Inverness

June 17, 2011 by Kat

Welcome Home

This light says to me, “Welcome home.” It doesn’t matter that I wasn’t actually staying at this hotel in Inverness, Scotland, I still found myself welcomed by the warm light shining out into the evening. This is a favorite time of day for photographs for me, with the contrast of cool blue outdoor light and warm yellow indoor light. It always makes me feel like there is a warm, safe place to go.

Yesterday I was on Mortal Muses, with a companion “square format” version of this same door, asking the question, “What light welcomes you home?”

I would love to hear your answer today.

June 11, 2011 by Kat

My Latest Obsession and the LAST giveaway from Italy!

At first I thought it was a Greek-inspired theme, the capture of door handles and locks. But my latest obsession continued in Scotland. I have a weakness for doors, that is nothing new. Lately that interest has been specifically focused on colorful, old doors with interesting keyholes or locks. This one is from a church in Inverness, and isn’t it cool how you can see the architectural element brought through to the door detail? I also liked how the dustiness reflects the light differently, highlighting the form of the details.

Thank you so much for the many comments on yesterday’s post. It is good to know that being real and true to my heart resonates with other people. I appreciated all of the encouragement and support for my transition back to the US. There is truly a wealth of generosity and positive support to be found here on the internet. I am always surprised when I hear people say that things like blogs, Facebook, twitter, etc. are a waste of time. I guess they can be, but they can also be a source of genuine connection and I love that.

As I start sorting things into piles for my move (what to ship, what to give away, what to take on the flight, etc.), I’ve realized that I have some more things to give away, and time is running short. So today I’m launching my LAST giveaway from Italy. Of course I’ll do more in the future, but this will be your last opportunity to get mail from me in Italy.

I’m giving away four items and there will be four different winners! I have a lens cleaning cloth printed with the mosaics from Ravenna (great for glasses or camera lenses), two sets of note cards from Florence, and a set of 5 random postcards of my images that I happen to have left (time to order more!).

You can have up to three entries:

1. Just leave a comment and say hi!

2. If you are a newsletter subscriber, leave a separate comment. (The newsletter is coming out tomorrow with some sneak peek info on my upcoming classes. Why not subscribe today? The form is on the left sidebar of the blog.)

3. If you follow me anywhere, leave a separate comment. By follow I mean through google, facebook, twitter, networked blogs, or rss feed.

Please leave separate comments for each entry. I’m going to do a random drawing based on the total number of comments, so if you write it all in one comment you will still only have one entry.

You can leave comments through around 9pm PST Monday, June 13. I’ll pick the winners on Tuesday morning when I wake up. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win – either a link back to a website, email, your name (if I know you personally), something along those lines. If I can’t figure out how to contact you, I’ll just re-draw for your item.

[Update: Giveaway has closed. See Tuesday’s post for the winners!]

Along with this giveaway, I just want to give a public thank you to my husband Patrick, for all his help with these giveaways since I’ve started them. He’s the one that goes to the post office and waits in line to mail them while I’m working my day job. Here in Italy, this can sometimes take hours or even multiple trips to get things mailed. If you’ve ever won anything or received mail from me, he’s had a part in mailing it. If you want to visit his blog and leave a note of thanks, he would love it.

Enjoy your weekend!

June 7, 2011 by Kat

Coming and Going

While wandering around Inverness trying to find a restaurant one evening, we passed this church graveyard. I was fascinated by the old stones, you could read as far back as the 1800’s but there were definitely some that were older and unreadable. I could imagine people visiting here, searching out their ancestors and doing grave rubbings. I remember doing that with my mom as a child on a visit to her roots somewhere in the midwestern USA.

There is such a focus on heritage and history in Scotland, it made me wish I has some Scottish in me so that I could be part of it. Genealogy centers, clan history books and tartans… all welcoming people back to their roots. Patrick‘s great-grandfather was from Scotland, with the surname Barron. We had a time of it trying to find anything on this name, but eventually discovered it was part of the Rose clan and there was a tiny bit more on them. Apparently, Rose or Barron were not the most prolific of clans from the little we could find. But that small little connection for Patrick and Brandon made it a bit more fun.

The Picture Inspiration prompt this week was “double vision,” on diptychs using photos of the same thing from two different perspectives. I liked this gravestone from the two perspectives, and putting them together in this way created a stronger emotion. I couldn’t quite describe it, but one of my classmates commented, “I like the flare and blurriness in the one on the left. Reminds me of the mystery of death. And the one on the right is so black and white like life and death.” I like her description, it puts something concrete to the feeling of the images.

What feeling do you get when you look at this pairing?

June 5, 2011 by Kat

The Color and Texture of Paint (+ Swap Update)

I bet you thought you were going to see peeling paint in today’s image, from the title of my post, and knowing what I love. Wrong! I’ve been neglecting to share good, colorful, fresh paint too. For equal opportunity, today I give you this wonderful color from a shop front inside the Victorian Market in Inverness. Aren’t the colors and textures of this paint just delicious? It was the shop front of a flower shop and the riot of color was fun, but I focused on simplifying things down to this architectural detail. In addition to color and texture, there is also some great shape and form here, I always love that too.

