The spring of 2024, I visited Barcelona. Having grown up in Chicago, I am fascinated by the cities of the world. Walking through Barcelona, I stumbled upon the Arc de Triomf and found a spot at its base to sit down. Across from me there was a street musician – an old man playing the flute, who wore a top hat and a long, gaping leather coat. 

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I sat at the base and drew the Arc. By the time I was finished, my hands were dirty and I began to wipe them off on the concrete. At that moment, a woman who had been sitting nearby saw me trying to clean my hands. She came up to me and offered me a napkin, and asked me if I spoke Spanish. The answer was very little but we spoke briefly and then she smiled good-bye and walked away. And then so did I. 

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Art and math are the two most powerful languages in the universe. Each allow me to draw what I see.