I traded sleek, glossy work for ink-stained hands and a life that feels more like mine.
I moved to Greifswald, Germany from Charlottesville, Virginia, when my wife accepted a virology research position at the oldest biology lab in the world. That move wasn't just a change of address, it was a full reset. New language, new pace, new surroundings, and a chance to rethink what I wanted from life. It was after settling into Germany that I finally started creating art seriously.
I spent years working in Germany as a multimedia designer for one of the largest sailing yacht companies in the world, creating polished visuals in a world built on precision, performance, and perfection. It was a great job on paper, the kind of role that looks impressive from the outside. But over time, I started feeling a quiet disconnect, like I was steering someone else s ship instead of my own.
I'd always been drawn to making things that felt more human. Less corporate. Less approved. I wanted to create art that carried fingerprints, texture, and personality. Something with warmth and a little weirdness. That's when I started printing by hand. The process was the opposite of my old life: slow, tactile, and honest. A world of ink, paper, and small surprises where perfection isn't the goal, and the imperfections are the proof that it's real.
Now I run Null.Pictures, a small studio focused on whimsical hand-printed animal linocuts. Each piece is carved and printed by hand, designed to feel like a tiny character pulled from a strange little storybook, and made for people who want art with personality, not factory perfection.
It's a simple thing, really: I traded sleek, glossy work for ink-stained hands and a life that feels more like mine.