NASCENT SPIRAL is a practice for
creative lives, art practices, and ventures between known shapes

NASCENT SPIRAL is a
practice for creative lives,
art practices, and ventures
between known shapes

Through conversation, inquiry, experimentation, and design, we give form to what is trying to emerge.

SAY ✉️ HELLO

1— THE CRAWLSPACE

  1. ENTER THE CRAWLSPACE OF YOUR SOUL'S DEEPEST LONGING. IT IS DARK AND YOU CANNOT STAND UP STRAIGHT. GO IN ANYWAY.


  2. YOU ARE NOT LOST. YOU ARE BETWEEN KNOWN SHAPES.


  3. SOFTEN YOUR JAW. DROP YOUR SHOULDERS. BREATHE INTO YOUR SIDE BELLY.


  4. BEFRIEND YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM. MUTE SLACK. REST YOUR EYES ON A SOOTHING COLOR.


2— INQUIRY

  1. ASK "WHAT IF?". ASK DAILY.


  2. STAY IN A QUESTION LONGER THAN IS COMFORTABLE. ANSWERS ARE EXITS. QUESTIONS ARE ROOMS. UNPACK. REDECORATE. CUE THE PHILIPS HUE. YOU LIVE HERE NOW.


  3. FOLLOW AWE. IT IS A COMPASS. SKIP GOOGLE MAPS. LOOK: UP.


  4. GIVE WONDER THE KEYS. LET ANALYSIS RIDE SHOTGUN.


3— CHANCE OPERATIONS

  1. FLIP THE COIN. NOTICE WHAT YOU'RE HOPING FOR WHILE IT'S IN THE AIR.


  2. LEARN TO READ CHANCE. IT IS NOT CHAOS. IT IS INTELLIGENCE IN AN UNFAMILIAR FORM.


  3. WHEN LIGHTNING ARRIVES, SCREENSHOT THE EPIPHANY. THEN TEND TO YOUR DESKTOP AND DOWNLOADS.


  4. SURRENDER TO THE CREATIVE IMPULSE BEFORE YOU UNDERSTAND IT. YOU WILL NOT BE WARNED.


5— CREATIVE BECOMING

  1. SAY A PROPER GOODBYE TO THE VERSION OF YOU THAT GOT YOU HERE. BUY FLOWERS, SAY THANK YOU.


  2. STOP WAITING FOR THE VERSION OF YOU THAT HAS IT FIGURED OUT TO ARRIVE. THIS IS THEM. HI.


  3. MAKE THE WORK THAT FRIGHTENS YOU. IT IS WEARING YOUR FACE. IT IS SERVING.


  4. CALL A REGULAR BOARD MEETING WITH 10 Y.O. AND 90 Y.O. YOU. LET THE BOARD VOTE ON ALL MATTERS.


  5. LISTEN TO ENVY. IT IS JUST DESIRE IN A BAD MOOD.


  6. BE MANY THINGS AT ONCE. RESIST THE URGE TO BE LEGIBLE.


7— BEGINNING AGAIN

  1. BEGIN, AGAIN. IT IS NOT A SETBACK. IT IS THE BLESSING. THE MIRACLE. AND THE METHOD.


  2. REMEMBER: YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, AND YOU KNOW MORE NOW.


  3. TRAIN FOR THE LONG HAUL. CREATIVE ENDURANCE IS A FULL BODY SPORT. GET STEPS. DO REPS. STRETCH.


  4. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU PAY ATTENTION TO. TIP WELL.


8— (AND AGAIN)(…)

  1. PRACTICE GRATITUDE. BE GENEROUS. IT IS THE HIGHER CRAFT.


  2. TREAT HOPE AS THE PREFERRED TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE. INSTALL SYSTEM UPDATES OFTEN.


  3. REVISE TRADITION. IT IS AN OUTDATED DRAFT.


  4. LEAVE BREADCRUMBS. SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING YOUR TRAIL AND DOESN'T KNOW IT YET.


(…)

NASCENT SPIRAL is a crawlspace¹ for inquiry² and chance operations³ in service of creative becoming⁴ and beginning again⁵ (and again)(…)⁶

  1. crawlspace / a habitable in-between; neither basement nor foundation; low ceilings on purpose; you don't stand up straight here; see also: threshold; a playfort

  2. inquiry / not research; not problem-solving; the practice of wanting the question as much as the answer; not knowing as method; to let it live in you awhile

  3. chance operations / the art of creative interference; a roll of the dice; play as a legitimate method; the work that happens when you stop being the only one in charge

  4. creative becoming / ongoing; non-linear; already in progress before you named it; fill in the blank: i am ____

  5. beginning again / see also: Shoshin (初心): A Zen term meaning “beginner’s mind,” emphasizing an attitude of eagerness and lack of preconceptions

  6. (and again)(...) / the return is the practice; beginning is always happening; every version a prototype; every prototype a beginning

© Copyright 2026

NASCENT SPIRAL is a crawlspace¹ for inquiry² and chance operations³ in service of creative becoming⁴ and beginning again⁵ (and again)(…)⁶

© Copyright 2026

NASCENT SPIRAL is a crawlspace¹ for inquiry² and chance operations³ in service of creative becoming⁴ and beginning again⁵ (and again)(…)⁶

  1. crawlspace / a habitable in-between; neither basement nor foundation; low ceilings on purpose; you don't stand up straight here; see also: threshold; a playfort

  2. inquiry / not research; not problem-solving; the practice of wanting the question as much as the answer; not knowing as method; to let it live in you awhile

  3. chance operations / the art of creative interference; a roll of the dice; play as a legitimate method; the work that happens when you stop being the only one in charge

  4. creative becoming / ongoing; non-linear; already in progress before you named it; fill in the blank: i am ____

  5. beginning again / see also: Shoshin (初心): A Zen term meaning “beginner’s mind,” emphasizing an attitude of eagerness and lack of preconceptions

  6. (and again)(...) / the return is the practice; beginning is always happening; every version a prototype; every prototype a beginning

© Copyright 2026