In 2008, inspired by my good friend Dr Roy McClements, I embarked on a new professional and personal journey moving with my family from Sydney to Newcastle to commence a research Masters degree in Natural History Illustration. The project evolved into a PhD with a focus on the development of an illustrated set of Body Condition Score (BCS) reference images for captive Asian elephants. In addition to the veterinary science illustrated reference set, I produced an extensive body of creative works based on depicting the elephants. This resulted in a major exhibition at the University of Newcastle Art Gallery in late 2011.