>>> COMING UP, WE'RE CONNECTORRING YOU WITH THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

INCLUDING A NATIONALLY RENOWNED QUILTMAKER.

>> IF I LOOK AT IT AND IT FUNT MAKE MY HEART SING, YOU'LL GO UPSTAIRS, CUT IT UP, AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> ARTIST ANDRAE GREEN EXPLORES TIME, MYTHOLOGY, AND HISTORY THROUGH HIS WORK.

>> THE SONG SAID -- SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE ALWAYS FLYING.

>> AND DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE SUN RISE?

NO WORRIES IF YOU DIDN'T.

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.

>> HIS CAMERAS ARE SET AND HIS DRONE IS READY.

>> THIS KIND OF LIGHT LASTS, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, 15 MINUTES.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PRIED BY -- PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVE, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

ED JOHNETTA MILLER OF HEART FORTUNATE IS REC -- HARTFORD IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE CREATIVE AND COLORFUL QUIT MAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

HER -- QUILTMAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THEY THEY CAN BE FOUND IN CORPORATE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND IMPORTANT MUSEUMS INCLUDING THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF THE SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON.

SHE TOLD PRODUCER DAVE FRASER RECENTLY THAT QUILTS SUBSTITUTEDIOUSLY DAY AFTER DAY GIVES HER A RENEWED ANTICIPATION OF WHAT BEAUTY WILL REVOLVE FROM IT AND HE BRINGS US HER STORY.

>> QUILLLES -- QUILTING HAS BECOME AN ABSOLUTE PASSION FOR ME AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

>> FROM HER THIRD FLOOR STUDIO IN HARTFORD'S BLUE HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, ED JOHNETTA MILLER MAKES HER NAME TO THE SEWING MACHINE.

STACKED ARE SHELVES OF FABRIC, CIN KIMONOS, SCARVES, AND LINENS, DIRECTIONS -- COLLECTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

>> PEOPLE DROP OFF THINGS.

YOU GOT FABRICS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THEM.

DROP THEM OFF ON ED JOHNETTA'S PORCH.

>> FOR THE PAST 30-PLUS YEARS, QUILTS HAS BECOME HER -- QUILTING HAS BECOME HER PASSION.

SHE'S ONE OF THE MOW PROFESSOR VARIABLE QUILTMAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> WEAVING IS STRUCTURAL.

IF I WOUND THREADS, THOUSANDS OF THREADS, AND I SAT THERE AND I THREADED MY LOOM AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOOM THERE'S THIS LITTLE BUG -- BUMP THERE, KNOWING THAT IT'S AN ERROR, I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THAT OUT, START AGAIN.

AND IN QUILL.

S, THERE ARE -- QUILTING.

THERE ARE NO BUMPS.

IF I LOOK AT IT AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE MY -- MAKE MY HEART SING, I GO UPSTAIRS, CUT IT UP, AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> AS A CHILD GROWINGP IN RHODE ISLAND, HER PARENTS ENCOURAGED HER TO FIND A BETTER PROFESSION.

BUT MILLS FOUND HER PASSION FOR ART.

HE AUNT TOOK HER TO MUSEUMS, CRAFT FAIRS, AND THE NEARBY RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN.

>> SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG.

AND SHE HAS HAD FOLLOWED MY CAREER UNTIL SHE PASSED AWAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

AND WAS SO PROUD THAT I TOOK THAT LITTLE NOURISHING PIECE OF MY LIFE AND JUST HAD IT EXPLODE.

>> AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, MILLER HAS EXPERIENCED MANY INJUSTICES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, SHE BEGAN TO MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO HER AND CREATED A QUILT, CALLED "I HAVE KNOWN INJUSTICE ALL MY LIFE."

>> SO I GOT IT OUT.

I GOT IT OUT THROUGH MY WRITING.

I GOT IT OUT THEN THROUGH DOING MY QUILT.

>> HER PIECE FOR THE RECENT TEXTILE CENTER IN MINNEAPOLIS WEAVES "BLACK LIVES MATTER" NEWSPAPER HEADLINES AND OTHER MOW TESTIFIES INTO BOLD RED, WHITE, AND BLACK GEOMETRIC PATTERNS.

