Spooky Halloween Night

If I can't have a little fun, what's the point?  :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

What is this all about?

I looked back at my very first post - Over two years ago. I quote myself, two years younger:

"I went into a funk for a few days, having lost my "mojo", my passion, my fire. Photography for the sake of photography wasn't going to be good enough ever again. It was time to face the music. I had to take another step or I'd get sucked back into the empty void lacking inspiration."

And I realized I never took that step. No, I tried. Once. And got shut down by the stock photography website. And so what did I do? I took lots more pictures, and a class, and went places and took more pictures... And eventually DID get sucked back into that void lacking inspiration. . .

What I didn't tell you, dear reader, was that I found an outlet at my previous job where I photographed the exciting world of cables and connectors and antenna on a white background and tried to make it all look sexy. This kept me quite content as I photoshopped out the background that didn't stay white enough, and put together little arrangements of black cables, gold connectors, silver amplifiers. . . I learned photoshop much better. Created some pretty interesting pieces considering it was such an un-interesting subject. And learned a little about printing, colors, and even a touch of Adobe Illustrator and In Design. These were published to the website, on tradeshow signage, on spec sheets, on instructions and in catalogs. I even got to design mass email blasts through Constant Contact. It apparently quenched my thirst for creative work. Up until last October when I got laid off. It seems that engineers and techies aren't interested in the photographic quality of the items they're buying - only that the item works.

So back to dabbling and taking photographs rarely, and not being quite as amused by it all.

Until my current boss came across my background on my computer: Fall leaves caught in a Wave. She asked me to print out a photo for the silent auction fundraiser. That and the fact that I was going through "The Artist's Way" (so I actually followed through with it), lead to the sale of the 11 x 14 inch photograph matted and framed for over $100.

Encouraged by the first sale of a photograph, I'm taking baby steps towards actually doing what I set out to do 2 years ago: Creating a business in photography. Add to that a splash of fine art, and I've got a business.
My trade name is KT Imagery. I'm making progress. And better yet, having fun and being inspired. See http://ktimagery.blogspot.com/.

It's not photography, but. . .

I just finished "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. This book is about "unblocking" as an artist and I've slowly but surely managed to shut up the inner voice telling me how many ways I can and will fail. Okay, it still rears its ugly head, but I know that it's name is "Fear" not "Truth". And I know it's there to scare me out of creating and being happy.

I've also figured out that I don't have to be Picasso today. Or Ansel Adams. Or my grandpa. I can just be Katy, the artist. The photographer. The inspired and and at least pleasing some people with my work. But mostly just being happy doing it, and enjoying the outcomes myself. If all else fails, I'll have tons of photos and artwork that I love and created hanging around my house to please me.

I am a recovering blocked artist. Be gentle. Don't tell me how to fail, I already know that. Encourage me. Play with me. Have fun with me. Delight me and inspire me.

After four years of untouched artist's drawing pads and unused art supplies (that I found in my son's room as I'd given up myself) I am finally just picking up a brush. Finally just picking up a pencil. Finally able to look at my art and call it "beautiful."

This is my first attempt at painting after so very long:

And you know what? I think it's beautiful.

Leaves!

I have decided to go nuts on leaves this season. I find myself delighted with last year's leaf photos, and decided to celebrate fall by capturing every ounce of changing leaves that I can.

Wedding Photos

Not long ago, I posted yearbook photos of my little sister-in-law, Shari...

And not long before that, I helped her at age nine do her homework. . .




And now, Shari is a married woman. . .






And she deserves all the best. . .

Congratulations, Shari & Nick!