Blog by Kristina Kasparian Veni Etiam Photography

The Nutcracker Market: Shop my booth in advance

18/11/2018

From November 29th to December 9th 2018, I will be participating in a well-known Christmas market at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal for the second year in a row: the Marché Casse-Noisette / Nutcracker market. It is my biggest show of the year, in the sense that I will have a large booth to present my world to you - all those colors, feelings and inspiring scenes that make you connect with Veni Etiam!

This year, I thought I'd offer a sneak peek at some of the large pieces that will be showcased in my booth, to give you a special chance at reserving them in advance at a special VIP rate (10% off).

Why? These large specialty pieces take over 2 weeks to produce, so by reserving them early, you make sure you have them before the holidays. It's also a way of thanking you (and rewarding you!) for being bold with your decor decisions, and for being part of my community.

Here are the large pieces you could reserve right now (until November 26th):

Li Prisuddi (Italy)
Satin print 16x24 inches
White wood frame included
Framed: $125 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Deity (Japan)
Satin print 11x14 inches
White rustic wood frame included
Framed: $100 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Winter on the Plateau (Canada)
Brushed aluminum (metal) disk 12x12 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$119 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Converging Boats (Spain)
Epoxy resin brushed aluminum (metal) art, 20x30 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$499 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Unmistakable Sight (Canada)
Brushed aluminum (metal) disk 10x10 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$109 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

New Life in Hiroshima(Canada)
Satin print 12x18 inches
Black wood frame included
Framed $100 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Bicicletta (Italy)
Fine-art print 16x20 inches
White frame included
Framed $120 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Lincoln Park (USA)
Satin print 11x14 inches
White rustic wood frame included
Framed: $100 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Painted Blue (Italy)
Satin print 12x18 inches
White wood frame included
Framed $100 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

All My Wishes (Greece)
Acrylic 10x10 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$139 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Mirror Waters of Levico (Italy)
Brushed aluminum (metal) art 12x18 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$189 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Palais des Congrès (Canada)
Brushed aluminum (metal) disk 12x12 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$119 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Unmistakable Sight (Canada)
Fine art print 11x14 inches
Black wood frame included
Framed $89 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Vintage Vieux-Montréal (Canada)
Brushed aluminum (metal) art 11x14 inches
Floater frame and wire attached to the back (ready to hang)
$149 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Two Hearts, limited edition (Canada)
Limited print run with license from sculptor Jim Dine, 12x12 inches
White wood frame included
Framed $80 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

Malinconia (Italy)
Fine art print 11x14 inches
Black wood frame included
Framed $89 CAD
Reserve before November 26th and receive 10% discount

If any of these large ready-to-hang or framed pieces have your name on it, contact me right away to reserve it at 10% off. (Please note that the item must be paid in full in advance).

In addition to these large pieces, I will be selling hundreds of local and international prints, metal prints and postcards (new this year!), for which you will have the option of purchasing an inexpensive but high-quality frame. I will also be taking your custom orders (production time: 2 weeks due to the holiday rush) and will also have tons of gift items like coasters, pouches, notebooks, magnets and gift certificates available. Be sure to check out my Holiday Gift Guide for a preview!

Also new this year, the FIRST customer of every day will have the chance to open the advent calendar and will receive a free gift or a discount applicable in my booth on that day only. Mark your calendar to swing by at 11 am between November 29-December 9th to be the first at my booth! Entry is FREE!

To get an early start on your shopping, visit my shop or my Etsy shop and use the coupon code INMTL to pick up your purchase to save on shipping fees and delays.

I can't wait to help you find inspiring decor items this holiday season. See you soon!

From my heart to yours.

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Made Me Look: Layers of Beauty

4/10/2018

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Some places teach us about contrasts and ironies, fleeting time and persisting time. They marvel us with how they can be aging yet timeless, how they can be captivating without being boastful, how they can emanate a distinct character and mood almost immediately, when we've barely even begun combing its streets.

Some places leave us quite speechless, instilling a sense of nostalgia in us while we are still there, standing on its soil. We follow its lead, go where the place pulls us, linger on the simplest details that hold us hostage for a moment or two. Details that highlight imperfection and time – an uneven street, a peeling façade, a decaying staircase. Every few steps, a sight draws us in, makes us pause, begs to be recorded.

Humble and complex, Havana holds the eye, the lens, and the heart.

This detail of a crumbling wall stopped me in my tracks.

