I am fascinated by low season.

It began when I lived in Europe for two years and got to experience its in-between seasons. Life seemed to begin again when cities and seashores were returned to the locals instead of being under siege by tour groups and cruise ships. Beaches in the fall and winter call to me. They make me breathe deeply, differently. I feel like I can stretch my legs and contemplate without hurry. The waters begin to look more silver than blue, and the light looks a little more ethereal. 

I love Italy every single day of the year, but I do love it (especially northern Italy) in the fall and winter. I love wrapping myself in a cozy (Italian) scarf and enjoying damp, foggy mornings in Milan and Venice. I love the crisp fall air heightened by the lingering scent of roasted chestnuts and cozy evenings in front of a plate of fresh seafood or risotto. Mostly, I like having Italy "all to myself" (well, not quite, but more than in July or August).

This collection is an ode to the northern Italian seaside during low season. First, Liguria and its coveted Italian Riviera, a narrow curve of land bordering France sprawled at the foot of the Mediterranean Sea. Then, my precious Lagoon - Venice and its glorious fog season. Coast to coast, in November, when the sea swells and the light envelopes you. 

These photographs are also meaningful to me because they represent hard physical work. Chasing the Venetian fog meant leaving my apartment at sunrise day after day, the cumulating fatigue only offset by passion and awe. In Cinque Terre, my body (and my heavy camera) had to climb thousands of steep steps in astonishingly hot weather to capture the villages and the sea from above. When I look at these images, I see so much of my personal history with Italy, but also my history with myself -- a decades-long journey of a flourishing mind and an aging body with one timeless constant: my profound love for Italy.

I hope you enjoy the collection as much as I enjoyed capturing these scenes.

Let's connect on Instagram!

En raison de la pandémie, je me suis retrouvée (comme plusieurs d'entre vous) à annuler des voyages, des concerts et des événements qui auraient fait de 2020 une année inspirante et mémorable. Dans la mesure du possible, j'ai reporté plutôt qu'annulé mes plans, sachant que ces destinations et ces entreprises auraient besoin de notre soutien dans les mois à venir.

C'est ainsi que mon séjour d'anniversaire prévu pour le mois d'avril est devenu une escapade automnale à Estérel Resort !

Hôtel et spa de luxe dans les Laurentides au nord de Montréal, l'Estérel offre le cadre idéal pour se détendre, savourer des repas gastronomiques et profiter du soleil alors que l'été se transforme doucement en automne.

J'ai été soulagée de constater, dès mon arrivée, que toutes les directives de santé et de sécurité étaient rigoureusement respectées. La température des visiteurs a été prise à l'entrée. Les membres du personnel étaient professionnels et attentifs, travaillant fort pour s'assurer que le site était impeccablement propre, que les chaises longues, les tables, les gilets de sauvetage et même les stylos étaient régulièrement désinfectés et que la distanciation sociale était respectée dans toutes les piscines et à l'intérieur de l'hôtel ou des restaurants. Lors mon séjour, les couvre-visages étaient obligatoires à l'intérieur.

Bien que les saunas soient temporairement fermés pour éviter les éclosions, les visiteurs peuvent tout de même profiter de plusieurs bain chauds, du bain polaire et de deux piscines extérieures, en plus des trois lacs: le lac Dupuis, le lac Masson et le lac du Nord.

Les piscines et bains à remous sont de températures différentes allant de 90 ° F à 101 ° F, et certains endroits sont des « zones de tranquillité » réservées aux adultes. Chaque piscine a son propre feu au centre, y ajoutant une douce ambiance, de jour comme de nuit.

J'ai bien apprécié le bar et le resto du Lido qui servait de délicieux cocktails, lunchs et soupers légers (jusqu'à 18 h) afin que nous puissions rester dans nos peignoirs et maillots de bain tout en profitant d'un verre et d'un délicieux repas! Une poutine garnie de fleurs dans un bain à remous ? Oui, merci !

Les activités estivales (pédalo, paddleboard, canoë, kayak, vélo ou pontons) sont encore disponibles jusqu'à la mi-octobre et seront ensuite remplacées par des activités hivernales (ski de fond, raquette, patin à glace). Vous pourrez également profiter des sentiers de randonnée du Parc Estérel ou faire du golf.

Estérel Resort propose de nombreux forfaits gourmands ou romantiques à ses clients selon leurs intérêts et selon la saison. J'avais réservé le forfait Emotion Suite "Cocooning" pour mon anniversaire, qui comprenait plusieurs ardoises de dégustation et un petit déjeuner complet livrés directement à ma suite!

Je me sentais comme une princesse (habillée d'un peignoir bien sûr!), assise dans ma suite face à un foyer transparent, les grandes fenêtres donnant sur le spa, le lac et la nature.

L'ardoise comprenait des huîtres, du foie gras au torchon, une sélection de fromages du Québec, une sélection de pâtés, un tartare de bœuf, du poisson blanc fumé, des mini-guédilles de homard, des légumes grillés, du prosciutto et du melon, des noix caramélisées et fruits séchés, le tout servi avec des crostini et des petits pains chauds.

Si vous n'avez pas envie de souper dans votre suite, vous avez le choix entre trois restaurants haut de gamme et d'une cave à vin, chacun d'entre eux proposant des expériences gastronomiques uniques et des menus de dégustation avec des sommeliers sur place pour vous guider dans vos choix.

