Meet The Maker: Esayas Zerazion

Yes, but: He decided to pursue a professional career in the arts after being introduced to the scratchboard medium while studying at California's El Camino College in 2014.

Zoom in: Zerazion explains that drawing with a black pencil on white paper requires the artist to put more emphasis on shadows.

• When scratching a portrait into black scratchboard, he only focuses on the highlights.
• "When I create my subjects, I usually scratch about 25% of the canvas," he said. "By just scratching that 25%, I can create the subject. And I always leave a shadow on the subject for my audience to imagine and fill that shadow."

What he's making now: A trip to Indiana Landmarks for Saturday's second annual Maéd: Scratch, Sip & Shop — a cultural and networking event that celebrates Ethiopian heritage.

• Zerazion is one of the headliners, alongside Felege Hiywot Center founder and executive director Aster Bekele and Eunice Trotter, director of the Indiana Landmarks Black Preservation Program.
• 2:30-6pm. Tickets start at $10.

Check him out: On his website or Instagram.