My childhood hero was Gerald Durrell, and I wanted to be a naturalist when I grew up. Life being what it is, I turned out to be an artist. However, having moved from the concrete jungle of Beirut to the edge of Epping Forest and fallen in love with the natural world all over again, my art changed: I now only use natural materials, preferably inks and paint I make myself from locally foraged stuff. Which means I spend a healthy amount of time wandering the local woodlands and hedgerows year-round, keeping an eye out for any interesting encounters... For the job, of course.