NEIGHBORS episode

WOMAN: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND MEXICO IS THIS STORY THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH, FLOWS BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THIS LINE, FOR CENTURIES.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH] [WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH] MAN: A LOT OF MY WORK DEALS WITH BORDERS AND IMMIGRATION.

THERE'’S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CRIMINALS COMING HERE.

NOT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.

WOMAN: THERE IS A GROUP OF YOUNG ARTISTS IN TAXCO THAT ARE CREATING WORKS OF ART IN SILVER.

THESE PIECES ARE HAND-WROUGHT, AND THEY HAVE SPECTACULAR DESIGNS.

DIFFERENT WOMAN: EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE WORKSHOPS IS INSPIRED IN NATURE.

WE TRY TO REINTERPRET THAT ORGANIC FEEL TO SOMETHING SO STIFF AS METAL.

MAN: THERE'’S A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM THE MEXICAN CULTURE IN MY WORK, BUT SOME OF US SEE OURSELVES AS BEING FROM BOTH THE U.S. AND MEXICO AND MAYBE NOT HAVING TOO MANY DISTINCTIONS.

WOMAN: THE WORKS BEGAN TO BE NARRATIVE, AND THEY BEGAN TO TELL OUR STORIES, ONES THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH] ["THE SIMPLE THINGS" PLAYING] CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY CRAFT IN AMERICA, INC. ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CRAFT IN AMERICA" WAS PROVIDED [DOG BARKING] MAN: I'’VE BEEN IN FRONT OF ARTWORKS, AND I'’VE HAD REALLY POWERFUL EXPERIENCES.

IT HOLDS ME THERE, IT MAKES ME WONDER.

THERE'’S A CONNECTION, I THINK, BETWEEN WORKS OF ART THROUGH DIFFERENT TIMES.

I THINK THEY PROBABLY COME FROM THE SAME SOURCE.

THERE MIGHT BE A RIVER OR SOMETHING, AND THIS RIVER OF CREATIVITY IS WHAT CONNECTS THESE ARTWORKS TOGETHER, AND SO IF MY WORK COULD DO THAT FOR JUST ONE BIT FOR SOMEONE, I THINK I'’D BE HAPPY WITH THAT.

MY WORK CAME OUT OF A QUESTION OF, "WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING TO THE TABLE?

"WHAT'’S NEW TO THIS 10,000 YEARS OF CERAMIC HISTORY?"

A QUESTION THAT WAS SEEKING SOMETHING THAT WAS AUTHENTIC, SOMETHING THAT WAS MY OWN, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE NEW.

I STARTED DRAWING ON OBJECTS THAT I MADE, AND THE OBJECTS AND THE NARRATIVES HAD A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP.

IT WASN'’T NECESSARILY TO TELL A STORY, BUT TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF A STORY.

AND SO TO DO THAT, I WENT BACK TO WHERE I FELT MOST ALIVE.

I WAS BORN IN OAXACA.

I LIVED THERE UNTIL THE AGE OF 10.

MY FRIENDS AND I, WE ALL SPENT OUR DAYS OUTSIDE ALL DAY, YOU KNOW, JUST PLAYING IN THE STREET.

SO IN '’89, I CAME HERE TO LOS ANGELES.

DID THE SAME THING HERE, SPENDING ALL DAY OUTSIDE PLAYING.

THE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE PROBABLY NOT THE BEST NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE OUTSIDE ALL DAY.

IN MY TEEN YEARS, INSTEAD OF GOING TO SUMMER CAMP OR SUMMER SCHOOL, WE WOULD SPEND OUR DAYS MESSING AROUND IN THE STREET, DRINKING BEER, GETTING INTO FIGHTS, YOU KNOW?

EVENTUALLY, YOU GROW UP.

YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE MAKING THE WRONG CHOICES, AND YOU DECIDE TO MAKE OTHER CHOICES, SO I ENDED UP IN COLLEGE, NOT FORGETTING WHERE I WAS COMING FROM.

I HAVE A GREAT LOVE FOR MEXICO, AND THERE'’S A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM THE MEXICAN CULTURE IN MY WORK, BUT SOME OF US SEE OURSELVES AS BEING FROM BOTH THE U.S. AND MEXICO AND MAYBE NOT HAVING TOO MANY DISTINCTIONS.

MAN: THIS ONE'’S A LITTLE STIFF, MORE STIFF THAN THE OTHERS.

- IS IT?

- YEAH.

GERARDO: IS IT?

NOT THAT, NOT THAT.

YEAH.

MAN: THERE YOU GO.

YEAH.

I LIKE FIGHTING WITH MY WORK.

IT'’S NOT ALL PLEASANT.

IT'’S NOT ALL PRETTY.

SOMETIMES I GO IN THE STUDIO AND I'’M NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT'’S GOING ON, AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO FIGHT WITH MY WORK.

MY GOAL IS JUST TO KEEP IT ALIVE.

THEY DON'’T MAKE THEM LIKE THE USED TO.

I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO MAKE A FORM THAT HAD SOME INTERESTING TEXTURES, SOME INTERESTING MOVEMENTS BECAUSE THE IMAGES ARE GOING TO BE INVITED BY ALL THESE STRUCTURES.

I SPEND TIME WITH THE FORM AS IT'’S DRYING.

I'’LL START THINKING ABOUT WHAT IMAGES COULD EXIST IN THIS FORM.

