Description
I painted this when I was so overwhelmed living in my own home in Nelson that I packed up and left. I moved to the next town — Blenheim — and stayed with a friend on a vineyard. I needed space to breathe. To soften. To figure out if I was still okay.
I mowed the vineyard lawn every week, five hours at a time – repetitive rows with no other responsibilities; quite the opposite of my day-to-day in Nelson. I could only carry a small canvas and a few paints with me, but somehow, this painting emerged. A balloon headed toward a mountain — uncertain, vulnerable — but still rising.
It felt like the end of the world. But it wasn’t. And I’m proud of this piece because it took my fear and turned it into something beautiful.
That hot air balloon is not guaranteed to crash.
Have you ever felt so stressed or cornered that you needed to just… leave? I actually did. It was hard on my partner, but we didn’t let it break us. Not our home, our work, or our love.
I believe we all come to that moment at least once in life. When you do, I hope you recognise it. I hope you have the courage to step out — and the bravery to return.
