Three years ago, I had the crazy idea to put my favorite photographs from my travels onto a website, to see whether they might inspire someone.

Someone other than me.

I had a vision that was not perfectly formed, and no sense of entrepreneurship whatsoever. My goal was simply to share the snapshots that I had collected with the world, to hopefully evoke feeling through my photographic perspective, and to connect with people who loved what I loved -  places, color, details and the simple beauty of daily life.
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I launched my online shop and my blog simultaneously, taking a deep breath and a great big leap, putting myself and my photography out there for the world to see. 

In blog posts, I started to share the moments and feelings behind my images, conveying what stopped me in my tracks, what I felt was a beautiful moment and a beautiful place.
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I have always said that when I first launched my website and shop, I did not have a clue that what I was launching was (also) a business. I was a full-time PhD candidate in neurolinguistics; my head was immersed in science – theories, hypotheses, brain waves, syntax, statistics… But I’d always had a creative counterpart to this scientific soul – I had always been a writer, filling notebooks without the constraints of margins or lines, blogging for my university, dreaming up jobs that were unconventional for a tenure-track scientist. I had also always been a traveler, and even more so thanks to my scientific career. 

So, it seemed only natural that Veni Etiam existed on the side, coaxing me now and then to pay more attention to it, to help it grow beyond that initial circle of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who excitedly supported this inspiring endeavor.

I remember the first connections I made with strangers who discovered Veni Etiam. I carefully watched their reactions, carefully listened to the words they used to describe what they saw and what it made them feel. To me, it was my perspective, my experiences, my story. I knew my images by heart. I had given them each a title that meant something to me. To them, it was fresh, different, beautiful, colorful, inspiring. I remember feeling disbelief and belief all at once, that I could reach people in this way, that they saw value in what I created. They found themselves in the images, the perspective, the titles and the captions. They chose what represented them. They shared their own travel stories and bucket-list aspirations with me.

​Unexpectedly, the Etsy Montreal community took me under their wing. I don’t even remember how I first discovered the team, but the artisan community blew me away. There was so much to learn, and so much know-how to pass onto others. I volunteered my time for a year and eventually was recruited as one of the team leaders.

After graduating with my PhD, I devoted more time to Veni Etiam. The more time I spent on it, the more I fell in love with the journey.
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I fell in love with creating something that comes from me but resonates with you, and am so touched when you say I helped you find something that inspires you daily or solves a hurdle in your decor. 

I fell in love with the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and all the different hats we wear – design, production, shop manager, marketing manager, sales rep, customer service rep, events rep, accountant, photographer… tasks with which to easily fill a 60-hour week!

I fell in love with the feeling that running my business gives me – the daily ingenuity, flexibility, connection, learning, decision-making, experimenting, risk-taking and re-assessing that comes with the territory, often pushing me outside of my comfort zone and sometimes causing me a heck of a ton of stress, but also allowing me to carve a life that is centered on creativity, connection and balance.  

This year, I have lofty goals for Veni Etiam and I know that there will also be many unexpected twists and turns along the way to make the story all the more interesting!

To all of you who have been on this journey since day one, I’m so grateful to have had you by my side! To those of you I met along the way – thank you so much for making a little room for me in your lives.

​To those of you who have just stumbled upon Veni Etiam, there’s so much to discover, so please stick around. You can follow this blog, and my daily posts on Instagram and Facebook. Heck, you can even become a VIP and be privy to newsletters and coupons!

To my fellow artists and entrepreneurs: I’m so honored to be among you, to learn along with you – often through you.

To anyone with big dreams and multiple passions that can seem (to others or to yourself) as irreconcilable: don’t doubt, just do.
​Only then can you really find yourself. ​

Last week, I was interviewed by designers Marianne and Brigitte from Tandem & Co. The original interview was conducted in French and can be found in all its glory on their blog! This is the most comprehensive and candid interview I have done so far, and it was such a wonderful experience that I wanted to share it with my English readers as well.

So, read on, if you're interested in my story, in the driving forces behind my art, its mission and my own personal home decor style!

​The questions are those asked (in French) by Marianne and Brigitte. 

​I transform my local and international travel photography into wall art and home decor accessories. My mission is to inspire, transport and uplift you, and help you find a piece of art for your space that represents who you are, where you have been and where you dream of going. Veni Etiam is a celebration of the places, colors, moods, nostalgia and dreams that make us the unique individuals we are. 

​It is so hard to choose, because everything I have created through Veni Etiam represents a part of my journey as a person, as a photographer, as a writer (even as a scientist!), and each photograph is special in its own way. In fact, it is my slogan that everything is “from my heart to yours”. But one particular creation that represents me, my most profound inspirations and my brand is a photograph called “Barcarolle”. It is a photograph of a lone boat, anchored at an Italian port, waiting for its time to sail. Not only does this image summarize my greatest loves - the sea and Italy - it is also special because it represents how differently we may all see the very same scene. While I feel this scene is powerful and full of promise, others have told me the boat looks lonely, melancholy. What strikes a chord in each of us differs. I love this photograph best on acrylic, because the colors and the depth of the image just come to life on that medium. I have it hanging at the center of my gallery wall in my home office, as a representation of what Veni Etiam is to me. 

​I haven't always been a photographer. Rather, I always dreamt of being a writer and was professionally trained to be a researcher in neuroscience. My first camera was a graduation gift from my parents. I had finished my Bachelor of Science at McGill and I was moving to Europe to pursue my Master’s in three different countries. Through my studies, my work and my passion for world cultures, I traveled and traveled, not only while I lived in Europe, but during and after my doctorate. Those pivotal years enabled me to write my heart out and to fall in love with a new form of storytelling and collecting -- photography.

​In 2012, I began to get more serious about photography, becoming more experimental and artistic in my approach. I also started wishing to create postcards out of my photographs so I could mail them home when I travelled. Then a new dream formed: I wanted my photos to be "those free photos that come with a frame, and mine would be so beautiful that people would not want to replace the photo n the frame". Little did I expect that in 2015, I would decide to open an online shop selling wall art. What drove me to launch my business was the passion for stories, for travel, for that special way a place can play on your heartstrings, and for the feeling that your home is your sanctuary and it should contain your personal collection of objects and art that reflects and inspires you daily. 