Je recommande cependant de prendre le petit déjeuner au lit au moins une fois. Tôt le matin, l'environnement devient d'autant plus enchanteur. Je me suis réveillée avec le soleil et ses couleurs de feu, le brouillard sur le lac et la cacophonie des oies, des canards et des corbeaux.

Il faisait frais près du lac à 6h du matin ! J'étais contente de pouvoir retourner dans ma suite devant le foyer et profiter du copieux petit-déjeuner offert avec mon fortfait. Quelqu'un avait dit que les gaufres sont meilleur au lit, non ? Je vais le dire alors, parce que c'est vrai !

Et je commence à penser que le café a meilleur goût à la campagne qu'en ville ! 

Le lido thermal est ouvert jusqu'à 23 h tous les soirs, vous pouvez donc vous réveiller avec le soleil et vous endormir devant la télé après une soirée à vous détendre dans un bain chaud sous les étoiles. (Le foyer dans la suite fonctionne par minuterie, donc vous n'avez même pas besoin de vous lever pour l'éteindre !)
​
C'était un week-end parfait.

Si vous avez envie de vous rendre à la campagne pour vous émerveiller devant nos couleurs d'automne et vous détendre, je vous conseille fortement Estérel Resort & Spa. 

Vous aimeriez aussi:

There's a poetry in hanging laundry.

The colors and movement draw the eye while the mind wonders how the laundry reflects the lifestyle of a place and its people.

I've been drawn to clothes lines and fresh linen for as long as I've been exploring cities with my lens in hand. It was so natural to me to observe and record these mundane details, that I didn't realize I had ended up with quite a collection until a gallery contacted me recently to create a themed exhibition! 

Below are the prints in the Laundry Collection, full of color and details.

Each print has its own unique title and caption (in English and French) and is available in the size and finish of your choice.

Havana is a color-lover’s dream
La Havane est un rêve pour les amoureux des couleurs

Local life in a quiet 'Campiello'
La vie locale dans un quartier charmant

Sometimes the simplest sights are worth pausing to record
Ce sont parfois les scènes les plus simples qui méritent d’être photographiées

The raw beauty of local life in Old Havana
La beauté de la vie locale dans la Vieille Havane

Uplifting colors in Habana Vieja
Couleurs inspirantes à Habana Vieja

An idyllic summer day in Polignano al Mare, Italy
Un jour d'été idyllique à Polignano al Mare, Italie

Gorgeous palaces aged by time and sun
Des palais magnifiques vieillis par le temps et le soleil

Wonderful gems await you when you look up
Lève toujours les yeux pour dénicher despetits trésors inattendus

I’d love to live in a turquoise palace
J'aimerais vivre dans un palais turquoise

There is magic in the stillness and light
of a fresh new day in Nice, France
Il y a de la magie dans le silence et la lumière
d'une toute nouvelle journée à Nice, France

A splash of color, a dash of life
Une touche de couleur, une dose d’énergie

An afternoon scene in sunny Corfu Town, Greece
Une scène de l'après-midi sous le soleil dans la ville de Corfou, Grèce

An opus of everyday beauty
Un opus de la beauté quotidienne

Picturesque everyday scenes of Burano
Les scènes quotidiennes pittoresques à Burano

Laundry hanging to dry in the stifling Cuban heat
La lessive suspendue dans l'étouffante chaleur cubaine

On the atmospheric fringes of the Cannaregio quarter in Venice, Italy
La périphérie atmosphérique du quartier de Cannaregio à Venise, Italie

Tell me: Does hanging laundry inspire you too?

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

It's no secret to those who know me well, not even to those who know me a little:
Venice is my soul city. 

A place that pulls on my heartstrings and just doesn't let go. A place where I prefer to roam alone, so I can focus on Her. A place that feeds me with melancholy and quietude in equal parts.  

It's no secret that Venice is my deepest inspiration; even my shop's name is partly dedicated to Her. 

And so are several (many) photographs in the collection. 

Below are the prints in the Venezia Collection, full of nostalgia and wonder. 

Each print has its own unique title and caption (in English and French) and is available in the size and finish of your choice.

The unique beauty of the city that emerges from the sea, outlasting time and high tides
La beauté unique de la ville qui émerge de la mer, qui survit le temps et les marées

Guarding the square, the lagoon, its wishes and secrets
Gardien dela place, le lagon, ses souhaits et ses secrets

A quiet Venice awakens after a gentle morning rain
Une Venise tranquille se réveilleaprès la douce pluie du matin

A morning in the neighborhood of Cannaregio, Venice
Un beau matin dans le quartier de Cannaregio, Venise

Sometimes, I like to imagine that Venice belongs not to people,
but to the elements, to its creatures, statues and relics.
Parfois, j'aime imaginer que Venise n'appartient pas aux gens,
mais aux éléments, à ses créatures, statues et reliques.

