Kat Eye Studio

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Dear Winter Trees

It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, and I wanted to let you know that you are on my mind. I’ve been missing your interesting shapes against the sky. I find myself seeing glimpses of you in your summer cousins. You know, the ones with fewer leaves? I see you in their branches and shadows. And I miss you more.

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Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and don’t want to hasten its end. I love the long days of light, the heat, the fresh fruits and vegetables, running around with bare feet, wearing sunglasses and crop pants, and no homework. There is too much good in summer to hurry it along.

But the summer trees? Not as interesting as you. All their best features are hidden by their summer finery of leaves.

So know that when the time comes for you to return, at least one person will be rejoicing. I’ll be excited to see you this fall, with my camera in hand. I already have big plans for us.

Yours,
Kat

My latest article, Smartphone Art 2: Improve your images with basic editing, is up on the Seek Your Course blog now. Stop on over to get an overview of basic photo editing, selective adjustments, and how to find and choose apps. Let me know what you think!

What else do you want to learn? I’m prepping for my Smartphone Art workshop here in Oregon in a couple of weeks and starting to think about an online class. Now is the perfect time to let me know what you want to learn. Where are you having trouble? What makes you say, How did she do that? Drop me a note.

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Walking the Path

Life is a path we walk along. Sometimes straight and narrow, other times with twists and turns. Constant endings and beginnings line the path. Yesterday I announced an ending of sorts on Mortal Muses, I’ve decided to leave my position as a regular muse. I join the ranks of the Muse Alumni as of today.

It was a bittersweet ending. I am so grateful for my time as a muse. It helped me connect to the wider photographic community online while I was in Italy. It gave me confidence in myself as an artist, both photographer and writer. At the same time, with the move back to the US and the start of Kat Eye Studio I was finding it difficult to juggle it all. Something had to go, to free up space and time. I breathe a bit easier now.

I will continue to cheer the Muses on from the sidelines, supporting and participating. I believe in the mission of the Mortal Muses. I love the celebration of diverse photographic styles, the combination of photos and words, and the idea of community of photographers who do what we do for the love of it.

An ending of one thing. But beginnings of so many others… the Photo-Heart Connection in progress (March linky is open!), A Sense of Place starting in April, along with my exhibition at The Arts Center.

So I pause on the path to look behind me, give thanks and wave farewell, and turn to go on.

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Summertime in the ‘Hood

I’ve always love the number of bicycles you see here in Italy. I love seeing old ladies in their skirts on bicycles, with the basket full of groceries. I love seeing people riding in the rain, holding their umbrellas. I see people riding while talking on cell phones every day. Bicycles are a normal form of transport here. Just another way to get around the busy streets.

And, on summer time weekends, wow. Bicycles galore. I captured this last summer in Milan, on a summer Saturday when the bicycles were out in force. We see a lot of bicycles by our house on the weekend, since we live right near Parco di Monza. Without much green space in the greater Milan area, a day spent biking and picniking in Parco di Monza is a nice treat. The park is packed on summer weekends, the paths clogged with bicycles and strollers and rented carrozellas (a multi-person pedal-powered cart sort of vehicle/bicycle that a family can fit in – I’m not sure what they are called in English).

This weekend we are going to visit a few haunts a last time. Brave the crowds and rent a carrozella in Parco di Monza, pick up some of the chicken strips that Brandon loves at the Saturday market, head into Milan to climb the Duomo and explore the countryside by Lake Como. One last look around, close to our home for the last two years, before the movers come on Wednesday to pack up our household goods.

And next weekend, our last weekend as residents of Italy, what will we do? Visit Venice. I can’t leave Italy without a last trip to my beloved Venetian lagoon. There are two places on earth so far that never fail to inspire me photographically: Venice and the Oregon Coast. (Well, maybe I should add Parco di Monza too, given how often I share photos of the park here.) It’s amazing how completely different these places are and yet they are so inspiring to me. Thankfully, I’m headed back to one of my photographic loves as I move. I have no doubt I will find more places too.

How about you, do you have a favorite place? One that never fails to inspire you in your art?

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