Kat Eye Studio

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

Back in Italy

Home again, home again… it’s good to be back home in Italy. I had a fantastic week last week visiting with friends when I wasn’t working, but it is truly good to get back home to my family and my cat and my own bed. And, it’s a nice sunny morning as well, so there is nothing in life to complain about. I hope you all have a good Monday!

by

Spring!

There are signs of spring here in Oregon, like this gorgeous barrel of daffodils at the Rogue brewery in Newport. Unlike our home in Italy where it’s still been cold and frosty, it was beautifully clear and sunny in Oregon last week. I love seeing these signs of spring, Oregon has such a long and colorful spring. It will be interesting to see what it’s like for us in Vedano… when it starts!

by

Love at the Sea

This heart art was found at an overlook of the Mediterranean sea, it Boccadassee (a little fishing village that is part of Genova). These little overlooks or benches in public parks are often places that young lovers will meet for a bit of privacy. It’s not really private exactly, but when so many people live in such close contact it’s all relative I guess. You will often find “love” graffiti in little spots like this.

by

Happy Valentine’s Day


We are in the states this week, our “Home Leave” in Corvallis, so starting with Valentine’s Day today I thought I would post a few pics of various hearts I’ve collected in my photos.

This photo is one of my early favorites from our time here in Italy, from Bergamo. I actually didn’t see the graffiti heart at all when I took the picture, but when I was reviewing on the screen it just popped out at me. This is a time I’m sure that my inner eye saw something that my conscious brain didn’t even register. These types of images are what make me trust my instincts in my photography.

So enjoy this heart today, and a Valentine’s wish from me!

by

Color is like Music

“Color is like music, it uses [a] shorter way to come to our senses, to awake[n] our emotions.” I quite can’t read the name of the quote’s author in this photo, but I loved the quote and the color of this house in Burano. I’m sure every tourist that walks by it takes a photo of this. It captures your eye.

But, fun picture aside, I agree with the quote. I have been toying with this idea that there is a “soul language” that each of us has, a language that is a shortcuts our brain circuitry to our heart and soul. It gets past all of our outer layers of shoulds and shouldn’ts, our learned responses and expectations from our family, our friends, our culture, whatever. To a place where your response is truly you.

My soul language is visual imagery. Whether it be color, composition, light… It’s one of the reasons I love photography and painting and any other type of visual art. It speaks to me.

A while ago, I was reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and feeling guilty. She loves the Italian language just for it’s sound. Came to Italy to live and learn and experience the language (ok, and the food). There are lots of people who do this, so my brain was asking me, “Why aren’t you so excited about learning Italian? Here you are in Italy for two years, every opportunity to immerse yourself, but you aren’t taking advantage of it!” Complete guilt mode. Then I realized – that’s not my soul language. Elizabeth Gilbert is a writer, words and language are probably her soul language, not mine.

I can immerse myself in the art and visual beauty of Italy and get just as much out of the experience, because it’s my soul language. What’s yours?

Upcoming Events