​I think part of what sets me apart is my shop’s combination of three principles: wanderlust, innovation and inspiration. My shop has an international spirit. Although the majority of Montreal and Quebec shops carry my local photography in fine-art prints of small sizes, what sets Veni Etiam apart is that there are actually hundreds of images to choose from - from various corners of the world - and everything can be customized on canvas, aluminum, acrylic, wood or paper, in the size of the client’s choice. Another important aspect is that every piece has a story. Each piece has a title and a description, and the stories are told on my blog and on Instagram - the two platforms I use most for storytelling. What sets Veni Etiam apart, I think, is that there is truly something for every decor, mood, memory or dream.

F, other! My workspace is an unconventional mix of two personalities, two passions and two life journeys. On one side, my scientific space - a massive bookshelf, a desk, my diplomas, daunting texts about statistics and brain imaging. On the other side, my creative space - a gallery wall, an art desk, tools and supplies, colorful post-its for every idea and goal that springs to life. Both are my sacred zones, and I sometimes can’t believe that both can co-exist.

​I am inspired by inspiration. By its existence and our search of it. I look for it everywhere, in the simplest daily details. Practicing photography has been an exercise of mindfulness. It has changed the way I view the world. There are many elements that inspire my style of photography. I love color, reflections, lines, textures, the beauty that can be found in the most ordinary sights and all things maritime. I love the richness of markets, the wonder of raindrops, the magic of changing light, the moods of urban scenes. I love symmetry, asymmetry, motion and stillness. I love to capture fleeting moments, because it makes me feel like I can cheat time once in a while. Venice and the sea are my deepest inspirations. I feel happiest and most inspired when I pause to take notice, when I feel gratitude, when I laugh with loved-ones, cook, drink, write, share, inspire and help others.

​It happens often that I feel depleted, because there are always competing ideas and tasks, and I am always trying to pack my life to the brim. There are also moments of doubt that can paralyze you, at the worst possible time, of course. I usually take a step back. I try to take the pressure off myself. I sit in the sun (even in the winter) with only a notebook on my lap and a pencil that is waiting to break the ice. If I rest, get some distance and fresh air, and if I write only for myself without judgment, it helps enormously to restore creativity in all areas.

​'Veni Etiam' is a Latin phrase, meaning "return again". I chose this name as I have left many anchors in the world, and returning is an important part of me - for each time you return, you discover new hidden gems, new angles, new perspectives, and new beauty. No place is ever the same (and neither are you), and this is at once beautiful and tragic. 'Veni Etiam' is also a phrase used by 16th century Italian poet to describe Venice and her effect on one's heart. As Venice is my deepest inspiration, this is my tribute to Her. 

​I work in a way as much as possible not to create waste. I print on demand. I recycle whenever possible. I do things electronically whenever possible. 

​Home decorating is one of my favorite activities. What a blessing to create our life, to build our nest and to fill it with elements that represent our personalities, our loves and our life journeys. I love it when tastes change and when there is no one coherent theme or style in a house, because that is what our life journey is actually like.  

Hihi, it's me. My husband knows I love anything to do with decor projects and that I often have a vision for a space, so he lets me have fun with it, sometimes reeling me in with his opinions. But, ironically, for wall art, he's the one with the final say! 

Hmm, I would say it's the guest room (the spare room). It's a beautiful, big room with an almost floor-to-ceiling window that opens up onto the back terrace. It's a lovely space - we added nice mouldings and we love the light of the room and the colors we chose for its walls. But two challenges actually result in the room currently being vacant. For one, which is very typical of our "Plateau" neighborhood in Montreal where the land is kind of marshy and continuously shifting, there is quite a noticeable slant in the room! The structure is solid but the slant kind of limits our options for furnishing it. The second challenge, and in truth the main one, is that health issues have caused troubles in the fertility area and have left us at a crossroads over the fate of this room. I am becoming increasingly outspoken about this because I know it's the reality of many couples who have to navigate these circumstances as well as others' expectations or judgments. Whether this room becomes a guest room for our visiting friends or a kids' room, it is a room full of hope that we can't wait to design and furnish.

​There isn’t really a unique style running through the whole place. The bedroom is more traditional in an Italian style, with Tuscan yellow walls and wood furniture. The living room has a lot of bamboo and some antique elements that my family brought with them from Egypt when they emigrated to Canada. The dining room is a mix of industrial and Italian wood furniture. My atelier is what I like to call “maritime industrial” and the laundry room is airy, functional but with a Burano (Venice) theme in its color palette and the art on the walls.

In general, my favorite color is pink. I also really like purple. But this doesn't necessarily translate into my decor. I really like certain shades of yellow on walls because of the way it catches the sun, but I also really like dark blue. I don't have a favorite color for decor. 

I love home decor projects. I love undertaking them and especially like it when a project is actually more long-term because this gives us the chance to develop our relationship with a space - to get to know its lights, its moods, its seasons - and to find original objects over time (rather than all at once) that represent our evolution.

I would say the kitchen and my home office / workshop have been my favorite decor projects and rooms I am proud of. The kitchen is both modern and rustic. I love the open concept, the blue island, the exposed brick wall, the fact that everything is within arm's reach and that the space allows me to display art among everyday objects. In the summer, I spend most of my time in this room and going in and out of the adjoining patio. The kitchen is the center of the condo and of our daily life. We love to entertain and to cook - even for ourselves, even on weeknights - so it's really the most important room in the house. I am also really proud of my workshop because everything has its place and everything has its story. The energy is special in there, creative. I can close the old door (that I couldn't bring myself to replace because it's just too full of charm) and I could spend hours in there without even noticing how much time has passed.

Not realizing that by putting a shelf unit in the wall in the spare room (the room with the slant) that we would immediately see that the shelf, the mouldings, the floor and the ceiling are not parallel to one another! It can be kind of dizzying if you stare for too long...

It has to be my leather "thinking chair" in the office. I fell in love with this chair and I think I spent about 6 months visiting it at the store. I couldn't justify the purchase, it was SO expensive. In the end, I don't remember if I finally caved because I wanted it so badly, or if it finally went on sale. I'm not a patient person, so waiting 6 months for it was my limit! I love it. It's so comfortable, and I placed it just under the smaller window in my studio, in my little reading nook. My kitten is definitely not allowed in my office, not only because I don't want any of her fur close to my photographs or packaging, but also because I don't want her claws anywhere near my precious chair!

