Common Ground Episode 107 - First Air Date February 18, 2010

>>> PRODUCTION AND FUNDING FOR
COMMON GROUND MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.
>>> HI, WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S
EDITION OF COMMON GROUND.
I'M YOUR HOST, ASHLEY HULL.
COMMON GROUND IS A NEW WEEKLY
SERIES THAT HIGHLIGHTS
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA
CULTURE.
WE'LL EXPLORE THE UNIQUE
PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS
THAT ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
OUR REGION.
EACH WEEK COMMON GROUND
VIDEOGRAPHERS, EDITORS AND
MYSELF WILL TAKE VIEWERS ON A
JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION INTO
THE WORLDS OF ART, HISTORY,
AND CULTURE.
THIS WEEK WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU
TO A DEPOT AGENT WHO WORKED ON
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY
IN BLACKDUCK.
A WOOD SCULPTOR FROM TWO
INLETS, WHOSE WOOD CARVED
SCULPTORS TELL THAT STORY.
AND WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE
TRANSFORMATION OF WHAT THE ART
CENTER IN AITKIN IS TODAY.
>>> MY NAME IS AARON SPANGLER,
AND I'M A SCULPTOR.
WHAT I DO IS CARVE WOOD.
I WENT TO MCAD IN MINNEAPOLIS
FOR ART SCHOOL.
HOW I GOT INTO CARVING, THERE
THERE WAS A SCULPTURE THAT WAS
KIND OF A BUILDING, I WANT THE
MURALS ON THE INSIDE OF IT,
MURALS OF KIND OF WAR SCENES
AND A PICTURE OF A WORLD WAR
II STYLE BEDLAM, WHICH I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN AS A
KID.
IT IS A CHILD'S PLAY VERSION
OF WAR.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO
CAR OF.
-- CARVE.
I HAD A BASICALLY A CARPENTER'S
CHISEL WHICH WASN'T VERY
SHARP.
I WAS CARVING IN WHATEVER WOOD
I HAD.
IT JUST EVOLVED INTO WHAT I DO
NOW.
>> IN THE WORK I STILL DO
TODAY, OBJECTS ARE VERY
IMPORTANT.
I'LL FIND AN OBJECT THAT'S AN
INDIRECT METAPHOR OR SOMETHING
THAT'S EMBLEMATIC OF WHAT I'M
TRYING TO PORTRAY, AND I'LL
CARVE THAT REALISTICALLY INTO
THE SCULPTURES.
SO THOSE OBJECTS STILL
FUNCTION, I THINK, IN THE WAY
THAT -- THE WAY I WAS DEALING
WITH FOUND OBJECTS, WHICH WAS
THEIR JUXTAPOSITIONS NEXT TO
EACH OTHER AND THE MEANINGS
THAT ARE CREATED BY PUTTING
TWO OBJECTS TOGETHER, IT IS
THE SAME THING I'M DOING RIGHT
NOW EXCEPT THAT I'M JUST
CARVING THEM.
BAS RELIEF MEANS LOW REEF.
LOW RELIEF CAN BE AS DEEP AS A
FOOT.
IT CAN BE FAIRLY DEEP BUT NOT
IN THE ROUND.
IT IS A PICTORIAL PLANE.
SO THAT WAS HOW I WAS DRAWN TO
THAT, WHEN I COULD STILL PLAY
WITH PICTORIAL SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE AND ILLUSION, IT IS
A VERY OLD WAY TO WORK, BUT IT
IS NOT REALLY OFTEN DONE TODAY
IN CONTEMPORARY ART.
EGYPTIANS WOULD SOMETIMES USE
BAS RELIEF ON SAR COULD HAVE
GUY.
-- SARCOFOGI.
MY WORK IS MORE PICTORIAL,
LIKE THAT WORK.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE GAFTS OF
PARADISE.
-- GATES OF PARADISE.
LOOKING BACK THROUGH HISTORY,
LIKE THAT'S THE CLOSEST THING,
BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
IS ABOUT VERY PARTICULAR
STORIES AND VERY PARTICULAR
NARRATIVE.
MY WORK HAS A LOOSE NARRATIVE,
IT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY -- IT
IS NOT A SPECIFIC STORY, IT IS
MORE ABOUT CULTURAL THINGS
THAT I'M INTERESTED IN.