In the heart of the oldest sestiere of Venice
Au coeur du plus ancien "sestiere" de Venise

Local life in a quiet 'Campiello'
La vie locale dans un quartier charmant

Colors that make your heart sing
Des couleurs qui font chanter le coeur

The winged lion and the winged pigeon – both rule over St Mark’s square
Le lion et le pigeon -les deux règnentsur la place Saint-Marc

On the atmospheric fringes of the
Cannaregio quarter in Venice, Italy
La périphérie atmosphérique du quartier
de Cannaregio à Venise, Italie

My freest days and happiest days but also my most melancholy days.
This city liberates emotions
Mes jours les plus libres et heureux mais aussi les plus mélancoliques.
​Cette ville libère des émotions

My lens (and my heart) will never tire of you
Mon objectif (et mon coeur) ne se lassera jamais de toi

You are more than a place, and I can never have enough, from any angle
Tu est plus qu'une ville et je n'en ai jamais assez, de n'importe quel angle

A splash of color, a dash of life
Une touche de couleur, une dose d’énergie

The idyllic pastel palette of Burano, Venice
La palette idyllique de couleurs pastel à Burano, Venise

You walk and walk, until you reach the edge of the Lagoon
Marcher sans cesse, jusqu’à ce qu’on atteignele bord de la Lagune

To be alone with you
​Pour être seule avec toi

My favorite time of the day, in my favorite place in the world
Mon moment préféré de la journée, à mon endroit préféré au monde

"There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk."
Il n'y a pas de mauvais tournants, seuls des chemins que nous étions destinés à marcher."

The breathtaking view of the Lagoon and the five domes of San Marco
Une vue imprenable sur la lagune et les cinq dômes de San Marco

A moody reflection of gondolas under a bridge
Reflet mélancolique de gondoles sous un pont 

The Gothic palace where East meets West, where Land meets Lagoon and open Sea
Le palais gothique où l'Est rencontre l'Ouest, où la Terre rencontre la Lagune et la Mer 

Traces of the Republic's mercantile past
Traces du passé mercantile de la République

Her colors always seem more vibrant after the rain
Ses couleurs semblent toujours plus vives après la pluie 

There is so much beauty in Venice, one must remember to look up and in every direction
Il y a tellement de beauté à Venise, il faut se rappeler de regarder dans toutes les directions

A blissful afternoon in colorful Burano, Italy
Un après-midi merveilleux dans la ville colorée de Burano, Italie

The beauty in the simple sight of a clearing sky reflected in rain puddles
La simple beauté d’un ciel dégagé, reflété dans les flaques de pluie

Sometimes, it's the simplest and most unexpected sights that capture your attention
Parfois, ce sont les choses les plus simples et les plus inattendues qui attirent votre attention

Burano’s deeply rich colors and one happy little bird
Les couleurs riches de Burano et unpetit oiseau heureux

​Ochre yellow and deep lilac
Ocre et lilas profond

For a lover of colors, there is no more perfect place
Pour un amateur de couleurs, il n'y a aucun meilleur endroit

Picturesque everyday scenes of Burano
Les scènes quotidiennes pittoresques à Burano

A Sunday stroll through Burano’s streets, without worry of rain
Notre promenade du dimanche dans les rues de Burano, sans souci de pluie

My favorite view of Venice, different upon each return
Ma vue préférée de Venise, différente à chaque retour

So there you have it, Venice through my lens. 
Got a favorite? Let me know in a comment!

From my heart to yours,
​Kristina

Ever felt so inspired and peaceful on a trip that you just wanted to bring that beautiful feeling home with you?

That's what the Greece Collection represents for me (and, based on your feedback, for many of YOU!) ​

Staring at images of blue seas, whitewashed architecture and flowers in effortless bloom has the power to transport us. 

Below are the prints in the dreamy Greece Collection, ready to warm up your walls and to make your home office a happier place.

Each print has its own unique title and caption (in English and French) and is available in the size and finish of your choice.

After a steep climb to the monastery, I cast all my wishes into the deep eternal sea
Après une montée raide vers le monastère, je lance mes souhaits dans la mer profonde et éternelle

A taste of heaven on the northwestern edge of Corfu
Un air de paradis sur le côte nord-ouest de Corfou

The dramatic cape, inaccessible and undisturbed
Le cap spectaculaire, inaccessible et tranquille

A colorful village on the clifftops of Corfu
Un village coloré sur les falaises de Corfou

It is a blessing when there is so much beauty to appreciate
before the distant, serene horizon
Quelle bénédiction de pouvoir apprécier tant de beauté
​devant un horizon paisible

What lies beyond? No one knows
Qu'est-ce qui se trouve de l’autre côté? Personne ne le sait

All was quiet as the old town slept
​Tout était calme pendant que la vieille ville dormait

The traditional Greek colors and its stunning sea
Les couleurs traditionnelles grecques et sa mer magnifique

The luring charm of old palaces
Le charme attirant de vieux palais

The sea, the sea, the perfect sea!
La mer, la mer, la mer parfaite!

Faded from sunshine and salty air
Délavée par le soleil et l’air salé

Idyllic Afionas perched above the sea
Joli Afionas perché au-dessus de la mer

Old Corfu Town, with all its rustic charm
La vielle ville de Corfou, avec tout son charme rustique

Could I buy a summer house here and watch the sunset over the sea?
Puis-je passer mes étés ici à regarder le coucher du soleil sur la mer?

So there you have it. On grey days, we can all daydream of breathtaking Greek landscapes!

Got a favorite in the Greece Collection? Leave a comment and let me know!

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

Silvestro never stops learning and researching. In his downtime every year, he spends two months travelling the south by bicycle to research southern Italian wine and to learn directly from local producers. It was on those bicycle trips that Silvestro realized that so much of what he wants to teach cannot possibly be summarized on a chalkboard in a class. Instead, he felt inspired to create a television series to bring the intricacies of southern Italy to us, straight into our homes. 

Silvestro's passion for video is not a secret. For years, I've been a fan of his short educational films on different facets of the region. Through Silvestro's creativity and compelling storytelling, I've learned about topics like rosè, baroque architecture, wine tasting, how to read an Italian wine label, how to choose a knife, how to make orecchiette, and how geology influences wine. 

