RESONANCE
In 1996, after a short stint at Parkland College, I attended the University of Illinois to study sculpture. Shortly after joining the sculpture program, I was introduced to Art Spomer, an unofficial member of the sculpture program.
Little did I know, he was faculty and widely celebrated in the field of plant physiology. He was an incredibly gifted sculptor and could have easily made a living in the arts, though it would have been a waste of his enormous intellect.
Capillary waves quietly impart their beauty across the entire lake, affecting and enhancing other waves on their journey.
Unfortunately, I only had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Billie, a few times before she lost her battle with cancer. The enormity of losing her was present in Art’s eyes until he too passed away in 2013. To this day, Art was the most, quietly unassuming and simultaneously the most knowledgeable person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have no idea how or why he deemed me worthy of friendship, but it was an honor to learn from him.
I wracked my brain trying to think of a fitting tribute and landed on ripples on water, or capillary waves. Capillary waves quietly impart their beauty across the entire lake, affecting and enhancing other waves on their journey.