My first bear was a baby in yellowstone.  I tried  photograph her but I was holding the Brownie camera upside down. I was three.  My father thought that was hilarious.  the baby bear's mother thought otherwise and chomped down on my father's foot.  we got back in the car, a Nash rambler. this was 1940.  My father's foot healed.  I was smitten for life.

The visionary figures happened when I got my polite mind out of the way as best I could and let my hands work with clay.   I photographed them with a macro lens.