>> ART IS REALLY SEEING MORE THAN IT IS PAINTING.

OR THE STYLE OF ART THAT I LIKE IS BEING ABLE TO SEE.

AND SEE WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

FAIRLY QUICKLY.

MY NAME IS T.J.

CUNNINGHAM, AND I AM AN IMPRESSIONIST ARTIST.

I ALWAYS LOVE TO REALLY DRAW AND SCULPT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT'S HOW I RELATED.

IF I BECAME INTERESTED IN SOMETHING, I WOULD MAKE LIKE A THREE DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF IT.

SO THAT'S ALWAYS HOW I RELATE.

I DIDN'T REALLY THINK OF IT AS BEING AN ARTIST, IT WAS HOW I WAS SHOWING MY INTEREST IN THE WORLD.

AND THEN RELATING TO THINGS THAT I AM INTERESTED IN THROUGH CREATIVITY, ATLANTA ART, IF YOU WILL, CHANGED IN COLLEGE BECAUSE I FELT ABSOLUTELY, FELL IN LOVE WITH OIL PAINTING.

>> I WILL DO THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

I LIKE THE WAY ALL THESE PAINTS LOOK ON THE PALETTE, YOU KNOW.

IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD TO STUDY WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH VERY FEW COLORS, BUT I HAVE A BLAST WITH MANY.

>> I FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN PAINTING ORONDIAMONDBACKS ON A DAY THAT I QUIT, JUST SORT OF LIKE OKAY, I AM GOING TO GO OUTSIDE AND PAINT.

SO I WENT OUTSIDE AND I ALWAYS FROM MY HOUSE PAINTED TO THE EAST, BUT THAT DAY I WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THEM THINKING THOSE ARE SO INTERESTING TO LOOK AT, AND THIS IS SORT OF AN ADVENTURE TO ME.

THIS IS A PLACE THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH, AND IT FEELS SO MUCH MORE WILD.

THERE IS GOING TO BE, I THINK, IN THESE PAINTINGS, SOMETHING A BIT MORE DRAMATIC.

THE COLOR AND THE EDGES, AND GIVEN THE FORM OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN SEE AND UNDERSTAND.

THERE IS SO MUCH ABOUT ART THAT'S BEYOND, BEYOND WORDS, BEYOND EXPLANATION, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER, SO I HAVE TROUBLE PUTTING THINGS INTO WORDS BUT TO BE ABLE TO RECORD AN EXPERIENCE.

IT'S LIKE TAKING NOTES.

THE WORDS DON'T HAVE ANY MEANING UNLESS THEY ARE ARRANGED PROPERLY.

BUT WHEN ARRANGEMENTED PROPERLY AND WITH THE CORRECT MEANING, HAVE CENTURIES, CENTURIES OF MEANING, SO THE SAME WITH PAINTING.

GETTING MORE FUSSY ABOUT ALWAYS, ALWAYS STARTING IT FROM SOME CAPACITY.

WHENEVER I CAN GET SOMETHING THAT'S INTANGIBLE INTO ONE OF MY PAINTINGS, SO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST ROCKS AND TREES, IT FEELS LIKE YOU COULD JUST WALK INTO IT BUT IT'S SO SIMPLY AND BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED THAT YOU ARE SORT OF CAUGHT BETWEEN ADMIRING THE SCENE AND JUST LOVING EACH BRUSH STROKE.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING.

SO WHEN I AM LOOKING AT A FIELD OF BLADES OF GRASS, AND THINKING THERE ARE NO TWO BLADES OF GRASS THAT HAS EVER BEEN ALIKE IN HISTORY.

SO THE RICH DEPTH OF GOD'S WORD WHEN HE SAID, LET THERE BE GRASS, OR HOWEVER IT WENT, WHEN I LOOK AT ANYTHING, I AM THINKING OF THAT.

