>> HE HAS BEEN CALLED A LOT OF THINGS OVER THE COURSE OF HIS
LIFE AND HIS MOTHER AND ARTISTIC
PRODIGY BY HIS TEACHERS AND A SCENE STEELER BY THOSE THAT
SHARE THE 16 WITH HIM AND A MARKSMAN AND WAS IN WORLD WAR
II AND A BRAVE SOLDIER AND AWARDED
THE PURPLE HEART AND HIS TRUE LOVE FOR 37 YEARS AND AMERICAN
ARTIST BY A FRENCH FATHER IN LAW
AND STUDIES BY ART INSTRUCTORS AND INSPIRING THOUSANDS OF
STUDENTS AND AN EASY READ FOR THOSE THAT DISCOVERED HIS
POETRY AND WORKS, A LIFETIME AWARD WIN
ARE BY THE GOVERNOR BUT ME? I JUST CALL HIM POPS.
>> MANY OF A CERTAIN AGE COULD ONLY FIND THEIR PAST IN BOXES
AND FADED SNOOP SHOTS. OF COURSE I HAD THOSE TOO BUT I'M
FORTUNATE TO FIND MINE IN THE WATERCOLOR AND PASTELS AND OILS
AND RECORDED BY THE STROKES OF AN AMERICAN MASTER. GENE
HATFIELD IS A MAN OF DISTINCTION
IN ARKANSAS AND I WOULD THINK SO. I'M HIS ONLY DAUGHTER
MATILDA AND FOR ME AND MY BROTHERS GROWING UP WITH POPS
WAS A COLORFUL JOURNEY AND HOW MANY ARKANSAS KIDS SPEND THE
SUMMER IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE? FOR US IT WAS FUN AND SPENDING
TIME WITH COUSINS AND SEEING THE
LIGHTS OF PARIS AND TRIPS TO THE
BEACH BUT POPS WAS AT WORK AND TRAINED WITH THE GREATEST
ARTISTS OF THE DAYS IN THE STUDIOS IN EUROPE.
>> NICOLE'S FATHER HAPPENED TO KNOW A MR. GOODS, A FRIEND OF
PICASSO'S WHO WORKED WITH HIM HELPING TO GET ARTISTS OUT OF
FRANCE DURING THE WAR, AND HE'S A WELL KNOWN FRENCH PAINTER WHO
HAD SCHOOLS BOTH IN PARIS AND ANOTHER AREA AND I WENT BOTH
PLACES WITH HIM TO SCHOOL AND THE METHOD OF TEACHING IN
FRANCE IS QUITE DIFFERENT THAN HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES IN THAT YOU GO
INTO THE WORKSHOP AND SET UP YOUR EASEL AND GET YOUR PAINTS
OUT AND THEY FURNISH A NUDE MODEL AND YOU PAINT BODIES.
THERE IS NO CLASS DISCUSSION AT ALL. IT'S YOU AND THE TEACHER
AND LEARNING OF THE TECHNIQUES THAT THE TEACHER EXPECTS YOU TO
ACQUIRE. THE CLASS [INAUDIBLE] ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. IT WAS
THERE THAT I STUDY MORE ABOUT CEZANNE AND CUBISM. I GOT A
LOT OF FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
PAINTING THE PLACES THAT CEZANNE
HAD PAINTED AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT HIM IN SAINT IVES, RIGHT
THERE IN WESTERN ENGLAND IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL, AND I MUST
SAY THAT MY PAINTINGS LOOKED BETTER -- MY WATERCOLORS AND
OILS TOO, BUT THEY TOOK ON A SPECIAL QUALITY BECAUSE OF THE
LIGHT THAT'S SHOWN ON THE FIGURES ON THE BUILDINGS.
MR. FULLER WAS A TEACHER IN ENGLAND AND HIS FAVORITE WORD
WAS "BEAUTIFUL" SO I SATISFIED HIM AT LEAST AND DID SOME OF MY
BEST WORK I THINK. I FEEL THAT I PROFITED HIGHLY FROM THE
CONTRAST AND FROM THE DIFFERENCE
IN ATMOSPHERE IN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
>> STRING POOLING BY HIS FATHER IN LAW ALLOWED HIM TO TRAIN
WITH THE GREAT MASTERS BUT THAT WAS
THE SECOND GIFT HE GAVE
WORKED PERIOD OF TIME AND A LONG
DISTANCE BETWEEN US. WHEN I ASKED HER TO MARRY ME SHE WOULD
SAY "GOSH I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. NO,
I WILL NEVER MARRY AN AMERICAN"
AND WHEN SHE ACCEPTED I WAS FLABBERGASTED AND I GUESS WHAT
I THOUGHT ABOUT FIRST OH I HAVE
TO GET HER A RING OVER THERE, SO I
LOOKED ALL OVER LITTLE ROCK AND FINALLY FOUND A BEAUTIFUL
WEDDING SET AND WROTE AND TOLD HER I HAVE YOUR ENGAGEMENT RING
AND I AM SENDING IT IN A HAT AND
YOU WILL GET IT SOON SO THAT'S WHAT I DID.
