I dropped out of art school about 10 years ago, but I still love creating art and pushing the boundaries of what I can do. Printmaking is actually something I've done very little of, but it lends itself well to illustrations of some of my favorite birds (in this case an anhinga, a coastal bird known for sunning itself while perched in a tree) and I decided I'd try again for the first time in over a decade. As an avid birdwatcher/photographer who can't get out as much as I'd like to in busy season, drawing and illustrating birds helps me feel connected to the outdoors even if I'm mostly looking at it from inside, while also giving me a creative challenge. Printmaking in particular has forced me to think about how I illustrate in a different way than my usual pencil sketches - it's a reverse image with no way to create the subtle blends and shades that I normally use. And I usually put my art up on the walls in my home office - I like looking at them when I'm taking breaks from working on tax returns!