I can't wait to see where his Terronia episodes will take us, how they will enchant us and make us yearn to discover these unique regions in a meaningful, sustainable way.

Silvestro has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to fund part of his ambitious project. I invite you to watch his trailer and read all about his project on his campaign page. If you're passionate about authentic travel and Italian culture, you can back his project and select a "perk" based on the grape that inspires you!

I have no doubt that Silvestro's creativity and multidisciplinary teaching style will leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches his Terronia series.
​Silvestro: I wish you the best in this passionate endeavor!

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

It always astonishes me how much good a short stroll does.

This spring is by far the strangest spring we've ever experienced - living in confinement until the threat of this virus subsides, we have no choice but to adapt to a new reality and cherish the simple joys hidden in each day.

To stretch my legs and clear my mind, I took a short stroll in Old Montreal. It was a little surreal - the streets and squares that are usually packed with locals and tourists, no matter the season, were like movie sets eerily devoid of their players.  

And although I had had a string of days where optimism floundered, I could not help but find a bit of peace and hope in the clearing skies and budding trees, no matter how anxious Time (and the loss of it) always makes me feel.

I hope that you're able to go for a short stroll to fill your lungs with air (and seagulls), and that you're able to hold onto the glimmer of hope and optimism hidden in each day.

Une version en français est disponible

When something inspires me to reach for my lens, I always hope that this observation or emotion will, in turn, inspire you. Sometimes, I sneak messages in the titles or captions of my photographs (which I include on a customized insert with every small or medium-sized print you order). Those descriptions serve as an extra reminder for me of what I thought at the time I snapped the photo, but, often, I enjoy putting them there in case they might inspire you.

At one of my shows last year, a visitor asked me whether these captions appear in my online shop, because they would help him find something representative to offer as a gift. At the time, only the titles were online, but I'm happy to announce that, since then, I've worked hard to add each of the unique descriptions to the listings in my shop!

During this emotional time in our lives, at the brink of this strange and surreal spring, I wanted to share some of the photographs that have a hopeful title or caption.

Some of them are from 2015, but they still resonate with our current state of mind. ​

If you're looking for a gift to cheer up a loved-one, or want to treat yourself to something uplifting, I hope you'll find inspiration in these words and images. 

The titles and captions are all bilingual (English and French). To learn more about each one, simply click on the image, or write to me to ask a question. 

A reminder that it doesn’t take much for a flower to bloom,
even in the roughest circumstances
Un rappel qu’une fleur peut s’épanouir facilement,
​même dans des circonstances irrégulières

A reminder that unfavorable weather eventually changes, and even the slowest springs eventually come
Un rappel que le temps défavorable finit par changer et que même les printemps les plus lents finissent par arriver

Every step is a prerequisite for what comes next, even if it doesn’t seem so at the time
Chaque pas est necessaire pour ce qui va suivre, même si cela ne parait pas tout de suite

You're special
Tu es une personne spéciale

What matters is what is light, not what is dark
Ce qui compte, c’est la lumière, pas les ténèbres

When one window closes, another one opens
Quand une fenêtre se ferme, une autre s’ouvre

Open your heart and your eyes, and windows will open too
Ouvre ton coeur et tes yeux, et les fenêtres s'ouvriront aussi

The sky and the waves, in fervent conversation
Le ciel et la mer dans une conversation fervente

Let your dreams take flight
Laissez vos rêves prendre leur envol

Something truly delightful awaits you.
Une merveilleuse surprise vous attend.

An ode to a gentle and selfless soul without whom life just wouldn’t be the same.
Dédié à une âme douce et généreuse sans qui la vie ne serait pas pareille.

When thoughts of you arise at random street corners.
Des pensées de toi qui m’envahissent au coin d’une rue.

Sometimes life becomes even more beautiful when it has been graced with raindrops
Parfois la vie devient encore plus belle après avoir connu la pluie

Don't rush, stay awhile and be sure to return
Prends ton temps, reste et reviens

The more we focus on life’s riches, the more riches arise
Plus nous nous concentrons sur les richesses de la vie, plus les richesses se multiplient

Follow your dreams, wherever they may lead
Suivez vos rêves, où qu'ils vous mènent

Have faith: She is watching over you
Gardez votre foi: Elle veille sur vous

It will be a season of peace and balance
Ce sera une saison de paix et d’équilibre

Like a shadow, like a light
Comme une ombre, comme une lumière

Every thought of you begins and ends with the ocean
Chaque pensée de toi commence et se termine avec l'océan

Optimism lies in the surprise of a single open window 
L'optimisme réside dans la surprised'une seule fenêtre ouverte 

Sometimes, it takes patience and faith to fly
Parfois, il faut de la patience et de la foi pour voler

It's not about how fast you climb - it's just about climbing.
Ce n’est pas la vitesse de la montée qui compte. Il faut juste continuer de monter.

When the most evocative moments are the simplest ones
Quand les moments les plus évocateurs sont les plus simples

I hope this selection inspired you. Prints that ship flat (8x8, 12x12, 8x10, 8x12 inches) are packaged with their title and caption. If you order a larger print and wish for the insert to be included, just leave a note at checkout. Lastly, you always have the option of adding a personalized note if your order is a gift. 

Stay safe and stay inspired!

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

Follow me on Instagram!

I have always enjoyed working from home.

