Life is funny. It really is. If we can learn to laugh at ourselves and the situations that life throws at us, we can respond to almost anything. Of that, I am convinced.
Why is life so funny, you ask?
After baring my soul, sharing my response to a disappointment last week, just two days later I experienced a really nice success. I found out that I received an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Mobile Photography Awards, in the Travel category for my image The Last Tree. Thousands of people apply to this international review and traveling exhibition of Mobile Photography. It’s juried by some fantastically talented people in the photography world. And one of my images got noticed. How cool is that??
So, yeah. Back to last week. When I found out about the Honorable Mention the disappointment I was feeling suddenly evaporated. It’s almost forgotten; replaced with a new success to celebrate. Life is funny that way, with its ups and downs. The whole experience made me laugh at myself, at my short-lived drama, and reflect in my newsletter how life as an artist is like one big roller coaster ride. It’s different every time we get on. There will be more disappointments, more successes too, as long as I keep getting on to ride.
So now that I’m on the upside, it seemed only fair to share my new success with you, after you listened and held my hand and provided such lovely encouragement through my disappointment last week. Thank you, thank you, thank you for that.
I invite you now to share in my little success. And maybe shake your head and laugh with me, at how funny life can be.
GIVEAWAY TIME!!! OK, so to celebrate this success, I’m going to give away a signed print of The Last Tree. Printed size will be the winner’s choice (up to 13×19″). To enter, leave a comment by the end of the day on Monday, February 3rd. I will draw in the morning PST on Tuesday, February 4th, and announce the winner on my blog.
Thank you for being here, sharing in my successes along with my disappointments. I appreciate all of you!

Congratulations! This is indeed an awesome image and well worthy of at least an honorable mention. So inspired by your work.
Kat, I love this picture. Congratulations on your recognition, it is well deserved.
Oh my Kat, what an honor you’ve received, I’m glad you are on the upside of things! I cannot believe you are giving away a print that is COOL! I always enjoy seeing your work and look forward to Liberate Your Art this year!!!
Lovely photo! so haunting yet so serene. congrats! 🙂
Congratulations on your Honorable Mention. Your photography is lovely and this is an amazing piece. Do you sell print on demand of it by chance? My office wall has been craving a cool tree photograph, and this one would seal the deal. 🙂
Congratulations – a well deserved honor
Congratulations Kat! So happy for you. This is a wonderful image, and how fitting for the lesson you have shared with us. Stand tall. Rise against the storm. Reach for the sky.
Love your work Kat!
Brava, Kat! Wow — that downward dip didn’t last too long , did it? The Last Tree is an amazing image and deserves recognition. I’m very happy for you.
How wonderful for you!
And well deserved. “The Last Tree” is a truly stunning image.
I’d be happy to hang it on my wall.
Yes, funny how life is a rollercoaster ride.
This photo is a beauty, Kat. I can see why it was accepted – very deserving. I read your last week’s post. Juried shows are such a lucky draw I think, so dependent on who the judges are and whether they jive with your style or not. My neighbor, who is an accomplished watercolorist, just got into a show in NYC that she has been trying every year for 15 years to get into it and this is her first time. Tenacity pays off 🙂
Congratulations! M.x
Congratulations! Well-deserved recognition — the image is beautiful. I like the editing, too; it fits with the content. Thanks for the chance to win it!
Laughing with you for sure <3 I especially love that is was a tree image that stood *out from the crowd* for attention. Your love of the trees shines through your work.
This is a stunning image! Would love to have a print framed on my wall! 🙂
Congratulations! A well deserved honor, your work is amazing and inspiring.
Congratulations! Well deserved! I love your “Last Tree”.
Congrats Kat! What’s life w/o drama? It’s the hard work and the Kat-eye that has won you this award. I’m proud to be your friend.
Congratulations! That is a great photograph! I applaud the successes of everyone. (In my own journey, my goal is to focus on my artistic integrity and do the best I can to hang loose about the rest.)
Congrats Kat! This iphone thing is really working out for you as your poor DSLR is gathering dust :)!! Well done and well deserved my friend!
Congratulations! Isn’t it funny how quickly our moods can shift and how far a little recognition of our talents will do to change them. You certainly deserve the recognition for this photo. I love trees and actually have a small book on them that I made from my photos. Wish I had done this one!
Congrats – the reason you won an award is that your image is gorgeous and your artistic eye and soul speak through your art!
Congrats !!!! What a wonderful photo.
Congratulations on your well-deserved recognition. I LOVE this photograph! I’d be very happy to be the lucky winner. 🙂
Congratulations…a gorgeous image!
Kat……Congratulations! What a great honor. Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration.
Congrats Stephanie! You won the drawing. I’ll be contacting you via email to coordinate the details. 🙂
How lovely! (both the story and the photo.) Proof yet again, that we wouldn’t know sweet if we hadn’t tasted bitter! But it’s really nice when the sweet follows the bitter so quickly!
Congratulations. The Universe is full of wondrous things … yes?!!! From disappointment to success in one deep breath. YeeHaw! Thanks for the opportunity!
An artist’s life is full of ups and downs. So pleased you had a very big, and well deserved, UP! Congratulations. It’s a wonderful image…and aptly named.
Beautiful image. Congratulations! I’m not surprised it got noticed 🙂
Well done, love the photo, amazing.
Yes, life is funny like that, only when we feel the disappointment it doesn’t feel funny at the time. Congratulations Kat, so well deserved as that is an absolutely beautiful photo! It’s so nice when someone says “I see you” …. xo
So true .. the ‘roller coaster ride’ seems to infiltrate most areas of our lives at one point or another. But growing up at the beach I learned that the depth of the trough in front of a wave often times will determine the size of that next wave.. the deeper the trough, the higher the wave! Congrats on the Honorable Mention, Kat ! So well deserved.
And thanks for a chance at winning The Last Tree print. Beautiful !
Beautiful! It’s reminiscent of a tree (maybe a juniper) near the top of Mt. Emily in NE Oregon. I have a photo of my oldest son photographing the tree with his camera on a ridge nearly a mile above the Grande Ronde Valley. As for the ‘roller coaster ride,’ I can’t imagine how it must feel for you.
So glad that something positive happened for you! And congratulations!
Amazing picture.
Amazing what beautiful photos are possible now with the cameras on our phones!
I would love to have a piece of your artwork to hang in my studio!
Rinda
Kat, you are amazing! Congratulations on your last honor given to a photograph that it certainly deserving of “Honorable Mention”. It is such a joy watching you grow and grow in your photography. Just when I think that it couldn’t get any better, you come up with something else creative to nourish your heart and those of us who get to enjoy the images your create.
Keep up the good work. I’m sure this is just the beginning of more and more awards!
Marjorie
That deserves to be noticed, it is a gorgeous photo. Congratulations.
What a lovely photograph! It’s been wonderful following you on your journey through the years, here’s to endless inspiration!
Oh, and congrats!! 🙂 Have a creative day!