- [Annc] Financial support for this program provided by Sacramento Countys Transient Occupancy Tax Grant Program - [Narrator] Coming up on "KVIE Arts Showcase," we celebrate art from around the world and right here at home.

(tranquil music) An artist's fascination with the relationship between time and texture.

- It becomes an obsession that, how do I translate that?

How do I interpret that?

- [Narrator] Explore an intricate body of art.

- What I love the most about being a henna artist is I get to look at my work, my finished product, and see how happy it makes my client - [Narrator] And the adventures of an award-winning bass player.

- I've come a long way with music and I'm satisfied.

It doesn't mean I feel like I'm done, there's still things I want to do.

- [Narrator] It's all up next on "KVIE Art Showcase."

(upbeat instrumental music) Meet Sacramento area artist Mehri Yazdani, who intertwines history and texture in her art, expressing her inner knowledge and life experiences on canvas.

(upbeat instrumental music) - I start with an idea, but the idea during, while I'm making the forms go together and they'll color relate to each other, the idea is not there anymore.

And then it gets to a point that I'm just having a conversation with paint, forms, colors.

- [Narrator] Artist Mehri Yazdani had never initially considered art as a profession.

It was simply a part of her life shaped by growing up in a family of talented artists.

- It was part of my life like breathing, like eating, because of my artistic background with my family.

But when I was studying my studies at UCLA, I had the professor who understood that I could do art.

- [Narrator] It would be her literature professor that encouraged her to take art more seriously.

- She expressed that she also does art.

She encouraged me to do it because I was working hard on my exams.

She said, "You should do some art to relax."

And I thought, who could relax at this time?

- [Narrator] Mehri began painting on weekends and taking night classes with an art professor while working to complete her master's degree in literature.

After graduating from UCLA, Mehri struggled to find an advisor to pursue her doctorate in literature.

That delay became an opportunity to apply to the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Pennsylvania, one of the nation's oldest art institutions where she was accepted.

- They accepted me and I went there in my mind, I said, "Okay, I go there for one year."

And then I continue my education, my academic education.

But in that year, the professors at the academy liked my work so much, they exhibited all those works, the paintings that I had painted prior to going to the academy, that encouraged me.

And they gave me a studio and they said, "You can work here and if you want to draw, you can go to the studios and draw from live models and do anything you want."

So then that was the time I decided this is a better life for me in terms of the experiences I had, the expression, I had the expression of my soul that people were sharing with me and they could communicate with that.

So that encouraged me to become a professional artist.

And so from then on, I have been painting for last 36 years or longer, I don't know, maybe.

Usually when I see a scene or a piece of art or whatever, visually I see when I'm affected by it, I take it in.

It becomes an obsession that how do I translate that?

How do I interpret that?

- [Narrator] Honoring her Persian heritage from childhood, Mehri Yazdani often visited many of Iran's historical sites and studied others in Greece and Egypt.

There she could see many ancient works, their surfaces worn and peeled with age.

She began blending these influences into her own work, creating art that not only honored the past, but also reflected how history, the worn and faded, continues to shape the present.

- So I was influenced by that and I started creating these images.

But one thing that brought me to that, choosing that part of the history, was that the texture.

That was very important for me.

As a child, I would see these paintings in Iran that they were old, like 16th century, 13th century, and then they had this texture on on them.

Texture shows the effect of time on things.

That time doesn't really destroy.

Whatever is destroyed, it gives a new life.

It's similar to painting.

Like when you start the paintings and new life.

- [Narrator] From her extensive collections, Mehri's art has gained a claim from collectors around the world with exhibitions in Greece, Germany, and across the US.

She continues to uncover new depths to her expression and life experiences while finding new conversations to have on canvas.

- There's a need, I think, is more than that.

I expect a lot from myself to be a better artist, to have to be more truthful with my art and to find truth in my art.

And hopefully other people would find it too.