Along with this cheery image for your Sunday morning, I’ll also give you a cheery Liberate Your Art Postcard swap update. The final count for sign up is at 254 people in the swap! Wow!! That’s 1270 pieces of art that will be winging their way around the world shortly. Add to that, the 254 postcards I will be sending for meeting the goal of 200 participants. It may sounds crazy, but I can’t wait to get on it. I’m so excited for this, it fills me with such happiness. So many people have mentioned that they are getting out of their comfort zone to sign up and do this – I’m so proud of you all for putting your art out into the world!

For those of you signed up, all of the swap details will be sent to you via email later this week. Until then, be sure to visit some of your fellow participants on our AMAZING participant link list! Pick two or three links, stop by and say hi this week to a few artists in the swap. (If you’re signed up, it’s not to late to have your link added. Just drop me an email with your link.)

Enjoy your Sunday!

Links added since last blog update:

Marie OteroShelley ShockleyBrain Angles – Invisible InkMosey AlongApril Cole’s StudioJo Murray – ArtWith Renewed EyesZentangles & StuffmichellereneFleeting MomentsJournaling through PhotosStefanie ReneeAlison BehnGramma’s Little CornerThe WhimzymeincaMoon’s Musings
All the rest of the links – wow!!How to Feather an Empty Nest Learning as I GoPaloma ChaffinchFiberworksAshley Sisk’s Ramblings and PhotosJenny ShihLife @ RuffHavenkharliebugHere and NowLiving in a Still LifeBastelmaniaDonna Did ItLeft in Front of RightThe Red TinAltered Muse ArtDreams and WhispersMaddy’s Stitching CornerSimply Life PhotographsPointy PixNatasha MayThe Vintage ArtistDigital Experiments by CarolynWJC’s Digital DesignsCreating my Lifeicandyi wanna be me when i grow upGiddy-Up Let’s RideThe Creative IdentityElizabeth GLZJofabi PhotoA New Day, A Different WayA Rural JournalAlchemy of ArteyechaiPicturing the YearSuperdewaHounds in HeavenBleuOiseau PhotographyAquarel RiversThe Wright StuffThe Mrs.Urban Muserdeustchemexicana{Furi Kuri}TravelsA Little Blue Skycarola bARTzSame Day: Thirty Years ApartCamperCottage 960Nomadic NotebookWell of CreationsCindyLew’s StudioOm2ArtHysong DesignsThe Weekend Photo WarriorTina’s TreeThe Studio 56Kristen WalkernaperieRosie GreyThis Life through the LensNot Everyone Has FilmSloane Solanto: A Colorful LifeRavenous RaesassyangelacMy Midlife CreativitiesMakieDollTracy Swartz, Whimsical Gourd ArtOne Thousand PaintingsOne Little PromiseAmber Leigh JacobsMarie Z. JohansonThe Queen of CreativityExpressive WorldRandom Thoughts Do or “Di”Lyrical JourneyKaren Koch, Life Needs ArtMy Sweet Prairiedye~ing to be yoursKnottyneedlemy heart artODDImaginationCrafty CreativityJenna Kannas InspirationsGoing a Little CoastalStarry Blue SkyQuilting, Calle and other thingsMatthew and LarissasightspecificStudio MailboxArtimagicaPoetic MappingSimple MansionBy JenPaper BirdMusings of a HennaphileShe Dreams of the SeaThe Little Things…Tangerine Megamaze, surprise & delightlove PEASStraightlinezKristen Laudick PhotographyGrandma’s Recipe BoxHeartwork PhotographyDixon HillJust me and my ArtMia Makes…Cosrard & PenpenI miei due bambiniSpecial Moments in TimeSuch stuff as dreams are made onPasandoDarlene Cunnup PhotographyPeach CogloOne Woman, ReinventedCreative ExplorerBren’s Bright CornerJillsy Girl StudioBahamaDawnToday is a GiftMy Consuming Passions

June 4, 2011 by Kat

Scotland is…

Dramatic skies
Church steeples
Green hillsides
Rain then sun then rain
Plaid and kilted
Friendly
Bagpipes
Bloody history
Lochs and firths
Castles
Lilting accents
Hearty food
Lots of fun

We are back from our relaxed week in Scotland, where the weather was amazingly warm and sunny the last couple of days. I even got a bit of sunburn! Back in Italy it’s grey and rainy, so my sunburn will fade fast. I can feel it disappearing already.

This image is from our first evening in Inverness, one of the times the sun popped out right before sundown. I loved the dramatic light and dark contrast found in the sky and the churches. Just one of the many skies we witnessed on this trip, it was ever changing. I’m just starting to go through my pictures and I look forward to sharing more this week!

Don’t forget, today is the last day to sign up for the Liberate your Art Postcard Swap. Tomorrow I’ll share the final count and the updated link list. I’m so excited!

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