Throughout my studies and PhD research, I thrived when studying or working independently from home, following my own rhythm or routine. I created this possibility whenever I could, and ultimately chose a line of work where this could be part of my lifestyle. It takes tremendous self-discipline and one needs to develop strong time-management skills, and it may have some drawbacks as well, but overall I find that working from home is a wonderful opportunity. 

In this COVID era where millions worldwide have been forced to adapt to a new reality of teleworking, I am sensitive to the fact that the lifestyle I have long cherished is actually quite challenging for others.

I thought I would share some of my strategies and guiding principles for working efficiently from home, with the hope that they might help you turn this challenge into opportunity.

No matter how you structure your to-do list, be sure to plan for breaks AND TAKE THEM!

Whether it's a short walk, exercise, lunch, bath, a phone call, a YouTube video, gardening, meditation or laundry - write it down and make it happen.

I literally put "self-care" on my to-do lists because it makes it important - just as important as all the other items that measure my productivity - and it eliminates any ounce of guilt I have a tendency to feel if I am not working towards my goals. I tell myself that feeling well (physically, mentally and emotionally) is also a priority. 

Taking a step back from our work helps us refuel the body and mind, which helps us work faster and with more clarity once we get back to it.

Writing down what you want to do on your breaks keeps you accountable. Work life balance is important, and so is your mental health!

If a task or email comes up and it's not on your radar for today, set it aside until tomorrow. 

If 10 new ideas popped into your mind but are not priority, jot them onto a post-it and leave them for another day.

If your "work pile" is causing you anxiety because it's in the middle of your kitchen, put it somewhere else at the end of your day.

If you've noticed that reading emails or checking social media before bedtime causes you stress or insomnia, have a strict no-device policy after supper. 

Whenever possible, delineate boundaries between different aspects of your work, or between "work" and "home". Be conscious of how you feel and how you thrive, and set boundaries that protect your mood and mindset.

I hope you found these tips valuable and you feel motivated to try some of them out.

Hello loves,

In these uncertain and anxious times, I wholeheartedly wish you all comfort at home. I hope your haven feels safe and cozy, and that you feel grateful for it more than ever these days.

As a restless soul who always had her next travels in mind, I only began to truly appreciate "home" when I moved into my place that is affectionately referred to as "The Pink Palazzo", and even more so when I became self-employed and during those times in recent years where I had to stay home to recover from surgeries and immunocompromising treatments.

Staying home for health brought me a lot more joy and clarity than I ever anticipated. I discovered a new side of me, a side that was more observant of my surroundings and of my inner voice. I took more pictures, even of mundane daily details. I journalled, I gardened, I cooked, I created, I worked, I listened to music, I listened to myself, I grew, and I thrived.

I also decorated and nurtured my space during that time. There's something so special about creating a space that reflects you, because when you least expect it to, it actually takes care of you.

All this to say that time at home doesn't have to feel negative or claustrophobic. It can feel liberating in many other ways. I truly hope you can find joy in this new rhythm, that you can practice gratitude, and that you can feel nurtured by your space.

If you're staring at your walls these days and wish they were more inspiring, I've put together this series of uplifting and cheerful artwork for you, all 15% off for the next while, to lift your spirits!

​May these colors, places and details remind you that life's ordinary moments have the power to be extraordinary, if we are open and attentive. May they remind you that spring will come, and that sunshine and togetherness are just around the corner.

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

I was the four-year-old who wanted to know what was for supper while she was sitting down to eat lunch. 

I was the teen who secretly created competitions with herself in her head to speed up her productivity and set new personal records.

I grew into an adult who became a restless traveler, always looking to fill my heart and notebooks with feelings and experiences. 

And throughout my unconventional life, I maintained an uneasy relationship with Time. Possibly like many of you, I constantly felt like I didn't have enough of it. I had trouble imagining myself in the future, as though I wouldn't get there, and this subconsciously propelled me to fill each day past the brim. I never wanted to finish books; I'd read them up to the last couple of chapters and stop, almost defiantly, not wanting the story to end. I always negotiated extra time before bedtime, before school, before supper, or while at a friend's house. I refused to keep countdowns, even if my friends would be counting down to something fun in our lives, like prom or graduation. Whenever I traveled, I hated the question, "When are you back?" and, to this day, I always need to have cancellation insurance because I'm notorious for changing my return date on tickets to prolong my stay. My watch has been on Italian time since my teens, since my first trip to my happy place. Every New Year's Eve, when the ball begins to drop over Times Square, my feeling of anxiety outweighs my excitement. 

When I think about all these insecurities around Time, it amuses me to think that I am so passionate about writing and photography, two ways of cheating it. Both have been my allies in pausing time and revisiting it at my heart’s whim. 

But what I realized only rather recently, is that photography has allowed me to practice daily mindfulness, to slow my rhythm, to consider a different perspective.

Photography came to me at a time when I was finding my wings, stretching my legs and testing my creative voice. 

When I started dabbling in photography back in 2007, way before highly visual platforms like Instagram changed our way of seeing the world, I did a couple of 365-day challenges to commit to practicing my skills every day. If you've ever done one of these challenges, you'll know how difficult it can seem (initially) to find something worth photographing, especially on the dullest of days. I mean, if you're on vacation in the Greek islands, you'll have no shortage of inspiration, but if you're home doing laundry, capturing mismatched colorful socks sitting on a drying rack doesn't quite have the same appeal, does it?!

But photography was the perfect antidote for my hurried step and my busy mind. It was the perfect relief from my scientific career and the most natural complement to my writing. 