Layers of Beauty looks beautiful on textured or satin paper, in vertical or square orientations. Its rustic details and rich colors also come to life on canvas, acrylic, metal or wood. Frames are available upon request!

Prefer functional objects to wall art? Layers of Beauty has also been produced on a notebook, and on a wood tray or placemart as part of a new collaboration with designers at LAMOU.

Bring the world home!

From my heart to yours.

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La Guarida: A moment of stillness and gratitude

26/8/2018

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Some places just enrich your life and linger with you long after you leave them. Havana was one of those places for me.

I remember how calm I had to make myself while taking this photograph. My heart was pounding because I knew I was blessed with this scene in front of me. It was also pounding because it was extremely hot and I was starting to feel woozy from the sun, the car exhaust and other smells circling me. There were construction workers all around me in the tiny courtyard, with buckets and tools I had to maneuver between and step over. I also felt like I needed to hurry so as not to miss that perfectly positioned snoozing cat on the steps.

But you have to calm yourself down when you are behind the lens. Despite your fast heartbeat and the ticking clock, you have to relax your posture and your fingers to avoid any shake, and relax your mind so you can observe the details before you photograph them. Otherwise, the details will be lost, because the lens only sees what YOU see. I took about a dozen variations of this image, emphasizing different details each time, making sure the light looked exactly as I saw it.

A week after I left Havana, I saw on Instagram that they painted over the mural and over Fidel Castro's words, so the cat was no longer the only element that made this print a limited edition!

I never would have thought that a year later, my Havana collection would decorate the colorful walls of Cafecito Montreal, an awesome new cafe in the Old Port of Montreal near Griffintown. You can find "Fidel" (11x14 inches in a gorgeous rustic frame) along with 25 of my Havana prints (framed and unframed) for purchase at the café.

Follow me on Instagram for more about the cafe and a full reveal of our gallery wall!

From my heart to yours.

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The Nova Scotia wall art collection

14/8/2018

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In case you missed it, I fell in love with beautiful Nova Scotia and Cape Breton this summer while traveling there for the first time.

Now, after combing through thousands of photographs for weeks, tweaking my favorites and getting a sense of your reactions by sharing them on Instagram, I am excited to reveal the scenes that will be added to my art shop this fall.

Why don't I add them right away? Because the Quebec City collection is still very new, and this way my VIP community members get first-pick of the new pieces at a special rate before the general public does! (Want to be a VIP? No problem, sign up here.)

Without further ado, meet the Nova Scotia Collection - a collection full of feeling, color and hope. The heartfelt captions beneath each photograph accompany the printed product, for an extra bit of inspiration.

The Immovable Sea

Some places steal your heart with their colors, tales and moods.

Peggy of the Cove

It doesn't matter where you go, as long as you are happy to be there.

Never Really Still

I love how boats are never really still, even when docked, as the tides and the winds always have a hold on them.

Hold On

Life is a delicate balance of holding tight and letting go.

The Great Cape

Make a wish, the ocean is waiting.

Faith in Fair Weather

When the skies threaten rain, have faith that the sun will shine soonafter.

Hot Summer Wind

Because sometimes the purest of joys can be found in an afternoon light, on blades dancing in the hot summer wind.

Simplicity

When the most evocative moments are the simplest ones.

Low Tide at the Bay

If we expect the sea to have changing tides, why should our lives be any different?

Just Be

Now and then, be goalless and expectationless. Just be.

The Day's Promise

Without sharp bends and rugged edges, the day would not be as breathtaking.

Restlessness

I swear I was a sailor in another life - a fisherman, a seafarer, a soul
as restless as the sea.

Trust the Path

Every step is a prerequisite for what comes next,
even if it doesn’t seem so at the time.

Tangled

A beautiful mess of going and returning, catching and releasing.

On their Bellies

The boats lay on their bellies, waiting for the tide to return.

Rain on the Vineyard

When everything is perfect, and calm, and still, and as promising as the vines that are to become a complex wine one day.

Navy Blue (Me & You)

Every thought of you begins and ends with the ocean.

The Nova Scotia collection is available as framed or unframed prints on fine-art paper, satin paper, as well as on canvas, wood, acrylic or metal. Become a VIP to shop the collection before its autumn release or stay tuned by following Veni Etiam!

From my heart to yours.

