>> I'M ERIK FORD FOR MADE HERE.

WITH WHALES FROM MASSACHUSETTS INTRODUCES US TO CHARLIE HUNTER IN HIS FILM I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT.

CHARLIE HUNTER, AN IRASCIBLE AND CHARISMATIC PAINTER, SHARES HIS MASTERY OF CARAFE AND HIS WISDOM BULLPEN THE LANDSCAPE OF HIS HOME STATE.

I FOUND MYSELF INSTANDLY CAPTURED AND I'M SURE YOU WILL TOO.

YOU CAN WATCH THIS AND MANY OTHER MAJOR STORIES STREAMING ON VERMONTPBS.ORG AND THROUGH THE PBS APP.

THANKS FOR WATCHING >> I SUCK ADD RATINGS AND I SUCK AT MUSIC SO HERE I AM DOING WHAT I CAN DO.

GLIE REMEMBER THE EXACT MOMENT I FELL IN LOVE WITH TRAINS.

HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE ONWARD.

STORMED AT WITH SHOT AND SHELL, THE HORSE AND HERO FELL, THEY THAT HAD FOUGHT SO WELL, ALL THAT WAS LEFT, ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF 600.

I WOULDN'T TAKE BRATTLEBORO IF YOU GAVE IT TOE IN ON A STICK.

I LIKE IT JUST FINE BUT IT'S NOT MY CUP OF TEA.

YOU HAVE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE.

I WOULD RATHER LIVE HERE WITH A BUNCH OF OUTLIERS INSTEAD OF A MAINSTREAM PLACE WITH CRAPPY TRAFFIC.

OH, I'M LOOKING AT THE CAMERA, AREN'T I?

I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT?

OH.

I KNOW.

SUZANNE TAKES YOU TO A PLACE BY THE RIVER!

BREAKFAST TIME.

DELICIOUS.

MMM.

LOOK AT THAT!

SMELLS LIKE BURNED TIRES.

WHEN WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING WE'RE IN A FOUL MOOD BUT THEN WE GET TO EAT DELICIOUS FOOD, DELICIOUS FOOD, DELICIOUS FOOFD, IT TASTES SO GOOD, IT TASTES SO GOOD.

I JUST SING IT FOR AS LONG AS THE FOOD EATING RITUAL TAKES PLACE.

EAT!

EAT!

NEW YORK HAS INVADED BY BEAVERS.

THIS LOOKS LIKE DOG -- SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE CAT , SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE HORSE -- TODAY IT'S FOUL.

I COME HERE EVERY MORNING.

THE FOOD IS WONDERFUL.

YOU GET TO BE SURROUNDED BY BEAUTY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN.

IT'S JUST -- IT'S JOYFUL.

I MEAN, IT'S UNPRE-TEN CHUS.

BYE!

>> BYE, GUYS!

THIS IS GRETA.

GRETA ROCKS.

THANKS.

I THINK IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF BELLA'S FALLS.

IT'S QUIRKY AND INDIVIDUALISTIC.

BELLA'S FALLS WAS NOT AN ARTIST TOWN.

EVERYBODY IS COVERED IN CAT HAIR.

YOU GO UP TO MONTREAL THEY HAVE WORSE WEATHER THAN WE DO AND EVERYBODY LOOKS FABULOUS.

YOU COME HERE, EVERYBODY LOOKS LIKE HELL.

WE DO NOT LIKE HUGGING.

WHEN I HUG IT'S KIND OF A MODIFIED HEIMLICH MANEUVER BUT I GREW UP IN NEW ENGLAND.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PERSPECTIVE.

I THINK THEY ARE MORE FRIENDLY.

MORE FRIENDLY BUT ALSO MORE LIKELY TO KILL YOU.

YOU'VE GOT A MIX OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LONG TIME FROM HERE, YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF INTERESTING PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE.

NO ONE IS THINKING WHAT USED TO BE HERE IS GOING TO COME BACK.

DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THESE SONS -- NO ONE THINKS THAT THE PAPER MILLS ARE COMING BACK.

BELLA'S FALLS IS OVER.

THAT I REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED IN NORTHAMPTON THERE WAS A CARTOON THAT SAID, GREENWICH VILLAGE GONE RURAL, WITH A PICTURE OF A OVERALLS WEARING FARMER AND A BLACK WOMAN IN CAT'S EYEGLASSES.

SHE SAYS, WANT TO GO TO THE TRACTOR PULL?

HE SAYS, NO I THOUGHT I WOULD GO TO THE CINEMA AND CATCH DIVA AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU!

>> YES, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE STUDIO.