As time went on and life got more and more complicated, I unknowingly leaned on photography even more. I depended on it to help me see, to help me feel, to help me move, to help me hope.

Whether I was exploring a new neighborhood, recovering from surgeries, or falling in love with another faraway place, I could always count on photography to allow me to look around, look back and look within. Photography was always there to inspire me take it all in, and to feel gratitude - a powerful emotion that only invites more blessings into your life. 

Mindfulness was, for a long time, a concept that I didn't quite get. Everything I loved about myself - my creative mind that never shut off, my machine-like productivity, my restlessness, my ability to do and be multiple things - seemed to go against living mindfully. 

But I think there is room for mindfulness, even in a full schedule and a passionate existence. The trick is to be in tune with your surroundings and your own self, and to know when there is a disconnect between them. Photography is an outlet that helps me create the space and time for observation and feeling. It's not about rapidly collecting images on a memory card. It's about looking with the eyes first, feeling something, and holding onto that micromoment of inspiration and gratitude.  

When shoppers comment on how ordinary some of my photographs are, I smile. I love to glorify mundane daily details, because it's those ordinary moments that have the power to become extraordinary. And because of my own journey with photography, this personal training of observing differently, being open to inspiration, of celebrating details, whether at home or away.

It's a dangerous world we live in nowadays, where everything is urgent and we are measured on our productivity, our audience, and on other metrics that didn't matter as much a few years ago. We are being taught to work faster, reply faster, ship faster, expect faster results, buy faster, heal faster. But what does that do to our body and mind? To constantly be in that state of adrenaline, of fight or flight, of do or die.

My instinct, as that restless little girl who wants to know and do and be everything, is to fear that if I don't hurry, I will miss out.

But photography has been diligently teaching me that urgency is an illusion.

To read road signs, one can’t be whizzing past. To notice, we must slow our step. To take sharp pictures, we must stand still. To heal, we must rest. To savor our wine, we must breathe deeply. To have new creative ideas, we must take a step back.

And so, to me, this is what living mindfully means. And my photography, which was started only because my parents gifted me a camera when I moved to Europe, helps me tune into what matters and to freeze it in time. 

From my heart to yours,
​Kristina

Every year, I choose 3 words every year to guide my intentions, goals and decisions every day. Whatever doesn’t fit these words doesn’t fit my year.

This is how I know that I am on the right track, working towards my ultimate goals for myself, my work and my relationships.
​
For 2020, my 3 words are:
quietude,
fulfillment
and
freedom.

This exercise of coming up with 3 words is an annual ritual I have cherished for almost a decade now. I recommend everyone to do this, to pick even just one word. What is essential is reflecting for a moment on what you would like your ideal year to be, and committing it to paper. Because when it is written down somewhere, I really think it's one step closer to being actualized.

​I wish to create space in my day for calm, knowing that calm fuels clarity of thought, creativity, contentment and health.

I wish to embrace simplicity, to distinguish between what is essential and that which doesn’t serve me.

I hope to remember, especially when I forget, that everything comes from within – all the healing, all the answers, all the joy.

I wish to continue my daily appreciation of my surroundings, my home, my favorite places near and far.

I strive to be present, unhurried, to challenge the notion of “urgency”, rush less and enjoy more. I hope to finally make peace with grief, resentment and pain, to not let them poison my thoughts and shatter my hope. I want to feel peace with my decisions, and to make them without fear, without feeling the torment of picking the wrong door.

I want to feel that feeling of pure happiness and lightness that can be found in small pockets of peace, and for those moments to come closer and closer together in time.

​I wish for there to be a stillness in me that can’t be rattled, a steadiness that only grows stronger with practice.

​I wish to continue feeling pride and excitement at the thought of where I am, who I am and what I do. I want to wake up rested, curious, eager and motivated to create. I want to go to bed feeling complete. In between, I wish for my days to flow with ease. I want to be creative, productive and full of momentum.

I wish to feel like a garden in full bloom, a light that infiltrates everywhere, a tide that is powerful but gentle.
​
I wish for every day to be a clear step in the direction of my dreams. I wish to have something to celebrate every single day, and to hear myself laughing loudly, no matter where I am or who I am with. 

I want to be free. Untethered. Light on my step. Grounded and anchored to what is essential, but free to float in dreams and possibilities.

I want to feel connected to pure joy and purpose, and shake off what weighs me down.
I wish for the continued freedom to make my own living, to choose my projects and my people, but also my reactions and my words. I wish to break free of cycles and patterns that no longer serve me, or which actually never have.

I wish to be free of what others might say about me, what they might think of me but not say, what they say to me but don’t mean.

I wish to be free of the grasp of Time and the nagging worry that I won’t have enough of it.
​
I wish to learn how to achieve this freedom even though life is full of high tides, steep peaks and dark shadows. 

Once again, I’ve shown you a part of my heart. Thank you for reading and for being here with me, in whatever way, wherever you are.

And since you are here, having read this far, I ask you:
What is your word for 2020? What does your ideal year look like to you?

I would love for you to let me know in the comments below, or just write it out for yourself. I promise you, it's a powerful exercise. I wish for all your wishes to come true this year, and always!

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

There’s something uniquely special about the brink of a new year. Perhaps even more so, a new decade. 

Although I have always been anxious about the passing of time, the melancholy of endings and the uncertainty of new beginnings, I am somehow filled with renewed energy, optimism and courage when the page is turned to January and when 12 months lie ahead, unwritten.

