Kudos for Belinda Wilson
The year 2026 will see Nelson and Miyazu, Japan, celebrate fifty years of their sister-city relationship. The two cities bonded over their geologically rare natural banks—boulders in one case, sand in the other. In commemoration, the Miyazu Sister City Association, in conjunction with the city council, decided to commission a work of art to present to Miyazu City to hang in their new municipal building.
Amanohashidate, “Bridge to Heaven,” is one of the famous three views of Japan and has been depicted many times throughout history: a 17th-century screen, an 1859 ukiyo-e print by Utagawa Hiroshige, and a 1950 print by Fukuda Bisen. The brief was to produce a work of art in the same aerial tradition, showing the entirety of the bank.
Left: Utagawa Hiroshige’s 1859 woodblock print. Right: 1950 woodblock print by Fukuda Bisen’s view of the Bay of Miyazu and Amanohashidate
Kudos to NSAS member Belinda Wilson, who was awarded the commission from among six candidates. Said Sue Knox of the Miyazu Association, “Several factors stood out to us in Belinda’s proposal. We liked the realism and sensitivity evident in her previous works. The sketch for her proposal immediately resonated with us. Its aerial perspective conveys the distinctive shape of the Boulder Bank and its relationship to the surrounding hills and city, creating a sense of place that is both striking and authentic. She aims to take a drone picture so she can add more detail to her work.
“Another aspect that impressed us was her wish to acknowledge the Māori name of the Boulder Bank, Te Taero a Kereopa, which reflects a thoughtful awareness of its significance to local iwi. Overall, the committee felt that her proposal offered the strongest combination of technical skill, conceptual clarity, and cultural sensitivity. We are confident that her painting will provide a powerful and enduring representation of one of Nelson’s most distinctive landmarks, which links us to our sister city, Miyazu. It will be a very fitting 50th-anniversary gift.”
Belinda says of the project, “The Boulder Bank and how it sits in relation to the port, the hills, and the city is both beautiful and challenging to work into a composition.” Undeterred when drones couldn’t reach the height necessary to draw from, she tried alternative means—a helicopter.
Belinda in the helicopter and one of the photographs she took of The Boulder Bank.
“I have to say this was not for the faint-hearted, because they took the door off so I had a clear view to photograph. Although I was well strapped in, there was nothing between me and a very long drop down. So well strapped in, in fact, that they provided my husband (who sat on the rear seat) with a huge knife to cut the harness straps if we ended up in the drink.”
But all was well. She obtained the necessary reference photos and has started work.
Congratulations, Belinda, and bravo for going above and beyond. Literally.
Story by Clare Williams - NSAS committee member