WE'RE GOING TO -- THE WORDS OF MY FRIEND PATRICK LEE, OUR JOB AS ARTISTS IS TO LEARN TO ACCURATELY RENDER THINGS AND THEN -- IT UP.

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

>> YOU PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL!

JUST BEAUTIFUL!

THE ANALOGY I HAVE USED OFTEN WHEN TEACHING IS TOWNS VAN ZANDT SONG PANCHO AND LEFTY.

LIVING ON THE ROAD MY FRIEND IS GOING TO MAKE YOU FREE AND CLEAN BUT NOW YOU WEAR YOUR SKIN LIKE HIGHER THAN AND YOUR BREATH'S AS HARD AS KEROSENE WHAT.

DOES THAT LITERALLY MEAN?

HARD AS KEROSENE?

YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANS.

THAT I WOULD ASPIRE TO PAINT.

TO HAVE A PAINTING EVEN APPROACH THAT LEVEL OF STORY TRUTH.

OH, GOD, THAT WAS ELOQUENT.

I REMEMBERED IT SINCE I WAS NINE OR TEN, I'M NOT GOING TO FORGET IT IN THE NEXT TWO MINUTES!

IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON AND THE SUN WAS GOLDEN HOUR, THE LITTLE FREIGHT TRAIN CAME BY.

I READ THE SIDES OF THE BOXCARS AND SAID ONE THAT SAID NICKEL PLATE ROAD.

THE LETTERING WAS JUST FANTASTIC.

THE BEAUTY OF THE LIGHT ON THIS KIND OF FORGOTTEN OBJECT THAT WAS STILL IN MOTION, IT JUST WAS PROFOUND TO ME.

I WAS HOOKED ON TRAINS.

MY THEORY IS ALL RIGHT THINKING TWO-YEAR-OLDS LOVE TRAINS.

AND THEN PEOPLE LOSE TOUCH WITH THEIR -- THEIR -- WHAT STEERED THEM RIGHT ABOUT CHILDHOOD.

THEY FORGET.

I JUST -- TRAINS ARE MY RIGHT OBJECT, YOU KNOW?

PART OF WHY I LIKE TRAINS SO MUCH IS GRAPHICALLY THEY ROCK.

NICE HORIZONTALS CUTTING THROUGH THE LAND.

ALSO FASCINATION WITH PASSAGE OF TIME.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

>> WHY?

>> BECAUSE IT'S JAMES THURBER WROTE, GETS US ALL IN THE END.

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT HUMAN ENDEAVOR IS ABOUT ATTEMPTING TO LITERALLY MAKE ONE'S MARK IN THE TIME THAT ONE HAS.

YEAH.

YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S THE MOST ENDEARING THING ABOUT HUMANS.

WE'RE GOING TO FAIL.

BUT YET WE TRY.

>> THE ONE PARTICULAR SKILL SET I HAVE ALLOWS ME TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AND DO A DECENT GENERALLY DO A DECENT PAINTING OF IT IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS OF LIMITED INTEREST.

IT'S LIKE A DOG BEING ABLE TO DANCE ON ITS HIND LEGS.

IF ONE ACCEPTS THAT ART IS ABOUT TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH THE INHERENT LONELINESS OF EXISTENCE OF SHARING WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE ALIVE, THEN HOW DO YOU MAKE AN IMAGE THAT TRANSCENDS THE LITERAL ASPECT OF IT?

I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE THING TO BE THINKING ABOUT.

RATHER THAN WORKING FROM A PRECONCEIVED IMAGE, I'M JUST MAKING THESE MARKS THAT I FIND GRAPHICALLY INTERESTING, AND THEN FROM THAT ONCE THIS DRIES I CAN USE IT HOPEFULLY AS AN ARM TOUR, AN ABSTRACT COLLECTION OF SHAPES, MAKING IT A TRUTH WEILAND SCAPE OR A SOMEWHAT TRUTHFUL SPACE.

WHERE IS THAT GOING TO GO?

GOING TO END UP -- OR IS IT -- I HAVE NO IDEA AT THIS POINT.

WHAT?

SOMEONE WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE LAP TIME.

I'M SORRY MY TRUTH IS IF THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION, IF THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF -- A CERTAIN POINT OF NO RETURN, IT FEELS FOR ME DISRESPECTFUL TO DOCUMENT IT.

ONCE A CAR IS REALLY SINKING INTO THE EARTH, IT'S LIKE LET IT RUST IN PEACE.

LET IT HAVE ITS LAST TIME BY ITSELF.

>> I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS BEING VANQUISHED.

>> WHAT THE -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED, ANNIHILATED AS OPPOSED TO APOP LIP TICK.

>> I DON'T WANT TO PAINT THOSE.

