WLIW Arts Beat

WLIW Arts Beat - September 7, 2020
In this edition of WLIW Arts Beat, a society dedicated to the art of bonsai; creating one-of-a-kind costumes for the stage; an impactful bookstore that encourages children to come together and be inspired; a pipe organ rich with sound and musical history.
TRANSCRIPT
♪♪
♪♪
>> In this edition of
"WLIW Arts Beat"...
The bonsai tradition...
>> It's creating the image of a
large tree you would find
growing in nature in a pot that
you can maintain in your own
home.
>> Designing costumes for the
stage...
>> I think what's really special
about this organization is that
it was built on a culture of
yes.
If the artists can envision it,
we can manifest it.
>> Inspiring younger generations
through the written word...
>> Our mission is to foster
reading culture by exposing
children to the world.
So, we want to do that through
art, music, and picture books.
>> A pipe organ that
resonates...
>> The most unique feature of it
would be its size and to be able
to have the variety of sounds,
soft and loud.
>> It's all ahead on this
edition of "WLIW Arts Beat."
Funding for "WLIW Arts Beat"
was made possible
by viewers like you.
Thank you.
Welcome to "WLIW Arts Beat."
I'm Diane Masciale.
Bonsai is a Japanese art form
that has been around for
centuries.
Since the 1970s, the
Milwaukee Bonsai Society has
celebrated the tradition and
artistry of bonsai.
We head to Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
for the story.
♪♪
♪♪
>> Bonsai means "tree in tray."
So, anytime you have a tree in a
pot, officially it's a bonsai.
Where people say, "I have bonsai
in my yard," unless they are in
pots, that does not fit the
definition.
♪♪
>> The Milwaukee Bonsai Society
was started around 1970.
In fact, they're celebrating
their 50th anniversary.
It's probably one of the bigger,
more active clubs in the
Midwest.
And none of this you see here
would be possible without their
help.
The Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation
is an organization that was set
up to create, own, and maintain
a public bonsai collection here
at Lynden Sculpture Garden in
Milwaukee.
There are probably about 30,
32 trees in the collection.
As far as I know, it's the only
public bonsai collection in the
world that is in a dedicated
park facility.
♪♪
Bonsai is an art form.
It's a very, very old art form.
It uses living trees as its
media.
It's creating the image of a
large tree you would find
growing in nature in a pot that
you can maintain in your own
home.
The earliest recorded history we
have of the art form is about
800 A.D.
We think that the bonsai art
itself started probably in
China.
When the landlords would travel
around their property, they
would see a tree that they
liked, had some character.
They would dig it up, put it in
a pot, and put it in their
garden.
In about 1100, 1200 A.D., the
Chinese Buddhist priests were
going to Japan, and they took
their bonsai with them.
And so, that's where it got its
start, in Japan.
So, after World War II, when the
G.I.s were there, they began to
see the bonsai, and that's when
it started to become a worldwide
hobby, if you will.
You can use almost any tree for
bonsai.
Anything that has a woody trunk
can be used as a bonsai.
♪♪
>> What we like in bonsai, we
like to have a tree that looks
like a big, old, gnarly tree
with character.
And as I get older, I appreciate
that more and more.
>> The most common question is,
"Is it real?"
So, they look at them, and they
say, "How can that be real?
It's so small, compared to the
trees that you see out in
nature."
It's a regular tree.
If you planted this in the
ground, it would become a large
tree after some time.
They stay small because we keep
them in pots, and we trim the
roots and trim the top.
And that keeps them small, and
that allows them to get a very
large trunk while staying small.
>> Part of the art form and part
of the knowledge is figuring out
how you can get that tree at the
size you want it to look like an
actual tree so when somebody
sees it, they say, "Oh, yeah,
that's a tree," instead of
"That's a stump with a couple of
leaves on it."
>> You work with the tree.
You take what the tree gives
you, and you look at the shape,
and you decide sort of what
direction you'd like to go in.
The next thing you would do
would be to remove any dead
tree material.
There's dead leaves, dead
branches, and you have to decide
where in that mass is the art
that you want to bring out.
You would trim it, and then you
would wire it.
And you wire it to whatever
shape that you want it in.
>> We use some specialized tools
as far as cutting goes.
We use some concave cutters to
help heal wounds faster.
The Japanese-specific tools --
they're really made especially
for minimizing the damage to the
tree when you use them.
So, that's what we prefer to
use whenever we can.
>> We use wire as a training
device.
We use wire like a doctor uses a
cast.
We wrap it around a branch, and
we can move the branch and move
it around a little bit, twist
it, turn it, take it up and
down.