I DON'T REALLY LOOK TO HISTORY
THAT MUCH.
I AM INTERESTED IN RURAL LIVE.
I'M INTERESTED IN EXTREME --
THE EXTREME ATTITUDES AND IN
RURAL LIFE.
I'M INTERESTED IN MILITANTS
AND PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE
FRINGE AND UNDER THE RADAR.
LIKE THE SCULPTURE I'M WORKING
ON RIGHT NOW, STARTED OUT, I
WANTED TO MAKE THIS EPIC PIECE
ABOUT THE RURAL '70s MOVEMENT
WITH THE HIPPIES MOVING OUT TO
THE LAND, AND FOR ALL THE
DIFFERENT REASONS, I MEAN,
THERE'S VETS, THERE'S RICH
COLLEGE KIDS, THERE'S
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AT THE TIME,
AND THERE'S A HUGE LAND
MOVEMENT WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE
LEFT AND THERE IS A LOT OF
FAILURES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
OF -- THAT STILL HAS SUCH A
HUGE IMPACT ON OUR CULTURE
TODAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT CATCHES MY
INTEREST, IS THAT LINE BETWEEN
ILLUSION AND REAL SCULPTURAL
SPACE, AND THAT I CAN BUILD A
WHOLE WORLD BECAUSE I CAN USE
ILLUSION, WHEREAS IF I WAS
MAKING SCULPTURES OF THE
ACTUAL OBJECTS I LOSE THE LAND
SCAPE, I LOSE THE GROUND, THE
FIGURE GROUND RELATIONSHIP.
>> I DON'T HAVE A PLAN WHEN I
START.
I HAVE MAYBE -- I HAVE A LOOSE
IDEA, BUT COMPOSITIONLY IT IS
PRETTY FLEXIBLE, AS I EVOLVE
THROUGH THE CARVING.
LIKE JIMMI HENDRIX PLAYING A
GUITAR SOLO, THERE ARE NO
MISTAKES, YOU JUST REACT TO IT,
RIGHT?
YOU JUST REACT TO WHAT YOU'VE
DONE.
AND SO SOMETIMES I'LL BREAK
THINGS OFF TO CARVE BEHIND
THINGS.
SOMETIMES THINGS BREAK AND I
LOSE IT IN THE PILE OF WOOD,
AND THEN IT IS JUST NOT THERE.
SO THEN IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IT IS -- NOW, IF I HAD A
PARTICULAR PLAN THAT I HAD TO
FOLLOW, I WOULD BE CONSTANTLY
FRUSTRATING MYSELF WITH THAT.
BUT SINCE I DON'T, IT'S --
THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.
>>> I DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE
PIECE OF ART.
IT IS JUST WHATEVER I'M
WORKING ON AT THE TIME.
WHEN I'M DONE WITH THEM, I CAN
LOOK BACK IN THE PAST AND SAY,
BE MORE OBJECTIVE AND SAY THAT
PIECE WAS BETTER THAN THAT
PIECE AND THIS WORKS BETTER
THAN THAT PIECE.
I AM NOT REALLY ATTACHED SO
MUCH AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW,
THEY HAVE GOOD HOMES AND, YOU
KNOW, HOPEFULLY BEING SEEN,
AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY
PEOPLE AREN'T JUST STORING
THEM IN STORAGE SPACES, BUT
THEY MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, BUT
AS LONG AS THEY ARE BEING
TAKEN CARE OF AND SOMEDAY
PEOPLE GET TO SEE THEM, I'M
HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS JUST BLACK JET WATERED
DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I'VE GOT THE MIXTURE OF
GRAPHITE AND ACRYLIC.
HANDLE SHINE UP A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S ALL KIND OF WETBACK IN
THERE.
YEAH.
AFTER I'VE DONE THAT AND I GET
A FEEL FOR IT, THEN I CAN GO
BACK IN THERE AND ARTICULATE
WITH THE CHISELS, JUST TO
TWEAK THE BOARDS AND GET IT TO
HAVE THE TEXTURE I WANT.
THIS IS SOME OF MY PREVIOUS
WORK.