I DON'’T THINK I DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I'’M GOING TO BECOME AN ARTIST, BUT MY CHILDHOOD, THERE WAS ALWAYS A CREATIVE SIDE OF ME, AND I THINK I CARRIED THAT CREATIVITY INTO MY TEEN YEARS THROUGH GRAFFITI.

SO AS A KID, IN A SENSE I HAD AN ARTISTIC PRACTICE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT OR NOT.

MY EARLIEST WORKS WERE INFLUENCED BY BLACK AND WHITE PRISON DRAWINGS AND THE RICH PICTORIAL IMAGERY OF THE GREAT MEXICAN MURALISTS.

THIS PIECE ACTUALLY STARTED WITH THIS LITTLE GUY, WITH THAT LITTLE IMAGE.

I KNEW THAT WITH THIS FORM I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH RESILIENCE, AND SO THIS COYOTE, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS COYOTE, HOW IT CAN SURVIVE, AND THEN OTHER IMAGES THAT HAS TO DO WITH RESILIENCE AND SURVIVAL AND GROWTH AND OVERCOMING AND RESISTANCE CAME ABOUT.

I WANTED TO LIVE LIFE ACCORDING TO MY OWN SORT OF-- I DON'’T WANT TO SAY RULES BUT DETERMINATIONS, SO THIS SENSE OF AUTONOMY, WHERE DID IT COME FROM?

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MORE AND MORE.

WELL, IT CAME FROM THE PATRIARCHY I GREW UP IN-- UNDER--HEADED BY MY GRANDFATHER.

IN HIS YOUTH, HE WAS A FAMOUS BULL RIDER, FEARLESS, RIGHT?

HE WAS THE SAILOR OF HIS SHIP, BUT WITH THAT, I THINK ALSO CAME THE IDEALS OF THE PATRIARCHY, IDEALS OF MASCULINITY THAT WERE OUTDATED.

THEY DIDN'’T MAKE SENSE IN THE WORLD THAT I WAS LIVING OR THAT I WAS CHOOSING TO LIVE IN.

SOME OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH HONOR, WITH VALOR, BEING FEARLESS, BUT OTHERS ARE NOT SO POSITIVE.

I HAVE AN IMAGE OF MY UNCLE LOOKING INTO THE PATIO WHERE I USED TO PLAY.

HE'’S PARALYZED NOW.

HE WAS BEATEN QUITE VIOLENTLY AND MAYBE LEFT FOR DEATH BECAUSE HE WAS GAY.

WITH THIS PIECE, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THOSE VERY SOMEWHAT VIOLENT ATTITUDES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH A MASCULINE IDENTITY.

AS KIDS, MY COUSIN AND I WERE EXPECTED TO HELP PEOPLE SACRIFICING A GOAT, BUT OF COURSE, WE COULDN'’T FLINCH, SO THEY WOULD GIVE US A SHOT OF MEZCAL TO WASH AWAY OUR FEAR.

AND SO I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ATTITUDE OF HOW YOU SUPPRESS CERTAIN EMOTIONS SUCH AS FEAR, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ART IS THE PERFECT VEHICLE TO EXPRESS IDEAS THAT MAYBE YOU CANNOT EXPRESS WITH WORDS.

THE CREATIVITY I INVEST IN MY WORK, IT'’S SIMILAR TO THE CREATIVITY I INVEST IN TEACHING.

I GET THIRSTY WHEN I TALK, SO I HAVE TO KEEP DRINKING TEQUILA.

[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, WATER, WATER.

GERARDO, VOICE-OVER: FOR ME, IT'’S NOT ONLY TEACHING THE MATERIAL, THE TECHNIQUES OF CLAY, THE SAFETY INVOLVED, BUT ALSO, IT'’S ABOUT OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES, DOORS OF CREATIVITY.

I MEAN, WHO ISN'’T FASCINATED BY CLAY, RIGHT?

ONCE YOU SEE SOMEBODY USING THIS LUMP OF DIRT AND MAKING SOMETHING ON THE WHEEL, IT'’S SOMEWHAT MAGICAL.

GERARDO: AND I'’M GOING TO SQUEEZE, AND I'’M GOING TO FOLLOW THE CLAY.

I DON'’T THINK CLAY HAS ANY NATIONALITY, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'’S A MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS BY PEOPLE BEFORE THERE WERE EVEN NATIONS.

AND SO I THINK WHEN PEOPLE LEARN TO WORK WITH CLAY, THEY ACCESS SOMETHING THAT IT'’S VERY HUMAN, SOMETHING WHERE SKIN COLOR OR NATIONALITIES OR POLITICAL BELIEFS OR RELIGION OR GENDER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, YEAH?

BUT REALLY, HONESTLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF CERAMICS IS JUST TO, LIKE, DO THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL IT'’S PERFECT.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH] GIRL: I STARTED PLAYING WITH CLAY SINCE I WAS, LIKE, A YEAR OR TWO YEARS OLD.

SOMETIMES I HELP WITH SIMPLE THINGS BECAUSE I'’M JUST PRACTICING HOW TO DO IT FOR THE WORK.

IN THE FUTURE, I WANT TO STUDY FOR BEING A DOCTOR LIKE MY PARENTS, BUT I MAY CONTINUE WITH THE CLAY, EVEN IF IT'’S NOT MY PROFESSION ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IT'’S GOOD TO KEEP THE TRADITIONS.