IT'S JUST GIVES ME A WONDER, PAINTING SOMETHING THAT TRULY SPEAKS OF EXCELLENCE IS A LIFELONG PURSUIT.

WHERE I AM ON THE ARTISTIC JOURNEY IS I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE VERY BEGINNING, BECAUSE I WANT TO LEAVE MYSELF A LOT OF ROOM FOR GROWTH.

>> MY PAINTINGS ARE IN A PLACE, SORT OF IN A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN WE LIVE IN.

BUT IT'S KIND OF A FEEL GOOD PLACE.

AND I THINK IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD.

>> WHAT APPEALS TO ME, THE LIGHT AND THE DARKS CREATED AT THIS TIME OF DAY WHERE THERE IS THESE LONG SHADOWS.

>> AND MOUNTAINS TO ME REALLY HOLD THE LANDSCAPE HERE.

I PUT THEM IN, IN A BIG WAY, AND SOMETIMES EXAGGERATE THEM, AND THEY ARE HUGE AND SOMETIMES I TAKE A LANDSCAPE LIKE THIS AND JUST FLIP IT UP.

OR, YOU KNOW, I PAINT IT LIKE I AM REALLY UP HIGH ON A HILL.

I AM ALWAYS KIND OF TOYING WITH IT, AND IT MAKES IT MORE INTERESTING FOR ME, OTHERWISE I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK -- I THINK THAT I WOULD LOSE INTEREST IF I COULDN'T USE MY IMAGINATION.

WITH THE WORK.

I LIKE BEING IN THE STUDIO.

BECAUSE THERE IS A BIT OF A SEPARATION WITH MY IMAGINATION.

LIKE I AM NOT TIED TO WHAT I AM LOOKING AT.

AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T PAINT FROM ONE PHOTOGRAPH.

MAYBE I AM LOOKING AT THREE AT THE SAME TIME, AND THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT PLACES.

I SEE THINGS AND BREAK THEM DOWN INTO FORMS AND SHAPES AND LINES, AND I DON'T WANT TO PAINT WHAT I AM SEEING.

I WANT TO SIMPLIFY IT.

I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE SOMETIMES TO FLEE FROM THAT STYLE, BUT IT'S SO INNATE.

I CAN'T.

IT'S JUST WHAT COMES OUT OF ME.

AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT BEING AN ARTIST IS, LISTENING TO WHAT'S INSIDE OF YOU.

I THINK THAT WHEN I AM PAINTING, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, YOU THINK ABOUT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEY APPEAR IN THE PAINTINGS, AND THEY CAN BE TREES OR BUILDINGS OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY HAVE PERSONALITIES.

THEY ALSO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER IN THE PAINTINGS.

AND YOU PUT THEM TO GO, ONE TREE MOVING AWAY FROM THE OTHER TREE, OR THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING IN THERE THAT ARE LIKE THEY ARE SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER, OR THEY ARE COMMUNICATING IN SOME WAY.

I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A STRONG INTEREST IN MAKING ART.

EVER SINCE I WAS YOU KNOW, A CHILD.

I GUESS THAT I LEFT COLLEGE THINKING THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH TO SAY.

I THINK THAT I NEEDED TO GET OLDER AND HAVE MORE LIFE EXPERIENCE, AND THROUGHOUT COLLEGE I CAUGHT.

EVERY SUMMER, THAT'S HOW I EARN MY, YOU KNOW, MY INCOME, AND I TOOK A YEAR OFF, AND I DECIDED TO SET THE SCHOOL UP ON A YEARLY BASIS, AND I DID THAT FOR 30 YEARS.

I HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY KIDS USING COLORS IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS, AND I ALWAYS USE THIS ONE BECAUSE HE WAS DOING A LANDSCAPE PAINTING, AND FIRST THING HE DID WAS PAINT ALL OF HIS GRASS RED.

AND HE PAINTED THE SKY GREEN, AND I JUST LOVED THIS PAINTING.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

IT LOOKED FABULOUS, AND IT WASN'T BASED ON ANYTHING HE HAD SEEN OR REAL.