​My coffee maker, my bathtub and my Sonos speakers. 

Marilou (from "3 fois par jour"). It's clear that she inspires millions of quebecers, but what inspires me profoundly is her voice, her way of writing, of observing, of storytelling (in both French and English), and the way her personality shines through everything she does through her art and business.

A dream bed frame from Anthropologie, a big screen TV that would like a discrete framed art piece when turned off, a reading bench integrated into the windowsill and a rooftop terrace.

Writing and publishing a book (or two, or three) is my biggest dream.

Ice cream, marzipan and NERD candies!

Probably in front of my computer, because I am usually most productive until 7pm.

To take a quick jaunt somewhere, probably to Italy. Ciao!

Original creations that we can't easily find elsewhere, in mainstream stores. Products that are created with care and feeling. It means supporting makers who are trying to make a living out of their truest passions. It means supporting our local economy and helping it thrive. It means having a strong sense of community.

I hope you enjoyed reading this interview as much as I enjoyed giving it! If you're proficient in French, you can read the full interview in its original language here over on the Tandem & Co Design Magazine and Blog. 

Now that you know more about me, how 'bout you connect by leaving a comment below? What was your favorite part of this interview? What resonated with you? What surprised you? Your turn...

On this rainy Montreal morning, my interview with the duo of designers Marianne and Brigitte from Tandem & Co is live on their design blog in its original French version. This is the most candid interview I have done so far. In it, I share with you the driving forces behind my art, its mission and all that inspires me. In addition, you'll get to see glimpses of my own daily space and hear about some of my personal dreams.

Don't miss this candid interview! 

An English version will be up on my blog soon!

And, if you sign up as a member of the Tandem & Co "Tribu Créative" (scroll to the bottom of the article on their blog), you get a special VIP coupon to use in my Etsy shop this month. Sign up before November 5th so you won't miss out on their newsletter with the coupon code!

A huge thank you to Marianne and Brigitte for their generosity and their vision of showcasing artists in our local community.

En ce matin pluvieuse à Montréal, mon entrevue avec l'équipe design de Tandem & Co ​est maintenant sur leur blog de design! ​C'est l'entrevue la plus candide que j'ai faite à date! Marianne et Brigitte m'ont fait parler de mon art et de mes inspirations les plus profondes et j'ai partagé aussi mon espace quotidien et mes rêves personnels avec vous!

Ne manquez pas cette entrevue candide! 

Restez à l'affût: une version anglaise viendra bientôt sur mon blog !

​De plus, si vous rejoignez la "Tribu Créative" (voir la fin de l'article sur leur blog), vous recevrez un coupon promo applicable sur tous les produits dans ma boutique Etsy. Devenez membre de la Tribu Créative avant le 5 novembre pour recevoir leur infolettre et le code promo!

Un gros merci ​à Marianne & Brigitte pour leur vision et leur générosité envers les artistes de notre communauté.

If you know me a little already, you know that I'm a creative soul and a scientist bottled into one. This week, I was interviewed by the McGill Reporter about how I balance science, art and entrepreneurship, in the context of an event happening at my alma mater called "Artists Among Us" on November 1st. This annual show and sale celebrates students, staff, faculty and alumni members of the McGill community who, in addition to their academic careers, are passionate about creating art. 

I truly enjoyed answering Neale McDevitt's interview questions for his article, as I have been reflecting a lot lately on the intersection of my scientific and artistic careers. 

We compared their native (Italian) and second-language (English) to native-speakers of each language, as well as to second-language learners of Italian. Our aim was to study whether, and in which areas, changes might occur in how a native-language is used and processed due to influence of a second-language and due to factors related to the individual’s experience (e.g., age of learning, amount of exposure, length of residence, etc.) ​

Veni Etiam Photography is a fine-art photography shop where I sell my local and international travel photography as wall art and other home decor products. My mission is to inspire and transport people with a piece of art that represents who they are, where they have been and where they dream of going. I transform the photographs I have taken in our city and all over the world into innovative wall art (on paper, canvas, aluminum, acrylic, wood), designer furniture (coffee tables) and small gift items like coasters, notebooks and magnets. There is something in my shop for every decor, mood, memory or dream. Veni Etiam is a Latin phrase meaning "return again". No place is ever the same (and neither are we) and therein lies the beauty of returning. I have an online shop and an Etsy shop where the full collection can be found. Several Montreal shops carry images from my local collection, and I participate in markets and shows in Quebec and Ontario year-round. 

It’s hard to tell. I have almost always been academically-minded and passionate about a career in science; I was the girl who carried an encyclopedia in her backpack and asked her 4th grade teacher whether she could do independent “research” while her peers did their schoolwork! But I have also been very creative from a very young age. I haven’t always been a photographer. Rather, my first and favorite form of art is writing. I have always filled notebooks with ideas, impressions and recollections.

​After my B.Sc from McGill, I moved to Europe for two years to pursue an unconventional M.Sc program in three European countries. My parents gave me my first digital camera as a “bon voyage” gift. Those travels enabled me to write, but also to discover a new form of storytelling -- photography. I learned mostly by doing, until photography became so natural to my daily routine that it changed the way my eyes were accustomed to seeing the world. As I conducted a part of my PhD research abroad and travelled to international scientific conferences, I collected more photographs and stories to tell. For this reason, I always say that my career in science fueled my art and accelerated my vision for an online art shop, culminating in its launch during the most intensive part of my PhD (data analysis and manuscript-writing). 

​As both creative and scientific sides are deeply ingrained in me, I feel like I need both to thrive. I remember when I first launched my shop, my mind was suddenly on fire with ideas both for my dissertation and my art. I don’t believe in dichotomies, and I think that if we look around, nobody in our circle is all one thing or all another. For as long as I can remember, I have been fervently interested in multiple things. My B.Sc course-list included both Neuroscience and Venetian Art History! I could imagine my life going a whole bunch of different ways (and still can).

​I think we all have this in us, perhaps some of us more than others, and it’s more about following the drive to pursue those interests to see where they might lead, what we might learn, how we might impact others. That is what has led me to have an unconventional academic experience, where I was involved in so many different initiatives and living in multiple places. People, including myself, have not easily been able to fit me into a box, and I consider that both a great blessing and a great challenge, primarily because of expectations we are confronted with all the time. In academia, there are certain expectations of you and what your path should be, and the artistic community also has expectations of your approach to your craft. A track is often seen as a linear trajectory, and any deviation as unfocused or a waste of skill. But, truthfully, the only waste I see is a calling or opportunity not explored.

Yes, there are aspects of art and science that intersect for me, because both are infused with my interests, skills and experiences. Everything I have learned along the way gets transferred into whatever I am doing. I think there is as much room for creativity in science as there is room for a strategic approach in creative endeavors. I unexpectedly became fascinated by business and marketing over the last two years. In business, just like in science, I am organized, analytical and data-driven. My scientific training has helped my business planning, in determining what I wanted to offer, the problems I wanted to solve, the niche I wanted to carve and who my audience is. In both art and science, ideas come naturally for me, whereas the technical skills take more practice to master. In both, I have the same work ethic, and I value networking and training experiences because there is always more to learn.
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I am about to launch a second business that allows me to combine all these facets of me and all my scientific and creative skills. I hope it will work out because that would be a real dream.

​The biggest gift my art has brought me is the heartwarming and motivating feeling of having inspired others. I love witnessing shoppers’ reactions to my artwork in person, which is why I pack my schedule with as many local events as I can handle! Knowing that something that inspired me at the time has touched someone else and is now part of their everyday space is a special feeling. I love the connections I have made with clients through my work online or in person. I genuinely enjoy helping them put together a gallery wall for their home, knowing that together we are creating a space that will be their sanctuary and bring them joy. 

Thank you to Neale McDevitt from the McGill Reporter for this fun interview!

Entrepreneurship, like anything in life, involves a lot of trial and error. It starts with passion, curiosity, motivation and a vision. It requires a leap of faith, jumping into the void, experimenting, listening, adjusting. It takes a lot of patience and perhaps a little bit of luck. It is rewarding, empowering, liberating, frustrating, discouraging, maddening, inspiring, head-consuming, doubt-provoking and exciting. Entrepreneurship is sometimes a crazy journey - a path that curves through unexpected but beautiful territory, a collection of several rights and many wrongs. 

When I launched my travel art shop two years ago, I initially didn't realize that I was launching a business. I was a full-time scientist and had never ventured into entrepreneurship in any form. I learned by doing and by being.

Just be you. That is when you can be most consistent, most unique and most magnetic. No one else is you, so no one else can quite offer what you offer. In the sometimes overwhelming face of competition, learn to shift your focus back onto you and who YOU are in how you live and what you create. There is a place for everyone. It seems silly but it sometimes take quite some mental training to hold onto this principle in the business world. 

We are story-tellers. We gather, we tell, we live by sharing and consuming stories. It's only natural, then, that stories help people connect with you and what you offer through your business. Stories allow your voice and your personality to shine through and touch people in a way that makes them want to keep you in their life - whether you are half a block or half a world away from them. 

When we first create our businesses, we base ourselves on our vision, our talents, our training and our values. It's really key to welcome - and to use - feedback in order to fine-tune our offerings for our target audience. Be attentive to how others' react to your work and how they describe your business. If you sell physical products like I do, this is what is so great about being present at pop-up shops or shows. Who are you connecting with? What words are they consistently using? What products spark conversation in them, with you or the person shopping with them? If you mostly sell online, consider sending a short survey to your customers or offer them an incentive to leave you a review. Listen to the traits they focus on when describing you, and amplify those traits in your how you create and present your work. 

This is now fact. Whether we like it or not, this is how we roll now. Social media with a strategy is vital to getting our message out there, interacting with our target market and telling our story. Without a strategy, social media is ineffective at best and actually hurtful to the brand at worst. It can suck up a huge amount of time, energy and motivation, so it takes thinking, planning and consistent execution. I would tell my past-self not to put off joining the social media stage. But, I would also tell my past-self to have a strategy and to do it thoughtfully, without spreading myself thin over all the channels without compelling content. 

Some of us might really hate putting ourselves out there online. It's one thing to put together a website or Etsy shop with descriptions about ourselves, our story, our business and our work, but the worst part is that once it is all out there, we still have to repeat it! It took me a while to realize that not everyone would know the text on my website by heart (ha ha!) and shoppers landing on my Etsy shop would probably not always read the product descriptions, let alone any of the introduction texts! Business coaches also encourage you to repeat yourself now and then. It's important that people who just stumble upon you have a clear sense of what you are all about. You'll notice that even your Facebook friends (who follow your personal page and regularly see your shares from your business page) may take time to become familiar with you and buy from you!

Trust yourself, what you offer, what your brand is all about and what your price-point is. It's easy to feel imposture syndrome now and then, not only when you are just starting out. But, at the end of the day, trusting in your value will attract others to trust in your value. You are doing this because you believe in its mission. When something happens to shake that belief up, don't let it derail you. 

You may not be an expert in ALL the facets related to your work, your craft and your business. That is okay. You don't have to wait until you are an expert in everything in order to be successful. You can (and should) invest in yourself to develop those areas that are further outside of your comfort zone, but it does not have to be all or nothing.

It's good to say no. Did I just say that? It took me so long to learn this, in all areas of my life! If something is not sitting well in your gut, it probably means it is not aligned with your core self, your current priorities, your values or your vision for your brand. Ask yourself: Is this something that will be brand affirming? Does it take me in a direction I'd be happy with? Does it fit with my goals? Do I have time for it without burning out or compromising my other priorities? It's totally fine when the answer to any one of these questions is NO. You have your reasons and, although you could express them as a justification, you don't really need to justify your choices.

We are constantly learning. That is the beauty (and curse) of life! Train yourself to look at every circumstance, success and failure as constructive, as fluid and as a blessing. Adjusting as you go along is part of the process. Feeling proud of little milestones - even negative ones - is also important. 

Invest in your professional development. Create opportunities for learning. It is daunting but necessary to take up opportunities that are outside of our comfort zone and that involve a certain degree of risk. There cannot be growth without risk. When you don't risk anything, you get too comfortable. If you take a risk to invest in yourself financially or with respect to your time-commitment, you naturally strive to succeed and not fail. It helps to add a little extra fire up your butt! 

It's important not to pack your plate so much that you don't create empty spaces for assessment, reflection and re-alignment. It's important to carve out the time to revisit some approaches and practices - even the content on your website. It's one of my business resolutions for the new year, as my personality has always been the go-go-go type. I want to create space for myself to go on a mini hiatus and reflect in a systematic way on what worked, what worked less and where to go from here. 

If you're curious, this post belongs to the theme #WiseWordsWednesday, part of the Etsy Montreal Social Media Challenge. The artists who are participating as vendors in the annual Etsy Fait au Quebec (Made in Canada) market are encouraged to share behind the scenes posts as they prepare for the show. Follow along with all of us on Instagram with the main hashtags #etsyfaitauquebecmtl and #etsymtl. 

The toughest part about artistic collaborations is that you have to keep them a secret until the launch! As this new international project unfolded behind the scenes, it was difficult for me to contain my excitement, as this is the first home furniture design project that Veni Etiam has been part of in its short history. 

The concept was born out of the vision of an American duo of architects and designers, passionate about creating original home furniture that innovatively flips perspectives yet allows customers to enrich their space with furniture that reflects their own style. Together, Ann Clark and Lena Georas founded LAMOU design, creating designer tables that are as artistic as they are functional. 

"Tables are at the center of our living and working spaces. We gather around the table, bring things to the table, turn the tables: shouldn't tables reflect our spirit and personality? I think so." -- Ann F. Clark, LAMOU co-founder.

​Since the start of Veni Etiam Photography in 2015, my mission has been to combine art with innovation, offering my photographs in a range of mediums (paper, canvas, metal, acrylic and wood), so that you are able to customize the art to suit your own decor, dreams and moods. Your home is your sanctuary, after all, and it should reflect you. 

Having connected on Instagram and "met" face-to-face on Skype (long live technology in our modern world!), the LAMOU team and I instantly knew that we were a great fit and that together we could create an exclusive collection that would excite and inspire our followers.

Our tables come in 2 square sizes (15 or 20 inches) and one large rectangular size (23.4 x 47.5 inches). The height of all table models is 23 inches. The tabletop is made of solid (1-inch thick) Baltic wood. My digital photograph is directly printed (and UV-cured) onto the primed birch surface with a satin finish. The elegant hairpin legs are made of solid steel with a factory finish. 

The wood is primed before the photographs are printed onto it, so the finished product is almost perfectly loyal to the colors of the original image. Edge colors options include black, natural oak and folkstone grey. Hairpin legs are black by default but you may request custom order if you would like to change the leg color to suit your decor. ​There are 8 images in the permanent collection, but in the spirit of customization, you may request another Veni Etiam photograph on your table as a custom order for no extra charge!

​The tabletop is coated with a protective covering that basically makes it a giant coaster, already protected against spills. To clean, wipe with a soft damp cloth only. Although robust, your table should be treated with care and is intended for indoor use. Recommended maximum weight is 50 lbs. Your table will ship in two parts (tabletop + legs) delivered together. Easy assembly with handheld Philips head screwdriver (screws included).

As this is the fruit of a collaboration with LAMOU, these tables ship from the USA. Production time is approximately 2 weeks, and shipping times are estimated at 3-7 business days.

​Head here for more information and to shop the collection!

Ici vous trouverez toutes les informations en français. 

Why do I do what I do? Because I love to inspire you with places and their stories. I love it when you tell me how nostalgic a photograph makes you feel, or how it makes you dream of traveling more and seeing more. I love it when you say the vibrant colors make you feel happy, or that you can just feel the mood I've captured in a shot. I love it when you ask me to customize a piece for your own style and space. I love talking about travel with you, giving you suggestions or hearing your own tips. I love feeling connected to you, through similarities in our passions and journeys. I love the idea of you adding something to your wall that truly reflects you and uplifts you.

What do you do, and why do you do it? Pausing our day for a moment to reflect on our “why” is a rewarding exercise. Leave a comment below to let me know what you discover. ? #mywhy #dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo

From my heart to yours.

Over the years, looking through a lens has taught my eye to see things differently, until that way of perceiving beauty became second nature to me.
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I have noticed how there are certain things that I am just drawn to photographing – certain subjects that recur in my photographs again and again, whether I travel far or take my camera for a stroll down the block.

1. Reflections

​What I love most about reflections is that sometimes they are obvious and right in my path, while other times I have to actively search for them – consciously changing my angle or height and hoping for a little bit of luck. Yes, I am that person who circles around a puddle (at least) twice, staring deeply into it like she has lost an earring (or her mind). I am incidentally also that person who looks like she’s spying on people through a window, or that she’s about to fall over into a canal…It’s almost always worth it, though. Reflections are little treasures that bring me a lot of joy.

2. Boats

​If you know a little bit about me by now, you know that I feel deeply connected to the sea. Port towns, fishing villages, colorful boats, anchors and nautical rope are among my favorite elements to photograph, quite simply because they are among my favorite things in life.

3. Decay

​My time with Venice has made me appreciate the raw beauty of decay and disrepair. There is something rather poetic about a place standing the test of time – faded, weather-beaten witnesses of a long string of days and all the wisdom that age brings.

4. Daily details

​One of the most important gifts my camera has ever given me is the ability to document even my most ordinary days and, through that act, to realize that simplicity is the purest kind of beauty. When I discovered my growing interest in photography, I made it a point to practice every day by committing to a 365 project – a photo a day. What we don’t realize between glorious snapshots are that some days – perhaps even most days – are utterly ordinary and uneventful. On those days, my photo subjects were random things like fresh laundry, folded sweaters, frost on a windowpane or pillows on my couch.

​I enjoyed the exercise so much that it became a habit, even on eventful days or incredible travels. I consider it a kind of mindfulness exercise, to notice and celebrate simplicity.

​The glorification of the mundane is a running theme in many of my photographs and in the writing that fills many of my journals; everyday beauty and daily details, in travels and in my own life, are often the snapshots that I appreciate the most when I look back on the year. 

5. Textures and patterns

​Looking through the lens really trained my eye to pick up on lines, patterns and textures, and to experiment with compositions that showcased them. I felt my tastes change over time; I became more interested in an urban, industrial feel, and played a lot more with lighting and with black and white to bring out the mood in those scenes.

​I love geometricity, hard patterns and soft patterns, perfect lines and imperfect lines. I love asymmetry as much as symmetry. What I love most is to be surprised when patterns and textures manage to make a statement in a photograph – sometimes even more than in the real-time moment itself. 

6. Shutters and balconies

​My fascination with shutters started early on, in Italy. Windows and shutters are portholes into a different view, the threshold between inside and outside, private and public. Balconies are often glimpses into the architecture of a city and the life of its residents. Best of all, my love for window shutters and balconies makes me lift my eyes up and around, in search of color, perspective and inspiring urban oases. 

7. Food

Food photography is my guilty pleasure – my secret dream, the skill I would leap into perfecting if I had the luxury of dropping everything else for a while. I can’t tell you how many times a month I am tempted to procure antique silverware, paint different kinds of wood slabs as tabletops and allow myself to lose track of time cooking, staging and photographing dishes in the natural light pouring in from the guest bedroom window.

Fun fact: Often one of my new year’s resolutions involves dabbling in new cooking and food photography projects. One year was the year of “Twenty soups”. Another year, I promised to make 12 kinds of risotto in the autumn and winter months (“Risautumn”).

My love for cooking began when I moved to Europe and lived on my own for the first time. My love for food photography was sparked by the magical cookbooks written by Tessa Kiros, photographed by Manos Chatzikonstantis and styled by Michail Touros.

8. Sunsets

​Sunsets used to plunge me into melancholy; I would watch quietly as the sun dropped to the horizon, feeling a very mild twinge of angst that the passing of time could be so blatantly visible to the eye. I have grown more accustomed to sunsets and to celebrating their beauty, even though I am still not fully comfortable with the series of milliseconds leading up to point where the sun suddenly gets pulled beneath the horizon. I childishly hate the idea that I can’t see something that was just right there. I enjoy photographing that series of milliseconds, as if to try and cheat time and freeze it, so the sun won’t actually dip out of our eyes’ reach.

What do you love to photograph?

​Tell me what draws your eye. I’d love to know.

From my heart to yours.

Favoritism is a real thing.
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In an ever-growing collection of photographs, there are a few that are special to me and that I am especially happy to see you adopt for your home.

1. Laguna Mia

​Venice, of course. My lagoon, my soulmate. I remember the day perfectly. I can still feel the damp lagoon air on my face and tangled in my hair. I was alone – my favorite way to be in Venice – and I was close to one of my favorite places in the city. I was taking my time to get there, making sure to look thoroughly around and take in everything along the way. The air threatened rain, but Venice and I have a pact on that, so of course it didn’t rain. Two gondolas, a bridge and the perfect reflection. I felt as though I’d just captured a painting. I knew it was special to me before I even saw it on my computer. Laguna Mia encompasses so much of what I love and so much soulful atmosphere in a single shot. It is the cover of my (unpublished, stay tuned) book on Venice. It has my heart. 

2. London Bulbs

​Not long ago, I wrote a post about this photograph, as part of my “Made Me Look” series. London Bulbs is sentimental for a multitude of reasons – finally a trip to London, and one of the first photographs where I consciously thought that my eye had developed into something new, in capturing a mood and a pattern. I remember feeling as though I had caught something special just there. London Bulbs is so memorable for me that it forms a subtle background to my business cards (thanks Alati design atelier!). 

3. Barcarolle

​Another “firefly” I caught in my palm. Another moody day on the water. I took this photograph in Bari, southern Italy, one of my favorite port towns. I wrote about it as part of my “Made Me Look” series, and you may have caught a glimpse of it in my “Adriatica” blog post, because I had it made in acrylic for my maritime-inspired office. Veni Etiam was already in the works but not publicly unveiled when Barcarolle was taken. I remember discussing it with someone who said they thought a lone boat was so melancholic. That’s interesting, I told her. I find it so powerful. It is a meaningful photograph not only because I adore boats, port towns and Italy, but because of the power I perceive in its melancholy. 

4. Malinconia

​You may have guessed from the title that a touch of melancholy lives in this scene as well. I love this photograph for its colors, the reflection, the ropes and buoys, and the light. It was one of those rare shots where I only took one variation of it. I have it framed in my office. It reminds me that old, weather-beaten, rustic souls can be beautiful.  

5. Converging Boats

​There was so much that was beautiful about the small fishing town of Bermeo in the Basque Country. It was a cloudy afternoon, but all the colors of the village and the docked boats livened up the scene. I walked slowly along the marina as locals enjoyed their lunch at several small restaurants facing the sea. I looked down and found a dock with vibrantly colored boats, tied to the same anchor. Their harmonious position and colors made me stop in my tracks. I have never seen anything like it since. 

6. Gondola

​The tide was coming in. Waves were already spilling onto the wooden docks. The gondolas rocked and rose and fell with the unsettled waters, banging against the wood against their will. There were very few people around by the Canal; the fish market further away was in full bustle. I walked up a gilded gondola and caught its reflection in the puddle the tide had left. I love this photograph because of the unexpected reflection, and the way that each return to Venice offers me a new view to experience and cherish.  

Do you have a favorite Veni Etiam photograph? Tell me below!

This was Part 4 of the Birthday Blog Series. Veni Etiam Photography is celebrating its two-year birthday this month. Stay tuned for more of the 7-part blog series and take advantage of the special PAIRDEAL birthday promotion until January 31st.  

P.S. Follow me on Instagram!

1. I was born and raised in Montreal but have had an address for a prolonged period of time in 5 other cities. Out of these, Florence is the only city that is not part of my shop collection, as digital photography had not found me yet and somehow I think scanning faded film photographs would not result in pretty wall-art for your home! I’ll have to return – as is my way (and the translation of the Latin name of my shop). 

3. In large part, I owe the development of Veni Etiam to my scientific career. Living in three European countries and attending scientific conferences two or three times a year have allowed me to see places I would not have otherwise travelled to in such a short period of time. Even when travelling on scientific business, I try to plan two days in my schedule for exploring, writing and photographing the place at my leisure. Bonus fact: I wrote for my University blog for almost five years before finally launching my own blog.

4. I love color in all things. You’ll notice from my shop, my Instagram account and glimpses I give you of my personal space that there are no neutral tones and there isn’t much white. I’m known for my pink and purple post-its. My apartment is called the "Pink Palazzo" due to its antique rose walls. Almost none of my Christmas ornaments or dinner plates belong to a uniform set. I live in a very colorful world and I translate that into Veni Etiam. This is possibly related to a neurological trait I have called “synesthesia”. Without color, I just wouldn’t be me.

5. My biggest dream is to be an author – not only a blog writer or scientific author, though I enjoy both tremendously, but to sit my butt down and finish a book, cover to cover, and to have it printed would be my greatest joy. 

​This was Part 2 of the Birthday Blog Series. Veni Etiam Photography is celebrating its two-year birthday this month. Stay tuned for more of the 7-part blog series and take advantage of the special PAIRDEAL birthday promotion until January 31st.  

From my heart to yours.

​1. Veni Etiam was founded in 2014 but officially launched to the public in 2015. That is why you’ll see “EST 2014” on the logo. That one year period was the year in which I dreamed up my mission, my collection and my online shop. I designed the website though it was still unpublished for a year. The day I hit publish, I wrote my first blog post and … there was no turning back!

2. As much as Italy is my most profound inspiration, the place that acted as a kind of catalyst of my vision for Veni Etiam was the Basque Country. It was during a scientific trip to that region when I started to think more concretely and more technically about my photographic aspirations. Fun fact: the Basque country is a part of my scientific aspirations as well, so in a way the place plays two important roles for me. There are several photographs of the Basque Country in my collection. Can you spot them?

3. The first 5 photographs ever printed with the Veni Etiam Photography logo on them were Laguna Mia (canvas), Underground (canvas), Plentzia (acrylic), Light on the Lake (canvas) and A Windowful of Sky (acrylic). These were printed for individuals I knew, before Veni Etiam was officially launched.

4. When I first launched my online shop in 2015, I only offered wall-art on canvas, metal, acrylic and wood. It was when I kept getting asked about fine-art prints that I decided to include those in my web-shop and opened up an Etsy shop that focused on small-sized prints. 

5. Before I found my new home and studio in Montreal, Veni Etiam basically consisted of a big red plastic bin of prints and a big box of shipping materials hidden (not so inconspicuously) under my bed. 

I hope you enjoyed these five fun facts! Leave a comment and tell me which one was your favorite.
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This was Part 1 of the Birthday Blog Series. Veni Etiam Photography is celebrating its two year birthday this month. Stay tuned for more of the 7-part blog series and take advantage of the special PAIRDEAL birthday promotion until January 31st.  

​From my heart to yours.

It feels like so much has happened since I wrote my first blog post the day that I launched my little passion project, that it’s incredibly hard to believe it’s only been two years.

So hard to believe, in fact, that I have found myself mentally double-checking my arithmetic (2015 to 2017, yes, two years. Duh, silly girl).

In two years, Veni Etiam went from being a web portfolio with a blog, to a dynamic shop, as well as a seller on Etsy and in the local Montreal community, with its growing inclusion in stores and art fairs.

It may be bad business to admit this, but when I opened my shop two years ago, I didn’t have a clear business plan or a clear goal – not even at a vague conceptual level, let alone in a measurable set of milestones and metrics. All I knew was that it was time, that it was risky and that it made a little pocket of space inside of me fill up with excited butterflies. Everything else, would have to come along the way.

​I was pursuing my PhD in neurolinguistics by day (and night… sigh #consumedbymyPhD) and working on Veni Etiam in those intervals where my eyes took breaks from my Excel sheets and experimental designs to work on more Excel sheets and on web-design. I remember being late to start on my academic to-do list on some mornings due to urgent product photos that I had to take to explain to clients what aluminum prints and floater frames looked like. Suddenly, I was standing on a chair in the dining room of my tiny but beloved apartment that I had affectionately named “The Pink Palazzo”, taking pictures of pictures (a sometimes frustrating task) from all sorts of angles, while my thesis beckoned. But there was room for both in my heart and in my life.

​Building a business at the same time as building a research career was as bizarre as it was, simply put, “me”. The only downside about having two lives was that I didn’t have as much time and energy to make Veni Etiam grow to its full potential right away. But life isn't a race, and sometimes we benefit more when we don't try to force the pace of everything. 

As time went on, my passion grew. Ideas crept up faster and could not be ignored. Structure and strategy developed. I learned so much from fellow artists and clients. I experimented and fine-tuned. I took leap after leap; sometimes it paid off, sometimes it didn’t, but I was happy I took each leap, because now I don’t have to wonder, and now I don’t have to try that again.
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A lot has changed in two years, and I feel momentum, excitement and gratitude. I am pumped for this year and so grateful for followers who “get” what I do and why I do it, who feel inspired by my photographs and stories, and whose feedback always keeps me motivated and aligned with how to best serve you. 

​As a firm believer that all moments in life should be celebrated, I’m including you in my birthday celebration!

♥ On the blog this month, you can follow my Birthday Blog Series featuring 7 posts about travel, photography and home décor, including glimpses into Veni Etiam’s personality and mine. Keep an eye on the blog or on Instagram and Facebook!
♥ For this special occasion only, you'll receive a FREE 8x8 print on textured fine-art paper with any art purchase.

​I'll ship worldwide, but free pick-up in Montreal is always an option.

UNTIL MONDAY ONLY (16.01), members on my VIP list get:
♥ to choose which 8x8 fine-art print they wish to receive for free
♥a bonus chapter with the story behind the photograph or travel tips for the place featured in the photo

Not on my VIP list? Let’s remedy this! ​Sign up and you'll receive my monthly newsletter AND 20% off your first purchase.
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Don’t procrastinate – it’s not good for you ;) 

Thank you for an amazing two years!

From my heart to yours.

Thank you, dear travelling souls, for all your support this year! Veni Etiam Photography turns TWO this January, and I am super excited about all the ways in which she will grow and cater to your home decor and travel dreams! Thanks for all our beautiful interactions this year. I've learned so much and am so happy to be on this journey with you. Subscribe to the VIP list and stay tuned on the blog to find out about our upcoming birthday celebration! 

Merci, chères âmes voyageuses, pour tout votre soutien cette année! Veni Etiam Photography aura DEUX ans ce janvier. J'ai hâte de voir comment elle va grandir et inspirer votre déco maison et vos rêves de voyage! Merci pour nos belles échanges cette année!Je l'ai tellement appris et je suis tellement heureux d'être sur ce voyage avec vous. Abonnez-vous pour les mises à jour et restez à l'écoute sur le blog pour en savoir plus sur notre célébration d'anniversaire à venir! Abonnez-vous à la liste VIP et suivez le blog pour rester à l'affût des promotions à venir à l'occasion de notre deuxième anniversaire! 

Are we friends on Instagram?

“Bloom where you are planted”. A known saying - one that I grew up hearing, mostly in my Mom’s voice, until eventually the voice in my head took to the happy habit of echoing hers.
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It is possibly one of the reasons why I have a natural inclination to make any space “mine” – to give it my touch, a smidgen of magic, so that it inspires me in return and so that I could bloom. 

The tiniest or darkest office space during my PhD years, the smallest Milanese studio where the cupboard for my clothes was actually larger than my kitchen, each room of each home I’ve had in Montreal – it has always been my mission for the space to reflect my mind, my loves, my mood and my story.
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When my first Montreal apartment began to burst at the seams, I set out on a long search for a new space to call home. It would have to be home for Veni Etiam as well – as she expanded, my first palazzo was no longer apt for her burgeoning dreams and growing wings. 

I dreamed of a room where I could write, create, daydream and be. A room where I could work on science and work on art, where I could leave a mess on my desk for a day or two, without it encumbering my dining space or being in the face of visitors. I dreamed of a space with wonderful light, with space for stock and bookshelves and mementos. After two years of searching for a new home I’d have a chance to love as much as my previous one, I found it… and with it, this space that had so much potential that it instantly won my heart.
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I call it “Adriatica”, after my favorite Sea.

I dreamed up a décor that would be partly industrial, to reflect my current taste, and partly nautical, to reflect my love of the Sea and all things maritime.

​The color palette is maritime; I chose dark blue and light grey for the walls, and white for the brick. Many accents are turquoise and white. The shelves of the industrial bookcase look like rustic boats you would find in an Italian port town – boats whose colors have been lovingly eaten away by the saltwater and sun. ​Maritime accents picked up on travels fair well with memorabilia. My own favorite nautical photographs – Barcarolle, Malinconia, Pescatore, La Barca Blu, Adriatica and Plentzia – stare back at me and remind me to always follow the sea breeze and my dreams. 

​This room is actually an extension of the house and I refused to replace the original door. Instead, it was sanded (imperfectly) and painted (imperfectly) and I call it my old boat door. 

​If you have read a little about me, you may know that my professional background is rooted in science. For many (long) years, I studied psychology, clinical linguistics and neuroscience. My research looks at how we acquire languages and how our brain changes as we learn and forget them. Fun fact: Veni Etiam was born while I was pursuing my PhD (and no, not necessarily out of procrastination!). I have always believed that both these halves – my scientific half and my creative half – co-exist in a way that one fuels the other. Both are needed to feel fully “me”. And so, my space needed to reflect just that, with a desk for each passion, and an inspiration wall across from an achievement wall. Of course, I don’t believe in lines and borders and mutual exclusivity, so one space spills into the other and I happily embrace that. The diplomas, for example, are interspersed with photography and maps of cities I lived in during my studies. My "thinking chair" is used for brainstorming and writing about both science and art. 

​The Inspiration Wall

​Almost a year after having moved in, I started to dream up my inspiration wall – a gallery wall whose purpose was to recenter and inspire me every time my eyes land on it from either one of my desks. The perfect remedy for nostalgia, melancholy, writer’s block or self-doubt – a wall that reminds you of your favorite places, people and mottos. An ode to you, past, present and future.

​Adriatica is a sense of self reflected in a space. It is also a work in progress – a collection that grows as I do. It is a true blessing to have this space, to spend time in it, to get to know its light, its seasons, its feel and its quirks.

​We design our spaces as we design our lives. We are blessed to have choices, tastes and a creative vision. I wish for all of us that we feel at peace wherever we go, that we bring peace to whatever space we find ourselves in, that we are always ourselves, and that we are always grateful.

You’ve never been to London? How could that be?”

I can't even count the number of times I heard that question. That I had not been to London yet was so unfathomable to people who knew how much I loved to travel and where I had been in the world. The city became a dream for me, until the opportunity presented itself when I'd finally have a ticket to London in my name.
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I only had a handful of days in the city before travelling to Wales for a scientific conference. I was determined to see and feel as much as I could. I decided not to let myself be dismayed by the inclement weather or the astonishingly long distances between the areas I wanted to explore by foot. I recruited my galoshes and the tube onto my team and together we conquered the city. Well, as much as you can conquer a place as a first-time visitor. 

I was still growing as a photographer, alternating between the typical tourist and the inspired artist multiple times per minute. Once the traditional shots of the Big Ben and the Tower Bridge were out of the way, I began to experiment and let my eye wander.
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I remember that afternoon on the South Bank – a storm was brewing, and it was about time to find a cozy neighborhood away from the crowds to enjoy what promised to be a rainy afternoon. I looked up and immediately the pattern and mood caught my eye. I interrupted my travel companion in mid-sentence by plastering my lens to my face in the not-so-subtle way that photographers do, and I tried to recreate what I felt. 

It was that kind of photograph that immediately becomes your favorite, even when you look at it on your tiny LCD screen. It’s hard to explain exactly why your favorites are your favorites, but it has to do with an immediate, intuitive “YES!” reaction and a feeling bubbling in your heart.

I remember feeling like I had caught a firefly in my hand.

That feeling of having frozen something special in time and that desire to share it with other dreamers all over the world was the driving force behind creating Veni Etiam Photography.

In honor of that feeling and that moment, the silhouette of “London Bulbs” is actually the background of my business card. 

​​​From my heart to yours.