THE COLORS MILLER SAYS IS THE BLOOD WE'VE SHARED AND THE BLACKNESS OF US.

>> I WAS GLUED TO WATCHING TV, THE NEWS.

ALL I WOULD WATCH IS THE NEWS.

IT BECAME MORE AND MORE AND MORE ANGRY.

SO THAT'S WHY I SAID, I'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

I'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

AND DOING SOMETHING THROUGH TELLING MY STORY OF INJUSTICES THROUGH MY QUILTS.

"BLACK LIVES MATTER."

"BLACK LIVES MATTER."

IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND WE CAN NEVER FORGET THAT.

>> OKAY.

SO NOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO -- I TOLD THEM.

>> IF HER HAND PAINTED SILL, HEAD -- SILK SCARVES AND DREADLOCKS, PEOPLE SHE INTRODUCES PEOPLE TO QUILTS.

SHE VISITED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

IN HARTFORD TO HELP STUDENTS MAKE A QUILT FOR THEIR SCHOOL.

>> I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOUNG PEOPLE, KNOWLEDGE YOUR HERITAGE.

AND THAT'S WHY I TEACH AT MANY, MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO TALK ABOUT ME AS AN ARTIST.

BUT MY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS BECOMING AN ARTIST, HOW YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

GOT TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORT.

DO A GOOD JOB.

AND BE KIND.

>> MILLER'S WORK CAN BE FOUND IN MUSEUMS AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AS WELL AS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. SHE SAYS AS LONG AS SHE IS ABLE, SHE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM, MOVEMENT, AND POWER GIVEN TO CREATING THE SCULPTURE OF THE CLOTH.

>> I LOVE THE FEEL.

I LOVE THE SMELL.

I LOVE THE COLORS!

I MEAN, IT JUST -- QUILTING TAKES OVER MY LIFE.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> AND TO LEARN HOW THE QUILTER GOT HER UNIQUE NAME, VISIT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT FOR ADDITIONAL EXCLUSIVE PIECE.

>>> LOCALLY-BASED VISUAL ARTIST ANDRAE GREEN HAS HAD HIS WORK SHOWN INTERNATIONALLY AND HIS PAINTINGS ARE INCLUDED IN MANY PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

ORIGINALLY FROM JAMAICA, GREEN WAS AWARDED A FULL SCHOLARSHIP GRANT SPONSORED BY THE JA MAIN GOVERNMENT TO FURTHER HIS ART STUDIES AT THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF ART.

SINCE THEN HE HAS CONTINUED CREATING VIBRANT PIECES THAT REFERENCE PIECES AND EXPLORE TIME, MYTHOLOGY, AND MEMORY.

I SPOKE WITH GREEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS CREATIVE PROCESS AND HOW HE INCORPORATES HIS OWN PERSONAL MEMORIES AND HERITAGE INTO HIS ARTWORK.

>> AS EARLY AS I COULD REMEMBER, DRAWING HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I WAS DOING.

RETURNING TO A PASSION IS WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AND I DID MY FIRST PAINTING IN COLLEGE AT THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, WHICH IS THE ONLY ART SCHOOL IN THE CARIBBEANS.

EVERYONE GOES THERE.

IN JAMAICA.

>> YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JAMAICAN OF EUROPEAN AND WEST AFRICAN CULTURES.

HOW DOES YOUR HERITAGE INFLUENCE YOUR ARTWORK AND HOW DO WE SEE THIS HYBRID IDENTITY PLAY OUT IN YOUR PIECES?

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE TO BE JAMAICAN IS NOT A RISK -- I MEAN, THE MAJORITY ARE BLACK.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME THESE OTHER RACES ARE PART AND PARCEL OF WHAT IT MEANS.

THE MODEL IS -- MOTO OF OLD OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE.

SO THAT IN A SENSE WHERE I PULL FROM, MY WHOLE POETRY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, JUST GROWING UP IN KINGSTON, WHICH IS VERY DIVERSE.