>> IT'S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT
THE BLINK OF AN EYE. 47 YEARS PASSED JUST LIKE THAT.
TOGETHER THEY RAISED THREE CHILDREN. IN
2004 CANCER TOOK HER AND LEFT IN HER
PLACE LONELINESS. >> WHAT I MISS MOST IS HER
SPEAK -- JUST SEEING HER EVERYDAY,
HEARING HER VOICE AND FEELING HER TOUCH. IT'S DOESN'T GET
ANY BETTER WITH TIME.
>> MOTHER IS BURIED IN MOUNT VERNON, NOT FAR FROM THE HOME
THEY BUILT AND NAMED IN HER HONOR NICKFIELD AND DON'T
EXPECT HIM TO TALK TO HER THERE. HE
FINDS HER IN THE COINS. >> MY BELIEF IS THAT THE SPIRITS
ACTUALLY MOVE THINGS HERE ON
EARTH. I BELIEVE THAT NICOLE HAS BEEN GIVING ME
COINS. ONE DAY MATILDA -- SHE DOESN'T
WANT TO PICK UP ANYTHING ON THE STREETS AND "NO DADDY IT'S
DIRTY" AND I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW SILVER AND/OR GOOD I FOUND
A DIME OR A NICKEL AND TOOK A
STEP FORWARD AND I REACHED DOWN AND
SHE WAS REACHING DOWN AND PICKING SOMETHING UP SILVER TOO
AND I THOUGHT MINE WAS A NICKEL AND I HOPED HER'S WAS A DIME
AND WHEN I STRAIGHTENED UP AND SHE
WAS IN SHOCK AND I ASKED WHAT DID YOU FIND? AND SHE SHOWED
IT TO ME AND IT WAS A DANGEL FROM
A BRACELET OF THE EIFFEL TOWER
AND THAT MEANT HER MOTHER WAS WITH
US GIVING ME A NICKEL AND HER DAUGHTER AN EIFFEL TOWER. MY
BELIEF IN MY INDIAN ANCESTRY BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED ALL THE
TIME BECAUSE I FEEL THE INFLUENCE OF THE UNSEEN WORLD
ON WHAT I DO AND WHAT I THINK
ABOUT, AND I THINK THE PROGRESS THAT I MADE TOWARD GETTING THE
RESULTS THAT I WANT COMES FROM EXPERIENCES IN ANOTHER LIFE. I
NEVER EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING
A BOOK. I WAS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE
FORTUNE TELLER ON COLLEGE AVENUE ONE
DAY AND SHE ASKED ME "WOULD YOU
LIKE TO WRITE A BOOK WITH ME?"
"WHAT MAKES ME THINK I CAN." I WAS
TOLD IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CONWAY THAT CAN HELP YOU WRITE
THE BOOK IS GENE HATFIELD. YES,
I TOLD HER I WOULD BE WILLING TO
TRY AND I MET WITH HER MOST OF A
YEAR. SHE GAVE ME MATERIALS TRUE AND FANTASTIC IDEAS THAT
CAUSED ME TO WRITE TWO NOVELS WITH HER AS THE MAIN CHARACTER.
I CALLED HER MADAM ZINCARO.