[MAGDALENA SPEAKING SPANISH] [CARLOMANGO SPEAKING SPANISH] WOMAN: OUR MISSION IS TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE FOLK ARTS OF OAXACA.

WE FOCUS ON THE YOUNG ARTISTS, 30 AND UNDER, TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THE ABILITY AND THE CONFIDENCE TO CONTINUE TO DO THEIR CRAFTS, AND WE RUN CONTESTS FOR YOUNG ARTISTS THROUGH THIS MUSEUM.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH] [MAGDALENA SPEAKING SPANISH] [CARLOMANGO SPEAKING SPANISH] MAN: COMING FROM A MEXICAN BACKGROUND, I COME FROM A CULTURE THAT WORKS WITH YOUR HANDS.

THAT'’S SOMETHING THAT GETS PASSED DOWN.

IT'’S INGRAINED IN YOUR DNA.

WHEN I DISCOVERED GLASS, I REALIZED THAT I WAS GONNA BE DOING THAT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

THE PROCESS OF GLASS IS VERY FASCINATING.

YOU BASICALLY GO FROM A POWDER TO A LIQUID AND THEN TO A SOLID.

I'’M WORKING ON A NEW BODY OF WORK RIGHT NOW THAT'’S CHILDREN RUNNING OR CONGREGATING AROUND A PINATA, WHICH IS NORMALLY SEEN AS A CELEBRATION.

THE PIECES ARE REFERENCING REFUGEE CHILDREN.

REFUGEES ARE TRYING TO ESCAPE PERSECUTION OR VIOLENCE, SO THE IDEA OF WHEN YOU'’RE A LITTLE KID AND YOU'’RE HITTING A PINATA, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT WHAT'’S IN THAT PINATA.

IT'’S HOPE.

I USUALLY WORK ON PARTS.

SO I'’LL MAKE A HEAD, I'’LL MAKE THE ARMS, I'’LL MAKE THE SHIRT, I'’LL MAKE THE PANTS AND SHOES, AND THEN WE ATTACH THEM HOT.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE HAVING 4 FEET OFF OF A BLOWPIPE.

IT TAKES A LOT OF SKILL AND TECHNICAL ABILITY, SO WORKING WITH A SKILLED TEAM IS VERY IMPORTANT.

GIVE ME A LITTLE AIR, PLEASE.

KIND OF HARD.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: IT ALSO REQUIRES A VERY WELL-EQUIPPED GLASS STUDIO, AND CORNING IS ONE OF THE SHOPS IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN GO AND MAKE SOMETHING INCREDIBLE.

JAIME: GOOD.

MAN: WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY IN THE STUDIO HERE FOR ARTISTS TO MAKE BIG WORK, TO REALLY PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT THEY WOULD TYPICALLY DO.

JAIME GUERRERO'’S WORK IS DEFINITELY VERY TECHNICALLY CHALLENGING.

ANYTIME YOU BRING MULTIPLE COMPONENTS TOGETHER, IT'’S ANOTHER RISK.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: SO NOW I'’M GONNA OPEN UP THE NECK AND START WORKING IN SOME DETAILS, THE EYES, THE NOSE, THE MOUTH, LITTLE BIT OF THE EARS.

TO MAKE THESE PIECES, I UTILIZE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT I'’VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS.

SOME OF THEM ARE ACQUIRED FROM STUDYING WITH PINO SIGNORETTO, THE MASTER ITALIAN ARTIST.

THERE'’S TECHNIQUES THAT BILLY MORRIS USES A LITTLE BIT, WHERE YOU GO INSIDE THE BUBBLE AND YOU PUSH OUT THE DETAILS FROM THE INSIDE OF THE BUBBLE.

SOME OF THESE TOOLS ARE CUSTOM-MADE, SO THERE ARE TOOLS THAT HAVE, LIKE, LITTLE BALLS AT THE END OR LITTLE SHAPES TO DO THE NOSES OR EARS, BUT I ALSO USE YOUR REGULAR KITCHEN UTENSILS.

THERE ARE SOME KNIVES THAT I'’VE FOUND THAT HAVE REALLY NICE SHAPES ON THE BACKS THAT I COULD SHAPE LITTLE AREAS OF THE FACE WITH.

I USE A FORK A LOT TO KIND OF COMB THE HAIR AND DRAW SOME HAIR IN THERE.

SO IT'’S PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO GET THE EFFECT YOU WANT.

ERIC: CORNING ISN'’T RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY FROM LOS ANGELES, SO IT'’S GREAT WHEN JAIME COMES OUT HERE TO WORK WITH US, RECOGNIZING THE CAPABILITY OF THE SHOP AND THE TEAM.

JAIME: BEING FROM CALIFORNIA, SOME OF THE GUYS WERE MAKING FUN OF ME BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BLIZZARD AND I ASKED, "WHAT EXACTLY IS A BLIZZARD?"

JAIME: HOLA.

BUENOS DIAS.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: I'’M MEXICAN AMERICAN.

I WAS BORN HERE IN BOYLE HEIGHTS ACTUALLY.

MY PARENTS ARE FROM MEXICO, FROM A STATE CALLED ZACATECAS, AND THEY COME FROM A LONG LINEAGE OF MEXICAN CHARROS, WHICH IS COWBOYS, MEXICAN COWBOYS.

A LOT OF MY WORK DEALS WITH BORDERS AND IMMIGRATION AND AN ATTEMPT TO HUMANIZE PEOPLE MIGRATING.