THEN LIVING HERE IN WESTERN MASS, MOVING TO WESTERN MASS, WITH MY WIFE, IT KIND OF -- I STARTED TO REFLECT BECAUSE I WASN'T AROUND THE CULTURE ANYMORE.

AND WE STARTED TO GET HOMESICK AND STARTED -- SO YOUR THOUGHTS LONG FOR HOME AND IT STARTS LEADING THE WORK, YOU KNOW, A LOT.

AND EVEN THIS STUFF BEHIND ME IS -- IT'S ABOUT ONE MEMORY, ME AND MY DAD.

MY DAD AND MY FAMILY WOULD GO TO KINGSTON HARBOR AND JUST -- WE'D WATCH THE KIDS JUMP OFF THE PIER.

YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST -- JUST REMEMBERING THAT ONE THING, YOU KNOW.

THE SUNSET OR THE SUNRISE -- [INAUDIBLE] SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE ALWAYS FLYING.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CHERISH AND I MISS.

>> I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF VIBRANCY, WHICH REFLECTS THE CARIBBEAN CALL TOUR.

>> AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN -- CULTURE.

>> AND AFRICAN CULTURE, TOO.

>> AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT AS WELL.

IS THERE A PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE THAT IS YOURS, THAT WHEN SOMEONE SEES IT, THEY KNOW, THIS IS AN ANDRAE GREEN PAINTING?

>> I HOPE SO.

BECAUSE I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR ME TO SAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE MOST OF MY WORK DEALS WITH MEMORY AND TIME.

SO A LOT -- YOU'LL SEE FIGURES LIKE SHIFTING OR BEING BLURRED INTO -- LIKE A GLITCH EFFECT.

IT'S LIKE A -- I USE FOR MEMORY OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKS REAL BUT ISN'T, WHICH IS LIKE A HALLMARK FOR MAYBE -- IT'S NOT BEING REMEMBERED RIGHT OR MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING RIGHT.

YOU KNOW?

SO LITTLE CUE -- CUES LIKE THAT CARRY ON WITH THE WORK AND ALSO PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THE COLOR SENSE EUB89, THE VIE -- SENSIBILITY, AND SIGH BRANS IS -- VIBRANCE.

>> ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT IS IN AN INTERVIEW YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE IMAGES IN YOUR HEAD BUT IT'S MORE AFTER FEELING THAT COMES TO YOU.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO KIND OF TRUST YOUR OWN INTUITION AND FOLLOW IT TO CREATE ONE OF YOUR ARTWORKS?

>> SO FOR ME, IT'S LOOKING AT THE ARTWORK, FAMILIARIZING MYSELF.

I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT NEW ART, GOING TO MUSEUMS.

ALSO TO -- AS MUCH AS I CAN, AND FILLING THAT RESERVOIR.

SO OVERTIME AND WITH PRACTICE OF COURSE, BEING IN HERE EVERY DAY, OR AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE -- FOR YOU TO STOP LIKE THINKING ABOUT IT AND JUST DOING IT.

AND THEN IT BECOMES AN EXTENSION.

SO I THINK AFTER ALL OF THAT IS BEING DONE, THEN YOU HAVE US -- A GUT SENSE.

>> I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE THEMES THAT YOUR PAINTINGS ARE ABOUT.

SO YOU LIKE TO SHOWTIME, MYTHOLOGY, MEMORY, HISTORY.

WHY ARE THOSE THE THINGS THAT RESONATE WITH YOU AND WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ART?

>> FOR ME, LIKE PART OF THE BEAUTY OF AN ARTIST -- ARTIST HAS A DUTY AND TO KIND OF MARK WHERE WE ARE VISUALLY, AS A PEOPLE, AS A RACE, AS A CULTURE.

AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT.

I PICK STUFF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, THINGS THAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY DO WE BELIEVE THE THINGS WE DO, WHY DO WE SEE THE WAY WE SEE.

AND OF COURSE, I -- TO MY OWN SUBJECTIVE LENS, I'M A BLACK MALE, GREW UP IN A CERTAIN TIME, IN A CERTAIN PLACE.

SO I SEE THE WORLD A CERTAIN WAY.