For more Nova Scotia and Cape Breton travel photography:

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The QCity Collection

18/5/2018

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It was high time I added a Quebec City collection to my Montreal & Toronto series. You had asked me time and again, but I was waiting for some down time in my schedule to go take my camera on a road trip. It was a wonderful weekend, and I ended up with many more photographs than I expected! (Although, let's be honest: isn't that always the case with me?!)

It is with excitement that I introduce the QCity collection to you! You'll find that the "usual suspects" have inspired me: architecture, urban details, textures, colors, geometric patterns and moody hues.

The collection is currently available in exclusivity to my VIP members who can order their favorite(s) via e-mail with a special pre-launch coupon they got. (Not a VIP? Remedy that here and now). Prints and coasters will be launched at the Etsy Ville de Québec spring show on May 26-27 in Québec City.

Tell me: Which one's your favorite?

Fortress

Place Royale

La belle Québec

Chimneys

Because you inspired me

Triangles

Unlocked

Allure d'allée

Depth of contrasts

The perfect door

From this angle

River temples

Frontenac

The beauty of imperfection

Géométrie

Gables

Corniche

Facing the sun

Urban symphony

Silently watching

Vue de ramparts

Waiting for you

The promise of spring

Can you guess what my favorites are? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

From my heart to yours.

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Perfect for Mom

11/5/2018

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Mothers' Day is just around the corner and, although most Moms will tell you they don't need any gifts, they surely appreciate being spoiled with pretty things that will inspire them year-round.

Mothers' Day is especially touching to me for all those women who are not (yet) moms, but wish it wholeheartedly. Let's take a moment to think of them and send them love.

Having heard from MANY of you in person or through your written requests, I know which items often get chosen as gifts for Mom. I also know which items my own Mom adores!

So, without further ado, here is a visual list of gift ideas for Mom, either on Mothers' day or "just because". Clicking on each image will take you to my Etsy shop, because Etsy is sponsoring a Canada-wide free shipping promotion until May 14th!

"Bloom where unlikely" lined notebook. *NEW!*

"Which would you choose" (Cuba) & "Blue & White" (Greece) duo *NEW!*

"I have this thing with blue" (Montreal)

"Tango" pencil case or pouch

"Lincoln Park" (Chicago)

"August Rain" (Amsterdam)

"My color palette" (Italy) *NEW!*

"Riomaggiore" (Italy)

"Colores de la Habana" notebook *NEW!*

"Trani" (Italy) *NEW!*

"Morning Mingling" (Montreal)

"Bloom where unlikely" (Montreal)

"A Perfect Sunday Afternoon" pencil case or pouch (Wales)

"Layers of Beauty" notebook (Cuba)

"Li Prisuddi" (Italy)

"Bicicletta" (Italy)

"Elegance" (Montreal)

"Plateau in Sepia" (Montreal)

"La Cubana" (Havana)

"Like a dream" (Havana)

"All my wishes" acrylic (plexiglass) art (Greece)

Montreal coaster set

"London Calling" (UK)

"Laundry Day" (Italy)

"Painted Blue" (Italy)

"Magnolia" (Montreal)

"Incomplete without you" (Toronto)

"Burano Boot" (Italy)

"Rue Cherrier" (Montreal)

"Elegance" (Montreal)

If you're in Montreal, come see me on Mothers' Day Weekend (Saturday + Sunday) at the Etsy Montreal show at the Locoshop Angus. Details here. It's free! I'll have ONE of each of these with me. Reserve it if it's perfect for Mom!

From my heart to yours.

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Sneak peek of a new design product

4/5/2018

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If you've followed me for a while, you know I always have something up my sleeve. Nothing mischievous, just always something NEW!

Last time, it was the Havana collection and updates to the Canadian collection.

The time before, an exciting design collaboration with Ann and Lena from Lamou Design.

The time before that, new product lines such as high quality birch wood coasters, notebooks and pouches.

All of this within a year's span!

Well, why not? Art should be versatile and functional, suited to your own daily life, moods and decor.

Here's a sneak peek at what I have up my sleeve this spring. I'll give you a hint: it's a new collaboration with Lamou design!

But here's the thing: My VIPs always get the news first as to what is new, and they get first pick on limited quantities.

So... if you want to be in the know, here's where you sign up. Why bother? Because, in addition to getting special treatment (like exclusive picks and coupons), you also get a monthly newsletter for that bit of extra connection and inspiration. Not to play favorites but...

Are you in? Sign up here.

From my heart to yours.

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Color me crazy

12/2/2018

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I love living in a place that has four seasons.