And as the branch grows, it puts
on more wood.
Then it will hold that position
when we take the wire off.
>> And this is always the
interesting part, when you put
the wire on, and then you go to
bend the branch, and you hope
that you don't hear a loud
cracking sound, which tells you
that you made a big mistake
somewhere.
♪♪
♪♪
But it is really quite
surprising, the extent to which
a properly wired branch can be
manipulated and moved.
♪♪
>> If I were to show this, I
would need to clean up a lot of
the foliage.
You'd like to see definite
layers in here, and we have some
of our bonsai artists who say
that we would like to see this
open so a bird can fly through
it rather than just having it
look like a big, old shrub.
♪♪
>> So, what do I need to do to
this tree now to get it to that
vision at the end?
And that might be three, four,
five years down the road.
So, even the most seasoned
bonsai artists and the most
experienced have the same
outlook.
It's "This is what I want the
tree to look like right now."
Next year, two years down the
road, it may change.
>> It's a living sculpture.
Bonsai's a living sculpture.
So, it's never really done.
And you want to maintain it.
If you want to keep the size the
same, then you have to prune it.
You will repot it every few
years.
>> These trees can only take so
much work that you do on them
at one time.
You can't pot a tree and trim a
tree too much all at once.
Otherwise, the tree might not
live.
It's not something that you're
gonna finish in a day.
This is a long-term adventure.
♪♪
>> We make a cut today hoping
that tomorrow it will do
something, and it will grow into
the shape that we want it to
grow into.
Bonsai artists are always
working with the future.
♪♪
>> Discover more about the
Bonsai Society on their
website...
And now the artist's quote of
the week...
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In Colorado, the Denver Center
for the Performing Arts tells a
variety of stories on stage.
In this segment, we go behind
the curtain to see how costumes
are made for their productions.
Take a look.
♪♪
>> I love telling stories.
And I think it's so much fun
that I get to come to work every
day and play make-believe and
dress-up, so...
[ Laughs ]
>> This is one of nine
costume-storage rooms that we
have here.
On this side are women's
costumes.
The other side are men's
costumes.
You know, ladies' 5 to 5 1/2s
are all in this section and
labeled and men's 10s and men's
11s are all right here.
Also, this is just our show
rack.
When we're building a show, the
actor has a nameplate with their
name on it, and the costumes
that actor will wear are
directly behind the garment bag.
>> I think what's really special
about this organization is that
it was built on a culture of
"yes."
If the artists can envision it,
we can manifest it.
♪♪
When you first start thinking
about a show, you're thinking
about the design, the visual
design of the whole thing, and
that's all tied into the core of
the story.
"A Doll's House," the
original -- that's the one that
I'm working on -- I wanted it to
happen in 1879, when it was
written.
I wanted it to be photographic.
>> Sometimes we shop things.
Sometimes we thrift things.
Usually for contemporary shows,
we tend to kind of shop in
thrift so it looks more
authentic.
For period pieces, there's not
a store that sells things for
"A Doll's House."
So, we're fortunate to have the
skills of our costume shop to
build more of our period pieces.
>> I will, once I fit this, do a
whole bunch of hand-stitching to
make sure that this all stays
in place.
>> When we build a costume from
scratch, we work with a team of
people.
It really does take a village.
♪♪
The process for designing an
entire production starts about
six to nine months before we
even hit the stage.
>> The costumer will bring you
renderings, sketches of the
costumes.
>> This is the sketch that
Meghan has done, and this is the
skirt, the overskirt, for that
sketch.
>> And then we talk to a team of
drapers, who make women's
clothes, or tailors, who make
men's clothes.
And they kind of figure out how
to translate that
two-dimensional drawing into a
three-dimensional outfit.
>> We do the patternmaking.
We do all the fitting.
We have to figure out how to
make an actual garment from the
page to an actual person.
>> So, they'll do a mock-up,
which is basically like a rough
draft in an inexpensive cotton
fabric called "muslin," and we
fit that to the actor and make
all the changes in the rough
draft, essentially.
>> Easy to work with --
inexpensive is the key.
>> And then we make it out of
the real fabric.
So, it takes a few steps, but
that's how we get the great
product that we do.
>> It's actually quite
comfortable.
>> One of the most fun moments
in the process is when you
actually see the costumes on
stage on the set for the first
time because that's the first
time that the whole visual
world comes together, and it
feels like you're actually
stepping into the story.
>> I'm sorry.
I-I've just become so bitter.
I have to think about myself
all the time.
