'Hide in there' 8/10

Mixed media on a deep canvas, 100cm x 100cm

Shortly after my diagnosis, I found myself craving cold showers—something I had once avoided. A naturopath later explained that cold water can inhibit the growth of lumps in the breast. But for me it wasn’t just that: there was a crisp, uplifting sensation after a cold dip          in nature, and I only first experienced it once my lumpectomy scars had healed. After the initial shock to my body, it felt like endorphins dancing through every cell. It was a moment                        of happiness amid fearful times.

Alongside the water, I spent long hours walking in the local park and through Hillsborough Forest Park. Watching nature under fresh air, inhaling all the green hues—it brought me peace. There is scientific evidence that nature heals, but I don’t need it.

In my local park there stood a large flowerpot filled with small, colourful blooms that, when viewed upside down, formed a heart shape—and that grew into the inspiration for this painting.