A SPRUCE TREE OR BALANCE SAM,
TAMARACK WHEN THEY FALL OVER,
ESPECIALLY IN THE SWAMP, THEY
BRING UP THE WHOLE ROOT
STRUCTURE, THIS BIG ROOT CLUMP
COMES UP AND IT LEAVES A HOLE
IN IT.
THIS GUY LEANS BOARDS OVER THE
HOLE AND HE BUILT HIS HOME
THERE.
THIS IS A SNIPER.
HE HAS HIS SNIPER RIFLE, AND
HE HAS AN IRONING BOARD WHERE
HE'S GOT HIS SHIRT IRONED UP,
AND HE'S GOT HIS REFRIGERATOR
FULL OF BEER, AND SOME KIND OF
PET THAT HE HAS IN A CAGE HERE,
AN OLD KEG BARREL THAT HE MADE
INTO A CAGE.
AND THE TOWN HALL BUILDING
THAT HE'S USING TO STORE WOOD
IN.
ALONG HERE, WHEN HE COMES DOWN,
THERE'S A BRIDGE, WITH THE
TENNIS RACKET, AND THAT'S THE
BRIDGE TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.
SO'S -- HE'S LIVING ACROSS THE
RIVER FROM THE COUNTRY CLUB.
WE ARE NOT SURE IF HE'S ON THE
GOOD SIDE OR THE BAD SIDE.
BUT MAYBE HE'S ON HIS OWN
SIDE.
AND THIS PIECE CALLED USELESS
KNOWLEDGE IS ABOUT TAKING THE
BOOKS AND BURNING THE BOOKS
HERE'S AN OLD ARMY TRUCKLOADED
WITH TRUCKS THAT ARE
PRESUMABLY GOING TO BE BURNED.
AND THEN THEY'VE GOT THIS RAFT
THAT THEY BUILT OUT OF
BARRELS.
IT IS UP ON THE STILTS, AND
THERE IS AN OLD TEEPEE AND
KIND OF A WANAGAN TYPE OF
THING.
THEY HAVE BEEN OUT HERE
GETTING EXCITED ABOUT WHEN
SOCIETY IS GOING TO CRASH AND
WHEN IT IS GOING TO GIVE THEIR
LIFE SOME PURPOSE, BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, LIFE IS MORE
EXCITING WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE
THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT
EXTREME AND REALLY GOING TO
END.
IT'S BEEN SITTING OUT HERE SO
LONG THAT UNDER THE STILTS
THEY BUILT A BAR, IF YOU LOOK
UNDERNEATH, THERE IS A FULL
BAR WITH STOOLS, WHERE, YOU
KNOW, THEY CAN DRINK AND CARRY
ON AND HAVE FUN.
OFF IN THE DISTANCE IS KIND OF
A SUBURBAN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
THAT'S KIND OF ENCROACHING ON
THEM.
SO THEY'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR A
LONG TIME WAITING FOR I GUESS
THE ECONOMY DID CRASH, SO
MAYBE THEY ARE HAPPY NOW, BUT
THE FLOOD NEVER CAME.
IN THE END, WHAT I END UP WITH,
WHAT I HOPE I END UP WITH, IS
AN OBJECT, A SCULPTURE THAT IS
THE ONLY WAY IT CAN BE.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS
CAN MANIFEST, IS LIKE IN THIS
THING.
AND THAT IT'S LIKE IT WOULDN'T
BE BETTER AS THIS, OR IT
WOULDN'T BE BETTER AS A THAT,
OR AN ESSAY, OR MAYBE IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN A BETTER MOVIE.
LIKE I WANT THE SCULPTURE TO
HAVE THAT KIND OF TOTALITY AND
INTEGRITY OF MEANING, AND TO
BE A COMPLETE SELF-CONTAINED
OBJECT.
>> AFTER THE WAR I CAME HERE.
I WORKED AT 20th AVENUE WEST
IN DLUING, AND I -- DULUTH, I
DIDN'T LIKE THAT JOB.
THERE WAS A BULLETIN.
I DIDN'T CHECK THE JOB AT ALL,
I JUST PUT MY NAME IN FOR IT,
AND IT WENT BY SENIORITY,ENED
I RECEIVED A CALL THAT I GOT
IT.
THAT WAS 19S 45 -- 1945.
OCTOBER 16th, 1945.
