in a place that's more like heaven

[00:52:58:294]	than hell.

[00:53:00:126]	- Well said, I couldn't say- - That pretty much sums it up

[00:53:03:510]	for this episode.

[00:53:04:268]	(laughing)

[00:53:06:111]	- Glenn thank you so much being on our show.

[00:53:08:201]	- Gene--

[00:53:09:151]	- I do enjoy and all the veterans out there and non veterans

[00:53:12:260]	could learn a lesson about art from you and about

[00:53:16:135]	exploring you passion even if you don't have training

[00:53:19:108]	in art.

[00:53:21:300]	Maybe they, would you mind if they contact you personally?

[00:53:23:288]	- No.

[00:53:24:238]	They can contact me, I love it when veterans contact me.

[00:53:27:210]	And you can write me at avafestgtowery@gmail.com.

[00:53:33:207]	

[00:53:36:291]	Oh and visit to find out more about the Ava Fest fundraiser

[00:53:41:720]	that's coming up.

[00:53:42:720]	Visit www.avafest.org.

[00:53:47:720]	I hope to see you there.

[00:53:49:940]	- Glenn I hope you overcome your shyness someday.

[00:53:52:169]	(laughing)

[00:53:54:600]	- Thanks again.

[00:53:55:159]	- Well believe it or not, I was very shy

[00:53:57:162]	and then I met you two,

[00:53:58:129]	and look what you brought up out of me.

[00:53:59:276]	- There we go.

[00:54:00:249]	Yeah our passion follows through.

[00:54:03:216]	- Exactly.

[00:54:05:360]	- Thanks for being on.

[00:54:06:930]	- Thank you for having me.

[00:54:07:216]	You both very wonderful men, thank you so much.

[00:54:10:195]	- Thank you!

[00:54:11:145]	I appreciate it.

[00:54:12:228]	- God bless.

[00:54:13:178]	- God bless you.

[00:54:15:120]	- Bye.

[00:54:15:285]	- Amazing story.

[00:54:18:245]	♪ Standing on a mountain looking down on the city ♪

[00:54:22:120]	♪ The way I feel is a doggone pity ♪

[00:54:25:266]	♪ Teardrops fallin' down a mountainside ♪

[00:54:29:130]	♪ Many times I've been here, many times I've cried ♪

[00:54:33:280]	♪ We used to be so happy when we were in love ♪

[00:54:36:191]	♪ High on a mountain of love ♪

[00:54:40:211]	♪ Night after night I'm a-standing here alone ♪

[00:54:43:295]	♪ Weepin' my heart out till cold gray dawn ♪

[00:54:47:169]	♪ Prayin' that you're lonely and you come here too ♪

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