SO WHEN THE FARM LOGICAL EXPERIENCES OF THIS TIME HAPPENS TO US, I INTERPRETED IT THAT WAY AND IT KIND OF GIVES THE WORLD AN -- A POSTERITY -- [INAUDIBLE WE'RE DOING ESPECIALLY THESE WORKS, YOU SEE PEOPLE OUTSIDE JUMPING, TWISTING, ALL THAT STUFF.

FOR ME, IT'S A DIRECT -- I AM TRYING TO -- I ACTUALLY SAID THIS OUT TO ANYONE BEFORE, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO GIVE AN AN TEDOTE TO WHAT I -- ANTIDOTE TO WHAT I FELT, PEOPLE FELT, SO YOU'RE INSIDE ALL THE TIME.

YOU CANNOT GEE ANYWHERE.

YOU -- GO ANYWHERE.

YOU FEEL DEPRESSED.

AND A SUICIDE RISK WENT UP, YOU KNOW, SINCE COVID.

SO FOR ME, I WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE IMAGES THAT REALLY -- RELEASE THEM, THAT HELP THEM KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE BLACK OR WHITE, I'M USING A BLACK MALE BODY BECAUSE I AM.

BUT TO HELP FEEL RELEASE, TO HELP KNOW OR REMIND THEM THAT YOU ARE FREE IF YOU CAN BE IN A STATE, A GOOD MENTAL STATE, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN SO THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT, THE MEMORY OF MY DAD, BECAUSE THAT'S -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HIT ME, YOU KNOW.

YOU KNOW, THOSE KIDS JUMPING AND IT'S JUST THAT EXHILARATION AND FREEDOM.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> AND IF YOU'VE ENJOYED THE STORIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN TONIGHT, BE SURE TO GO ONLINE RIGHT NOW TO N NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AS WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY WITH A LOOK AT THE PEOPLE, STORIES, AND ISSUES THAT SHAPE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

>>> IF YOU'RE UP EARLY ENOUGH TO CATCH THE SUNRISE AND THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT, YOU MAY BE TREATED TO A SHOWCASE OF AMAZING COLORS IN THE SKY.

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN CAPTURES SCENES LIKE THIS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND, EARNING HIMSELF A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE REGION.

"CONNECTING POINT'S" ROSS LIPPMAN MET MALCOLM-BROWN ONE EARLY MORNING WHERE BOTH THE SUNRISE AND HIS PHOTOS DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.

>> IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WHEN MOST OF US ARE STILL ASLEEP, JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN IS AWAKE.

>> GETTING PRETTY CLOSE.

>> AND WAITING.

>> NICE.

>> FOR SIGNS IN THE SKY.

>> WE'RE GETTING SOME REAL NICE COLOR THROUGH THE TREES, TOO.

>> MAL CON-BROWN IS A LANDSCAPE AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER.

HERE AT CRANBERRY POND, HIS CAMERAS ARE SET AND HIS DRONE -- IS READY.

>> THIS KIND OF LIGHT LASTS, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, 15 MINUTES.

>> SOON THESE FAINT HINTS OF PINKS, REDS, AND PURPLES WILL BURST WITH COLOR, AND THAT'S WHEN MALCOLM-BROWN TAKES FLIGHT.

>> OH, YEAH.

THIS IS A NICE SKY.

WE LUCKED OUT.

>> CAPTURING A SUNRISE LIKE THIS, WITH SO MUCH COLOR AND BRILLIANCE, IS WHAT MALCOLM-BROWN DESCRIBED AS AN INEXACT SCIENCE.

>> AS MUCH TIME I SPEND LOOKING AT THE WEATHER MAPS, I DEBT DUD AFTER DUD, BECAUSE ALL IT TAKES IS ONE LOW CLOUD ON THE HORIZON TO KILL EVERYTHING.

>> THOUGH THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

IT'S THE KIND WHERE A PICTURE IS WORTH AT LEAST A THOUSAND WORDS.

>> I ALWAYS LOVED LIKE THE IDEA OF PHOTOGRAPHY, LIKE GROWING UP.