AND I WOULD BE 28 YEARS OLD AT
THAT TIME.
AND IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST
STEADY JOBS I HAD ON THE RAIL.
BEFORE I WAS ON THE EXTRA
BOARD, WHICH IS A DAY HERE, A
DAY THERE, AND A WEEK HERE, A
WEEK THERE.
RELIEVING OTHER AGENTS ALONG
THE ROAD.
WE DID EVERYTHING.
THE MAIN THING WAS RAILROADING,
TRAIN ORDERS, OF COURSE, WERE
THE GUIDING LIGHT FOR THE
TRAINS, THEY HAD ONE FREIGHT
EACH WAY HERE GOING THROUGH
HERE AND THE PASSENGER TRAIN
WENT THROUGH, AND WE HAD A
WEEKLY TRAIN, NORTHERN KELIER,
AND THOSE WERE MAINLY TO PICK
UP PULP WOOD BOARDS OUT OF
KELIER AND GO UP THERE ONCE A
WEEK AND SERVICE THAT.
THEY CALL IT A TURN-AROUND.
IT WAS QUITE A BIT OF WOOD
COMING OUT OF KELIER AT THAT
TIME.
BUT I WAS SINGLE WHEN I CAME
HERE, AND I MET MY WIFE HERE,
SHE WAS TEACHING SCHOOL.
I MET HER IN -- WE GOT MARRIED
IN 1946.
SO THAT WAS THE COMPLETE STORY
THERE.
>> WELL, THERE WAS A LOT OF
BUSINESSES, IN FACT, I THINK
THEY HAD THREE GROCERY STORES
AND OF COURSE GAS STATIONS,
TWO HARDWARE STORES, TWO
BARBERS, A THEATRE.
A LOT OF LITTLE STORES ALL
OVER.
A LOT OF BUSINESS.
WE SHIPPED IN A LOT OF
GROCERIES AND STUFF FOR THE
STORES, HARDWARE STUFF.
THAT WAS ALWAYS COMING IN HERE.
WE HAD A BUSY LITTLE TOWN AT
THAT TIME.
WE HAD THE SECTION FOREMANS
WERE NOT IN BACK, THEY WERE IN
FRONT OF ME, AND EACH MORNING
WE WOULD HAVE TO TELEPHONE THE
LINEUP THROUGH THE SECTION
FOREMAN TO TELL HIM THE TRAINS
THAT WERE MOVING ON THAT DATE.
SO THEY COULD WORK ON THE
RIGHT TRACK.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS WITH THE TRACK
BECAUSE OF FROST HEAVING AND
THEN THE SUN KINKS AND STUFF.
WE HAD ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF
THAT A SUN KINK IS AN
EXPANSION OF THE STEEL OF THE
RAIL, WHICH HAPPENS ON REAL
HOT DAYS DURING THE SUMMER,
AND THE TRAIN GOES OVER AND
THEN THEY WILL REACT LIKE A
SNAKE AND THAT WILL CAUSE AN
ACCIDENT.
WE HAD ONE LIKE THAT HAPPEN
JUST SOUTH OF NORTH HOME AND --
NORTHOME AND SOME OF THE CREW
PEOPLE ON THAT TRAIN GOT HURT
AND I HAD TO CALL THE
AMBULANCE TO GET THEM TO THE
DOCTOR, BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE
CABOOSE AND THE CABOOSE I
THINK TIPPED OVER, AND IT WAS
QUITE SERIOUS.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO GET
THE WRECKING CREWS TO
STABILIZE EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING THAT'S WORKING.
>>> THESE KEYS WERE USED FOR
YOUR SWITCHES.
WHEN YOU WANTED TO GO RIGHT OR
LEFT, THEY HAD A SWITCH, AND
THAT WOULD MOVE THE TRACK SO
THAT THE TRAIN WOULD GO ON.
THEY HAD TO LOCK THOSE BECAUSE
THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
SAID OH, THIS WOULD BE FUN.
YOU PULL THE SWITCH AND THE
TRAIN GOES THE WRONG WAY.
YOU HAVE A HEAD-ON COLLISION.
AND THAT HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE
TIMES, IT WAS VERY CLOSE.
SO THEN THEY STARTED LOCKING
THEM.