HE JUST -- AND I THOUGHT, I LOVE THIS.

I AM GOING TO DO THIS.

I THINK THAT IT'S FROM THE TEACHING.

I THINK I GO MY, MY FREEDOM WITH THE COLORS FROM ALL OF THE YEARS OF TEACHING KIDS.

WATCHING THEM WORK.

MAYBE JUST FROM LOVING COLOR.

WHEN I STARTED DOING MY OWN WORK, I REALIZED THAT MY WORK WAS GIVING OTHER PEOPLE JOY.

PART OF THE REASON IT HAPPENED SO FAST FOR ME WAS ALL THOSE YEARS OF TEACHING, I WAS SORT OF TEACHING MYSELF.

AND FINDING WHERE I WANTED TO BE WITH MY ART, AND SO ONCE I STARTED PUTTING THE BRUSH AND THE PAINT AND PUTTING IT ON, I WAS LIKE, THERE WAS JUST -- THERE IT WAS, JUST ALREADY -- I HAD FIGURED OUT A LOT OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND I WAS BURSTING AT THAT POINT.

THE REASON THAT I THINK THAT I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY DO IT, WAS I WAS GIVING MYSELF PERMISSION TO DO WHAT CAME OUT OF ME.

>> I LIKE TO USE A LOT OF PAINT.

I LIKE IT TO BE SOFT AND SMOOTH AND CLEAN.

AND I LIKE TO PLAY COMPLIMENTARY COLORS OFF AGAINST EACH OTHER SO THAT THEY REALLY POP, AND I REALLY LIKE TO ENHANCE THE COLOR.

OF EVERYTHING.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S A FREEDOM, AND THAT IS WHAT I TRY TO HANG ONTO.

AND MY WORK SHOWS FOR IT.

IT GETS KIND OF STATIC.

SOMETIMES THINGS JUST, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM.

THERE ARE CERTAIN PAINTINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST PAINT THEMSELVES.

AND I KNOW THAT SOUNDS MAYBE CORNY.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE THAT SOMETIMES.

WELL, THE NAMING IS FUN FOR ME, AND I THINK THAT FOR ALL DIFFERENT REASONS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE, SOMETIMES IT'S SOME LITTLE STORY THAT I HAVE CREATED IN MY HEAD WHILE I AM DOING THE PAINTING.

AND THERE IS HUMOR.

I JUST TRY TO GET A LOT OF THINGS INTO REPLY WORK.

SO IT REMAINS FUN.

AND I THINK THAT A COLOR MAKES IT FUN.

PLAYING WITH THE COLOR.

SOMETIMES IT IS THERE.

THE TREE IS RED, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE, BUT I AM SAYING, I GET TO PLAY GOD, AND I GET TO MAKE MY TREES WHATEVER COLOR THAT I WANT.

I JUST DID A PAINTING WITH BLUE TREES, AND THEY LOOKED PRETTY GOOD.

AND WHAT DID I NAME THE PAINTING?

I TAKE BLUE TREES ANY TIME.

>> IT'S JUST THIS CONTINUUM.

A CONTINUUM, IN A LOT OF CASES, OF THE UNEXPECTED.

I GUESS THAT THAT'S WHAT I LIVE FOR.

MY NAME IS DECADE WADE.

THE MANNER IN WHICH I WORK IS AS SPONTANEOUS AS I CAN GET AWAY WITH.

THE RESPONSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO NATURE MORE THAN TO PROCESS THINGS.

THIS IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BECAUSE FOR THE SPORTS CONTENT, WHEN I GO THROUGH A QUARRY, FIRST THING I DO IS TO WALK AROUND.

TAKE IT ALL IN.

SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR HONESTLY.

AND I NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT'S GOING TO EXCITE ME.

EVERY TIME YOU SEE A VARIATION IN THE PATTERNS, IN THE STONE, IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS LIQUID.