MY FAMILY HAD THE VHS CAMERA YOU HAD ON YOUR SHOULDER AND I WAS ALWAYS USING THAT AT FAMILY PARTIES AND STUFF.

>> HIS CHILDHOOD PASSION HAS GROWN INTO MALCOLM-BROWN BEING ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHERS IN NEW ENGLAND.

BASED HERE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, LIVING IN SHRUSE BERRY.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA -- SHRUSE BERRY.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA HIS WORK IS SHARED BY THOUSANDS OF 2308ERS.

THE TAGLINE, A REFLECTION OF HIS PHILOSOPHY.

GET OUT AND EXPLORE HOWEVER YOU CAN.

>> PRIMARILY IT'S THE LOVE OF BEING OUTSIDE.

LIKE I JUST -- I LOVED BEING OUT EXPLORING NEW PLACES.

I LIKE THAT, THAT DRAMA OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY SEE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ASLEEP.

>> FROM SUNRISES AND SUNSETS, TO CAPTURING THE MILKY WAY IN THE MIGHT SKY, MALCOLM-BROWN USES HIS PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY TO FUEL THOSE DAYS HE GETS LITTLE SLEEP.

>> ON MONDAYS I'M WORKING FULL TIME, HOME-SCHOOLING, AND TRYING TO MANAGE MY SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, WHICH IS HOW LIKE PHOTOGRAPHER THESE -- PHOTOGRAPHERS THESE DAYS GET THEIR WORK OUT.

SOME DAYS I CAN'T DO IT, IT'S DUF DIFFICULT, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THAT EXCITES ME, I CAN GET OUT FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND HOPEFULLY CAPTURE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.

>> HE'S ALSO EXPLORING NEW WAYS TO CAPTURE THAT BEAUTY.

AT GUN BROOK FALLS JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN SUNDERLAND, HE'S TESTING OUT HIS NEW SLIDER.

IT'S A DEVICE THAT HE'LL PROGRAM TO MOVE HIS CAMERA LITTLE BY LITTLE, CAPTURING ONE FRAME AT A TIME.

IT'S HUNDREDS IN TOTAL, THAT, WHEN PUT TOGETHER, GIVES YOU A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.

>> LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY IS REALLY JUST THE ACT OF BEING OUT IN THE LANDSCAPE AND CAPTURING AN IMAGE.

BUT I USE NEW TOOLS FOR THAT.

SO LIKE THE DRONE GIVES YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU CAN'T GET OTHERWISE.

AND THEN THE SLIDER THAT I'M USING, IT CAN SHOW MOVEMENT AND TIME IN A WAY THAT THE HUMAN EYE CAN'T SEE.

ONE MORNING IS LIKE SUPER FOGGY, SUN CAME UP OVER THE FOG.

AND ONE TREE IN SOMEBODY'S YARD JUST LOOKED AMAZING.

LIKE THE SUN WAS GLOWING BEHIND IT.

I HAD ON MY LONG LENS.

JUST JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, TOOK SOME SNAPS, AND IT'S JUST -- IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

LIKE THAT MOMENT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, WE OFFER YOU A CURATED GALLERY OF SOME OF PHOTOGRAPHER JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN'S BEST WORK FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.

YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> LENOX RESIDENT MARILYN PETERSON HAUS SPENT HER CHILDHOOD ON HER FAMILY FARM IN MINNESOTA AND SHARED A CLOSE BOND WITH HER TWIN BROTHER.

IT'S A BOND THAT WOULD BE TESTED AS HE STRUGGLED WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT WAS EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED AS BIPOLAR DISORDER.

HER MEMOIR ENTITLED, "HALF OF A WHOLE," CHRONICLES THE STORIES OF HER TWIN'S MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE CONSEQUENCES IT BRINGS TO THE FAMILY DYNAMIC.

HAUS JOINED ME TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE IN HOW SHE FOUND THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT HER PAINFUL PASSION.

>> I STARTED WRITING THE BOOK ABOUT THE TIME I RETIRED FROM MY CAREER.

AND IT HAPPENED THAT MY BROTHER DIED AT THE SAME TIME.

AND MY MOTHER DIED HALF A YEAR LATER -- OR HALF A YEAR BEFORE HIM.