>> I love seeing it happen from
page to stage, all my work up
there on the stage, helping to
tell a story.
>> Nora, believe me.
This will be the best thing for
you.
>> We do keep all of our
costumes because they're a huge
investment, and it's kind of fun
to repurpose garments from
another show and give them a new
life in a different show five,
ten years down the line.
>> There are very few costume
departments in the country that
can equal what the
Denver Center can do.
>> The Denver Center has always
been kind of this, like, beacon
of arts and things like that,
and so, this really is a
dream come true to get to work
here and be part of this
incredible place.
>> Find out more about the
Denver Center for the Performing
Arts at...
Now here's a look at this
month's fun fact...
♪♪
♪♪
Lorielle J. Hollaway wanted to
create a bookstore where
children could come together,
learn about the world, and be
inspired.
And she did just that.
In this segment, we go to
St. Petersburg, Florida, to
check out her bookstore,
Cultured Books.
♪♪
>> In college, I took a class of
anthropology, and I did not know
what it was about, but it was
like a course with public
speaking, and I had to take
public speaking.
During taking that class, I just
realized, like, if everybody
took anthropology, the world
would be a better place, more
empathetic, like, take a
holistic approach to just
differences.
My professor at the time, she
encouraged us to get out in our
communities.
So, as a class, we went to
city council meetings.
During all of the community
events and things, I was like,
"What is my piece?"
So, I was like, you know, "I
feel like making a change,"
because adults, how they
perceive the world and how they
see others, I feel, is already
set.
But we can get people while
they're young.
So, I was like, "We can get it
through books because that's how
advertisers get children and how
just media gets children."
I want to counter the message
with just showing and displaying
positive messages of people of
color.
That was my piece of activism.
That was why, it's like, "I'll
start there."
>> "My heart fills with
happiness when I feel the sun
dancing on my cheeks."
>> "Hey Black Child" was one of
just the bookstore's favorite
books.
People love to have it read just
because of the affirmations in
it.
>> "Hey, black child, do you
know where you're going --
where you're really going?"
You do?
Where you going?
[ Laughter ]
"Do you know you can learn what
you want to learn if you try to
learn what you can learn?"
>> Another book is
"Black Girl Magic," which is
written and illustrated by two
local sisters,
Lauren and Lailah Lord.
People love to hear that read
because of the affirmations, as
well.
>> "I see a wonderful person
with the ability to be and do
great things.
I see an awesome, intelligent,
magnificent wonder looking at
me.
I see the endless possibilities
that lie within me."
>> ♪ But they're really saying,
"I love you" ♪
♪ I hear babies cry
♪ I watch them grow
♪ They'll learn much more
than I'll ever know ♪
♪♪
♪♪
>> We hold summer-camp field
trips.
We have a book club that meets
the second and fourth Sunday of
the month.
We've taken a break for the
summer, but usually it's the
second and fourth Sunday of the
month.
We read a book.
It's a multigenerational book
club.
So, it's not just for kids, and
it's not for adults.
We want everybody to come just
so when we discuss the books we
have, we can really evaluate all
perspectives.
♪♪
♪♪
I would like to have, like, you
know, open mics for children,
too, not just adults but more
children read their own poetry,
because there's a lot of writers
that are young.
Some they don't know it, and
then some they do know it.
So, just to keep them to
progress in what they already
are doing and what they're
passionate about.
>> "Rise up this morning.
Smile with the rising sun."
"Three little birds pitch by my
doorstep, singing sweet songs
and melodies, pure and true,
saying, 'This is my message to
you.'"
"Don't worry about a thing,
'cause every little thing is
gonna be alright."
♪♪
♪♪
>> Most of my books, 90%, it's a
person of color on the front
page so that people can find
books for their children.
Our mission is to foster reading
culture by exposing children to
the world.
So, we want to do that through
art, music, and picture books.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
People are surprised that there
are so many different books
about people of color and that
they're not all about struggle.
We can have fun, too.
So, we have a lot of books
that's just, you know, people of
color living their lives.
I think the highlights is just
the people who come into the
bookstore, and they're like,
"Oh, my goodness.
This is here," or "It's so
needed."
♪♪
♪♪
>> And here's a look at this
week's art history...
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
If one enters the doors of
Westminster Presbyterian Church
in Dayton, Ohio, they will get
to experience the Casavant
organ.
Dedicated in 1963, the pipe
organ contributes to the
church's strong musical history.
Have a listen.
>> Located on the corner of
Wilkinson and First Street,
Westminster Presbyterian Church
is home to a unique part of
Dayton history.