THE STONE WAS, AT ONE POINT, LIQUID, AND IT LITERALLY WAS FLOWING.

SOMETIMES IT WAS CARRYING CRYSTAL WITH IT.

SOMETIMES IT WAS UNDER SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT THE CRYSTALS FORMED.

EVEN IF THAT -- THERE IS AN INFINITE VARIETY OF RELATIONSHIPS OF COLOR AND HARDNESSES AND ELEMENTS THAT ARE EMBODIED IN THE STONE.

YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO LEAD YOURSELF TO THE COMPULSION.

THERE IS A LOT OF SPOON -- SPONTANEOUSNESS.

IT IS AN IRREVERSIBLE COURSE.

>> I GUESS MY WORK ENVIRONMENT HAS EVOLVED.

MY WORK, I GUESS, IS IN RELATION TO MY PERSONALITY.

SO AT ANY GIVEN TIME, I HAVE PROBABLY MAYBE 20 TO 30 POTENTIALLY, POTENTIAL PROJECTS GOING ON.

AND I KIND OF DANCE FROM ONE TO ANOTHER WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATIONS, BUT IN GETTING AWAY FROM THINGS IT, GIVES YOU A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THEM.

I LIKE THE IMMERSION IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.

MAYBE IT'S JUST I'M A CONTROL FREAK, I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE THAT'S A CHARACTERISTIC THAT I DON'T REALIZE.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE A SENSE OF MYSTERY AS TO OUTCOME, SO I MAY CHANGE SOMETHING AT THE VERY END, JUST TO SATISFY MY URGE TO SEE SOMETHING IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY LIGHT.

I DO A BIT OF HARD EDGE STUFF BUT MOSTLY I LIKE ORGANIC AND SOFTER, EXPRESSION FORMS.

I THINK THAT PROBABLY IT'S IN RESPONSE TO A VERY, A HARD-EDGED WORLD.

WHEN I AM WORKING ON THAT, IT'S JUST AN EMOTIONAL STATE.

IT JUST KIND OF COMPELS -- I GUESS BECAUSE IT FEELS SO GOOD.

I THINK THAT MUSICIANS MAY EXPERIENCE THAT, TOO, YOU KNOW.

THEY KNOW THEIR INSTRUMENT SO WELL, THEY CAN DO IT ALMOST UNCONSCIOUSLY.

MAKING THEIR MUSIC, AND ALSO THEY ARE MAKING THEIR DREAMS AT THE SAME TIME.

>> YOUR MONEY WAS CALLED YOUR TALENTS SO THAT'S HOW I SEE IT IN THIS TIME, TOO.

IT'S LIKE, SOMETHING THAT'S WELL DRAFTED.

IT'S VERY DESIRABLE.

MANIFESTING THE TALENTS, I THINK, IS SOMETHING THAT I APPRECIATE IN THIS LIFE.

OH, MY NAME IS ROY JACKSON.

I AM AN OIL PAINTER.

I'VE BEEN PAINTING FOR, WELL, ALL MY LIFE AT THIS POINT.

I WORK, MY WORK IS REPRESENTATIONAL.

IT HAS A LOT OF BIG STROKES AND KIND OF OLD MOVEMENTS WITH A BRUSH.

AND I LIKE TO PLAY WITH LIGHT A LOT AND REFLECTION.

I DON'T SEE ANY BARRIERS AROUND COLORS.

LIKE YOU CAN PUT ANY COLOR ANYWHERE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THE PALETTE AND THE WARMS AND THE COOLS, AND YOU SCOOT YOURSELF EYES AND SEE THE VALUES OF THOSE COLORS.

THAT'S KIND OF HOW I APPROACH THE PAINTING.

BECAUSE I CAN THROW IN LIKE A PURPLE INTO LIKE A GREENFIELD, DOES AND IT HAS THE SAME VALUE AND IT DANCES AND POPS WITH THE GREEN.