THERE'’S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT SAYS THAT A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE TERRORISTS OR THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE CRIMINALS COMING HERE.

NOT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.

THE "FARM WORKER" EXPRESSES AN IMMIGRANT THAT CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO FIND WORK, BUT HE BECOMES CRIMINALIZED.

SO IN HIS ARMS, THERE ARE WORDS THAT SAY, "NI AQUI NI ALLA," WHICH MEANS "NEITHER HERE NOR THERE."

I FEEL THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME HERE TO FIND AN HONEST LIVING AND TO WORK HARD, AND THEY'’RE BEING LOOKED DOWN UPON.

IT'’S AN IMPORTANT PIECE FOR ME BECAUSE MY PARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS.

THEY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO WORK AND FIND A LIVELIHOOD AND CREATE AN HONEST LIVING FOR THEMSELVES.

MAN: WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE BOYLE HEIGHTS RENAISSANCE, BUT THE CREATIVE ENERGY HAS BEEN HERE ALL ALONG, AND A LOT OF HISTORY DOES INVOLVE PEOPLE WITH WORKING-CLASS SYMPATHIES, BUT THE POLITICS WAS ALWAYS MARRIED IN MY MIND TO SOMETHING CREATIVE, EITHER MURAL PAINTING OR COMMUNITY THEATER OR POETRY OF LIBERATION.

ONE OF THE FIRST SCULPTURES THAT I SAW THAT JAIME MADE WAS A PAIR OF COMBAT BOOTS.

AND THE UNSPOKEN TRUTH, VERY POIGNANT AND VERY MOVING, WAS HERE WAS A YOUNG BLACK OR LATINO KID FROM ONE OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO'’D BEEN SENT OR WHOSE ONLY OPTION WAS TO JOIN THE MILITARY, BUT THIS IS ALL THAT WAS SENT HOME.

THIS IS ALL THE MOTHER AND NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO HAD LOST HER SON, HAD TO REMEMBER HIM BY.

I DON'’T THINK I'’D EVER LOOKED ANYTHING MADE BY HAND THAT MOVED ME AS CLOSE TO TEARS AS THOSE EMPTY, UNLACED COMBAT BOOTS MADE OUT OF GLASS, AND THAT'’S AN EMOTIONAL DEPTH THAT MOVES JAIME GUERRERO'’S WORK FROM CRAFT TO FINE ART.

JAIME: YEAH.

OK. COME OUT.

KEEP IT TURNING.

GO BACK TO THE BENCH.

JUST KEEP IT TURNING.

WHEN YOU SIT DOWN, YOUR RIGHT HAND IS OFF THE RAIL EVERY TIME.

I DON'’T WANT TO SEE IT OVER HERE OR OVER HERE BECAUSE IT'’S GONNA BE REAL EASY FOR YOU TO BURN YOURSELF FROM THERE, OK?

NO.

KEEP IT--KEEP YOUR HAND ON THERE.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: GLASS BLOWING IS A VERY EXPENSIVE MEDIUM TO WORK WITH, SO IT'’S NOT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, AND THERE'’S VERY FEW PEOPLE OF COLOR WORKING IN GLASS, SO I HAVE MADE IT A PERSONAL DUTY TO SHARE THIS RESOURCE WITH UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

MAN: NORMALLY, THESE THINGS ARE NOT IN THE PLAN FOR US.

IT'’S EITHER SPORTS OR IT'’S MUSIC.

THAT'’S OUR ONLY TWO OPTIONS WHERE WE LIVE, SO TO HAVE THIS IN MY LIFE IS LIKE A BLESSING.

IT MAKES ME WONDER THE LEVEL WHERE I CAN PUSH MYSELF TO IF I JUST STICK WITH IT.

JAIME: GO AHEAD AND SIT DOWN.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: THE LESSONS OF WORKING WITH GLASS ARE LESSONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOUTH THAT HAVE VERY LITTLE RESOURCES, LIKE WORKING AS A TEAM, WORKING TOGETHER AND BUILDING CONFIDENCE.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HIGHLY VALUABLE FOR A 12- TO 14-YEAR-OLD IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY THAT SEES VIOLENCE EVERY DAY.

JAIME: GOOD.

THAT'’S IT.

HOLD ONTO THE PIPE.

DON'’T BURN YOURSELF.

WOMAN: GLASS IS VERY MYSTERIOUS FOR MANY PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH WE'’RE SURROUNDED BY IT IN OUR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT.

WHEN YOU PICK UP A JUICE GLASS TO DRINK YOUR ORANGE JUICE IN THE MORNING, YOU DON'’T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT HOW IT WAS SHAPED THE WAY IT WAS.

WITH THE AMPHITHEATER HOT SHOP AT THE CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS, WE ENABLE OUR VISITORS TO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'’RE LOOKING AT IN THE GALLERY, BECAUSE THEY'’VE SEEN SOMEONE PROD, PUSH, SHAPE, PULL, MOLD, DO MIRACULOUS THINGS WITH THIS MATERIAL THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN HANDLE.

JAIME: IT'’S A LOT OF PREPLANNING IN MY MIND HOW THESE PARTS ARE GONNA GO TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT'’S EVERY IMPORTANT.

SO NOW WE'’RE PREPARING FOR THE SHIRT TO PUT ON THE-- ACTUALLY IT'’S A SWEATER THAT WE'’RE GONNA PUT ON AND THEN HEAD, THEN HANDS, THEN HAIR.

