105 days: Emil Johansen

Today, I met Emil Johansen, a retired sailor from Norway. He had blue eyes like the Oslo fjord. He was curious about my sketches of the monoliths. Emil told me about his youth on the Baltic Sea. He learned to read the moods of the waters. His stories were about stormy nights and serene dawns, and the lore of the sea.

He pointed out his favorite sculpture, "The Wheel of Life," and said it symbolized the eternal human connection. I decided to make a sculpture inspired by the sea and the sculptures. It would be a mix of fluid maritime elements and Vigeland's strong shapes.

We talked until it got dark, and we said we'd have coffee together before I left. The encounter left me with a new subject for my collection and a reminder of the threads of human experience that connect us all.