>> THE SAYING YOU WRITE WHAT YOU
KNOW CERTAINLY APPLIES TO POPS NOVELS AND POETRIES. THE
CHARACTERS AND SETTINGS AND STORY LINES FIND KINSHIP TO
PEOPLE AND PLACES IN HIS CHILDHOOD. THE EARLY DAYS HAD
PROFOUND IMPACT ON HIS ART. >> I REMEMBER HAVING COLOR
CRAYONS AND BLUNT SCISSORS AND PASTE AND ALL OF THAT STUFF AT
HOME, SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS NATURAL SINCE MY SISTER WAS A
PAINTER AND WE HAD PICTURES HANGING ALL OVER THE WALL SO TO
ME ART WAS AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE. I NEVER FELT THERE
WAS ANYTHING SPECIAL ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S HOW AND WHY I GOT
STARTED I GUESS. I HAD A TRICYCLE AND TOYS OF ALL KINDS
AND LOTS OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS IN MY STOCKING AND BANANAS
HANGING IN THE KITCHEN AND MIXING THINGS IN THE KITCHEN
WITH MOMMA AND PASTING PAPER WHAT I WANTED TO AND GOING TO
SCHOOL, THE TRAINING SCHOOL AND ALL OF THAT MONEY AND THEN THE
DEPRESSION HIT, AND WE HAD NOTHING, AND IT WAS AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE IT
WAS HANDS TO MOUTH AND DADDY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY, SO WE
CAN TO MOVE TO
MOUNT VERNON WHERE GRANDMA HAD A
HOUSE WE COULD LIVE IN. >> THIS IS YOU AT FIVE YEARS
OLD AND THERE.
>> I WAS IN FAVORITE POSITION OF
DOING MY THING OF SLEEPING ON MY
BACK. OH BOY THIS IS SNAZZY, ISN'T IT?
>> YEAH. >> EXPERIENCING LOST SHAPED HIS
CHARACTER AND AS TRUE OF MANY IN
THOSE DAYS MY POPS FRUGAL SENSIBILITY WHICH IS IN HIS
SCULPTURES. VISITORS ARE WELCOME AND LOOK TO YOUR
HEART'S INTENT BUT NEVER USE THE "T"
WORD. >> [INAUDIBLE] FROM DEPRESSION
DAYS I HAVE PICKED UP THIS TO MAKE THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
AND TIN FOIL IN MOUNT VERNON DURING THE DEPRESSION TO PUT ON
THE CHRISTMAS TREE, AND I HAVE BEEN FASCINATED BY THE THINGS
THAT YOU CAN FIND THAT PEOPLE THROW OUT. ONE DAY I FOUND A
PERFECTLY GOOD CHAIR AND TOOK IT
HOME AND THE NEXT DAY OR A DAY OR TWO AFTER I FOUND ANOTHER
ONE. PEOPLE JUST THROW FURNITURE AWAY. THAT IS WICKED
AND WASTEFUL. CAR PARTS REALLY APPEAL TO ME AND I HAVE ONE BIG
STATUE WHICH I CALL [INAUDIBLE] REX AND IT'S A NAME OF A PLAY
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A WRECK AND IT'S BEEN WRECKED AND I ENJOY
PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER THAT ORDINARILY WOULDN'T GO
TOGETHER. IT MIGHT NOT BE ATTRACTIVE. IT
MIGHT BE UGLY OR WEIRD OR STRANGE OR FRIGHTENING TO
CHILDREN BUT AS LONG AS IT HAS A
MEANING AND IS SERVING A PURPOSE
IT IS NOT TRASH; IT IS ART. >> IRATE CITIZENS CONCERNED
ABOUT PROFIT VALUES HAVE ARGUED WITH POPS ON THIS ONE. IN 2002
COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHAT SOME CONSIDERED PILES OF JUNK IN HIS
YARD LEAD TO LEGAL ACTION BY CITY OFFICIALS. IN THE END THE
LAW WAS ON HIS SIDE AND TO THIS DAY THE COLLECTION GROWS.
>> I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY MY YARD IS FULL
OF JUNK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW, AND
BESIDES THAT WHAT'S BEAUTIFUL TO
SOME PEOPLE IS UGLY TO OTHER PEOPLE. I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL
AND I AM TURNING WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED UGLY AND TRASHY
MATERIAL INTO SOMETHING THAT IS MEANINGFUL.
>> MR. HATFIELD WHAT IS THIS STATUE?
>> THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE VERSION OF OSCAR. I START
TODAY LONG AGO. I AM SORRY I PUT IT
OFF SO LONG. IT'S DETERIORATING FROM THE
LACK OF USE. >>I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.
>> OSCAR HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR POPS. AFTER ALL HIS FIRST
LOVE WAS THE STAGE. >> MY THEATRICAL CAREER BEGAN
AS A FRESHMAN I WAS GIVEN A ROLE
IN THE OPRATTA THEY WERE DOING AND
I WAS THE VILLAIN. I SANG "YOU GOT A SNAPPY BASE AND SO LOW OF
FACE. WE'RE IN THIS FIGHT IN A QUIET PLACE." THAT WAS MY PART
AND THEN THE ANSWER TO IT WAS "BUT YOU SHALL BITE THE DUST BY
A SINGLE COTTON THRUST" AND WE MARCHED OFF THE STAGE AND THE
LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT GAVE ME THIS.