THAT CANNOT AN TRUE STATEMENT BUT THAT'S HOW I SEE IT.

YOUR STROKES THIS REFLEX THAT.

I MINE HAVE PERFECT TECHNICAL ABILITIES, BUT I YEARN FOR THAT DISCOVERY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED, REALLY, FOR THAT PLACE IN YOUR HEAD WHERE YOU CAN LIKE DISCOVER.

>> WATER AND HOW IT REFLECTS LIGHT IS WHAT I WANT EXPIRES ME MOSTLY.

-- IT INSPIRES ME, MOSTLY.

WATER SETS US BACK TO ZERO AGAIN.

IT PUTS US BACK TO LEVEL.

THE WATER IS LIKE REJUVENATION, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL MY THOUGHTS AND EVERYTHING, IF I AM LIKE FRUSTRATED, GETTING STIFF OR LIKE WHATEVER IT IS, I JUMP INTO THE RIVER, AND EVERYTHING IS JUST BETTER.

I JUST LOVE THE WATER.

LIKE A DOG, I CAN JUMP IN THE WATER ANY TIME.

[LAUGHTER] WE LOVE DOING WORK.

IT'S JUST SO FREE, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T GIVE THEM MUCH INSTRUCTION.

I JUST KIND OF SHOW THEM HOW IT WORKS AND LET THEM GO.

>> I KNOW OLD McDONALD.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE TALENTS AND THE DIRECTIONS OF THE PAST, AND YOUR ANCESTORS AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ABSORB THAT AND CARRY THAT TORCH.

ALSO THE FACT THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE PASSED ON.

TO MY GRANDMOTHER, TO MY MOM, TO ME, TO MY KIDS, YOU KNOW.

I ALSO FEEL INSPIRED WITH WHAT I AM WORKING ON, YOU KNOW.

LIKE WHEN YOU SEE THAT MAGICAL LIGHT THAT HAPPENS, IT'S JUST LIKE SENDS IT OFF.

THE TIME OF THIS, IT'S LIKE, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S LIKE THE MAGIC.

>> IT'S A GOOD VIEW OF IT.

IT'S ALSO HALF A MILE FROM OUR HOUSE.

>> IN THE LOWLANDS, TO LIKE THE FAR WAY.

THE MOUNTAIN ASPECT.

IS REALLY POWERFUL.

YOU HAVE THE WATER AND THE LAKE AND YOU ALSO HAVE LIKE THE BIG MOUNTAINS.

I WATCH THE CLOUD MOVE FROM THE WEST, KIND OF JUST ROLLED ACROSS THE VALLEY.

LIKE SPUN AND TWISTED UP AND TURN.

I STAYED HERE FOR LIKE 45 MINUTES, JUST CAPTURING IT.

IT WAS AMAZING.

>> TO HOLD THE MENTAL STATES.

I MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE MUSIC AND THE REFLECTION IS IN MY HEAD, LIKE APPROACH MY WORK.

IT'S EXCITING.

THE MORE THE PAINT, THE BIGGER THE STROKE, THE BETTER.

LIKE THE MOVEMENT OF THE ARM AND TO BE ABLE TO STROKE JUST TO GIVE A FEELING OF DIRECTION, A FEELING OF THAT.

FROM FIVE TO 11 AT NIGHT, IS THE TIME THAT THINGS START HAPPENING MOSTLY FOR ME.

IT'S A KIND OF STUDENT MENTALITY.

LIKE I AM JUST LEARNING WHAT MAKES YOU, LIKE FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NOT BEING PERFECT AND ALSO THAT KEEPS YOU INTERESTED, BETTERING YOUR SKILL.

MASTERING YOUR TALENT.

IST KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, A WAY OF GOING THROUGH LIFE.

YOU CAN SEE YOUR HANDS AND YOUR HEARTS, AND COLORS.

>> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILM-MAKERS TO BRING YOU STORIES MADE HERE.