Ok, I’ll say it. I have a love hate relationship with otters 🫣

Ecologically speaking, these guys are top tier. They’re a keystone species, critically important (and endangered) and our world is infinitely better with otters in the wild. They’re pretty darn cute too. You’ll get no argument from me there.

HOWEVER. They are also huge stinkers. Like they are absolute buttholes to each other and to other species, and since they live life on a razor’s edge, they’re incredibly hard to rehabilitate. They’re high risk, often low reward, and mean as hell every step of the way.

That being said, they deserve all the respect we can give them, and I knew that despite my personal feelings about otters, I really wanted to make an otter portrait. I don’t typically woodburn hair texture, so this one felt like a huge challenge! Through the process of burning this portrait, I’ve managed to gain just a little more appreciation for this tenacious species.

Drift is woodburned by hand on a basswood round measuring 7.25 × 9 inches and comes with a sawtooth hanger attached to the back for easy hanging.