SO THAT'’S THE ORDER.

YOU CAN'’T JUST THROW SOMETHING TOGETHER.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO PLAN.

JAIME: UP.

AND THE SHIRT HAS TO SLIDE OVER THE PANTS, AND IT HAS TO BE THE PERFECT SIZE.

JAIME: OK. TORCH IT.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: THE WRIST HAS TO BE THIS BIG TO BE ABLE TO SLIDE INTO THIS SLEEVE, AND WHEN YOU'’RE WORKING WITH SOMETHING THIS SIZE AND WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS... MAN: DOOR.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: IT BECOMES SUPER, SUPER COMPLEX.

SO WHEN YOU CONNECT ALL THE COMPONENTS, THE TIMING OF YOUR TEAM AND THE TIMING OF THE HEATING HAS TO BE PRECISE.

MAN: OPEN THEM UP, OPEN THEM UP.

OPEN THEM UP.

BOB, COME AROUND HERE AND OPEN THEM UP.

AGH!

I GOT IT.

COMING OUT, COMING OUT.

YEP.

JAIME: WE GOT CLEAN?

MAN: YEAH.

WE'’RE GOOD.

THAT WAS A GOOD LONG FLASH.

JAIME: WHEW.

FLIP.

WOMAN: WHAT MAKES JAIME GUERRERO'’S WORK UNIQUE IS THE WAY THAT HE'’S USING SCULPTURAL GLASS TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF RACE AND IDENTITY AND POLITICS, AND IN PARTICULAR, HE IS USING THE FRAGILITY AND THE CLARITY OF GLASS TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE OFTEN CONCEALED, LIKE THE LIVES OF IMMIGRANTS AND OTHER MIGRANTS COMING OVER THE BORDER.

WE DON'’T OFTEN SEE THEM, BUT IN RENDERING THEM IN GLASS, HE'’S ALLOWING US TO BOTH SEE AND NOT SEE THEM BEFORE US.

JAIME, VOICE-OVER: TO ME, CLEAR GLASS IS THE ESSENCE OF WHAT GLASS IS.

IT'’S THE GLASS IN ITS PUREST FORM, WITH NO COLOR, WITH NO DECORATION OR ANY SURFACE TEXTURE OR ANYTHING.

IT'’S JUST-- IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND THERE'’S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT THAT.

AND I THINK THERE'’S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT HAVING A SCULPTURE ALMOST DISAPPEAR.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK A LITTLE HARDER TO SEE THE SILHOUETTE.

KAROL: THESE ARE WORKS THAT SPEAK TO PEOPLE ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LEVELS BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'’RE LIVING IN A VERY TURBULENT TIME RIGHT NOW, AND WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF ART BEING PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THAT.

JAIME: PROCESS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THE IDEA IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO PUTTING IT INTO A SOCIAL CONTEXT.

I THINK IT'’S IMPORTANT FOR ARTISTS TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE AREN'’T TALKING ABOUT, TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'’S A LOT TO BE SAID.

WOMAN: TAXCO IS A PHENOMENON.

IT'’S AN ARTISTIC PHENOMENON.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WERE MINING SILVER HERE IN TAXCO BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS, AND IN THE 16th CENTURY, HERNAN CORTES TURNED OVER THIS REGION TO HIS TWO SONS.

THE PERIOD RIGHT AFTER THE REVOLUTION IS PRETTY MUCH A QUIET TIME IN TAXCO.

THE MINES WERE NOT AS PRODUCTIVE, AND THERE WASN'’T A LOT OF ACTUAL SILVER-MAKING IN THE TOWN ITSELF.

WILLIAM SPRATLING ARRIVED IN '’31, AND EVERYTHING CHANGED.

WILLIAM SPRATLING STARTED HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE AS AN ARCHITECT IN NEW ORLEANS.

HE WAS INSPIRED TO COME TO MEXICO TO DO DRAWINGS OF COLONIAL BUILDINGS AND WRITE ARTICLES IN BOOKS ON THIS ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE THAT WAS TAXCO.

HE PUBLISHED A BOOK IN '’31, BUT THE PUBLISHER RAN OUT OF MONEY, SO HE MADE NO MONEY, AND HE WAS AT WITS'’ END ABOUT HOW HE WAS GONNA LIVE, AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO HIM THAT HE SHOULD USE THE SILVER COMBINED WITH HIS INCREDIBLE ABILITY AS A DRAFTSMAN AND DESIGN JEWELRY AND HOLLOWWARE.

SO HE FOUND A COUPLE OF GOLDSMITHS, AND THEY MADE VERY, VERY SIMPLE DESIGNS.

THE SUCCESS WAS ENORMOUS.

BY 1938, HE HAD 150 PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM, AND HE HAD EXPANDED BEYOND SILVER TO INCLUDE FURNITURE, TINWARE, COPPER, RUGS, AND TEXTILES.

HE CHOSE AS HIS MODEL AND INSPIRATION PRE-COLUMBIAN ART.

THIS HAS HAD ENORMOUS INFLUENCE IN THE VISUAL ARTS OF MEXICO AND IN PARTICULAR IN TAXCO, AND IT'’S NOT LIKE THEY JUST MAKE QUETZALCOATL HEADS.

IT'’S THEY TAKE VARIOUS MOTIFS AND EXPAND UPON THEM.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH] PENNY: SPRATLING REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE DAY-TO-DAY OVERSEEING OF THE WORKSHOP ITSELF.

