Art: probably the best zoo task I can do at this point

Things come full circle.

I trained as a visual artist after high school, and like many a painter in their early twenties I struggled. The practicalities of life were often beyond me, but eventually I landed work creating posters for local theatres, then found a job at a large university media unit that primarily served the university's medical faculty. This was all in the days before graphic apps and the internet, though I did have the privilege of working on one of the first Genigraphic computers in the country; it took up the space of a small bedroom, had a six month learning curve, and now people can produce more intricate graphics and animations on their phones (with or without AI). Eventually I left the job and freelanced, often working in theatre and film, mostly painting sets and props. In spite of good commissions and a seemingly promising future, I decided to change direction because the planet that I loved was being so screwed by its most prolific apex predator.

In my late thirties I went to university to study environmental science. Being a better student than I'd anticipated, I even finished off a PhD. The objective had originally been to use my visual skills to communicate the science and educate about environmental issues. You know, make a difference, have a purpose, be useful, dedicate my efforts to something so much bigger than myself, etc. etc., and for a while there I imagined I might even make some scientific contributions. But the truth is, it all just broke my heart. The issues haven't changed; they've only gotten worse and the tipping points are adding up. The apex predator is all too human and the changes needed are profound, revolutionary and clearly challenge the very nature of the beast. Maybe the planet as we know it will survive by some happy accident but I'm not holding my breath. The good news is it will survive, life will go on even if we nuke the place, but it will be different and we might not be around to appreciate it.

So, now retired I'm back to doing the art; keeps me busy and engaged in my dotage like one of the happier zoo animals. I'm flogging it here because like a lot of artists I'm running out of storage space and I could use some cash. Perhaps you'll find some of the work amusing too. Or beautiful, though beauty was never very fashionable in the art world as I recall. If it offends or disturbs in some way, at least it's communicating something. Made you blink.