SO THE TWO CHARACTERS WHO HAD NEVER HAVE APPROVED OF ME WRITING THIS BOOK NO LONGER WERE ALIVE.

SO THAT GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO WRITE.

AND I HAD THIS HEARTFELT STORY THAT I WANTED TO GET DOWN ON PAPER.

>> AND THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, YOU TOUCH ON THREE THEMES.

ONE BEING THE UNIQUE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWINS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THEN YOUR QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO REVISIT AND RELIVE SOME OF THESE MEMORIES AND MOMENTS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE?

>> WELL, THAT WAS VERY SENTING -- VERY INTERESTING, BECAUSE I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS TRANSPORTED RIGHT BACK INTO THOSE SITUATIONS.

I REFELT THE REFESSIONS.

IN FACT -- EMOTIONS.

IN FACT, I THINK SOME OF THEM WERE STRONGER AS I TRIED TO WHAT WAS GOING ON MY MIND AT THE TIME, AND I RELIVED THEM.

SO IT WAS IN A WAY HELPED ME TO WRITE THE STORY BECAUSE I WOULD WRITE IT IN PRY HEART.

>> I KNOW THAT -- MY HEART.

>> I KNOW A LOT OF THIS BOOK IS CENTERED AROUND THE MENTAL ILLNESS THAT MARVIN HAD.

TO DATE, LIVING IN THIS PANDEMIC ERA, MENTAL ILLNESS DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME STIGMA THAT IT ONCE DID.

MARVIN DIDN'T DIAGNOSED UNTIL HE WAS 45 YEARS OLD.

IN WHAT WAYS DID YOU WITNESS YOUR FAMILY COPE OR NOT COPE WITH HIS BEHAVIOR AS A CHILD AND EVENTUALLY HIS DIAGNOSIS AS AN ADULT?

>> WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS.

WHEN WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, I'M SURE MY BROTHER WAS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION.

BUT THE STIGMA WAS SO GREAT, OUR IGNORANCE WAS GREAT, AND SO WE INTERPRETED, TRANSLATED IT TO BEING THAT HE WAS LAZY.

MY FATHER THOUGHT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST A LAZY AND -- AND EVEN CALLED HIM A GOOD FOR NOTHING, WHICH LIKE HEART.

MY NOTHING TOOK UPON HERSELF TO PROTECT HIM TO, TRY TO MAKE HIM INTO THE STON MY FATHER WANTED -- SON MY FATHER WANTED.

BUT NONE OF US EXPECTED ANYTHING.

I SAW SOME SIGNS, BUT IT WAS EASY TO IGNORE THEM.

AND THEY HAD WHEN HE HAD HIS BIG PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN AT 45, THAT'S WHEN I KNEW HE HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS AND MY FAMILY, MY CURRENT FAMILY, KNEW ABOUT IT.

BUT MY MOTHER NEVER ACCEPTED IT.

AND MY BROTHER HIMSELF NEVER ACCEPTED IT.

>> ANOTHER PAINFUL MOMENT THAT FOR ME IN THE BOOK WAS HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT YOUR MOTHER TOOK TO KIND OF HOLD BACK YOUR SUCCESSES FROM YOUR TWIN MARVIN, AND ONE OF THE STORIES THAT REALLY TOUCHED ME IN A PAINFUL WAY WAS HEARING HOW SHE KEPT YOU IN A WALKER AS A BABY BECAUSE YOU BEGAN TO WALK BEFORE MARVIN DID.

HOW DID THOSE MOMENTS AFFECT YOU, YOUR INDIVIDUALISM, AND -- AND TURN THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAD WITH YOUR MOTHER?

>> IT WAS EXTREMELY PAINFUL.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE REALLY WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT GIENT WHEN SHE PREVENTED ME FROM WALKING, I WAS STUNNED.

I KNEW I WAS HAVING TROUBLE IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER BECAUSE SHE WOULD DIMINISH ME.

SHE DENIGRATED MY CAREER, THE WAY I RAISED -- WAY WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN, EVEN THE FOOD I COOKED.