(dramatic msuci) (upbeat instrumental music) - [Narrator] Nadiyah Mahmood is a talented henna artist, who has been dedicated to mastering this intricate art form.

We visit Tampa, Florida to learn more about her passion.

(upbeat instrumental music) - Henna typically lasts about seven to 14 days on the skin.

My name is Nadiyah and I'm a professional henna artist.

I've been a henna artist with 15 years experience, but professionally about eight, nine years.

I'm a second generation Pakistani American.

Me and my sisters grew up getting henna done and I just kind of took to that form of art.

When I was about, you know, like 13 or 14 years old, I was just going to the local mosque in Atlanta where I'm from and just adorning little kids and friends and family members and you know, having fun with it.

Then I decided, you know what?

This is something I wanna take seriously.

So I just dedicated little by little my time to practicing.

It got better as I went on and here I am.

- [Customer] What's the fun part?

- Coloring.

The scientific name for henna is lawsonia inermis.

Lawsonia is the actual dye that is released from the plant.

I make the paste myself.

It's a 24 hour process to make the henna paste.

Henna typically lasts about seven to 14 days.

It's typically done on the hands and the arms.

And then second to that, the feet and the legs.

More and more people are getting it done on various other locations of the body.

(upbeat music) Henna itself has dated back thousands and thousands of years.

A historical figurehead that made it even more popular was Cleopatra of Egypt.

Each culture has their own specific style, how they, you know, adopted the form of art.

I would say Moroccans have like their Fassi style, which is very detailed, more line work.

Arabic style, very dainty floral, chainy look.

East African, very bold, thick lines.

So it varies from different cultures.

My style is very eclectic.

It's all over the place.

I would say though, I always end up going back towards like Indian Pakistani style 'cause that's what I'm comfortable with.

That's what I grew up with, like the paisleys, the florals, maybe a little bit of structure.

I'm also known for adding various modern elements to my designs.

I've done a sleeve where it was all Harry Potter dedicated.

I also did an alien themed henna sleeve as well.

One of the most common things I like to do is bridal henna.

Back in the day, this is how they would show off their lineage, their heritage.

Culturally, it means significance to them to adorn themselves as feminine as possible.

I also sell some of my artwork as well.

I paint kinda artistry style canvases and so on.

When someone wants like to book with me, we'll talk about locations and nine times outta 10 I'll suggest Felicitous.

- Can I get the teachers cup.

- Yeah.

- Felicitous is this awesome coffee shop.

It feels like it's home right on 51st Street.

(upbeat music) - My wife and I, we had always had this vision of what we wanted our our coffee shop to be.

And the number one thing was we wanted to be a place where people in the community could come together over art, over music, over making connections.

Nadiyah started out as a customer, just like most of our vendors.

- I first started going there just to study a little bit, and then I just started having clients meet me there.

(upbeat music) - As soon as we learned a little bit about what she was about and her talents, we were all about having her come and set up a tent in attending our day markets.

I really like that one, like the light tattoo.

- The markets are monthly get together type of thing were a bunch of vendors and artists showcase their artwork, their product.

(soft music) - This is the kind of thing that we live for really is just to try and support local artists, local artisans, to make a living really out of their passion.

Coming into the coffee shops and having something as culturally rich, as Nadiyah's henna, it just ticks every box.

We're able to connect people in the community to a new perspective.

Ultimately, what that does for us as a society is brings us closer.

- Hi.

(upbeat music) - What I love the most about being a henna artist is I get to look at my work, my finished product, and see how happy it makes my client.

That is probably the biggest gift, is just watching someone you know go from, "Hey, I need this," to, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I got this done."

It's so vibrant, it brings joy to people's hearts.

You don't have to necessarily be part of the culture or any culture that henna is dominant in.

You just have to, you know, just love the form of art, honestly.

(upbeat music) (upbeat instrumental music) - [Narrator] Victor Wooten is considered one of the best bass players in the world.

Let's travel to Virginia to learn more about this five time Grammy winner, his career, and the amazing journey that's made him who he is today.

