#UInspire - Blessed Hands Inspired By Art, Photography, Knitting, Life

 

I am so inspired by Kathy’s beautiful spirit and light and also by her many talents. And I am happy to call her friend. She is peaceful, wise, witty and fun. I once shared with someone that she is my Maya Angelou. {No pressure there Kathy 😃❤}

{Knitting and Photography by Kathy}

 

Name: Kathy                       

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

TLC: What initially inspired your love for the arts; drawing, photography and knitting?

Kathy: It amazes me how subtle the seed voice can be, but over the years I’ve learned how to detect silent threads that lead to huge passions. I believe that they are an aspect of the spiritual path- a process of our unfolding. We are innately drawn to beauty and an essential part of the human experience is creating beauty. Rumi said ” Let the beauty we love, be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground” As a child we do this naturally-there are no filters. When I look back on my life I can see that my desire to have the largest set of crayons and a ridiculous amount of coloring books was a gateway into art. My fascination with string games (cats cradle) was a gateway into knitting. My love for photography came much later. I didn’t even see the signs for this one. I just walked into a camera shop with my first humble paycheck from my first humble job and bought a 35mm camera. I worked in New York city at the time and would spend hours photographing people in Washington Square Park.

 

TLC: How long have you enjoyed knitting, drawing and photography?

Kathy: I have been knitting and crocheting since I was 8 years old. It has led me into various branches of the fiber arts-sewing, surface design, embroidery, improvisational patchwork and weaving. My love for photography really began to blossom when digital devices came on the market. I soon began a knitting blog ,”The Fifth Wondrous Place” (http://katnap.wordpress.com)  and naturally photography became a companion to writing, art and knitting. Drawing had been a back burner occupation that went briefly in and out of my life, but an undercurrent fire was always burning. I loved visiting museums and art stores (even though I never bought anything nor had any knowledge of how to use all those luscious colors) At the age of 50 I heard an inner voice say ” draw” , which has led to an intense 5 year love affair with charcoal, graphite, paint and paper.

 

TLC: Do you have a favorite subject that you like to photograph? Draw?

Kathy: My favorite subject to draw is the portrait. On a more subtle level, I would say that I like to draw the soul resting behind the face. I photograph EVERYthing, but there are a ton of pictures of my cat, because she is always around and can stay in one place for hours. In general I love photographing light.

 

 

TLC: Is there anything you find challenging about being a photographer? Illustrator? Knitting? How do you overcome each of the challenges (if any)?

Kathy: There are a ton of challenges and a multitude of things to learn in all three of these crafts. They all require patience and technical skill. I am not a “gifted” artist, but I am passionate about art and have an insatiable curiosity. As a child my pictures looked like the rest of the class-nothing special going on there : ) Passion and patience are the two companions that get me through every challenge. Also, there is always something in the back of my head saying, “You can DO this!”

 

TLC: Is there a favorite quote or saying that inspires you during these challenges? 

Kathy: Knitting is a repetitive inherently rhythmic and easily lends itself to mantra practice. When knitting gifts, I often say healing mantras with each stitch. The garments I give to friends are visible forms of prayer. For further examples of my knitting you can visit my project notebook on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Katnip

Photography and drawing are more personal tools of expression that I use to communicate the truth of what I see and feel. They also fine tune my eyes and heart to see the interconnection of all things and the beauty of Spirit.

TLC: Is there anything else you would like to share with The LOVE Channel?

Kathy: The light in this photograph reminds me of a Buddhist concept that states that through-out our life, we are all held perpetually in a golden light. It supports all we do. The name of my blog, “The Fifth Wondrous Place”, is a reference to the fertile ground in Buddhist mythology where we come into our fullest potential. It is where we “Let our life force bloom.” I am an enabler of the creative spirit in everyone I meet and would like to leave your audience with this sentiment. Listen to your inner cues. Sometimes it speaks loudly, sometimes, as in my case, it is a quiet voice. You never know where your passion will take you. The path of progress is not always straight. It is a dance of 5 steps back, 8 steps forward. Do not be discouraged. Let your passion override your fear and NEVER underestimate what you can and cannot do.

 

My heart and soul are enlightened and I feel the freedom to be. Thank you friend for sharing your love and wisdom. Kathy #UInspire ❤

 

Be sure to check out Kathy’s blog at https://katnap.wordpress.com and visit her project notebook at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Katnip