At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, like so many others, I hit a massive creative wall and stopped drawing altogether. The pens just sat idle. Around 2021, my mum stepped in to help break the block; she bought me a fresh set of fine-liners to try and inspire me to get back to the drawing board. This native cockatoo study was one of the first pieces to emerge from that reset.

Capturing the distinct, unruly crest and the layered texture of the bird's feathers offered a comforting return to the rhythmic patience of stippling.

Hand-inked using the new fine-liner set, carefully layering the dots to build volume within the feathers and define the sharp, strong curvature of the beak.

This drawing is a beautiful reminder of family support and finding small moments of focus during an incredibly weird, uncertain year. While life and work quickly took over again shortly after this session, this piece stands as a proud marker of a brief but necessary return to the ink.