But...

By the time February rolls around, I'm ready to say arrivederci to the snow, slush and sleet. Trouble is, winter will still have us in its grasp for another three months at least (if we don't see any flurries in May like we occasionally do! I know, *gasp*, right?!).

Although I try to live in the now, I do get antsy. As a form of wishful thinking, I start to surround myself with color, as an attempt to accelerate the arrival of spring.

Here are 21 colorful pieces from the shop to uplift you in the middle of winter and to inspire your decor this spring.

If you see yourself in them, you can opt for fine-art paper, satin paper, acrylic, canvas, metal or wood (What's the difference between these finishes? See products at a glance here).

La Primavera

The vibrant colors of a promising spring (Italy)

Agios Stefanos

A taste of heaven on the northwestern edge of Corfu (Greece)

Colores de la Habana

Havana pastels make you pause and linger (Cuba)

It's all in the details

Architectural gems and vivid colors
in Old Havana (Cuba)

Aging Gracefully

Gorgeous palaces aged by time and sun (Havana, Cuba)

Adriatica

A deep love of all things maritime,
in San Vito (Italy)

Afionas

A colorful village on the
clifftops of Corfu (Greece)

Converging Boats

Colorful boats anchored to a single dock in Bermeo (Basque Country, Spain)

In a Fairytale

A house seemingly coated in pink candy (England)

Fede

Have faith: She is watching over you (Rovereto, Italy)

Havana Style

A summary of Havana’s essence, in a single scene (Cuba)

Juxtaposed

The simple joy of bright urban colors
(Toronto, Canada)

Loop-Bound

Steps leading up to the EL-Train
(Chicago, USA)

Like a Dream

Colors that make your head spin and heart sing (Havana, Cuba)

Painted Blue

The idyllic palette of Burano, Venice (Italy)

Spilling Splendour

Bougainvilleas blooming under the blue Portuguese sky (Lagos, Portugal)

Split Soul

There are two sides to everything (Montreal, Canada)

Sunday in Burano

Local life in a quiet 'Campiello' in Burano, Venice (Italy)

I have this thing with blue

Joy often resides in the tiniest details and a color that draws you in (Montreal)

Sunshine Portal

The cheerful effect of yellow and blue (Montreal, Canada)

Which would you choose?

I’d love to live in a turquoise palace (Havana, Cuba)

Got a favorite? Let me know in a comment!

If you're a color-loving soul like me, you'll love what awaits you in the shop. (But don't worry, there are many moody black and white options too).

From my heart to yours!

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10 Pops of red: Valentine inspiration

4/2/2018

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As I'm writing this, IT'S STILL SNOWING. Gah.

As Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and since we probably all need a pop of color in our wintery days, in this Monday's inspirational post I thought I'd share 10 photographs to start your week, instead of the usual five.

Here are 10 photographs with subtle pops of red.

Head to the shop or to Etsy to shop this post!

From my heart to yours.

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Your favorite wall art this season

11/10/2017

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The seasons are changing, and with it your projects, moods and color palette.

Now and then, I love to share with you which pieces of the collection are the bestsellers of the season. It's always fun for me to discover which scenes and colors catch your eye more than others, and how this changes over time. Some of your favorites seem to be carved in stone (you'll surely recognize these "signature pieces" because they're my favorites too!), but others sometimes take me by surprise.

Here are your top 20 favorite wall art pieces this season:

Which would you choose? (Havana, Cuba)

Bloom where unlikely (Montreal, Canada)

Converging Boats (Basque Country, Spain)

A Perfect Sunday Afternoon (Llandudno, Wales)

Afionas (Corfu, Greece)

Bicicletta (Riva del Garda, Italy)

Canarégio (Venice, Italy)

Colores de la Habana (Havana, Cuba)

On the Riverbend (Colchester, England)

Incomplete without you (Toronto, Canada)

Jacques-Cartier in Rain and Fog (Montreal, Canada)

Parked (Montreal, Canada)

Plateau Duo (Montreal, Canada)

No One Knows (Corfu, Greece)

Li Prisuddi (Puglia, Italy)

Painted Blue (Burano, Italy)

La Cubana (Havana, Cuba)

Rue Cherrier (Montreal, Canada)

Technopole (Montreal, Canada)

This Old Town (Montreal, Canada)

If any of these favorites inspired you, you could shop here or on Etsy, and as usual you have the option to choose between paper, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood as your finish of choice. Not sure about the options? Here is a handy visual summary!

