Swimming came into my life during a strange chapter of my career. I'd already been a full-time artist for several years, but I was starting to experience a different kind of pressure. The excitement of "making it" had slowly been replaced by the pressure to keep growing, keep creating, and keep proving to myself that I belonged here.

Mac had a way of writing about those feelings without making them feel hopeless. There was always this balance of honesty, gratitude, and optimism that kept me coming back to that album.

When I started this portrait, I knew I didn't want it to be just another likeness. I wanted it to reward a second look.

Throughout the piece are small references to Mac's life and music, including Pittsburgh, his hand-drawn smiley face, hidden "MM" initials, a custom interpretation of his flower tattoo, and the subtle "Don't Trip" typography inspired by the hat he wore during his legendary Tiny Desk performance.

One of my favorite parts of making artwork like this is hiding those little details in plain sight. Some people will notice them immediately, and others might not catch them until they've lived with the piece for a while.