THEY USED PADLOCKS LIKE THIS,
ONLY IT WAS SMALLER.
EVERY SWITCH, OF COURSE, HAD A
DIFFERENT KEY, AND SO THAT IS
THE REASON THEY HAVE THOSE, IS
SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE AN
ACCIDENT, BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD
ACTUALLY GO OUT AND TRY AND
SWITCH THE TRACK AND THEN YOU
GOT TWO TRAINS COMING HEAD-ON.
THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALLED
HAND CARS, PUMP CARS, YOU
WOULD RIDE OUT AND PUMP THEM.
ONE TIME BLACKDUCK BASEBALL
TEAM DECIDED THEY WERE GOING
TO TAKE, BECAUSE THEY FELT THE
RATES WERE STILL A LITTLE BIT
TOO HIGH AT 14 CENTS, YOU KNOW,
SO THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THE
HAND CAR AND GO TO BEMIDJI TO
PLAY A BASEBALL GAME.
BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE
THEY WERE SO EXHAUSTED OF
COURSE THEY LOST THE GAME.
BUT THEN IT BECAME ALMOST A
WEEKEND THING THAT PICNICKERS
WOULD GO OUT AND HAVE A
PICNIC.
THEY WOULD TAKE THE HAND CAR
OUT IN THE COUNTRY WHEN IT WAS
A NICE DAY AND HAVE A PICNIC.
THE CABOOSE, THAT WAS WHERE
THEY HAD ALL THEIR PAPERWORK,
THEY HAD THEIR BEDS, THEIR
COTS AND STUFF IN THERE, THEY
HAD THEIR STOVE AND STUFF.
AND IT WOULD GET REALLY BAD.
I MEAN, IT WOULD REALLY GET
DIRTY.
OF COURSE THERE WAS A LOT OF
FLEAS AND STUFF.
SO THEY FOUND A WAY TO CLEAN
THAT.
THEY DECIDED THAT, WHAT THEY
DID, THEY WOULD TAKE ALL THEIR
SHEETS AND BLANKETS AND THEY
WOULD WIRE THEM ACROSS THE
CABOOSE, THEY WOULD TAKE ALL
THEIR STAKESY A AND PAPER,
THEY WOULD TAKE -- STATIONARY
AND -- STATIONERY AND PAPER,
OPEN THE CUPBOARD DOORS AND
FIND THE LOCOMOTIVE, WHICH WAS
STEAM, AND THEY WOULD HOOK A
HOSE TO THE CABOOSE, AND THEN
THEY WOULD PUT STEAM IN THERE.
BUT THEY HAD TO BE REALLY
CAREFUL THEY DIDN'T TURN IT ON
REAL FAST, IT WOULD BLOW THE
WINDOWS OUT.
THEY SAID IT COOKED EVERY BUG
THAT WAS IN THERE.
THAT'S HOW THEY CLEANED IT.
>> THE UGLY BUGS CLUB I THINK
WAS STARTED BY TRAINMASTER
MINKLE.
HE WAS IN BEMIDJI.
AND HE TOOK PICTURES OF ALL
THE EMPLOYEES THAT HE RAN
ACROSS, INCLUDING TRAINMEN,
ENGINEERS, FIREMEN, STATION
AGENTS, TOWERMEN, EVERYBODY
THAT WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD,
AND I THINK THEY ASKED HIM WHY
HE WAS DOING IT.
HE SAID SOMEDAY YOU WON'T BE
HERE.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S TOO
MANY PEOPLE LEFT.
I THINK I WAS HEARING IN
BLACKDUCK APP GOOD TEN YEARS --
A GOOD TEN YEARS, 1955.
I THINK HE TOOK IT TO THE


>> FRANCIS WAS BORN IN
GENESEO, ILLINOIS.
AS A BOY THEY MOVED TO THE
PLAINS OF KANSAS, I DON'T KNOW
THE EXACT TOWN.
HIS FATHER, EPHRAIM JACQUES
WAS A KNOWN HUNTING GUIDE.
HE WOULD TAKE PEOPLE FROM THE
KANSAS AREA, CHICAGO OR
WHATEVER, UP INTO MINNESOTA TO
FISH AND HUNT.