When we look back on a year, our brains seem to try to categorize it as “a good year” or “a tough one”. The truth is, it’s always both.

When I look back on 2019, it stands out as a year filled with tiny moments, incredible triumphs and interesting discoveries. 

2019 was the year I vowed to be more present and mindful, and to really prioritize my wellness. I infused my morning routine with calm and intent. I put my heart into everything I did, otherwise I didn’t accept to do it. 

I was attentive to how people, situations and decisions made me feel; if I didn’t feel well, I backed away or changed my terms.

​I took my foot off the guilt pedal, having grown tired of its toxic effect on my mood and mindset. I embodied my philosophies rather than explaining or defending them.

​I made sure to reserve my apologies for serious rather than trivial things, and not to let anyone make me lose sight of my strengths, my uniqueness and my power.

It was the year where I finally started to accept the unexpected twists in my path and to embrace them, for everything these twists have brought me and every (unnecessary) thing they have taken away. ​

​It was a year of writing, creating, and finally thriving. I poured my energy into passions and projects that were aligned with my goals and my dreams.

​I shared a new company with the world, and, within a month of its existence, I had clients lined up and full-time hours of work in the books. But what a blessing when work doesn’t feel like work – when you wake up in the morning genuinely eager to see what your brain will accomplish and how you’ll help someone with their needs. 

​It was the year I got better at visualizing the life I wanted to have and taking concrete steps to create that life. It was the year I got better at verbalizing what it is that I do for a living and no longer feeling conflicted that I don’t fit in a neat little box. ​​

​I motivated myself to wake up and witness several stunning sunrises, astonished at how negative emotions like fear and inadequacy melt away in the face of a rising sun, leaving room only for gratitude, humility and awe. 

​2019 was the year where I lived in tune with the seasons – in acceptance of those outside my window and inside my own life. I spent almost every spring and summer day outside, in the garden or by the water, and found peace in nature’s gifts. I tried, invented and reinvented tons of new recipes, which is how I know that I’m feeling peaceful and creative. 

I worked extremely hard with the Collectif Créatif to be a leader in our artistic and entrepreneurial community here in Montreal, and to help create an inclusive, diverse and inspiring series of markets with my amazing colleagues.

It was the year I finally traveled to the south of France after daydreaming about what the Côte d’Azur would look, sound and feel like. I brought you a beautiful new collection that many of you have said is your favorite so far, full of color and feeling. 

Of course, 2019 also had many heartaches among its pages. I lost my grandmother, one of my pillars of strength and faith. Although I hear her wise voice in my ears daily and am visited by her in my dreams at night, I feel the void she left and would do anything to feel her hands around mine again.

It was still a year marked by tremendous physical pain due to endometriosis and complications from scar tissue built up from all my previous surgeries, sometimes making it hard to sleep, eat, move or breathe for days in a row. It was still a year where my words about my body were bitterly unkind, where I vowed to stop bullying it and to start genuinely trusting it, but never managed to stay true to that vow.

It was the year where I poured my soul into a heartfelt piece of writing that I submitted to a national competition but did not even get close to winning. 2019 also brought its share of extremely stressful, unpredictable situations with home repairs and bureaucratic hurdles, where my legal brain had to be sharp, which can be utterly exhausting. 

​But, well, there is never a year with only perfect pictures, smooth travels, sunshine and low tides. There are tons of messy days where nothing makes sense and everything feels daunting, where we question our purpose, our faith, everyone’s motives, and our biggest dreams. 

And then comes a sunrise, on a new morning of a new year and decade, and we have this beautiful opportunity to create 2020.

As you may know, instead of choosing a new year's resolution, I always choose 3 words to guide my intentions, goals and decisions every day of the year. 

For 2020, my 3 words are:
quietude,
fulfillment
and
freedom.

In this next post, I explain why I settled on these words and what they mean to me. See you there!

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

Je n'ai pas toujours été photographe, mais j'ai toujours été une personne très observatrice de son environnement.

En tant qu'écrivaine, je suis attentive aux détails et à la manière dont nos sens déclenchent des émotions profondes. En tant que chercheuse scientifique, je suis curieuse d’apprendre comment le monde externe affecte le monde interne. En tant qu’une personne née avec la «synesthésie», une condition où le cerveau crée de manière innée des sensations de couleur en réponse au langage, au mouvement ou à la musique, j'ai une forte affinité pour les couleurs vives.

Quand j'y pense, ce sont les même 3 thèmes que je retrouve dans presque toutes mes oeuvres photographiques. Ces 3 thèmes se retrouvent, de manière évidente ou subtile, dans tout ce qui attire mon regard, tout ce qui ralentit mon pas et tout ce qui me fait sortir mon objectif pour capter le moment.

Je pense que mon amour pour la photographie est né de ma haine des fins et des adieux. La photographie est un moyen pour moi de tricher le temps, de garder le soleil au-dessus de l’horizon, de suspendre les montgolfières dans le ciel, de garder les gouttes de pluie sur la vitre, et de garder mon coeur bien rempli de ces émotions que j'avais ressenties à ce moment-là. 

Tout comme ma mère m'encourageait quand j'étais petite de "créer un souvenir" avec mes yeux quand j'étais triste de quitter un bel endroit, j'ai appris à "créer un souvenir" de ce que je vois et de ce que je ressents à travers mes mots et mes photographies.

Êtes-vous tous déjà tombés amoureux d'un lieu?

Les lieux sont magiques. Comment savons-nous avec certitude que nous devons un jour nous rendre à une destination avant même de planifier ce voyage? Comment certains endroits nous appellent-ils encore et encore, comme si nous y avions laissé une ancre? Et comment décrire ce sentiment spécial quand on y retourne et qu’on aperçoit que tout a changé – et que nous avons changé aussi – mais qu’on peut facilement retrouver ces mêmes émotions qu’on ressentait la dernière fois?

La nostalgie doit être l’une des émotions les plus complexes et les plus puissantes qu’un cœur puisse connaître. Un appel fort, la mélancolie et la gratitude pour un lieu et un moment qui ont été importants pour nous.

“Veni Etiam” est une phrase en latin qui signifie “reviens encore”. Mes oeuvres photographiques célèbrent la magie des lieux et du retour.

Avez-vous déjà prêté attention à ce qui attire votre regard? Est-il attiré par les détails ou par l’ensemble?
 
Les détails font souvent toute la différence dans une scène, une émotion ou un souvenir.
 
Observer les détails nous donne l’occasion de ralentir, d’être attentif, de ressentir, de nous rappeler.

La photographie pour moi, c'est de remarquer, de célébrer et de se souvenir non seulement du grandiose mais (surtout) du banal. 

​Quels trois mots utiliseriez-vous pour décrire la mer?

Pour moi, la Mer est infinie, puissante et variable.

La Mer m'apprend que je suis petite mais pleine d'espoir. Que cette vie a des marées, toujours cycliques et jamais permanentes, parfois douces et parfois féroces, capables de nous assommer ou de nous bercer doucement dans ses bras.
 
La Mer gonfle et se retire, inonde nos sens mais efface nos pas. Elle nous apprend à accepter que de violentes tempêtes arrivent soudainement, mais à nous réjouir quand ces tempêtes passent. Elle est ouverte mais secrète, romantique mais mélancolique, prometteuse mais impossible.

Nous pouvons la quitter mais ne jamais l'oublier.
​
Nous surfons et naviguons, amarrons, ancrons, flottons et coulons, émerveillés et captifs de ses marées, ses vents et ses humeurs. 

Que vous veniez de découvrir mon blog et ma boutique, ou que vous me suiviez depuis un moment, merci d'être ici avec moi. Merci de lire mes mots, de partager vos impressions et de vous retrouver un peu dans mes photographies.  

I have not always been a photographer, but I have always been a keen observer of the world around me.

​As a writer, I am attentive to details and how our senses trigger deep emotions. As a scientist, I am curious about how the external world impacts the internal one. As someone with “synesthesia” where the brain innately creates color sensations in response to stimuli like language, movement or music, I have an affinity for vibrant colors. 

​It was my scientific career that led me to photography. I lived abroad for my studies and research. I traveled to several international conferences every year. By practicing photography, I discovered a new form of storytelling that felt like my writing.

When I stop to think about it, there are 3 main themes that underlie my photography. These 3 themes can be found, in obvious or subtle ways, in everything that draws my eye, slows my step and makes me reach for my lens to record the moment.

I think my love for photography blossomed partly a result of my hating endings - photography is a way for me to cheat Time, to keep the sun above the horizon, to keep hot air balloons in the sky, to keep raindrops on the windowpane, and to keep my heart feeling like it did then. 

​Just like my Mom used to encourage me when I was little to "make a memory" with my eyes when I was sad about leaving a beautiful place behind, I have learned to "make a memory" of what I see - and what I feel - through words and photographs.

Has a place ever cast a spell on you?

Places are magical. How do we know deep inside us that we must visit a place long before we even make plans to get there? How do some places pull us back, again and again and again, as though we have left an anchor there? And how to describe that feeling of returning and noticing that a place has changed and we have changed, yet we can somehow feel exactly as we once felt there?

Nostalgia must be one of the most complex and powerful emotions a heart can feel. An aching pull, melancholy and gratitude for a place and a time that mattered. 

It's a feeling that has been present and familiar to me for as long as I can remember - a sort of sixth sense for me. 

“Veni Etiam” is a Latin phrase meaning “come again”. In my photographic work, I celebrate the magical pull of places and the beauty of returning to them.

Out of all the places where I have dropped an anchor, Venice exerts the strongest pull of all. Just when I think that I have photographed Venice enough, she astounds me with a thousand new angles and moods that I see for the first time despite countless returns. 

Have you ever paid attention to where your gaze goes? Is it drawn to details or to the whole?
​
Details are often what make all the difference in a scene, mood or memory. Observing details affords us an opportunity to slow down, to feel something, to remember.

​Photography for me is about noticing, celebrating and remembering not only the grandiose but (especially) the mundane. 

What 3 words would you use to describe the Sea?

The Sea teaches me that I am small, but hopeful. That life has tides, always cyclical and never permanent, sometimes gentle and sometimes fierce, capable of knocking us down or cradling us in its arms. The Sea swells and recedes, floods our senses but erases our footsteps. She teaches us to accept that storms come, but to rejoice that they also do pass. She is wide open yet secretive, romantic yet melancholy, promising yet impossible. We can leave her but never forget her. We surf and float and dock and anchor and sail and sink, in her captive wonder, in the grasp of her tides, winds and motives. ​

Whether you've just discovered my blog and shop, or you've been following me for a while, thank you for being here with me. Thank you for reading my words, for responding to my photographs and, sometimes, for finding a part of yourself in my observations. 

From my heart to yours,
Kristina