It was during the lockdown — flights grounded, borders closed, and homes feeling smaller than ever. One morning, Facebook reminded me: “On this day, six years ago.”
There it was — photos from our family trip to New Zealand. Seeing them filled me with warmth, but also a deep ache for connection.
So I picked up my pencil and brushes and created my own version of “On this day.”
I drew a map of New Zealand, tracing the route we once took together — Hot Water Beach, the geothermal park in Rotorua, Hobbiton, Queenstown, and the Franz Josef Glacier.
January 2021. Created using watercolour and ink on watercolour paper.
In a corner, I added our family in a motorhome, waving and smiling, just as we did on that trip. And on the roof of the motorhome, I drew myself hugging my nephews — the embrace I’d been missing most.
Drawing has always been how I express my feelings. This piece became a letter to my family, a way to bridge distance with ink and memory.
It’s a reminder that illustration can hold emotion, geography, and story all at once — connecting people even when the world feels far apart.