IT WAS THE START OF MY MY ACTING
CAREER. A GROUP OF US FORMED THE COLLEGE FORM PLAYERS AND
THE ROMEO AND JULIET AND MACBETH
PLAYS AND PERFORMED OVER ARKANSAS AND MADE NAMES FOR
OURSELVES AND HAD A LOT OF FUN. >> ACTING WAS A PASSION IN THE
YEARS BUT POPS PUT MORE EFFORT INTO HIS SCULPTURE AND
PARTICIPATING AND MANY SAY HIM AND HER BUILT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CENTRAL ARKANSAS FROM THE GROUND
UP. >> SHE SAW THAT I COULD SKETCH
IN BLACK AND WHITE AND DO PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE. I TOOK
THAT ON AS A MANTRA AND DECIDED I WOULD CONCENTRATE ON DOING
FAST PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE WITH PASTEL COLORS. IT WAS
FASCINATING TO ME BECAUSE EACH OF THE PEOPLE THAT I PAINTED
HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THEM.
IN THE BACKGROUND I WOULD USE THE COLORS THAT SEEM TO EMANATE
FROM THEM WHICH IS CALLED AN AURA. SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE
WOULD HAVE A JOB FOR ME IF I WAS
IN MY MASTER'S DEGREE SO I WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL MARIE HAD
GOTTEN HER DEGREE IN IN IN COLORADO. I LEARNED FROM A
MOVIE THAT MY TEACHER IN COLORADO SHOWED ME THAT ANYONE
THAT HAS ANY STRENGTH OF CHARACTER CAN SAY ANYTHING
THINGS WITH WATERCOLOR, AND SO I
TOOK THAT AS A CHALLENGE. I THOUGHT WELL I'VE GOT SOME
CHARACTERS SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT. MY TEACHER TURNED
OUT TO BE A VILLAIN BECAUSE SHE
SOLD SOME OF -- SOME OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES WATERCOLORS AND MINE WERE AMONG THOSE BUT WE
COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT OR WE WOULDN'T HAVE GRADUATED.
NOW LOOK YOU NEED TO -- I FEEL THAT MY ADVANTAGE IN TEACHING
CAME FROM THE FACT THAT I GOTTEN
TO GO OVER THERE TO EUROPE AND SEE THE ORIGINALS IN THE
MUSEUMS AND TO GO TO SCHOOL IN THE
AREAS WHERE THE GREAT PAINTERS HAD
BEEN PRODUCED AND WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IT I COULD CONVEY A
LITTLE BIT BETTER MESSAGE I THINK.
THE PAINT AND COVER UP SPACE, SEE.
YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO DRAW AND MAKE THE LINES MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE STROKES. PAINT WITH MORE LIQUID AND MORE PAINT.
>> SOMETIMES IN LIFE YOU FIND BLESSINGS IN THE DARKNESS OF
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. FOR POPS THE
GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A ARTIST MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED
IF NOT THE DUTY IN WORLD WAR II. >> I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL
A YEAR EARLY SO I GOT A START AND HAD ONLY A COUPLE OF YEARS
BEFORE THE DRAFT GOT ME AT 18 IN
THE ARMY. I REMEMBER GOING TO THE SHOOTING RANGE -- I THINK
IT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED -- AND WE WERE GIVEN OUR RIFLES AND WE
EACH TOOK OUR TURN SHOOTING AT THE TARGETS AND I DON'T KNOW
WHY I DIDN'T HAVE GUMMION ENOUGH TO
FAKE THIS AND DO THIS EVERY TIME
AND "LORD HE CAN'T SHOOT. WE DON'T WANT HIM IN THE ARMY"
BUT ANYWAY I DIDN'T GET ANY
MAGGIE'S DRAWERRERS AND THAT MEAN I WAS
A GOOD SHOT AND A MISTAKE. WE
GATHERED IN NEW JERSEY AND GOT ON THE BOAT, THE GEORGE
WASHINGTON -- LATER WE TOLD PEOPLE WE WERE ON THE GEORGE
WASHINGTON, THE SAME BOAT HE CROSSED THE DELAWARE IN, AND IT
WAS AN OLD BOAT AND DANGEROUS TOO BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW IT BUT
IT WAS A STORMY CROSSING AND THE
GERMAN U BOATS COULD HAVE SUNK US ANYTIME. WE HAD GOTTEN
ACROSS THE REIGN RIVER ON A PON TUNE BOAT AND WERE WALKING
TOWARDS BERLIN WHEN A TANK IN THE STREET, THE ROAD WAS FIRED
UPON. WE THOUGHT THE WAR WAS OVER AND EVERYTHING WAS
PEACEFUL, BUT GRENADE EXPLODED IN A TREE NEAR ME AND I THINK
THE MAN IN FRONT OF ME WAS KILLED AND I WAS INJURED IN MY
LEFT EYE UNDER THIS EYE WITH SHRAPNEL SER VERED
THE MUSCLE. >> HIS SERVICE EARNED HIS MANY
AWARDS AND THE BRONZE STAR AND MANY MEMORIES EACHED YEARS
LATER. >> I ONLY SAW THEM REMOVED. I
DIDN'T SEE THEM FALL AND AN UNFORGIVING MEMORY AND I ALWAYS
FELT THE WAY ABOUT WAR. WAR IS SO STUPID.
