Imagination precedes action. His feelings and thoughts seek forms yet to be discovered and created. A glimpse of what he has in mind is suggested at times by nature - a woman in the street, a model hired for the work - not perfect, yet having a spark of what he senses he is seeking. They inspire and re-energize him. A glance met by another, the sound of a voice, texture of hair, brilliance of thought or feeling - all these feed his journey.
They are all phantoms, as much objective as his subjective response, but in the instant, believable. All this helps in doing the work, although he senses that they will never be enough.