when i stand in front of a figure in a painting or a sculpture, i have an emotional response before i have a thought. it asks something of me. it makes me curious before i know what i am curious about.

i go on walks sometimes, but not the kind that need shoes. i move through a space in my mind where no one notices me and no one needs to. the figures i encounter there exist without fear or shame

the earthy smell of clay was comforting. the weight of it felt grounding, and the texture pressed back against my fingers and left their marks. i was overconfident, and started experimenting to my heart's content.