>> HIS WARTIME INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE WOULD HELP SHAPE EVERY
FACET OF HIS LIFE WITH NICOLE. >> WHEN WE GOT MARRIED I
INSISTED THAT CHILDREN SPEAK FRENCH WITH HER BECAUSE THAT
MADE THEM MUCH MORE WORLDLY WISE
AND I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE CONTACT. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY
WOULD HAVE AS MUCH AS THEY DID BECAUSE WE TOOK THEM WITH US IN
THE SUM ARE TIME WHEN I STUDIED OVER THERE FOR WEEKS AND I CAN
REMEMBER THE POOR THINGS WADDLING ALL OVER AND GETTING
TIRED OUT AND STILL THEY WERE ABSORBING ALL OF THE GOOD
FRENCH MATERIAL AND SPEAKING THE
LANGUAGE WITH THEIR MOTHER, AND I REGRET I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED
TO SPEAK BETTER MYSELF. I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK FRENCH
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO CONVERSE WITH MY WIFE'S FATHER,
MR. WABLE. THE MOTHER I SHOULD HAVE AND SHE WANTED TO TALK
WITH ME AND SHE WAS A WONDERFUL
PERSON BUT MR. RAYMOND WABLE, A LAWYER IN FRANCE WAS NOT MY
FAVORITE PERSON. I TRIED TO BE A GOOD DAD BECAUSE MY FATHER,
POOR THING. I WAS BORN AT THE TIME THAT HIS SUCCESS FAILED
AND THE DEPRESSION HIT AND HE WAS
HEAVENLY MAIMED IN NOT HAVING THE ABILITY TO MAKE MONEY LIKE
HE HAD EARLIER. HE WAS A REALLY
GOOD SMART ARCHITECT, AND THE DEPRESSION TOOK ALL OF HIS
MONEY AWAY, ALL OF HIS POSSIBILITIES,
AND JUST DEVASTATED HIM. I HAVE
FORGIVEN FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE DIDN'T DO THAT I WOULD
HAVE LIKED HIM TO DO, AND I THINK I MADE UP FOR IT WITH MY
CHILDREN BECAUSE I HAD THE BAD MEMORIES OF OUR RELATIONSHIP.
>> POPS LEGACY IS EXPANSIVE. HIS BODY OF WORK IS PROLIFIC
BUT PERHAPS HIS CROWNING
ACHIEVEMENT IS THE 37 YEARS HE SPENT
TEACHING AND ENCOURAGING AND NURTURING COUNTLESS YOUNG
ARTISTS. IN 2010 HE WAS HONORED
WITH THE AWARD OF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT OF THE ARTS
PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR WHICH HE CHERISHES GREATLY AND NOW WE
CAN ADD TO THE GROWING LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS, HIS INCLUSION OF
MEN AND WOMEN OF DISTINCTION. >> WELL IF DISTINCTION MEANS
DIFFERENT THAN NOTICEABLE OR I SUPPOSE I COULD BE CONSIDERED A
DISTINCTIVE PERSONALITY BUT I JUST HOPE THEY REMEMBER ME AS
BEING A GOOD PERSON. >> ONE DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF
A RENAISSANCE PERSON IS A PRESENT DAY MAN THAT HAS
PROFICIENCY AND KNOWLEDGE IN MORE THAN ONE FIELD. OF COURSE
HE WOULDN'T CALL HIMSELF SUCH A THING AND JUST LIKE ART HE
WANTS US TO DECIDE FOR OURSELVES.
>> OH LORD PLEASE DON'T LET BE NORMAL.