WELL, HE BECAME IN LOVE WITH
MINNESOTA, SO IN ABOUT 19S 11,
I BELIEVE IT WAS -- 1911, 1910,
1911, THEY TOOK OFF WITH THE
COVERED WAGON FROM KANSAS TO
MINNESOTA, HE WALKED FROM THE
FARM SIX MILES NORTH OF AITKIN
INTO AITKIN TO WORK FOR A TAX
DETERMINIST.
AND THE -- HE WORKED FOR HIM
FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS, AND
THIS PIECE OF TAX DETERMINEY
UP HERE WAS DONE IN 1912,
SOMEONE DONATED IT TO US.
IT IS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT
WAS DONE ALMOST.
WELL, HE WAS LIVING HERE IN
TOWN, IN AITKIN, HE OWED THE
BANKER, MR. KNICK NEAL SOME
MONEY, AND -- MR. McNEAL SOME
MONEY.
THIS SOMEONE OF THREE PAINTS,
THIS ONE HERE, BUT WHEN WE
FIRST STARTED THE ART CENTER
MY WIFE AND I GOT A CALL IN
MINNEAPOLIS TO MEET THIS
MR. McNEAL, HE SAID THAT MY
DAD GOT THESE FROM MR. JACQUES,
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T PAY HIS
BILL, SO WE HAVE THREE OF
THEM.
THERE ARE SEVEN OF US CHILDREN,
WE CAN'T SPLIT UP THREE BY
SEVEN, WE WOULD LIKE TO DONATE
THEM TO THE ART CENTER.
IN 1917, HE WAS DRAFTED INTO
WORLD WAR I, AND HE SERVED
OVER IN FRANCE IN THAT
CONFLICT.
ANYWAY, IN 1924, MR. JACQUES
SENT SOME PAINTINGS AND
DRAWINGS TO THE AMERICAN
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN
NEW YORK.
THEY HIRED HIM SIGHT UNSEEN
ONLY BY THE PAINTINGS HE SENT
IN THE MAIL.
HE WORKED FOR THE AMERICAN
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY FROM
1924 TO POSSIBLY 194 O. 1940,
MR. JACQUES WAS HIRED BACK BY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BELL MUSEUM.
HE WAS HIRED BARK BY THEM TO
COME BACK AND DESIGN THE
DIORAMAS THERE YET TODAY AT
THE ART CENTER.
MR. AND MRS. JACQUES HAD NO
CHILDREN.
AND THEY TRAVELED NORTHERN
MINNESOTA EXTENSIVELY.
THEIR HONEYMOON WAS SPENT UP
IN CANOE COUNTRY UP IN THE
BOUNDARY WATERS.
HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN
GOATING THE -- GETTING THE
BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA
DEDICATED AND MADE INTO A
PARK.
HE IS STILL CONSIDERED BY MOST
PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY AN
AUTHORITY ON WILDLIFE ART TO
BE THE BEST THERE EVER WAS.
IN 1911, MR. CARNEGIE DONATED
$5,000 TO THE CITY OF AITKIN
TO BUILD THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
WELL, THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY
1911 WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED THE
CITY OF AITKIN HAD TO
CONTRIBUTE $1500 MORE TO
COMPLETE THE BUILDING.
SO THIS ENTIRE BUILDING WAS
BUILT AT APPROXIMATELY $6500.
THE LAND WAS DONATED BY A LADY
ACROSS THE STREET, AND THE
LAND FOR THIS AND THE WATER
TOWER.
ABOUT 12, 13 YEARS AGO, WE
STARTED THE JACQUES ART CENTER,
CALLED FRIENDS OF THE ARTS TO
START WITH.
AND WE WERE A DIVISION OF THE
AITKIN COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY, AND WE STARTED
GROWING FAST ENOUGH SO THEY --
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME
THINGS IN MIND THAT WE DID.
WE BROKE OFF AND FORMED OUR
OWN 501c3.
THE BUILDING, AITKIN BUILT A
NEW LIBRARY, SO THIS BUILDING
BECAME AVAILABLE, BUT HOW WERE
WE GOING TO DO IT?
SO WE HAD THE CITY AND FRIENDS
OF THE ARTS AND OUR ARTS
CENTER HAD A FUND-RAISER AT
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY SOLD TICKETS FOR $1.
