In the summer of 2024, I took part in the Work and Travel USA program. From June to September, I lived and worked in Narragansett, Rhode Island, at a well-known oceanfront restaurant called George’s of Galilee. It was a busy, lively place with its own beach, bar, and parking — and a summer team made up of students from all over the world.
I worked as a cook and bartender, but outside of work, I painted. I’ve always been drawn to themes of flight, freedom, and floating spaces — especially hot air balloons. That summer, I was inspired by the atmosphere of the town, the port, and the restaurant itself. That’s when I created my first large-scale painting in the U.S., titled Balloon “Galilee.”
In the painting, the restaurant is flying through the sky on colorful balloons — a surreal image of a place that felt magical to me. When I showed it to the staff, they loved it. They hung the painting in the main dining hall, where it’s still on display today. The restaurant also posted it on Instagram and Facebook, which led to my first real commissions.
One of them came from a group of students from Slovakia, who asked me to create a custom artwork. I painted “Tour Americana” — a visual journey of their travels across the U.S. Another request came from a student from Colombia, and I created a piece titled “Narragansett”, dedicated to the landscapes and spirit of Rhode Island.
Then, something completely unexpected happened. I was contacted by Jacob Manning, a young filmmaker and founder of RaisedBySummerStudios. He was working on his first major short film and invited me to create the official poster. We worked closely on the concept and look, and the result was used at the film’s premiere in December 2024, held at the Narragansett Casino Theater.
In January 2025, the film was released on YouTube, and my poster was part of the visual identity for the launch. Jacob publicly credited my work, and later invited me to visit an art gallery in Providence, where we continued talking about art and film. As a thank-you, I gave him a personal painting titled Balloon “Hollywood” — a symbol of creative vision and possibility.
That summer, I also had the chance to visit New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Providence, which gave me even more ideas and inspiration. But it all started with that one painting in Narragansett.
I came to the U.S. as a student looking for experience. I left with something more — a growing art portfolio, real clients, and collaborations with both businesses and creatives. I still paint flying cities and balloon worlds, because for me, they represent movement, freedom, and new beginnings.
Sometimes, one summer can change everything.
Written by Denis Klimov