The Casavant organ, known for
its array of sounds, colors, and
pitches, is the largest
remaining pipe organ in the
city and is deeply rooted in
the church's musical history.
>> The first organ was put in
in 1926.
It was an E.M. Skinner organ
of about 3,000 pipes.
It lasted until 1962.
It was evidently a very encased
organ.
The sound did not get out well
into this large room, and they
made the decision to completely
buy a new organ.
Casavant has always been through
the years one of the top organs
built.
There are lots of builders who
make beautiful instruments.
At the time they purchased this
Casavant organ, they looked into
other companies, and they just
felt that this was the best-made
at the time.
>> Robert M. Stouffer,
Westminster's organist and
choirmaster at the time,
traveled to the Casavant factory
in Quebec.
Working closely with the
company, Mr. Stouffer auditioned
the organ, making sure
everything met the church's
specifications before it was
shipped to Dayton.
>> So, the organ was installed
in 1962, dedicated in January of
1963.
It's comprised of two organs --
the Chancel organ, which is
up front.
In the choir loft, that's the
main organ of four keyboards for
the hands, one for the feet.
And then one keyboard back in
the balcony, or the gallery, as
we call it -- two keyboards for
the hands and then a pedalboard
for your feet.
And all the pipes, front and
back, can be played from
up front, but back in the
gallery, only the gallery organ
can be played.
The first organ had 3,000 pipes,
the Casavant, 7,000 pipes.
>> This is one of the original
stops from the original organ.
>> They're arranged in what you
call "ranks."
A rank is a set of pipes that
has a particular sound,
particular color, particular
pitch.
And they're arranged in
122 ranks in this organ.
The most unique feature of it
would be its size and to be able
to have the variety of sounds,
soft and loud and really loud
sometimes.
You actually make an organ
sound by piling pitch upon
pitch.
Eight-foot pitch, which means
that the pipe is going to be
8 foot in length, makes the same
pitch as if you went to play the
same note on the piano.
Four-foot pitch, playing the
very same note, automatically
plays it an octave higher.
Two-foot pitch, two octaves
higher and so forth.
There are 220 stop knobs that
one uses to pull out to make
sounds.
There are then buttons that can
be preset with those knobs so
the organist can readily make
a change quickly.
There are 32 notes that you play
with your feet, usually the bass
part, but not always.
Sometimes they're higher
pitches, and you play the tune
with your feet.
The largest pipes are 32 feet
long, and they're actually on
their side in a chamber.
And the smallest pipe would be
the size of your pinkie.
There's a great, big fan or a
great, big blower in the front
in a room that receives filtered
air, and there's also another
fan or blower in the balcony,
in the gallery, and that blower
runs air through the lungs of
the organ, called "reservoirs."
And then the air is up
underneath every single pipe of
the organ, and all you have to
do is press a key, and there it
is.
It plays.
The instrument has pipes that
are cantilevered out into the
choir loft, which makes the
sound of the organ very clear
and crisp.
And then there are shutters in
rooms behind those cantilevered
pipes, and you can control
expression with those by the
means of a pedal that we use,
the organist uses, that opens
and closes shutters, like you
would open and close a Venetian
blind.
In 2002, a new console was
placed in the choir loft, and
renovations have gone on for a
long time with this instrument.
It's a large instrument and
always in need of something.
We have capable organ
technicians that are always on
call and here frequently because
the bigger the house you live
in, the more you're gonna have
go awry, and the same thing goes
with the organ, either in
tuning, or some mechanism isn't
working quite right.
[ Tone plays ]
>> Okay!
>> You got to lower it.
>> They tune it by changing the
length of the pipe.
Certain pipes have a little
collar at the top, and so they
have a mechanism they use to
make the collar go up or down,
and they tune it.
They have a beating reed inside
the pipe, and there's a wire
that is up against that reed,
and they raise the wire up or
down to tune.
Impact that the organ has on the
church is extensive.
The people are delighted to have
an organ that has substance to
it, that has variety to it, and
also an organ that will attract
nationally known organists to
play.
And, also, we use our local
organists to play noonday
recitals in October and May.
And so, it's had a wide impact
on this community and the
church.
>> That wraps it up for this
edition of "WLIW Arts Beat."
We'd like to hear what you
think, so like us on Facebook,
join the conversation on
Twitter, and visit our web page
for features and to watch
episodes of the show.
We hope to see you next time.
I'm Diane Masciale.
Thank you for watching
"WLIW Arts Beat."
Funding for "WLIW Arts Beat"
was made possible
by viewers like you.
Thank you.
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