'Jules' mind went back under the moonlight and night air of Baldwin's Fine Arts Center Garden, where intense anger shifted into an intimate moment of curiosity with a blow of the wind.
Maybe two flames weren't supposed to be that close when raging...
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"You have to keep your vision clear, cause only a coward lives in fear."
— Nas
"AW, hell yeah Julie—I'm so proud of you," Ayden exclaimed while looking at the letter Jules waved in front of her shining brown orbs.
Ayden held a bundle of sage, smoke slowly dancing from the tip as the window of the dorm room was cracked open.
Erykah Badu's voice kept up with the tempo of the smoke, making it seem as if they were spiritually in sync.
Oh my my my, I'm feeling high
My moneys gone, I'm all alone
The world is turnin', Oh what a day
What a day what a day
Jules flashed a slight smile, "The Cultural Curators Exhibit—I mean, that's big right? What am I going to wear? What am I gonna' do with my hair ? "
Ayden laughed, "Slow down buttercup, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Your art is going to be in the showcase, I'm so proud to call you my roommate and best friend!"
Jules put her hand to heart dramatically and thanked her, "Ugh, Ayden—you're going to make me cry."
The Cultural Curators exhibit was the biggest gallery of the year at Baldwin. Carefully selected submissions from hundreds of artists on campus were put on display in the Student Center.
It's more than just a gallery, it's a black-tie affair where students are encouraged to dress as creatively as they can. Freshman fantasize about it before they even step onto the campus pavement.
The School Magazine, Black Print, often acts as the press while they snap the hottest looks, interview displayed artists, and take in the ambiance of the evening to write about it for those who could not attend.
"I just wanna know which piece it is. I know you were thinking about submitting two to be considered. I really liked the one that you did with half the earth decomposing and the other side blooming—that one really stuck with me."
Of course it stuck with Ayden, from her eco-friendly agenda, to her infatuation with nature's gift—anything involving a message about protecting the earth was on her list of instant favorites.
"They chose the self portrait," Jules started to say, "The one where the whites of my eyes look like a starry night—"
"Oh shit, the black Mona Lisa one? Oh I mess with that heavy. I knew there were some smart people at Baldwin that could sense talent!"
Jules' first year at Baldwin awakened a creative spark inside of her that she thought she'd never gain back since her high school days. At first, she was discouraged about picking art as her major, afraid that she'd lose her love or will to constantly create.