(birds chirp) (bass plays) - Coming home is always more special, especially when you've been away for a while.

I get to be a hometown hero.

And that's not what I'm in it for, but I'm gonna use it for everything I got.

Because I want you to succeed.

I want you to know that you're worthy.

You're enough.

You can achieve your dreams and I'm proof.

(audience claps) I'm from Newport News.

And I'm the youngest of five brothers.

Music has played a big part in my life, probably before I was born.

'Cause my brothers were already playing and they needed a bass player.

My earliest memory of playing was right around two years old.

And because I was literally learning to speak music at the same time as I was learning to speak English, music became very natural.

I was on stage by kindergarten, if not before.

And were opening for War, and Curtis Mayfield, the Temptations.

We didn't know any better.

It's just what it was.

And my older brothers who are superheroes to me, they're treating me like an equal and I'm the baby brother, but no one's beating me up.

Instead, they're holding me up, giving me all the credit.

(bass plays) We did a lot of gigs and we caught the attention of a lot of different people.

A guy named Kashif brought us brothers in to Arista Records, big record company.

The record deal didn't go so well and it was the cause of the five of us brothers not playing together.

And all we know is music.

So we find out about Busch Gardens.

(audience claps) And my life has never been the same.

(audience applauds) - Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Canadian Millennium.

At this time, would you please put your hands together and welcome Busch Gardens own Good Time Country.

- They announce, "Busch Garden welcome to "The Good Time Country Show."

And then four black guys walk out, cowboy hats, and it's like that quiet.

But when the music started, oh my goodness, it was great.

(guitar plays) At the time, I was too young to work in the live entertainment department, but they were about to open in a couple of weeks or so, and they needed a bluegrass fiddle player.

And then one of my brothers says, "Well, I got another brother who could probably play fiddle."

I never played fiddle in my life.

So I researched and found three of the top fiddle songs and I went in and I won the audition.

(fiddle plays) For us, music is music, a string is a string, we can make a sound on it.

We had a lot of people tell us back then, "Man, y'all need to move to Nashville."

And at the time we were like, "Man, I ain't going to Nashville."

(fiddle plays) Never say never.

(fiddle plays) So all of us moved to Nashville.

(fiddle plays) (audience claps) - [Announcer] Thank you, folks.

Thank you.

- In '87, my friend introduced me to Bela Fleck and we just hit it off.

(banjo plays) Bela asked me to be a part of a television show called "The Lonesome Pine Specials."

(banjo plays) They were gonna give Bela a full hour long special to play his music.

He said, "I just need a drummer."

And I said, "Oh, well you gotta check out my brother."

(banjo plays) Bela told me, "I met this guy named Howard Levy."

Whoa, I don't know if I've ever met a musician like this guy.

He can play anything.

(banjo and harmonica play) It was definitely Bela Fleck and The Flecktones that put me on the global map.

And I thank Bela for that because Bela understood that the band would be better if he allowed every musician to have freedom.

Bass Player Magazine was just hitting the scene.

So I wound up in Bass Player Magazine a lot.

(folk music) We did "The Tonight Show" five times.

- Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

(audience cheers) (folk music) - Arsenio Hall is a big bass fanatic.

So we get on Arsenio Hall, we do this song called 'Sinister Minister,' which is a bass feature.

(bass plays) (audience cheers) Spinning the bass around my neck, Arsenio Hall is going crazy.

(audience cheers) And so things worked out for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

(audience cheers) - Bela Fleck.

- [Colleague] Two and two, then these two would make a four bar phrase, right?

- Exactly.

- So then it would be out here.

(musicians beep bop) Yeah.

- That's nice.

- I thank so.

- And then you have that backside of it's a little longer with the four bars.

- It's whatever helps solidify that rhythm, right?

I'm improvising.

I'm rarely reading.

But if I put my head here, I start playing this rather than playing this.

- It's so flavorful, that whole section.

It's really neat.

- Thank you very much.

