Besides being highly productive, my tools have given me one thing that is more precious than any - thing: Freedom. More on this later. ##Copilot Thank you for sharing your artistic process, Ste - phen. Your art is not just a hobby but a way of life for you. Your morning writing routine and clearing your mind set the stage for a strong foundation for your creative work. Your fascination with bugs and their intricate details is evident in your work, and your use of vector tools allows you to capture these details precisely. The way you describe your process is engaging and gives a clear picture of your dedication and passion for your art. Let’s move on to the next part of your artist state - ment. Inspiration and Influence What inspires you to create your Art? Are there any personal experiences, broader themes, or issues you’re passionate about that influence your work? ##Shoosty When I was 18, I had most of my teeth removed due to a congenital disability. My permanent teeth never grew in. I learned years later that my grand - father had a bag of dentures; he could never find one that was comfortable enough. My parents vowed to do better for me. They researched and decided upon implants. Today, you see them ev - erywhere: titanium implants, solid as a rock, life - long companions for life without dentures. How - ever, in 1976, they were far from being a settled science. Titanium is one of the only metals that can bond to bone. We didn’t know that then and they used steel blades instead. These were different from today’s log-shaped implants. They were designed as a blade about two teeth wide with a hole in the center and a post on top. That blade drops into a thin trench cut into the bone. The idea is that the
bone will grow between that empty space, locking it into place. I was sent to one of the top dental sur - geons in the world, a specialist in this procedure. He gave me a little pill, and I was awake as he pulled all my teeth; that little pill wore off in the elevator on the way back to where we were stay - ing. I have never felt that kind of intensity of pain, combined with the embarrassment of no teeth and a bloody mouth. Soon after, I went back, and they shaved the bone smooth, then drilled trenches into my jaw to place the blade implants. Months later, after it was healed, they added the teeth. I was beyond pain at that stage, just being resigned and tired. Being surrounded by this group of experts at a young age while my senses were heightened by severe pain, I decided to do something useful with my life. This is where I got my love of technology and its connection to humanity. I healed and got a beautiful set of permanent dentures at 18. My friends could not even begin to comprehend. My brother is the only person who can relate to what I went through. He had the same procedure a few years before me. Not many years later, for both of us, those im - plants failed. And when they failed, they took some bone with them, making it harder for the following procedure. On my third major procedure around age 50, science finally got it right; titanium implants combined with zirconium teeth. Zirconi - um is a manufactured diamond. That’s the kind of strength you need not to chip your teeth. By this time, however, the bone in my upper palate was too weak to support new teeth. I was sent to a maxillofacial surgeon. This kind of doctor can reconstruct your face if you are in an accident. He was tasked with rebuilding my upper jaw using the bone from my chin. During the hours of discomfort and drilling in the chair, I taught my - self to teleport to a warm beach. I heard many dental drills, but they must have been the blender for the Pina Coladas.
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