From my heart to yours.

P.S. I hope we're connected on Instagram, 'cause that's where I share the most!

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Your places, my lens: Why I love custom requests

19/9/2017

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From Day One, my shop's motto has been "from my heart to yours", because of all the places, colors and moods I share with you in my words and photographs. But it especially comes from my heart when clients ask me whether I could take a particular photo of a place that means a lot to them.

When I first created my business, I knew that customization was an important feature of my art shop - I wanted you to find yourself, your travels, your dreams and decor tastes in my images and in all the options you could select to create a piece for your space. But I somehow didn't imagine that through connections and dialogues with you online and in person, I could also be asked to create photographs of places I had not captured yet before. A place you ask about obviously means something to you - and if it means something to you, it means something to me.

This summer, a client asked me whether I had photographs of two Montreal spots that were special to her family - the Farine Five Roses factory building and the clock tower at the Old Port.

These were two spots her late father adored, and she wanted prints of them in her home, to remind her of him daily.

These were two landmarks I had not yet photographed in a way that made me feel like adding them to my shop. It could partly be because I did not feel attached to them in a profound way, or also because I knew many other talented artists in our Montreal community had done such an amazing job at capturing them. But this client asked me to photograph these landmarks in my own style, because she loved the feeling of my work, and she wanted it to be meaningful in memory of her father. So, I set out to find my voice with these landmarks and to prepare a whole bunch of prints that she could then choose from.

When I showed her the scenes I had collected for her, she was touched. She loved the mood of one of the Farine Five Roses shots, and the composition of the photograph of the Clock Tower. "It's like it's pointing up at the sky, to my Dad," she wrote. That touched me so much, that I dedicated the print's caption (on the insert that accompanies each print) to her and her dad.

That is the beauty of creating something one-of-a-kind, something that touches someone's heart and represents a piece of their story. Moments like these make me feel really blessed to have this artistic outlet to inspire you. In turn, I am always astonished and grateful of how you inspire me in return, with your own vision, your own story and your words. Thank you for this gift.

Together, we put together a gallery wall of seven prints for this lovely client, the two commissions being unique to her wall, as they have not been added to my online shop.

Some of the other variations have been added to my art shop and my Etsy shop, and I will have them with me for the first time this weekend at the Etsy Fait au Quebec Montreal show.

An Unmistakable Sight | Vue incontournable

F5R

Tour d'horloge

Urban crossroads | Intersection urbaine

You may also opt for larger wall art on paper, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood.

If you'd like to connect, just leave a comment on this post! I'd love to hear from you.

From my heart to yours.

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Gondola

5/9/2017

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In my long history with Venice, it had never rained while I had been there – not a drop. When it did rain, I would always miss it. My train would pull into Santa Lucia to find only the faintest trace of rain; puddles and high waters. The damp marine air would greet me, and I would chase reflections, like a child holding onto something that did not exist.

If you are a Venice-lover like me, "Gondola" is waiting for you in my art shop on fine-art paper, metal, canvas, acrylic or wood.

From my heart to yours!

P.s. I am writing a book of travel stories and my favorite places. Sign up here for news.

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Sunday in Burano

5/9/2017

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One of your favorites, whether you are a traveller, dreamer or interior designer has always been "Sunday in Burano". The composition is balanced and the colors are gentle, and it fits harmoniously with a variety of decors.

I remember the day I stood in that piazza. It was a quiet October morning, sprinkled only with the sounds of church-bells, locals sweeping their doorsteps, kids kicking a soccer ball against walls and Italian voices engaged in quiet discussion. Since I was given my first camera, I have always loved photographing local life, especially when the scene has the quality of a painting. So, when I saw him cross the piazza, I had to reach for my lens. When I look at this photograph, I think of Venice, of my love for color, and my journey as a photographer.

I admit, it's one of MY favorites, too. ?

Find it in my shop on paper, canvas, metal, metal disks, acrylic or wood.

From my heart to yours!

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New in shop: The Havana collection

18/8/2017

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In case you missed it: I got to cross off a destination from my bucket-list!

I just returned from Havana, and shared my impressions in words and photographs of the city in my previous blog post.

And now, I'm extremely excited to launch my new Havana collection, which aims to convey the mood and raw beauty that La Habana radiates.

Here are the images that are new in shop, and which could be ordered on paper, canvas, metal, acrylic or wood.

