I am someone who learns best through kinesthetic learning, which involves learning by doing. I wanted to explore creating tactile art inspired by kinesthetic learning, inspired by my childhood. I absolutely hated any kind of puzzle growing up. So, I decided to try to create my own. Continuing with the themes of toys, I made a busy box, a children's toy that offers different methods of movement. Each side of my busy box details the story of Ellie the Cyclops and her journey in limbo after death. Leaving behind her pet cat in life. I hoped to illustrate the difficult journey of grief and being the one who has to keep on living. While in limbo, Ellie must run from corrupted souls who have become monstrous fish. For Ellie, when you die, you're supposed to become a star; that is the sought-after afterlife. Audiences move the story forward by interacting with each side, solving mazes, and moving icon elements. Opening windows that illustrate how Ellie died. I'm exploring the many ways in which death could be explained to children.

I exhibited this work in a library in hopes of reaching a wider age range in my audience. I believe that kinesthetic learning benefits everyone at any age. And that everyone should enjoy having moments of play. I paired with this show books that helped me while creating my interactive work -

• Notes from Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture

  By: Stephen Duncombe

• Making Simple Automata

  By: Robert Race

• The Woodworker's Book of Wooden Toys

  By: Vance Studley

• Creative Kinetics: Making Mechanical Marvels in Wood

  By: Rodney Frost

• Automata and Mechanical Toys: With Illustrations and Text by Britain's Leading Makers, and Photographs and Plans for Making Mechanisms

  By: Rodney Peppé

• Stop-motion Animation: Frame by Frame Film-making with Puppets and Models

  By: Barry Purves