Small Steps Matter

There is something about the ocean that changes the rhythm of a family’s life. For us, that shift came when we left Jo’burg and found our way to Ballito. I grew up landlocked in Jo’burg and attended a wonderful school there, where I realised that creativity was one of my greatest strengths. After a gap year, I headed to Rhodes University to study Fine Art, where I met my husband. We started dating in our second year, got married in our third year, and by the end of our fourth year, I was installing my final sculpture exhibition just weeks before welcoming our first baby.

After graduating, we moved back to Gauteng, but the ocean soon began calling us. By then, we had three young boys and had started homeschooling, so the idea of a slower, outdoor-focused lifestyle was incredibly appealing. In 2019, we moved to the coast and shortly afterwards, welcomed our daughter.

Moving to Ballito has been one of the best decisions we have made as a family. The beauty of the coastline, the relaxed lifestyle, our church community, and the incredible people who made it feel like home. Coming from Jo’burg, I never imagined my children would grow up with the kind of freedom I had enjoyed hearing about from previous generations: riding bikes to friends’ houses, exploring nature, going door to door selling their homemade cookies and spending entire days outdoors.

My advice to other creative mums is: never underestimate where small creative steps can lead. When my boys were little, I would paint whenever I could find a spare moment. One afternoon, while both of them happened to nap at the same time, I wrote my first children’s book, Angry Owl, from start to finish. Penguin Random House South Africa later published it, and since then, I have written and illustrated four more books.

This year feels particularly special because, for the first time since becoming a mother, I have had more space to focus on creating again. I have been blown away by the support of this community and how quickly my art career has progressed in the last few months. While I have enjoyed making art that means something to me, my favourite aspect of creating lately has been the connections I have made and the way art connects others around me. Whether through art workshops, murals, bespoke tiling designs or original artworks, I love creating pieces that feel like a natural extension of the people who live here. The greatest compliment is when a guest walks into a home and is immediately drawn to a piece of art, not just because it’s beautiful, but because it sparks curiosity, starts conversations and tells a story that words often cannot convey.

When I’m not painting or writing, you’ll find us outdoors: at the beach, hiking, snorkelling or exploring on our bikes. Personally, I love midnight walks with friends and making every dress-up party my full-time job. If there is a dance floor or costume party coming up, consider this my official application. I have a number of exciting projects lined up this year, and I am so looking forward to collaborating with more people to create memorable talking points in their homes.
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Instagram: kerrynponterart

Photos: CC Rossler Photography