AND WHOEVER HAD THE WINNING
TICKET WON THE JACQUES ART
CENTER FROM THE CITY OF
AITKIN.
THE CATCH WAS YOU HAD TO
DONATE IT TO THE JACQUES ART
CENTER.
WE GOT THE BUILDING FOR $1.
ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
SINCE THEN, WE PUT ON THIS
ADDITION WHERE WE ARE STANDING
NOW CALLED THE JACQUES
GALLERY.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO BUILD
OUR BUILDING WE HIRED AN
ARCHITECT FROM LITTLE FALLS,
AND HE DESIGNED A SIMILAR
ADDITION, BUT IT SORT OF WENT
ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE STREET,
AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
WHICH THIS IS A THE NATURAL
HISTORIC SOCIETY, WOULD NOT
APPROVE THE BUILDING BECAUSE
IT LOOKED LIKE THE ADDITION
WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE
EXISTING FACILITY.
SO ABOUT THAT TIME BARDEN CAME
ON BOARD.
>> I CAME ONTO THE JACQUES
PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND
I AM AN ARCHITECT BY TRADE,
AND I HAVE A LARGE ART
COLLECTION.
THE BOARD CAME TO ME AND ASKED
ME IF THEY COULD SEE SOME OF
MY ART COLLECTION TO DISPLAY
IN THE ART CENTER.
AND AS THINGS EVOLVED, IT GOT
AROUND TO FINDING OUT THAT
THEY WERE LOOKING AT EXPANDING
THE JACQUES AND THEY HAD
SEVERAL ARCHITECTS LOOK AT IT
AND THEY WEREN'T SATISFIED
WITH IT.
IT WASN'T MEETING THE CRITERIA
WE NEEDED TO MEET WITH THE
NATIONAL STAN DADS FOR
HISTORICAL BUILDINGS.
SO I CAME ON BOARD AND
DEVELOPED THE NEW DESIGN FOR
THEM, AND THEY REALLY LIKED
THE DESIGN, SO WE WENT WITH
THAT.
WE STARTED DOING A FUNDRAISING
PROGRAM TO EXPAND THE JACQUES
ART CENTER SO THAT WE COULD
HOUSE THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
OF FRANCIS JACQUES, AND AT THE
SAME TIME CONVERT THE ORIGINAL
CARNEGIE GALLERY, WHICH WAS
THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY, INTO A
ROTATING EXHIBIT FOR ARTISTS
OF THE AREA, REGIONAL AREA.
THE COMMUNITY REQUESTED AND
RECEIVED THE NATIONAL
HISTORICAL STATUS ON THE
CARNEGIE GALLERY WHEN WE TOOK
THIS OVER AND DEVELOPED THIS
AS OUR MUSEUM, WE WANTED TO
EXPAND FOR THAT NEW GALLERY.
WHEN WE MADE THIS ADDITION,
YOU HAVE TO UPGRADE THE
CURRENT FACILITY AND WHEN WE
UPGRADED THIS, WE HAD TO
UPGRADE IT TO MEET THE CODES.
AT THE SAME TIME WE UPGRADED
TO MEET THE CODES, WE GOT TO
MEET THE NATIONAL HISTORIC
PRESERVATION AND NOT CHANGE
ANYTHING.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A VERY GOOD
FOOTPRINT, SO TWO PROBLEMS
THAT WE HAD, AND WE SOLVED
THOSE PROBLEMS, ONE IS,
MAXIMIZE THIS SITE, TO
MAXIMIZE THIS SITE, WE WENT TO
WHAT WE CALL A ZERO LOT LINE,
SO THIS BUILDING IS RIGHT ON
THE EDGE OF THE LOT LINE.
WE HAD TO GET OUR ACCESS WAYS
FOR OUR STAIRCASES TO MEET OUR
CODES, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING
OVER ON THE LIBRARY SIDE,
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BACK SIDE
OF THIS JACQUES GALLERY IS
POCKETED INTO THE BUILDING.
WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE THE OLD BUILDING RIGHT
HERE IS ON THE NATIONAL
HISTORICAL SITE, AND YOU
CANNOT PENETRATE IN FRONT OF
THAT, SO WE'VE TUCKED THE
STAIRWAYSSTAIRCASE INTO THE
BUILDING, RECESSED IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEW ACCESS
POINT FOR HANDICAP
REQUIREMENTS, SO WE HAVE A
LOBBY FLUSH WITH THE SIDEWALK,
TO DO THAT, WE PUT IN AN
ELEVATOR SYSTEM THAT IS CALLED
A SPLIT-LEVEL ELEVATOR, AND IT
GOES BOTH DIRECTIONS, AND
THREE DIFFERENT STAGES, SO WE
CAN ACCESS THIS FLOOR, THE
LOWER LEVEL, AND THE MID-LEVEL
FLOOR TO GET OUT ON THE
SIDEWALK.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS
ALSO RECESSED BACK FROM THE
FACADE OF THE FRONT ELEVATION,
HENCE WE MAINTAIN OUR NATIONAL
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
REQUIREMENTS, SO WE STAY ON
THOSE ROLLS.
AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN
FULFILL OUR REQUIREMENTS, AND
WHEN WE DID THAT, WE CAN'T USE
THE OLD 100-YEAR-OLD SINGLE
BATHROOM, SO WE PUT IN NEW
BATHROOMS, A NEW LOBBY
UPSTAIRS, DOWN DOWNSTAIRS, NEW
CLASSROOMS DOWNSTAIRS, AND A
NEW JACQUES GALLERY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
LIKED WITH GUESTS COMING IN TO
SEE THE MUSEUM, THEY WALK
THROUGH AND WE RECEIVE A LOT
OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT
THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY CAN'T AT
THE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEW
AND OLD.
IT WAS AFTER THE BUILDING WAS
DONE AND THE ADDITIONS WERE
DONE, THE QUESTION CAME UP
FROM ARTISTS, YOU DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH WALL SPACE.
SO THE FIRST THING WE DID, WE
BUILT PANELS.
YOU CAN SEE INSERTIONS, SO WE
CAN INSERT THESE PANELS ANY
TIME WE NEED THEM TO HANG MORE
PAINTINGS OR TAKE THEM OUT IF
WE WANT NATIONAL LIGHTING.
HOW DO WE GET MORE WALL SPACE?
AND THE IDEA CAME UP, HEY, WE
WERE AT A MUSEUM WHERE THEY
HAD PORTABLE WALLS.
THEY SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF
THE PORTABLE WALLETS.
THEY SAID CAN YOU -- PORTABLE
WALLS.
CAN YOU DESIGN AND BUILD SOME
PORTABLE WALLS?
THEY HAVE PLYWOOD BACKING,
SOLID INSIDE THEIR FRAMES AND
INSIDE THE SHEETROCK, SO YOU
CAN PUT PICTURES ON BOTH SIDES.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 4,000
PEOPLE A YEAR THAT COME
THROUGH OUR MUSEUM, AND OF
THAT, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
450 FULL-TIME MEMBERS OF THE
MUSEUMS, WHICH IS A GOOD
NUMBER, WE FEEL, FOR SUCH A
SMALL MUSEUM.
OUR MUSEUM, BESIDES THAT, I
MIGHT POINT OUT, THAT WE
ACTIVELY SEEK OUT ARTISTS FROM
NOT ONLY THE REGIONAL --
REGION OF THIS AREA OF
MINNESOTA, BUT ALL THE OTHER
STATES AROUND US, PLUS THE
ENTIRE UNITED STATES AND THE
WORLD, SO WE FEEL TOGETHER
THAT IS JUST A GREAT THING FOR
THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE
TYPICALLY IN THIS AREA, YOU
KNOW, YOU EITHER HAVE TO BE
DOWN IN THE TWIN CITIES OR IN
LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS TO
HAVE A PLACE TO SHOW YOUR ART.
SO WE HAVE A VENUE HERE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SHOW WHAT
THEY DO IN THEIR ART.
>> WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED
TAKING A STEP BACK IN TIME,
AND LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE
LITTLE POCKETS OF CREATIVITY
RIGHT HERE IN THE NORTHLAND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT
WEEK RIGHT HERE ON COMMON
GROUND.
IF YOU HAVE A SEGMENT IDEA FOR
COMMON GROUND, PLEASE CONTACT
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG, OR CALL
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