TRIP REACHED THE TOWN OF MARSHFIELD.
♪ ANTHONY: SLOW VERMONT’S ON A NICE DAY AND THE SCENERY FINDS YOU.
>> THERE’S ALL THESE LITTLE TOWNS SPRINKLED OUTSIDE OF YOUR -- OF MONTPELIER.
WE WENT UP TO A LITTLE VILLAGE, NOT EVEN THAT WELL KNOWN TO LOCALS AROUND MONTH YEAR -- AROUND MONTPELIER.
ANTHONY: THE HUB OF ACTIVITY IS THE SMALL BUT WELL-STOCKED GENERAL STORE.
STEPS AWAY, ALL KINDS OF VISITORS LIKE TO STROLL THE 200 ACRE CAMPUS OF THE MUSIC SCHOOL.
>> EVERYWHERE YOU TURN IS STREAMS, BROOKS, BEAUTIFUL FIELDS, ROLLING TERRAIN WHICH REALLY TYPIFIES CENTRAL VERMONT IN MANY WAYS.
ANTHONY: OUTSIDE OF MONTPELIER, LODGING IS SPARSE.
A FEW EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE THE HOLLISTER HILL FARM BED-AND-BREAKFAST WITH ITS WORKING FARM AND EXTENSIVE USE -- EXPANSIVE VIEWS.
IT’S A FITTING PLACE FOR THIS SCHOOL.
>> WE’VE GOT ALL THESE GREAT WINDOWS.
WE SEE ALL THE SEASONS GO BY.
ANTHONY: KATE SMITH IS A TEXTILE ARTIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE MARSHFIELD SCHOOL OF LEAVING -- WEAVING.
>> YOU REALLY CAN GET INTO THE ZONE WITH IT.
IF THERE’S NOT A LOT OF DESTRUCTION -- DISTRACTION AROUND YOU, IT CAN BE VERY MEDITATIVE, I FIND.
ANTHONY: OVER MANY HOURS, STUDENTS GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THE CLICK AND RATTLE OF THE LOOMS.
>> THE LOOMS WE USE OUR 19TH CENTURY, 18TH-CENTURY, FOUR-POST, BRARN-FRAME LOOMS.
WE ARE USING A LOOM THAT SOMEBODY 200 YEARS AGO SET AND USED.
THEY ARE FROM THIS AREA MOSTLY.
THEY WORK JUST THE SAME AS A MODERN LOOM.
I THINK THEY HAVE MORE CHARACTER.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITY WORKS -- QUIRKS, SO SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO HAMMER AND THE SAW FOR WHEN THEY MISBEHAVE.
ONCE PEOPLE WEAVE ON THEM, THEY LOVE THEM AND THEY DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING MODERN.
ANTHONY: YARN IS SPUN ON THE PREMISES AND DYED BY HAND.
A LOT OF LABOR, THOUGHT, AND TIME GOES INTO MAKING EVERYDAY ITEMS, INCLUDING THROWS AND DISHTOWELS.
>> WHEN YOU TAKE THE TIME AND YOU HAVE QUALITY MATERIALS, THEY LAST FOREVER, BUT PEOPLE DON’T THINK THAT WAY ANYMORE.
ANTHONY: SMITH SPECIALIZES IN EMBOSSING, USING A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE SHE SPENT YEARS PERFECTING.
HER CLIENTS INCLUDE MAJOR MUSEUMS LOOKING TO RE-CREATE OR RESTORE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY FABRICS.
SMITH SAYS MARSHFIELD IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR HER WORK AND FOR THE TOWN’S LARGE NUMBER OF CRAFTSPEOPLE.
>> WE HAVE BLACKSMITHS, GLASS BLOWERS, PAINTERS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TO GO TO GOTTHARD BECAUSE IT WAS PROGRESSIVE AND NEW UNIQUE -- AND UNIQUE, AND THEY STAYED ON DOING SOME KIND OF CRAFT AS THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
WINTERS ARE HARD.
SUMMERS ARE BEAUTIFUL.
BLACK FLY SEASON IS HORRENDOUS, AS IS MUD SEASON.
NOT EVERYONE WILL WANT TO MOVE HERE, BUT I JUST ADORE IT.
ANTHONY: MANY ARTISTS TAKE HAPPY ADVANTAGE OF LIFE IN NORTH CENTRAL VERMONT.
>> I’M A NATURAL HISTORY ILLUSTRATOR.
I’VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR MOST ALL OF MY LIFE.
I ILLUSTRATE FOR 15 NEWSPAPERS AND A COUPLE OF MAGAZINES, AND THEN I HAVE MY SUBJECT MATTER RIGHT HERE.
ANTHONY: ADELAIDE MURPHY TYRELL’S UNIQUE METHOD OF PAINTING COMES FROM DECADES SPENT CREATING SCENIC BACKDROPS FOR THEATERS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING FASHION WEEK IN NEW
YORK.
HER LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS INFORMS HER ART, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.
>> THE OWL ON THE WALL IS ONE OF THE RAREST BIRDS IN THE WORLD FROM INDIA, CALLED A FOREST OUTLET -- OWLET.
ANTHONY: WHEN SHE IS HOME IN PLAINFIELD, SHE OFTEN BEGINS WORKING WITH A SKETCHBOOK IN HER RESPLENDENT BACKYARD.
>> I DRAW AS CLOSELY AS I CAN WHAT I’M SEEING AND THEN I WRITE COPIOUS COLOR NOTES ON THE SIDE.
SO, VERY SPECIFIC, OCHRE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SAP GREEN.
I LOVE THAT PROCESS OF REALLY ANALYZING WHAT COLOR IT IS WHEN I’M TRYING TO CONVEY SOMETHING DRAMATIC, NOT JUST PUTTING DOWN WHAT I SEE.
ANTHONY: HER QUIET HILLSIDE PROPERTY ALLOWS HER PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE NATURE OF CLOSE.
TAKE A PEEK AT THESE NESTING BOXES, HOUSING BABY TREE SWALLOWS.
THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE NEVER FAILS TO ASTOUND AND MYSTIFY, SHE SAYS.
>> TO ME, THAT PAINTING INDICATES A CERTAIN PRIMORDIAL FEELING.
THAT RIVER GOES SOMEWHERE BEHIND THOSE MOUNTAINS, AND WHO KNOWS WHERE?
SHAYNA: ADELAIDE’S MURAL COMPANY IN NEW YORK IS CALLED OLIPHANT STUDIOS, AND THEY HAVE A MAJOR CLIENT LIST FOR THEIR BACKDROPS, INCLUDING ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, RALPH LAUREN, AND PRADA.
ADELAIDE’S ALSO DONE WORK FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, ROLLING STONE, AND OPRAH MAGAZINE, ALL THE MAJOR NETWORKS, AND EVEN HELPED ON MUSIC VIDEOS FOR LAURYN HILL, AEROSMITH, AND
MAROON 5.
CURRENTLY SHE’S PUTTING TOGETHER A SOLO EXHIBIT FOR OCTOBER, TITLED "ANATOMY OF A POND." THOUGH VERMONT ATTRACTS ARTISTS, IT DOESN’T HAVE MUC