Hi, I’m Steven.
I’m in the middle of changing — which makes this strangely hard to write.
The pandemic shifted my perspective. I didn’t get Covid during those years, and when I caught it later, it passed after a couple of miserable weeks. That wasn’t the life-changer. What truly altered me were the conversations, the challenges, the public debates. The pandemic stripped away distractions and made it clear what I actually cared about.
Career Shift
After 20 years as a freelance illustrator, I realized I was less interested in “selling things with great illustrations” and far more energized by talking with people — about their challenges, struggles, growth, and successes.
It took time to act on that insight, but it was strong enough to lead me back to school. Starting in September 2025, I’ll be studying career counseling (Beratung für Bildung, Beschäftigung und Beruf) in a dual program at the Agentur für Arbeit Berlin Süd and the Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit in Schwerin.
If you’ve worked with me before, this isn’t a reinvention so much as a refocusing — the care-for-people thread has always been woven through my work. Now, I’m making it the main focus.
Life in Berlin
I share a quiet corner of Berlin with my wife, illustrator Maike Plenzke (go look her up — her work is wonderful), and our rescue dog, Yoshi. We adopted him during the pandemic after losing our beloved, goofy boxer Elmo. Yoshi is a handful, but he’s family.
I’ve lived in Berlin longer than anywhere else, thanks to that quieter neighborhood. On decent days you’ll find me walking Yoshi through the local greenery with an audiobook in my ears. Indoors, I’m usually reading (a lot), discovering music on Bandcamp, swinging kettlebells, bouldering, or occasionally making music myself.
I’m not on social media, but I do enjoy thoughtful discussions on Reddit. I’m also a member of Die Grünen and the Illustratoren Organisation, and I regularly support causes close to my heart — animal shelters, open-source projects, and mental health resources.
What This Site Is
This site is a place to share what interests me, what I’m learning, and what I’m making. That could mean fiction, music, visual experiments, or reflections on my career shift.
Think of it as a slow, irregular log of my reinvention. Updates will be occasional and not always in real time.
Whether you’ve known me for years, are navigating your own career change, or are simply curious about what it’s like to turn a corner in your 40s — you’re welcome here.