HE WAS ALWAYS THERE, BUT HE TURNED IT OVER TO THE MAESTROS.

IT WAS THE PEOPLE IN THE WORKSHOP WHO HAD CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

THE FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DID THE PRODUCTION OF THE SILVER, IN A WAY, BROUGHT LIFE TO THE CONCEPTS OF THE REVOLUTION.

[A. JORGE SPEAKING SPANISH] [SON SPEAKING SPANISH] PENNY: THESE PIECES ARE HAND-WROUGHT, THEY ARE BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED, AND THEY HAVE SPECTACULAR DESIGNS.

MANY OF THESE YOUNG DESIGNERS COME WITH DEEP ROOTS IN THE TRADITIONS OF TAXCO.

[WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH] [EZEQUIEL SPEAKING SPANISH] JORGE.

[CARMEN SPEAKING SPANISH] [JORGE SPEAKING SPANISH] - OK. - ¿VALE?

JORGE: SI.

[CARMEN SPEAKING SPANISH] [JORGE SPEAKING SPANISH] [CARMEN SPEAKING SPANISH] [WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH] CRISTINA: EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE WORKSHOPS IS INSPIRED IN NATURE.

IT'’S BASED ON THESE ORGANIC, WONDERFUL FORMS THAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE SEA OR IN THE JUNGLE, AND WE TRY TO REINTERPRET THAT MOVEMENT AND THAT ORGANIC FEEL TO SOMETHING SO STIFF AS METAL.

MY MOTHER EMILIA CASTILLO REDISCOVERED THIS TECHNIQUE OF FUSING PURE SILVER DIRECTLY ONTO THE PORCELAIN.

WE MAKE THE MOLD.

IT GOES IN TO BE GLAZED, AND THEN IT'’S TAKEN UP TO APPLY THE SILVER.

IT'’S VERY LABORIOUS WORK.

THERE'’S ABOUT 13 OR 15 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF THIS PIECE.

[EDUARDO SPEAKING SPANISH] PENNY: WHAT SPRATLING GOT STARTED EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING WAY BEYOND ANYTHING HE COULD HAVE DREAMED UP.

TAXCO BECAME THIS INCREDIBLE DESTINATION FOR MANY INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTS.

MY GRANDPARENTS HAD THE FIRST TOURIST HOTEL IN TAXCO.

THE HOTEL TAXQUENO REGISTER SHOWS ROCKEFELLER SIGNED IT, PEOPLE LIKE GEORGE GERSHWIN, LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI, AND MAE WEST.

THE ARTIST HOWARD COOK PAINTED A MURAL IN THE HOTEL TAXQUENO.

HE SAID, "WOULD YOU MIND IF I PAINT SOMETHING HERE AT THE HOTEL?"

AND MY GRANDMOTHER SAID, "SURE," AND SO HE PAINTED A MURAL ON THE WALL OF THE TAXQUENO.

WHEN HOWARD COOK WAS GIVEN THE COMMISSION TO PAINT THE WPA MURAL IN THE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, POST OFFICE, ONE OF HIS MODELS IS MY GRANDMOTHER.

MANY OF THOSE ARTISTS WHO LATER PARTICIPATED IN THE WPA MURALS ACTUALLY PAINTED MURALS HERE IN MEXICO BEFORE GOING BACK TO PAINT IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERESTIMATE THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTION OF THE 3 GREAT MURAL ARTISTS OF THE 20th CENTURY IN MEXICO-- DIEGO RIVERA, DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS, AND JOSE CLEMENTE OROZCO.

THE MURALISTS HERE IN MEXICO CREATED A SINDICATO, OR SYNDICATE, AND THEY ONLY WOULD TAKE WORKMAN'’S WAGES, THE IDEA BEING THAT THEY WERE NOT SOME FANCY ARTISTS.

THEY ACTUALLY WERE WORKERS.

THIS CONCEPT WAS NOT LOST ON THE ARTISTS WHO CAME DOWN HERE.

GEORGE BIDDLE WENT BACK AND SPOKE TO FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT ABOUT THE IDEA, AND DURING THE DEPRESSION, THE CONCEPT OF THE WPA WAS FORMED TO PAY SOME SALARY TO ARTISTS IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES TO PAINT MURALS.

THESE WPA MURALS DEPICT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THAT COMMUNITY.

THOSE MURALS ARE NOW A PART OF THE STORY OF THAT COMMUNITY.

WOMAN: I WENT INTO ART SCHOOL, AND I WAS TRAINED IN ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM.

IT WAS THE 1970s.

THAT'’S THE WAY PEOPLE WERE TRAINED.

I LEARNED THE GESTURE AS AN IMPORTANT MARK.

I LEARNED ABOUT COLOR AND OP ART THEORY, SO I GOT GOOD COLOR THEORY, AND WHEN I WAS GRADUATING, IT WAS A BIG CELEBRATION.

THE FAMILY CAME TOGETHER, AND MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE SAID TO ME IN SPANISH, "SO OK, MIJA.

WHAT DO YOU DO?"

SO I SHOWED HER THIS PORTFOLIO, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SAW IT THROUGH HER EYES, AND THEN I REALIZED IT HAD NO MEANING, HAD NO MEANING TO HER.

I WAS ACTUALLY PERFECTLY EQUIPPED TO SPEAK TO NOBODY I KNEW.

HEH.