Aging gracefully

Colores cubanos

Fidel

Dreaming in green

El Malecón

Maravillosa

La Cubana

The lady on Villegas

Hasta la victoria siempre

Perfect balance

A colorful life

Obispo

Lions of El Prado

Habana vieja

Deteriorating details

Canvas Doorway

Entreabierta

Out for a stroll

The way

Layers of beauty

Decay and delight

Colores de la Habana

Cuba libre

Look around, look within

Havana style

Like a dream

Melanconia

It's all in the details

Rústico

Hidden beauty

Paseo de Marti

Perfectly imperfect

Prado pleasures

Doorway details

Drawn to you

Which would you choose

Lines

Lavado de ropa

Che is Cuba

Shut the door, please

Ochre palette

Gentle shade

This collection really excites me, not only because I've always wanted to discover Havana, but also because of all the senses and feelings I aimed to capture forever.

The collection is not yet in my art shop or on Etsy. I’m offering FIRST PICK and 20% off to my VIPs until August 25th.

Not on my VIP list? You’re missing out. Join here.

From my heart to yours.

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Musings in La Habana

17/8/2017

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Certain places end up on our ‘bucket list’ without much warning. They’ve somehow always been there, like a thought whose source you can’t trace. They pull us – gently or hurriedly – until our plans materialize, until we speak the words out loud.

“We’re going to Havana.”

It was a somewhat spontaneous trip, but that doesn’t matter. It’s not really spontaneous if you’ve always wanted to go.

It was also a somewhat short trip, but that doesn’t matter either. If your eyes and heart are wide open, even a short trip can inspire you plenty, and give you that precious feeling of longing to return.

From my first moments in town, Havana asserted itself. It became clear to me that Havana is a mood.

Although some squares like the Plaza de la Catedral and the Plaza Vieja have a slight European feel, and some narrow lanes and charming balconies cause your mind to wander to thoughts of other cities you’ve been to, much of Havana is in a league of its own, with an undeniably distinct character.

I spent the morning hours strolling the streets of Habana Vieja. Having refrained from looking at too many photographs of Havana before it was my turn to stand there, I genuinely had no well-formed expectations. What was striking from the start, aside from the stifling summer heat, was how much there was to take in.

I can’t think of that many other cities where I have felt the urge to comb the streets – each street – unwilling to miss anything. Venice, of course. Amsterdam, for sure. And now, Havana pulled me up and down its grid of streets, defiantly pushing my limits of time, temperature and tiredness. I followed, in awe of the architecture, the vintage cars, the colors and the contrasts between efforts of restoration and piles of decay.

“Hola!” a female voice broke my awe-stricken gaze. I looked into an open doorway. In response to my eyes landing on hers, she pointed up. “Take a photo of that building,” she told me in Spanish. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Everyone likes to take a photo of that.”

Many locals seemed to have grown accustomed to seeing their city through tourists’ eyes. Right from early morning, the stage was set and they were in position, keen to earn something from your mere presence. They yearned to engage in conversation, offered cab rides and tips, eager to know where you were from, where you were headed, if you liked salsa music, if you cared anything about Hemingway and where he hung out. How the conversation proceeded depended on your answers to their prompts. But they were always kind, never invaded our space, and let us go our way when we were ready to move on.

In Old Havana, I noticed how the line between private and public was blurred. Open doorways revealed staircases that were as eerie as they were inviting. Other open doors offered glimpses into living spaces, dark and cool shelters from the beating sun. Some families happily called out to us from their windows, while other locals sat on their doorstep and offered a silent nod as we passed by.

We walked and walked as the hours silently slipped by, and I took notes of my feelings and observations with my lens. My senses were overloaded. The color palette was enough to make skeptics dream – with its turquoises and pastels and ochres and crimsons and blues. The mixed textures of faded paint attracted my eye even more than any intentional street art. As the sun rose higher, sounds of music livened the air, intoxicating us with a rhythm impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, the nose was busy assigning meaning to various wafts of appetizing street food, enticing scents from fresh produce markets, the sweet perfume of churros, the heavy exhaust from vintage cars, and the stench of sewage and garbage – all of which fiercely competed with the other at every street corner. I watched life unfold amidst this flurry of senses, as locals went about their daily business, while dogs explored the streets, and cats hid from the sun in whatever shade they could find.

