HOPE
HOPE YOU
HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT SHOW. >> LET'S GO ROCKETS.
>>> THE WORLD FAMOUS ARTIST
PICASSO ONCE SAID EVERY CHILD
IS AN ARTIST.
THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO REMAIN AN
ARTIST ONCE WE GROW UP.
STARTING AT A VERY EARLY AGE.
YOU COULD ALMOST SAY HE WAS
BORN WITH A GIFT.
BUT DIDN'T FULLY RECOGNIZE IT
UNTIL HE BEGAN PLACING FIRST
PLACE FOR HIS WORKS.
HERE TO SHARE HIS LATEST
PAINTINGS IS VICTOR GADDI.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> SO YOU SAY THAT LIKE NOBODY
IN YOUR FAMILY IS REALLY
ARTISTIC.
ARTISTIC.
ARTISTIC. >> WELL I MEAN THAT'S A STRETCH
OF THE IMAGINATION.
I'M THE ONE THAT PICKED UP ON
IT AND RAN WITH IT.
>> SO THIS IS KIND OF THIS
CONNECTION.
CONNECTION. YOUR MOM WAS NOT AN ARTIST.
BUT SHE DID WHAT WHEN SHE WAS
PREGNANT WITH YOU?
>> SHE WAS READING ABOUT OTHER
ARTISTS.
ARTISTS.
ARTISTS. >> I WOULD HAVE READ ABOUT
BOOKS ON CARDIAC SURGERY THAT
MY SON WOULD GROW UP TO BE A
SURGEON.
SURGEON.
SURGEON. SO LIKE MANY KIDS, LIKE ALL OF
US WE CAME HOME WITH THE ART
WITH A SANTA CLAUS WITH A
BEARD.
BEARD.
BEARD. WE
BEARD. WE WERE ARTISTS TO SOME DEGREE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> DID YOU REALIZE AT THAT TIME
YOU WERE GOOD?
WAS THAT LATER?
>> IT WAS LATER.
IT TOOK ME SOME TIME TO
DISCOVER THE FACT THIS TALENT
WAS REALLY THERE.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> IT WAS TEACHERS AND AWARDS
AND FINALLY BY TIME HIGH SCHOOL
YEARS, WENT OFF IN MY HEAD TO
MAKE ME KNOW IT'S TIME, I GOT
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
REFRIGERATOR ART.
REFRIGERATOR ART. DID YOU YOU SEE THE SIGNS YOURS
WAS A COUPLE OF NOTCHES ABOVE
THE OTHER KIDS?
>> I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAY.
I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY MUCH
AVERAGE.
AVERAGE.
AVERAGE. OTHERS THAT SEE MY WORK SAY
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
YOU OUGHT TO KEEP GOING.
>> TEACHERS.
>> TEACHERS. WHEN TEACHERS SAY IT.
YOUR PARENTS CAN SAY IT, BUT
THEY'RE OBLIGATED.
THEY'RE OBLIGATED. WHEN YOUR TEACHER SAY IT, IT'S
LIKE HMM.
LIKE HMM.
LIKE HMM. WHEN YOU WIN AWARDS FOR IT, DO
YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST AWARD
YOU WON?
YOU WON?
YOU WON? >> I DO REMEMBER THE FIRST ONE.
WHEN I WAS STILL IN ELEMENTARY,
ACTUALLY.
ACTUALLY.
ACTUALLY. IT WAS A BLUE RIBBON.
FROM THERE TO JUNIOR HIGH.
ANOTHER BLUE RIBBON.
THEN OF COURSE WHEN I GOT TO
THE GOLD MEDALS AND STUFF
STARTED COMING IN.
>> YOU STARTED TAKING ART
SERIOUSLY.
SERIOUSLY. YOU SUBMITTED YOUR PORTFOLIO
REVIEW.
REVIEW.
REVIEW. AND THAT CAME AWAY WITH THREE
GOLD MEDALS.
GOLD MEDALS. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >>
AGAIN. >> THE OTHER THING THAT'S SO
COOL IS YOU'RE SELF-TAUGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> I THINK THAT WITH ART JUST
LIKE WITH SINGERS, LESSONS CAN
TEACH US SOME THINGS.
BUT IT REALLY HAS TO BE THERE.
>> FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE
WANTING TO DELVE INTO ART.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MISTAKES
YOU MADE.
YOU MADE.
YOU MADE. MISTAKES ARE WHERE YOU LEARN OR
CREATE SOMETHING INTERESTING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S MORE OR LESS FOR ME IT WAS
THE TIME OF FINDING OUT WHAT
WAS A PASSION FOR ME.
I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THE VISION
THAT I CAN SEE IN PEOPLES EYES.