>> RATHER YOUR STORE, YOUR GAS STATION, THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SPIRIT THAT ENDURES AND PREVAILS THAT'S UNVANQUISHED.

>> YES, THE NOBILITY.

HONOR THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

HONOR THE CHARGE THEY MADE.

YEAH.

THAT'S ABOUT ALL I REMEMBER OF CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE, HALF A LEAGUE STORMED THE HORSE AND HERO FELL, THEY THAT HAD FOUGHT SO WELL.

ALL THAT WAS LEFT, LEFT OF 600.

YEAH.

I LIKE THINGS THAT HAVE A MOD I COME OF DIGNITY.

I LIKE WHEN THEY SLIDE OFF YOUR LAP AND FALL ON THE FLOOR.

I WOULD RATHER NOT BE GIMPY.

I DIDN'T WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND SAY,, GO I WOULD LIKE THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE OF BEING -- OF HAVING LIMITED MOVEMENT, BUT EVERYBODY I KNOW WHO IS 60 HAS SOME PROBLEM OR OTHER.

IF I I'VE GOT THIS PROBLEM THAT I WALK FUNNY, CAN'T REALLY USE MY RIGHT HAND, WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TO BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT ANYBODY ELSE GOES THROUGH.

THERE'S NOTHING PROFOUND ABOUT IT.

NOT ENOUGH TIME, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT ALL DONE.

HEY, BUDDY.

YEAH.

THAT'S PART OF THE GAME TOO.

I'M STILL HOPING FOR IMMORTALITY, BUT CURRENTLY THE SIGNS ARE NOT LOOKING TERRIBLY POSITIVE.

I WOULD PREFER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE REALLY GOOD AT BEING A HUMAN BEING, BUT WE GEL AS MUCH TIME AS WE GET.

WE ALL DO PRETTY MUCH.

WELL, WHO SAYS I'M RIGHT?

I MAY BE JUST FULL OF !

I DON'T LIKE WORKING FROM PHOTOGRAPHS.

I WILL BUT I DON'T LIKE IT.

I'M JUST MAKING THESE MARKS THAT I FIND GRAPHICALLY INTERESTING, THEN FROM THAT ONCE THIS DRIES I CAN USE IT HOPEFULLY AS ANAR MATURE.

IF MY HANDSHAKES AT ALL, THEY VOLKS STRUCTURE BUT IT'S NOT A STRUCTURE AT THIS POINT.

IT'S ALSO NOT REALLY A PAINTING AT THIS POINT BUT IT'S A SOMETHING.

I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS PAINTING AT THIS POINT ABOUT LOLA'S IN STURGEON BAY, WISCONSIN, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO STOOD IN FRONT OF AN ENIGMATIC, GHOSTLY BUILDING.

MACHINE TOOL INDUSTRY SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT, HAS MOVED ON SO HOW IS SPRINGFIELD, VERNLT GOING TO REINVENT ITSELF NOW?

INTERNATIONAL PAPER WAS FOUNDED IN BELLA'S FALLS.

IT'S LONG SINCE HEADED OUT.

HOW ISABELLA'S FALLS GOING TO REINVENT ITSELF NOW?

THAT IS WHAT THESE PAINTINGS DO TOUCH ON.

NOW WHAT?

NOW CAN WE GO RIDE TRAINS?

PRETTY SOON.

HERE'S BOB'S TRAIN ALL PUT TOGETHER READY FOR THE PASSENGERS.

IN THE REAR IS THE OBSERVATION CAR.

THE ASKED THE CONDUCTOR TO KEEP AN EYE ON BOB BECAUSE THIS IS HIS FIRST TRAIN TRIP ALONE.

YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN NOW, HE SAYS.

THE HUGE LOCOMOTIVE SETS THE TRAIN IN MOTION, SLOWLY AT FI FIRST.

OH, LOOK OUT, HERE SHE COMES.

THERE SHALL GOES.

SHE'S GONE, STREELG STRAIGHT THROUGH TEXAS LIKE A BIG CYCLONE, BIG, RED AND SILVER.

SHE'S A MAD DOG STREAMLINE COME TO SHOW THE FOLKS.

I ADMIRE WRITING LIKE THAT LIKE TOWNS VAN ZANDT OR JOHN PRYNE.

I READ ENOUGH THAT I HAVE AN IDEA OF IT.

I DON'T REALLY WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.

I PREFER NOT -- WELL, LET THE MYSTERY BE.

YOU KNOW?

I CAN DO THAT MORE EASILY WITH MUSIC THAN I CAN WITH ART.

I KNOW MORE OF THE TRICKS WITH ART >> PART OF PAINTING MEANS JUST PAINTING OUTSIDE.