I finally found myself on the Malecón – the sea-wall promenade that is so beloved to locals and foreigners alike that everyone seems to love saying its name. The buildings facing the sea were surprisingly run-down, but authentic in their raw account of time. The sea was still when we were there – it had no interest in challenging the boundary that had been delineated to constrain it. Suddenly, we found ourselves standing in the middle of an informal baseball game, in the precarious position behind the batter. As the youths played below, an elderly man watched from above, standing in the only open doorway of a series of charmingly decaying houses.

Havana is aging gracefully, I thought, as I pondered its complex relationship with time. Parts of it are encapsulated in their own microuniverse, while others are unimmune to deterioration. The past is tightly interwoven with the present and future, through countless traces of Che and Fidel – two pillars of Cuban society that continue to watch over their people from both fading murals and kitschy souvenirs.

I grew fascinated by the contrasts and ironies that stood at every turn. A beautiful façade flanked another in shambles, its near-perfection antagonizing the skeleton that guarded a lifeless pile of fallen stones. The governmental buildings and hotels stood polished, intruders in the fabric of the city. The double currency of the place legalized a sort of double-standard that is hard to fully grasp the ins and outs of – on the one hand, poverty, and on the other, a currency that is at par with the American dollar. Cars that are the unthinkable dreams for aficionados back home and a delight for tourists are merely a consequence of the regime that Cubans had no choice but to abide by, even if it meant having to improvise innovative solutions to maintain them.

Locals shared snippets of their lives in conversation, explaining how there were some towns where they were allowed to work and others where they were not, describing their work hours and what they did in their time off. As I listened and watched, I wondered what it really means to live in Cuba, and how a change in leadership might affect Havana’s fate in years to come.

These impressions are what I hope to have captured in my Havana collection. The colors and textures, contrasts and ironies, rawness and authenticity, candor and simplicity, past and present, and that feeling of overwhelmed senses.

All that makes up the special mood that is Habana.

To see which of these photographs made it into the all new Havana collection, check out this post.

You may have noticed that the collection is not yet in my art shop or on Etsy. I’m offering FIRST PICK, full customization of size and medium (paper, acrylic, canvas, wood or metal) and 20% off to my VIPs until August 25th.

Not on my VIP list? You’re missing out. Join here.

From my heart to yours.

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The Immovable Sea

Peggy of the Cove

Never Really Still

Hold On

The Great Cape

​Faith in Fair Weather

Hot Summer Wind

Simplicity

Low Tide at the Bay

Just Be

The Day's Promise

Restlessness

Trust the Path

Tangled

On their Bellies

Rain on the Vineyard

Navy Blue (Me & You)

La Primavera

Agios Stefanos

Colores de la Habana

It's all in the details

Aging Gracefully

Adriatica

Afionas

Converging Boats

In a Fairytale

Fede

Havana Style

Juxtaposed

Loop-Bound

Like a Dream

Painted Blue

Spilling Splendour

Split Soul

Sunday in Burano

I have this thing with blue

Sunshine Portal

Which would you choose?

Which would you choose? (Havana, Cuba)

​Bloom where unlikely (Montreal, Canada)

Converging Boats (Basque Country, Spain)

A Perfect Sunday Afternoon (Llandudno, Wales)

Afionas (Corfu, Greece)

Bicicletta (Riva del Garda, Italy)

Canarégio (Venice, Italy)

Colores de la Habana (Havana, Cuba)

On the Riverbend (Colchester, England)

Incomplete without you (Toronto, Canada)

​Jacques-Cartier in Rain and Fog (Montreal, Canada)

Parked (Montreal, Canada)

Plateau Duo (Montreal, Canada)

No One Knows (Corfu, Greece)

Li Prisuddi (Puglia, Italy)

Painted Blue (Burano, Italy)

La Cubana (Havana, Cuba)

Rue Cherrier (Montreal, Canada)

Technopole (Montreal, Canada)

This Old Town (Montreal, Canada)

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Aging gracefully

Colores cubanos

Fidel

Dreaming in green

El Malecón

Maravillosa

La Cubana

The lady on Villegas

Hasta la victoria siempre

Perfect balance

A colorful life

Obispo

Lions of El Prado

Habana vieja

Deteriorating details

Canvas Doorway

Entreabierta

Out for a stroll

The way

Layers of beauty

Decay and delight

Faith in Fair Weather

Bloom where unlikely (Montreal, Canada)

Jacques-Cartier in Rain and Fog (Montreal, Canada)

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Kristina Kasparian