Kat Eye Studio

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Photo-Heart Connection: August

Behind the scenes he worked. Starting hours before the performance, the guitar tech began getting ready. The performers were nowhere to be seen, but he was there. Gently unpacking and prepping the guitars, his hands steady and sure.

The sun went down and the lights came on. The performers took the stage. Throughout the performance he stood at the ready. Knowing what song came next, what each guitarist needed. Everything flowed. He knows his job and does it well. You can tell, because no one noticed him there on the side of the stage.

There are so many roles like this in our world. So many people behind the scenes, making things work smoothly. They are skilled. They love what they do. They make a difference to those around them.

So today I’m thinking about how we often notice only the headline act. We see the artists on stage, in the spotlight. But they wouldn’t be there, successfully doing what they do, without the backstage artists that make everything work. I’m thinking about the people in my life who are backstage artists for me in different ways. I owe them my notice and my thanks.

My Photo-Heart Connection this month is from da Vinci Days, an annual festival of art, science and technology here in Corvallis. I had the good fortune to be the Main Stage photographer for the headline night of the festival, where I got the backstage view and prime locations to photograph the performance. I am honestly surprised at picking this one as my Photo-Heart Connection. It was a tough month to choose. I had a lot of photos; many with a strong heart connection. At one point, as I was narrowing the field down, I had to stop and go do something else to clear my thoughts and emotions.

In the end, it was the hands that drew me in. As I looked at the guitar tech’s hands, I remembered how this guy did his job, quietly and confidently. He didn’t really talk to anyone that I saw. He was just always there, doing what needed to be done for his band. Such a simple photo of hands, teaching me a bigger lesson. Reminding me to watch for those backstage artists in my life and thank them.

What did you discover in the Photo-Heart Connection this month?


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Making a Mark

What am I trying to say as an artist? Where is it that I want to go? Those questions are swirling around in my head after taking a one-day class called Preparing and Presenting your Photographic Portfolio from a wonderful instructor, Chris Eagon, at the Oregon College of Art and Craft yesterday.

The question “where do I want to go” is an important one for us as artists. Having goals and direction are what keep us moving forward, learning and growing. It’s through the continued journey that we figure out how to make our unique mark in the world.

I’ve known since living in Italy that the next step for me, upon moving back to the US, would be to bring my photographs into the real world. I needed the foundation I gained while in Italy: Confidence in the creation of my images, sharing them with others online, and identification of my unique vision. I’m building from there now, learning how to print and exhibit my work. Even harder, learning how to talk about my work and myself as an artist, with people face-to-face. I did not expect it to be such a challenge, with all of that confidence and knowledge I had gained. But it’s a new realm, and the challenges are different. The fears are different. It’s the next step I need to take in my creative journey, regardless of the resistance that comes along.

I am starting to understand that there is the journey that is “Kat the blogger and teacher” and the journey that is “Kat the artist.” The are separate yet inextricable. If I did not continue on my own artistic journey, separate from blogging and teaching, I would have nothing to share here. I have to admit, the journey of the artist feels a bit more scary and lonely. It’s the one I have to do on my own, in order to be true to myself.

So I’m letting my thoughts swirl around the questions: What am I trying to say as an artist? Where is it that I want to go? Only by answering these for myself will I figure out how to make my mark as an artist. I thought I knew the answers, but they have changed. It’s time to answer them again.

How about you, do you know the answers to these questions for yourself? Do you know where you are headed next?

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