IT IS PART OF THE AMERICAN LOVE OF PUTTING FOREIGN NAMES ON THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AFRAID IT'S DECLASSE.

IT'S HAD A REBIRTH IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IN THE U.S.

THIS YEAR MANAGED TO FINALLY COMBINE MY TWO LOVES OF TRAINS -- OF TRAINS AND PAINTING AND WE DID A THING CALLED ON TRAIN-AIR.

A PAINTER FRIEND OF MINE, LARRY MOORE, WANTED TO SEE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO TAKE A TRAIN, JUST GO ONE STOP DOWN THE LINE FOR LIKE A WEEK, EACH DAY MOVING ONE STOP FURTHER DOWN, PAINTING IN EACH ONE OF THOSE LITTLE TOWNS.

CONCURRENTLY I WAS REALLY INVOLVED WITH EFFORTS TO SAVE ONE PARTICULAR AMERICAN TRAIN, THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF.

SHE'S A DAILY AMTRAK TRAIN BETWEEN CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES.

SO IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, ME AND FIVE OTHER PLEIN AIR PAINTERS BOARDED IN CHICAGO.

WE PAINTED IN LA JUNTA FOR A DAY.

WE WERE GREETED BY THE MAYOR.

WORD OF OUR COMING HAD SPREAD.

WE ALL GOT LITTLE PENS THAT SAID YOU'RE ON THE LEVEL IN LA JUNTA.

TRINIDAD, COLORADO, IS AN OLD MINING TOWN THAT NOW SURVIVES ON MARIJUANA.

WE WENT STOP DOWN THE LINE TO RATON, NEW MEXICO.

THESE GUYS SAID, LOOK, WE WERE COAL MINERS.

COAL MINES ARE NOT COMING BACK.

WE KNOW THAT THE FUTURE OF THIS TOWN IS GOING TO BE THROUGH THE ARTS.

AFTER TRINIDAD, RATON, TO LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO, GOT ON THE TRAIN, WENT ONE STOP DOWN TO LEIME, NEW MEXICO, THEN WE HAD A POP-UP SHOW, PAINTING FOR SOMETHING GREATER THAN ONESELF.

IT'S NOT JUST USING THE PAINT BECAUSE IT'S FUN TO GO PAINTING.

IT'S USING THE POWER OF THE ARTS AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.

IT'S HELPING EFFORTS FOR REALLY ADVOCACY AND IT'S ALMOST AMBASSADORIAL.

GETTING PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THE CURRENT RED-BLUE DIVIDE, GETTING PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER AGAIN.

WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR A MINUTE IS STEP BACK AND GO, HMMM.

I CAME WITH THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN HELPING MAKE ARTS COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO GETTING ACCEPTED BY A PREEXISTING ONE.

DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD.

WHAT THE HELL'S THE POINTS OF THAT?

BUILD YOUR OWN THING.

IT'S A MUCH BETTER DEAL FOR YOU.

IT'S A SELFISH THING, AND IT GIVES OTHER PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY TOO SHOULD CREATE THEIR OWN REALITY AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GET THE HIPSTERS TO BELIEVE IN YOU.

LOOKING OKAY OVER THERE.

LOOKING OKAY OVER THERE.

THIS LOOKS SOPHOMOREIC.

NOW THEY ARE STARTING TO WHISPER.

HE'S NOT GETTING THAT RIGHT!

THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD AT ALL!

I'M STILL GOING TO -- UP THE RAILROAD TRACKS, TRUST ME.

>> THAT DID NOT BRING ME JOY.

WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE IS TO LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY LOAD A SQUEEGEE, OBVIOUSLY.

EVERYTHING MEANS, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO UNTIL YOU KEEL OVER.

YOU'RE GOING TO BOOGIE UNTIL YOU CAN'T BOOGIE NO MORE.

EVERYONE HAS THEIR RIGHT OBJECTS.

JUST GETTING BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO.

YOU KNOW.

>> YOU'RE DONE ASKING QUESTIONS?

OH, I'M NOT DONE PAINTING.

ALL RIGHT?

>> LET'S SEE HERE.

>> SEE, THAT'S GETTING INTERESTING.

>> I THINK IT IS.

>> CATHOLIC CHURCH HIT IS A PHILISTINE, BUT THE CREW APPRECIATES.

GUILDING THE LILY.

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH!

YOU PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL!

WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS BEAUTIFUL!

A KIND OF TRUTH WEIY LANDSCAPE.

ATTEMPTING TO LITERALLY MAKE ONE'S MARK IN THE TIME THAT ONE HAS.

WE'RE GOING TO FAIL.

BUT YET WE TRY.

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

FOR MORE VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG.