I learned programming while attending UC San Diego, and while a graphic artist by trade I do enjoy programming as a side hobby.
The OpenGL programming API (shown above as a testing app) was a way for me to learn OpenGL under the Xojo programming language, and as a person interested in graphics it was a perfect way to marry two passions. Not to say that learning it was easy: I'm still very much a student in the art of OpenGL use.
The set of APIs I've written has progressed to the point where it has been used for commercial scientific apps.