Kat Eye Studio

by

Create to Live

This has become one of my favorites from my most recent trip to Venice. Late at night, in Piazza San Marco, this artist had his paintings set up to sell. In the image, I love how the light just pools around the art, an island in the darkness. The artist is there too, a part of it, slightly visible at the edge.

Isn’t that how art is too? No matter what we create, it may be a representation of some other physical thing, but we are there too. Art is a reflection of us. You cannot separate the creator from the creation, the artist from the art.

And so I am in this image too, as the artist. I am the one who sees these moments. I am the one who looks longingly at these street artists, whispering inside, “I want to do that. I want to create for a living.” Set aside my American-dream culture to say that maybe it doesn’t matter if I have a big collection of stuff, maybe just creating is what life is about. Creating something good, something to be proud of, something that touches others in a positive way. Live to create, create to live.

by

Embarking on the Journey

Our journey to Croatia last week began with a ferry trip. We drove a few hours south to Ancona, Italy and then took an overnight ferry to Split, Croatia. How cool is that? As we left Ancona we were able to enjoy a beautifully colorful sunset on one side of the ferry and an equally amazing full moon rise on the other. Warm Adriatic Sea breezes washed over us as we enjoyed the twilight on the top deck of the ferry. Then, off to bed in our little 4 bunk cabin and woke up the next morning in a new country – what a way to travel!

by

Fresh and Juicy

So red. So fresh. So juicy. So delicious. I’m not usually a big cherry fan, but even I like these cherries. We picked them up last week, while driving through the hills outside of Vicenza. We just wanted to see the countryside, and it turns out we were in a region that grows cherries. And they were ripe. And we saw a roadside stand. So, since Patrick loves cherries we did a u-turn back to it and bought their minimum amount for 10 Euro – 3kg (for us Americans, that’s 6.6 lbs). That’s a lot of cherries!

I took this photo for a photo challenge with the theme of “fresh” and it makes me smile. Maybe it’s the color. Maybe it’s the story. Not my usual shot, but at least they are Italian cherries!

by

Quiet and Empty

What a difference a few hours makes! During the day, this location in Piazza San Marco by the Doge’s Palace is brimming with people. People in line to tour the Basilica, people shopping at the overstuffed souvenier carts, people wandering around taking photos. But just a few hours later, near midnight, it’s almost empty. How wonderful for me!

Recently, my husband asked me why I don’t like people in my photos. Sometimes I will patiently wait for minutes for just the right shot, as people move in and out and through the frame I’m trying to capture. He and my son have to wait patiently too, until I’m ready to move on. They are good sports, I must say!

But there is a good reason for it. What I’ve discovered in my photography, is that I like to provide a place for the viewer in my photograph. A place for the imagination to wander. If there are clearly other people in the photo, if they are the subject, then the viewer might just see those people, and their experience, from the outside. If it is of an empty place, the viewer can participate in the photo… project themselves into the place, let their minds wander, imagine themselves there or create new story in the place. We all have a unique vision to show the world, this one just happens to be part of mine right now.

So, today I ask, what story do you see in this photo? Have you ever had that experience with a photograph before?

by

Be still my heart…

Bright, fun color, peeling paint and such texture. Could it get any better for my creative soul? I don’t think so! This picture just makes me happy. It is from one of my happy places, Burano. It made me happy when I first saw and captured the image last week, and it makes me happy to share it today. I hope that it also brings a smile into your day, if only to chuckle at my fascination with peeling paint lately!

by

Natural Illumination

Sometimes nature provides the most wonderful images, and all you just have to do is be there to capture them. As the sun dipped behind these clouds during my boat ride from Burano back to Venice, I caught these amazing rays of sunlight. It was a beautiful sight! A little treat for those watching the transition between day and night.

You just have to be there. Get out with your camera, and see what nature presents to you.