- Welcome.

(orchestra music) - I have a lot of respect for a symphony.

As a child, I played in orchestras.

But in being asked to write a piece, I have an idea that they want classical, but they want something different.

The main thing that I wanted to do was not leave me as I was writing.

The instrumentation is going to make it different enough.

(orchestra music) To hear people playing something that I wrote, wow, amazing.

(orchestra music) Right now it's my first time sitting out and listening to it.

- [Musician} Oh, yeah.

- Yeah.

I can't listen 'cause I'm- - [Musician] Right, yeah, yeah.

- I've got a bad case of hustle dystonia.

I hate to even say it, but my hands curl up trying to play.

So it's a huge struggle for me to play simple things.

I didn't write anything hard for me in this piece just because of that, but it's gotten a little worse, so I'm gonna be scratching and clawing at this whole thing.

Y'all make me sound good.

- [musician] Oh yeah.

(Victor laughs) Thank you.

Awesome, take two.

(bass plays) Over 20 years ago, I just noticed that my hands were slowing down.

Didn't know why.

I just felt I need to practice.

So I start working on stuff, running scales, all the stuff people say, warming up, and all this stuff that I never did.

(bass plays) It's not getting better.

It's kind of getting worse.

So now it is so difficult for me to play.

For one, it's kind of taking over my brain and I'm having to do all the things I tell students, how to relax, breathe, don't think about that, think about this.

(bass plays) As that saying I heard we teach what we most need to learn.

So all that stuff I say, I'm working on it.

(bass plays) Right now, I'm playing this concerto that I wrote.

(bass plays) That I can barely play.

(bass plays) Fortunately, I have a symphony around me that I can hide behind.

(orchestra plays) I wrote a book called "The Music Lesson."

At the beginning of each chapter of the book is a measure of music.

So if you read all the chapters, put the music together, you get a song called "The Lesson."

And then when I thought about writing a concerto, I wanted to really flesh it out with real instruments.

(orchestra plays) If anyone knows that song, you'll hear bits and pieces broken up and spread out between movements as well as spread out between the instruments.

(orchestra plays) I wanted a bass that I could bow and nobody made one.

So I asked Vinny Fodera if Heath could get a bow bass maid, and he said, "I think I can."

(bass plays) And the easiest way to think of it is a cello on its side.

(bass plays) It's fun for me to get to play.

Because it's a one of a kind.

(orchestra plays) I think of a concerto as a musician out front, virtuoso playing a lot of stuff, and the orchestra's back behind.

(orchestra plays) And I like that idea but I didn't really want to do just that.

I want the audience to see what a bass does, but also see what a bass can do.

(orchestra plays) So there are times in the symphony where I'm supporting the oboe, supporting the violins, and doing what the bass does with the bass section.

But then I'll step out front and let you see that the bass can play chords, the bass can play melodies, the bass can solo.

(orchestra plays) So that is an education for all of us.

(orchestra plays) As I heard a friend of mine say, "Playing music is like trying to count to infinity."

It doesn't matter how far you count, you don't get any closer to the end, but you do get further from the beginning.

(orchestra plays) So yeah, I've come a long way with music and I'm satisfied.

It doesn't mean I feel like I'm done.

There's still things I want to do.

My focus has changed to what I can help others do.

If I can inspire you to do anything, is to be the best version of you possible.

(orchestra plays) If you continue to pursue your dreams and just don't quit, you'll live them.

(orchestra plays) It may take longer than you took, it may be harder than you think, but if it was easy, it wouldn't mean as much.

(orchestra plays) (audience applauds) Music is about sharing it and giving it to other people, living our dream with us.

(audience claps) And that's a beautiful, a beautiful life.

(audience applauds) (upbeat instrumental music) - [Announcer] Episodes of "KVIE Art Showcase," along with other KVIE programs are available to watch online at kvie.org/video.

- [Annc] Financial support for this program provided by Sacramento Countys Transient Occupancy Tax Grant Program