SO I ACTUALLY BEGAN TO THINK QUITE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT MY ART, AND VERY QUICKLY, THE WORKS BEGAN TO BE NARRATIVE, AND THEY BEGAN TO TELL STORIES THAT WERE OUR STORIES, ONES THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD, AND THEY BEGAN TO BE SCALED, AND THEY BEGAN TO TAKE UP SPACE, AND THEY BEGAN TO MAKE POWERFUL STATEMENTS ABOUT A NEW THOUGHT ABOUT WHO WE WERE.

SHE WASN'’T ALIVE TO SEE THE FIRST MURAL THAT I DID, WHICH WAS A PORTRAIT OF HER.

IT WAS NOT AN EXACT PORTRAIT, BUT IT WAS A GIANT BAND SHELL IN BOYLE HEIGHTS IN HOLLENBECK PARK IN WHICH HER ARMS ARE OUTSTRETCHED IN A CIRCULAR BAND SHELL SPACE CALLED "MI ABUELITA."

JUDY: DON'’T YOU THINK WE CAN GO FROM THAT WHITE SMOKE AND THIS ALMOST LIKE SKY-WRITING.

MAN: RIGHT.

JUDY: AND THEN YOU COULD BE-- THEN YOU GO TO SNOW.

MAN: YEAH.

JUDY: WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT WORKING ON TWO SEGMENTS OF "THE GREAT WALL."

[WOMAN SINGING IN SPANISH] WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL THE WAY FROM PRE-HISTORY TO THE 1950s IN A HALF-A-MILE-LONG MURAL.

WE'’RE CONSTRUCTING THE HISTORY OF THE 1960s AND THE 1970s.

WE'’RE LOOKING AT UNDERREPRESENTED EVENTS OF AN INTERPRETATION OF A TIME FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUNG PEOPLE, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WOMEN, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF NATIVE AMERICANS, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LATINOS.

REMEMBER, EVERY TIME YOU'’RE LOOKING AT THIS THING, IT'’S 10 FEET.

MAN: MM-HMM.

JUDY: AND WE'’RE LOOKING AT 3 FEET BELOW.

MAN: MM-HMM.

JUDY: YOUR VIEWERS ARE AT 70 FEET ACROSS.

THAT GUY HAS A BABY IN HIS ARMS.

MAN: YEAH.

JUDY: YOU KNOW?

THEY'’RE OCCUPYING ALCATRAZ, AND THEY HAVE THEIR FAMILIES WITH THEM.

STARTING ABOUT 1970 AND 1971, I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES MURAL PROGRAM, AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS CALLED ME UP ONE DAY AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED OUR BUILDING PROJECT."

THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAD BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY CONCRETING THE RIVERS OF LOS ANGELES.

WHAT THEY HAD WAS A REACH OF WHAT THEY CALLED THE TUJUNGA WASH.

IT WAS AN AREA THAT THEY WANTED TO CREATE A PARK ALONG, AND SO I THOUGHT, "WOW," AND I SAID, "HERE'’S WHAT I WANT TO DO.

"I WANT TO BRING KIDS FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES.

"I WANT TO CREATE ONE MURAL THAT'’S "A NARRATIVE WORK, "AND I WANT IT TO BE ON THE HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA."

IMAGINE NOBODY IN THE ARTS THOUGHT THIS WAS ART.

THEY THOUGHT I WAS A GANG MEMBER FIRST, AND THEN THEY THOUGHT I WAS A GANG WORKER, AND THEN I WAS A TEACHER, BUT NONE OF THEM BASICALLY SAID, "THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ARTWORK."

IT IS A CONCEPTUAL WORK THAT HAS AT ITS NATURE THE TRANSFORMATION, ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST THOUSAND FEET OF "THE GREAT WALL" WAS DONE ALL IN ONE SUMMER.

I HIRED 10 ARTISTS TO WORK WITH ME, AND I GAVE EACH ARTIST 100 FEET TO DESIGN AND 10 KIDS TO WORK ON EACH OF THOSE CREWS.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR IT TO HAVE ANY CONTINUITY, SO AFTER THE FIRST 1,000 FEET IS WHEN I THINK IT BECOMES A REAL MURAL.

I'’VE GONE TO THE TALLERA SIQUEIROS, AND I'’VE ACTUALLY LEARNED ABOUT COMPOSITIONAL DESIGNING INTO ARCHITECTURE AND TRANSFORMED THE WAY THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE.

THESE GUYS SHOULD BE HERE.

I THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE ALCATRAZ BE REALLY LARGE.

MAN: OK. JUDY: AND, UH... MAN, VOICE-OVER: THE LINES THAT SURROUND THE IMAGES ARE DIVIDED UP INTO GOLDEN RATIO.

THE DIVISIONS OF SPACE ARE ACTUALLY BASED ON THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE, SO WHAT IT LETS US DO IS CREATE THESE DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS LONG SECTIONS OF THE MURAL.

WHAT THIS IS REPRESENTING IS 30 LINEAR FEET, BUT THE MURAL THAT WE'’RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH IS 360 LINEAR FEET, SO SOME OF THOSE LINES COULD ACTUALLY PIN DOWN THE COMPOSITION ACROSS THAT ENTIRE DECADE, SO WE LOOK FOR REALLY IMPORTANT MOVEMENTS IN THE DRAWINGS, AND IT ALSO HELPS US BY INSPIRING SOMETHING ELSE, ANOTHER COMPOSITION, MAYBE, OR IT HELPS US EVEN TRANSITION FROM ONE PARTICULAR SEGMENT TO ANOTHER.

