Artistic Beginnings: Why I Started my First Blog
Hello!
Welcome to the start of The Emerging Eye, a blog dedicated to emerging artists and those interested in the arts!
My name is Caterina! I am a fine art photographer and artist living in Providence, RI.
I always enjoyed writing as a child and often would write in journals or the note app on my phone. However, I felt insecure about sharing those words with others. But now, here I am - an artist creating a blog purely out of joy for creativity and exposing others to what they can find within themselves too! What better way to combine my passion for photography and writing? Here you will find my journey as an artist and updates about my latest work and the art world around me.
How I got here…
From an early age, art has always been close to my heart. I was born to a mother who loved singing opera and an Italian father who cherished life. I was first introduced to art through music and the performing arts because my mom worked for Opera Providence. My sisters and I would always attend shows at the Providence Performing Arts Center and accompany her when she sang at the Providence Christmas tree lighting. I remember those nights vividly: dressing rooms filled with makeup and gorgeous gowns, never-ending popcorn, and not understanding what the performers were singing. If I had to pinpoint my first introduction to life as an artist, she would have to be it. However, I may have to give my father more credit for instilling my main passion - introducing me to photography.
Growing up, I loved listening to the stories my dad would tell my sisters and me about his backpacking trips around Europe on a motorcycle. He also told us about his adventures in Madagascar, Peru, and Bolivia. His stories included hilarious, very detailed renditions of his experiences. (Like how he once was spat on by camels after feeding them chocolate). Within these stories, he had his film camera with him, taking pictures of all his experiences. And though he wasn’t a professional photographer, I could see pieces of an artist within him when I began to digitize his color slides about five years later.
From these stories, my passion grew. I was gifted my first 35mm camera, a Nikon N65, by my dad. From that day forward, I would walk around the woods near my house and take pictures of everything. I had no concept of what a high-quality photograph was or what I was even photographing at this point. But I knew I liked the action of exploring with a camera.
When I finally got to high school, I began to think about how I wanted my life to look. I felt pressured to pick a job that would make me a lot of money, but that path was not for me. I wanted a life that allowed me to create freely and follow my passions.
I was anxious when I told my parents I wanted to attend art school and not apply to any state schools. My mom was my biggest supporter, connecting me with anyone she knew in the art world. That was my mom, the master networker. I sometimes think she put so much emphasis on this dream of mine because hers was not quite what she wanted it to be. She made it so that I understood what pursuing a career in the arts entailed. It was not a glamorous lifestyle but required constant networking and hustle. Finding success on your own is difficult. It is rarely handed to you.
In 2016 I was accepted into the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, MA for fine art photography. The school that would ultimately shape and mold the photographer I am today.
In the present day, I live with a few friends and my two cats in Providence, Rhode Island. I work at Worcester State University as their Photo Lab Technician, managing their Digital and Darkroom lab, and starting this blog!
With this blog, I want to share all the tips, tricks, and stories surrounding the arts! The goal is to provide advice on life as an artist, share some Adobe Photoshop tutorials, and explore the art world around me. I hope to visit various gallery events and artist studios and discuss the artist experience. This blog is for artists like me, those trying to make it and figure out how it works, and those interested in the arts. I want to facilitate a place of learning and exploring, where one feels like this is a world they can tap into.
Every month, I will provide you with 1-2 articles. The first article will be published on the first Friday, and the second will be posted on the third Friday.
As I continue to blog, if you like what you read, please leave a comment, like, and/or share it on your social media!
And if you have any questions, suggestions on topics, or an interesting exhibition Caterina should check out please feel free to leave them in the comments or email her at caterinamainaphotography@gmail.com!
Looking forward to getting started with you all! Thank you all for joining me on this journey <3
Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at Blick, Amazon, and Red River Catalog. By purchasing anything using these links, Caterina may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps her produce content and continue her creative endeavors. Many thanks for your support. She will never share or promote something she does not 100% recommend. And if you want to support in any other way you can click on the button below! <3
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