I STUCK IN THE DIRECTION OF
DOING PORTRAITS.
DOING PORTRAITS. THEY ALWAYS TELL A STORY.
PEOPLE HAVE A NARRATIVE.
>> YOU DON'T JUST DO PORTRAITS.
THESE ARE GORGEOUS.
YOU CAN TELL A STORY AROUND
THOSE.
THOSE.
THOSE. WHAT'S THE STORY HERE?
>> THAT'S A COMPILATION OF A
PIECE I SAW OF ANOTHER ARTIST.
IT'S CALLED FAMILY TREE.
WITH THAT I DID FOR A FAMILY
AND OF COURSE I CREATED MY OWN
BACKGROUND.
BACKGROUND. HAS SORT OF A PHANTOM LOOK TO
IT.
IT.
IT. TO
IT. TO BRING THE FOREFRONT MORE
CLOSER.
CLOSER.
CLOSER. MORE VIBRANT.
MORE VIBRANT. PUSH THE STORY REAL STRONG.
>> HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS.
I FORMED A WHOLE STORY THERE.
YOU'RE THE FAMILY TREE.
I HAD A STORY FOR YOU.
I'M GOING WITH IT.
THAT'S WHAT ART DOES.
IT EVOKES CONVERSATION IN OUR
HEAD.
HEAD.
HEAD. >>
HEAD. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
PORTRAITS YOU HAVE HERE.
THIS IS AMAZING.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. THAT WAS THE ONE I DID FOR,
INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS ONE WAS
WHEN BLACK PANTHER HAD COME
OUT.
OUT.
OUT. THE
OUT. THE WARRIOR, THE FIGHTER FOR
HIM.
HIM.
HIM. I
HIM. I PUT SOME AFRICAN SYMBOLS
AROUND IT.
AROUND IT. PEACE, PROSPERITY, POWER,
REGALNESS.
REGALNESS. >> INSTEAD OF ART PIECES.
>> ACTUAL SYMBOLS.
>> THIS IS SO CUTE HERE.
>> I WAS DOING SOME SERIES
CALLED THIRSTY.
CALLED THIRSTY. THEY WERE DOINGS.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND A WAY
TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER FOR THE
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. >> WHAT I LOVE IS THAT YOU'RE
RIGHT, IT'S CRAZY THAT SO MANY
CHILDREN WILL DIE EVERY DAY
BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> SOMETHING A LOT OF US TAKE
FOR GRANTED.
FOR GRANTED. THEN LOOK AT THE JOY ON THAT
FACE.
FACE.
FACE. >>
FACE. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S
WATER.
WATER.
WATER. AND BECAUSE THERE'S WATER TO
EVEN WASTE.
EVEN WASTE. NOT JUST TO DRINK.
WATER SPLASHING UP IN HER FACE.
>> VERY COOL.
DOWN HERE.
DOWN HERE. >> THIS IS FROM MORE OR LESS MY
PAST.
PAST.
PAST. I
PAST. I COME FROM A FAMILY OF
MINISTERS.
MINISTERS. THIS BACKGROUND IS SOMEWHAT
LIKE OF A CHURCH SCENE IN THE
BACKGROUND.
BACKGROUND. SERENE.
SERENE.
SERENE. THE IDEA OF MISSION ON HIS
MIND.
MIND.
MIND. >>
MIND. >> YOU ALSO HAVE A MURAL
LOCATED AT A SOUL FOOD
RESTAURANT.
RESTAURANT. INCLUDES HISTORICAL INFLUENCES
RIGHT THERE WE'RE LOOKING AT.
YOU'VE PAINTED PORTRAITS OF
MAYOR TURNER AND RECEIVED A
PROCLAMATION.
PROCLAMATION. YOU WERE COMMISSIONED TO CREATE
A MURAL.
A MURAL.
A MURAL. ARETHA FRANKLIN, CHADWICK.
THAT'S AMAZING.
THAT'S AMAZING. THERE'S ONE MORE PIECE YOU HAVE
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. I
HERE. I DON'T SEE THE PIECE.
>> I'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU.
>> YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ME.
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. >>
OKAY. >> OH.
>> OH.
>> OH. THAT'S AMAZING.
THAT'S AMAZING. ONE OF OUR PRODUCERS.
ALEXIS JONES.
ALEXIS JONES. GIRL, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE
ANIMAL.
ANIMAL.
ANIMAL. THAT'S WHY YOU ASKED ME.
THERE'S THE MONKEY.
I LOVE MONKEYS.
THAT IS REALLY COOL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LET'S FIND A PLACE FOR THAT ON
THE SET.
THE SET.
THE SET. I'LL WALK AROUND WITH THIS ONE.
THIS ONE WILL NEVER GAIN
WEIGHT.