JUDY: I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO HUNDREDS OF DRAWINGS JUST TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, AND NOW WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT THIS WAY AND THEN ACTUALLY FINALIZE WITH COMPOSITIONAL INTENT.

- OK. CARLOS: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- SEND TO PRINT?

JUDY: I LIKE IT A LOT.

I THINK THAT'’S A GOOD START.

LET'’S TAKE IT TO PRINT, AND LET'’S DO SOME DRAWING ON IT.

CARLOS: AS YOU GO IN, YOU CAN FILL THOSE IN, SO THIS WOULD BE QUINACRIDONE.

PERFECT.

CARLOS, VOICE-OVER: PART OF OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN REALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE METHODOLOGY THAT JUDY CAME UP WITH IN "THE GREAT WALL OF LOS ANGELES" PROJECT IN WHICH WE WORK IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE EXPERIENCES AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF A COMMUNITY, AND WE INCORPORATE THEIR WORK AND THEIR STORIES, THEIR ORAL HISTORIES, THEIR IDEAS, AND WE ELEVATE THEM INTO PUBLIC ARTWORKS.

OUR LEGACY OF THESE WORKS BOTH IN HOW WE'’RE TRAINED AS ARTISTS AND ALSO IN HOW WE THINK OF WHAT ART COULD DO IN COMMUNITY, THIS IS REALLY IN MANY WAYS CONNECTED TO THE TRADITION OF LOS TRES GRANDES, THE MEXICAN MURALISTS.

JUDY: WHEN I STOOD ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER, I BEGAN TO IMAGINE THAT IF YOU COULD DISAPPEAR THE RIVER, HOW MUCH EASIER WAS IT TO DISAPPEAR THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE, AND AS I BEGAN TO LOOK AT HISTORY, I HAD BEGUN TO SEE THAT WE HAD AT OUR VERY BASE A STORY THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TOLD... JUDY: RUBEN GETS MURDERED.

AND THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS SYSTEMATICALLY DISAPPEAR.

JUDY: THAT IMAGE.

THAT IMAGE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

CARLOS: HE'’S HOLDING NIXON.

JUDY: THAT'’S GOT TO GO RIGHT HERE SOMEWHERE.

WHERE?

THE LAST 1,740 FEET ARE THE BEST WORKS.

THEY BECOME MORE COMPLEX.

IT BECOMES FUNNIER.

I FIND MY SENSE OF HUMOR IN THE PROCESS, BECAUSE THE HISTORY OF RACE IN AMERICA IS REALLY TOUGH TO LOOK AT.

AND I DIDN'’T WANT THIS REALLY TERRIBLE STORY.

I WANTED TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS THE TRIUMPHS OF PEOPLE OVER REALLY ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHAT WAS THE TRUTH?

TELL THE TRUTH.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SEE HOW PEOPLE TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES REGARDLESS OF WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES THEY CAME OUT OF, AND THAT WAS REALLY THE STORY OF "THE GREAT WALL."

JUDY: I HAVE AN IDEA.

WE RUN A PERSPECTIVE POINT SOMEWHERE, MAYBE HERE AND GOING OUT TO THESE POINTS.

CARLOS: MM-HMM.

WELL, AND MAYBE WE TAKE IT AND WE HIT THIS MARK HERE.

JUDY: THAT WOULD CARRY US ACROSS.

CARLOS: SOMEWHERE LIKE HERE--OH, LOOK AT THAT.

JUDY: LINE UP OUR BODY.

YEP.

CARLOS: YEP.

JUDY: THEN THAT SOLVES AND--[SNAP]--SNAPS IN.

THESE WILL GO INTO RENDERINGS, AND THEN THEY'’LL BE REFINED, AND THEN THEY'’LL BECOME BLUEPRINTS, AND THEN THEY WILL BECOME COLORATIONS, AND THEN THEY WILL BECOME WHAT BECOMES THE MURAL.

LONG PROCESS.

[WOMAN SINGING IN SPANISH] THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND MEXICO IS ONGOING, THIS STORY THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH, FLOWS BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THIS LINE, FOR CENTURIES.

WE'’RE MUTUALLY DEPENDENT, AND I ACTUALLY THINK IT'’S SO IMPORTANT FOR US AS ARTISTS TO VISUALIZE FOR PEOPLE THE CONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN US, AND MAYBE THAT'’S WHAT MY WORK--ALL OF MY WORK HAS BEEN ABOUT, THE CONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN US AS PEOPLES AND PLACE AND THAT MEMORY RESIDES IN THE LAND.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEARN TO HEAR IT, TO PUT YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND, AND IT COMES RIGHT UP OUT OF THE GROUND.

WOMAN: MAKING THINGS WITH YOUR HANDS WATCH ADDITIONAL VIDEO ONLINE, INCLUDING MORE INTERVIEWS AND ARTISTS AT WORK, PLUS, VISIT A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION OF OBJECTS FROM AMERICA'’S LEADING ARTISTS.

VISIT "CRAFT IN AMERICA" AT PBS.ORG.

THIS EPISODE OF "CRAFT IN AMERICA" IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.

THE "CRAFT IN AMERICA" DVD COLLECTION, WHICH INCLUDES PAST SEASONS, IS ALSO AVAILABLE.

TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG OR CALL US AT 1-800-PLAY-PBS.