This is the first fully resolved self portrait I have created signed becoming an animal rights activist. I drew a lot of self portraits during my foundation year at Leeds College of Art in 2015, but at that stage in my academic career I still felt quite lost and unsure, whereas now I am extremely sure of my purpose and who I am. Animals and animal rights are constantly on my mind, I am consumed by the fight for animal liberation, and it is something I am going to dedicate my life to. With this portrait I aim to depict the way that fighting for animals has made me feel more connected with non-humans and nature than ever before, and I wish to show the awe-inspiring sense of responsibility and purpose I feel on a day-to-day basis. All of my recent work is extremely close to my heart, and I wanted to physically insert myself into this new era or art-ivism by drawing my face again properly for the first time in a few years.