In this clip from the Family episode, bootmaker Lisa Sorrell shows us how she measures a person's foot and then chooses and customizes the appropriate boot last.

Bootmaker Lisa Sorrell talks about finding herself through the art and craft of making custom boots. FAMILY episode PBS premiere: October 17, 2011.

Joyce J. Scott, Baltimore bead artist, uses her knowledge of glass, quilting, printmaking and performance to comment on issues as diverse as race, necromancy, and the scourge of drugs on the inner city. By making art that attracts by its brilliant color and sparkle, she entices us to look, and by looking, we are forced to confront issues that we would rather not have to deal with.

Watch a preview of the MESSAGES episode. MESSAGES looks at the ways many craft artists go beyond skill to personal and political expression. They use craft to tell a story, prove a point, or bring attention to contemporary issues. Artists featured include glass artist Beth Lipman, santero Charles M. Carrillo, bead artist Joyce J. Scott; and jewelry artist and sculptor Thomas Mann.

Watch a preview of the Craft in America series. Watch human hands transform humble materials into works of function and beauty. Discover what drives artists to create.

Thomas Mann talks about the heart form and his "Techno-Romantic" design series. MESSAGES episode PBS premiere: May 24, 2011.

Curator Amy Raehse and Artist Joyce J. Scott on her "Soul Erased" print series. MESSAGES episode PBS premiere: May 24, 2011.

Curator George Ciscle seated in front of Rodin's "The Thinker" at the Baltimore Museum of Art, explores the messages embedded in works by Joyce J. Scott, including the "No Mommy, Me" series and "Man Eating Watermelon." Joyce J. Scott learned quilting and beading from her mother and draws from references as wide-ranging as Africa and comic books to focus on issues such as race and stereotyping.

Dr Leslie King Hammond on bead artist Joyce J. Scott. MESSAGES episode PBS premiere: May 24, 2011.

Tom & Athene Paquin, 9 mos. pregnant, evacuated their home. Charlotte was born 3 days later. They returned to extensive damage, especially in the baby's room. The salty slurry of mud & sand infiltrated everything. They got a FEMA trailer two months later, and it was so small they needed to use a room of the house, so Tom had to build a porch to connect to the two, creating a home for his family.

This panel shows a test tube of bleach and a kitchen counter top with incredible impressions left by containers and appliances after the water receded. When the water leaves, the mold and mildew start to grow. To rid your home of the mold spore, which penetrates the walls, floors and ceilings, you have to gut the house of drywall and spray down every stud, rafter and floorboard with bleach.

Structures were inspected by teams from all over the USA in the early days after the storm. They marked dwellings with an "X" graphic to indicate the date, who had done the inspection, & if bodies or pets were found. These markings were full of import & visually interesting, especially those with contrasting color combinations. New Orleanians are fond of painting homes in bright tropical colors.

After Katrina, 350,000 discarded refrigerators ended up on the curbs with magnets still on them! Chris Cressione is a New Orleans artist who collected magnets from the refrigerators and put them all over his car. Occasionally he'd run into the owner and ask permission to take the magnets. He was never denied. They loved what he was doing, which shows the sense of humor of the people in this city.

I found this collapsed church near the corner of Peniston and Baronne Streets. It was probably suffering from termite problems, but the storm winds literally blew it down. In the midst of the ruins was a statue of an angel, missing a wing, but upright. I found it inspirational. I felt it was important to the spiritual renewal of the city to have a piece like this in the Storm Cycle series.

Animals suffered right along with the humans as victims of Hurricane Katrina. I found this dog named "Wall Street" through the animal rescue volunteers who set up shop a block from my studio. These women went out all over the city. Wall Street's owner had not returned so they spray painted messages on the house such as, "Do not take this dog" and "This dog is being fed by volunteers."

Angele Seiley, Thomas Mann's graphic designer & Mark Garcie, principal artisan, snuck back in the city to check on the studio. Angele took a photo of the statue of Robert E. Lee, looking north in contemplation of the defeat of the South but also facing the Katrina winds. Lee Circle is the pivot point of Mardi Gras parades. Seeing it void of activity is rare & put the future of Mardi Gras in doubt.

This depicts the 17th St. Canal breach & resulting loss of 60,000 homes. Canals were excavated long ago to drain swamps & create more land. The steel sheeting in the walls was not driven down deep enough & the funds the Army Corps of Engineers got to correct this were used by the Bush admin. for Iraq. The failure of these walls is "the largest civil engineering disaster in the history of the U.S."

A dear friend, photographer and furniture maker Paul Guerra, transported people and supplies with his 7-ton truck, often driving 16 hrs. a day through 4 ft. of water. He began alone, hours after the storm, picking up stranded neighbors. Then he went into convoy with the National Guard, bringing people from the "Cajun Navy" boats to the Convention Center. This guy truly is a New Orleans Local Hero.

Philip Simmons (1912-2009) was a renowned blacksmith in Charleston, SC. At the age of 13, he dropped out of school and started his apprenticeship as an iron worker with Charleston native, Peter Simmons (no relation). Although his work ranges from ornamental fences, stair rails to window grills, he was most famous for his gates that contain elaborate designs of animals and trees.

Kiowa beadwork artist Teri Greeves follows and updates the Kiowa tradition of beadwork, to tell the story of the American Indian, both contemporary and historical. Her works include beaded books, jewelry, and even high top sneakers! Segment from the ORIGINS episode