>> WHEN GALE BAKER MOVED TO WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS FROM SAN
FRANCISCO WITH HER SOON TO BE HUSBAND ARTIST PETER KITCHELL
HER FRIENDS TOOK BETS ON HOW LONG SHE'D LAST.
SHE'S BEEN HERE NOW FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
THE ARTIST AND WRITER HAS CREATED COVERS FOR THE NEW
YORKER MAGAZINE AND HAS HAD A RECENT SHOW AT THE KENNEDY
CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C. PRODUCER DAVE FRASER MET UP WITH
HER AT HER STUDIO IN ASHFIELD IN MARCH AND BRINGS US HER STORY.
>> I MET MY HUSBAND PETER KITCHELL IN SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE
WE WERE BOTH LIVING.
AND HIS DAD WAS AN ARCHITECT IN AMHERST, AND PETER HAD BOUGHT
LAND OUT HERE WHEN HE WAS VISITING HIS DAD.
SO WHEN I MET HIM, HE HAD THIS PROPERTY ALREADY.
AND I KIND OF ENDED UP JUST TAGGING ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
I HAD ALWAYS LOVED TO DRAW, EVER SINCE I WAS A KID, I WAS LIKE
THE ONE WHO COULD DRAW.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL THERE WAS KIND OF NEVER ANY OTHER IDEA
OTHER THAN I'D GO TO ART SCHOOL.
SO I WANTED TO BE A FASHION ILLUSTRATOR AND I WANTED TO GO
TO SCHOOL IN NEW YORK.
MY PARENTS MOVED TO L.A., BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT ME THAT FAR
AWAY SO WE COMPROMISED ON SAN FRANCISCO BECAUSE THE ACADEMY OF
ART HAD A FASHION ILLUSTRATION PROGRAM.
SO I WENT THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND GOT OUT, AND WAS A FASHION
ILLUSTRATE FOR A FEW YEARS UNTIL I CAME HERE, AND THAT'S WHEN I
HAD TO BRANCH OUT INTO EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I PAINT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, WITH PAINT AND PAPER, AND
THEN I SCAN IT AND FINISH IT IN PHOTO SHOP.
I ENTERED A CONTEST THAT THE ART DIRECTOR FROM THE NEW YORKER WAS
DOING.
EACH WEEK SHE WAS POSTING A TOPIC THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THE
REAL NEW YORKER, AND PEOPLE WERE SUBMITTING.
AND THEN SHE WOULD PICK AT THE END OF THE WEEK SHE'D PICK THE
TOP 10 AND A WINNER.
SO I STARTED PLAYING.
AND THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO I GOT INTO LIKE NUMBER TWO, AND I WAS
LIKE WOW, THIS IS FUN.
THEN THE TOPIC WAS GAY MARRIAGE, AND I SUBMITTED MY BRIDES, AND I
GOT AN EMAIL FROM HER SAYING WE'D LIKE TO HOLD THIS OUT FOR
CONSIDERATION FOR THE ACTUAL MAGAZINE.
THAT WAS REALLY SPECIAL, BECAUSE IT REALLY MEANT A LOT TO PEOPLE,
AND I GOT A LOT OF EMAILS AND PEOPLE WROTE ME, IT WAS VERY
SPECIAL.
AND THEN I THOUGHT OH, I'M IN NOW, I'LL BE DOING ALL KINDS OF
COVERS.
WELL, I SUBMITTED FOR FOUR YEARS AND NOTHING.
THEN FOUR YEARS LATER THE WOMAN SLEDDING DOWNHILL GOT CHOSEN.
I THINK THE STYLE COVER WAS NEXT.
WHICH WAS REALLY FUN, SINCE I STARTED OUT AS A FASHION
ILLUSTRATOR, THAT WAS EXTRA SPECIAL.
THEN THE JUMP COVER, THAT WAS ANOTHER SPECIAL ONE, I DON'T
KNOW WHY, SOME OF THEM JUST FEEL MORE SPECIAL, PEOPLE SEEM TO
RESPOND TO THEM.
BUT THAT WAS ANNOUNCING THAT SUMMER WAS HERE, AND THAT WAS
THE WOMAN JUMPING OFF THE DOCK.
THEN THE LAST ONE WAS THE WOMAN SKIING WITH HER DOGS, AND
CHARLIE WAS IN IT, SO THAT WAS EXTRA SPECIAL BECAUSE HE'S MY, I
PAINT HIM A LOT.
I GOT INVOLVED WITH VOICES THREE YEARS AGO, AND THIS IS A SERIES
OF 100 PORTRAITS TO CELEBRATE THE 100 YEARS OF WOMEN GETTING
THE VOTE, AND ALSO TO JUST REALLY CALL OUT THESE WOMEN WHO
ARE DOING REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.
SOME FAMOUS, SOME NOT FAMOUS, FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF SCARY STUFF, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A PLACE FOR
ART TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO HOWEVER I CAN USE MY ART TO SUPPORT CAUSES THAT I WANT TO,
THAT I BELIEVE IN OR TO GET INFORMATION TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU CAN MAKE A REALLY BIG IMPACT.
AND THAT'S PRETTY COOL.