AND SHE WAS SO CRITICAL OF ME.

AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.

I WORKED SO HARD TO PLEASE HERB.

I LOVED MY MOTHER.

AND I HAD ALWAYS SIDED WITH HER IN PATRIARCHAL FAMILY.

WHEN I WENT INTO THERAPY AND CAME OUT AND THEN I BEGAN TO WORK ON MY OWN, I REALIZED I HAD THIS RAGE AT HER.

AND WHEN THAT RAGE ERUPTED, I FINALLY, 10 YEARS AFTER I COMPLETED THERAPY, SO I WAS LIKE 60 YEARS OLD -- I CONFRONTED HER.

AND SHE WAS ADAMANT IN HER POSITION.

AND I TOLD HER, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE HAD NOT TREATED ME FAIRLY.

SHE EVENTUALLY BACKED DOWN JUST FOR A FEW MOMENTS.

BUT I AT THAT POINT ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT SHE WAS ACTING OUT OF HER OWN SITUATION.

SHE WAS DESPERATELY TRYING TO PROTECT MY TWIN.

AND SHE THOUGHT IT MADE ME TWIN LOOK BAD.

SO -- AND IN THE PROCESS OF PROTECTING HIM, SHE SORT OF PUSHED ME ASIDE.

>> MARVIN PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER AT THE AGE OF 67.

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES WITH HIM GROWING UP AND EVEN THROUGH ADULTHOOD AND WHAT WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM HIS STORY AND REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT HIM?

>> WELL, I THINK MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF YOU WILL -- IS ALL THE FUN WE HAD ON THE FARM, JUST THE TWO OF US.

WE EXPLORED THE WOODS.

WE FOUND THE KITTENS AND PLAYED WITH THEM.

WE FED THE BIGS.

-- PIGS.

WE HAD AN IDYLLIC CHILDHOOD ON THE SURFACE AND WE HAD ALL THIS FREE TIME.

I'M SORT OF STUNNED HOW LITTLE SUPERVISION WE HAD AND SO MANY THINGS COULD GO WRONG.

AS FOR WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE FROM THE BOOK, I THINK I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON PEOPLE.

IT'S DEVASTATING -- ON A FAMILY.

IT'S DEVASTATING.

AND YOU KNOW, HE TRIED TO HIDE HIS MENTAL ILLNESS.

AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND EACH OF US WERE OPERATING OUT OF OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS, OUR OWN NEEDS, OUR OWN PAIN, OUR OWN -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANTED OUT OF LIFE.

SO I WOULD HOPE THE READER ALSO HAS MORE COMPASSION FOR EACH OF US INVOLVED IN A FAMILY WITH MENTAL ILL NARS -- ILLNESS, THAT WE'RE ALL IMPERFECT, EACH US -- OF US, AND THAT WE'RE ALL PROFOUNDLY HUMAN.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> FOR MORE FROM MAYORINES, HEAD OVER TO -- MARILYN PETERSON HAUS HEAD OVER TO OUR WEB PAGE AS THE AUTHOR TAKES US BACK TO A MOMENT IN 1959 WHEN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER TWIN PRO BROTHER BEGAN TWEETERIARITYING -- DETERIORATING.

>> OXFORD COULD BE A GOOD SCHOOL FOR MARVIN.

I CHOKED ON A MOUTHFUL OF MILK.

IF HE GOES TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS MARILYN.

THEY CAN RIDE TOGETHER WHEN THEY COME HOME ON BEENS.

I WANT -- WEEKENDS.

I.

WITH AD TO SAY, MOM, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK THE WAY YOU THINK.

>> THAT DIGITAL EXTRA IS AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT OUR WEB PAGE.

AND FINALLY, THIS EVENING, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO COLLEAGUE MARK LARGE VIN, LANG VIB -- LANG VIN WHO IS RETIRING.

MARK HAS BEEN A VALUED AND RESPECTED COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND TO ALL OF US HERE AT NEPM AND WE WISH HIM THE VERY BEST IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE.

HE WILL BE MISSED.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS KIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU -- FIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPISODE AS WELL AS CLUE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK RIGHT HERE FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