Mourning the loss of Tom Petty — a fellow poet, artist and rebel who was a great inspiration to me in my own craft. His music, particularly in the 1990s, was the inspiration that re-inspired my art after Oliveira passed away. Among his music that most touched me were “I Won’t Back Down” and “Free Falling.”

Petty was a true source of inspiration, both in the beauty of his words and in his intransigent libertarian thoughts. I was 11-years-old when I heard his voice and words and witnessed his style on the British Top of the Pops show. It was years later, as I was perceiving my own art form as an independent expression, that I heard his own art form and voice. I realized then that art is about the strength of conviction and uproar that one conveys. This through body language, verbal assertion and mindfulness. He was a great artist and an apologetic iconoclast. I was lucky to live during his time.