Katrina - The Unfinished Artist

Background

Katrina is a 33-year-old woman, born on April 18, 2074, in the city of Bellagio, near Lake Como. Her parents were originally from Venice, but climate change and the sudden rise in water levels due to glacier melting forced them to move.

Fortunately, they had acquaintances living near Lake Como, which had not yet been affected by this environmental change. By chance, they settled there. With villages and cities sinking underwater and streets flooding at the slightest rain, residents are forced to move and seek refuge elsewhere. This leads to mass migrations and increased overcrowding in some key cities, particularly in Rome, the capital, where the exodus created real chaos in the early 2070s.

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Katrina, still in her mother's womb, arrived comfortably in Bellagio and spent her entire childhood and a significant part of her life there, almost half of it. While traversing the city streets, she often scraped her knees and stumbled down the stairs of the old neighborhood. The old buildings deteriorated rapidly, and the air quality was not the most pleasant. For an infant and later a child, living in these aging neighborhoods while experiencing the effects of the climate seemed to have caused Katrina a certain respiratory weakness. For her parents and herself, one could say, "that's life." But in reality, these dust microparticles clearly affected her and had many repercussions on her life later on.

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As a child, she lived day by day, not asking too many questions, hindered by her habits. Almost every evening after school, from middle school to high school, she observed, leaning on a stone bench, a gathering of elderly ladies who painted and laughed. Katrina also wanted to try her hand at art! One day, Carla De Giulia, the artist-instructor, noticed young Katrina's mesmerized eyes at the window. She must have been 9 years old when she took her first drawing and painting classes.

Observing the women painting in a circle around a common theme, Katrina ardently drew them from the back of the studio. Pencil in hand and loose sheets of paper became Katrina's daily routine. She was a good student, but above all, she wanted to become an artist. Seeing all these passionate and fascinating women, helping and revealing themselves through their paintings, Katrina had found her path. She wanted to unveil herself to the world, to show and express her sensitivity. Without being arrogant, she felt something inside her.

Perhaps she was different? Suddenly, she felt special.

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She continued on this path and took advantage of the art studio to refine her techniques. Eventually, she joined the Fine Arts of Rome at the age of 19, in 2093. Her art was refined and elegant, even precious according to some Fine Arts professors. But despite her abilities, she never reached her full potential and preferred to stop before rejoining her family in Bellagio in 2095. She had enjoyed Rome a lot, but it was time for her to spread her wings. Despite lacking a diploma, she showcased her work in numerous different art galleries and built a strong network, allowing her to live off her passion from that same year.

Travels and Encounters

From 2095 onwards, Katrina embarked on numerous journeys around the world to showcase her artworks in art galleries, exhibit them, or meet client expectations. It was during one of these occasions that she encountered Federico. She was on a mission in Napoli to paint an impressionistic mural in the Via Veneto district. Although she knew the city for its progressive and innovative side, it wasn't her true passion. Nevertheless, she was happy to discover some picturesque neighborhoods that reminded her of Bellagio.

However, Katrina's parents both had a company focused on robotics research, and she naturally had to take an interest in it. It was through this company that she supplemented her income by working on the digital communication of the enterprise.

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That evening, Katrina remembers as if it were yesterday. A handsome man approached her, complimented her work, addressing a theme dear to her. Unintentionally, Federico confessed to her that he sensed a certain sensitivity in her work and painting style. "I really like what you're doing; it reminds me of Monet! You know him, I assume?" queried Federico. Of course, Katrina knew him. She had fully immersed herself in the atmosphere of Monet's house in Giverny, France, before returning to Italy.

Her heart beat faster and more intensely. As a sensitive artist, she felt this sensation deeply and, upon analysis, concluded it was a good sign. Federico had something extra. An ambition, a certain knowledge, and a hidden sensitivity that she felt unfolding. Deep down, she thought that this man had made an effort to open up, and that touched her. Katrina was an observant person, with unshakable composure, Olympian calm, and undeniable delicacy.

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They got to know each other better through late-night calls, continuous messages, and photos from their respective travels. Their shared pleasure was to video call and give each other a tour of their hotel rooms, sharing their day and "judging" the comfort of their space. It wasn't much, but it was enough for them to love each other more each day. Finally, in 2098, after two years of a long-distance relationship, they decided to settle in Napoli, Federico's hometown and the place they deemed conducive to achieving their goals. Katrina was ready to do anything for Federico, ready to help him reach his goal and become the powerful and innovative researcher he aspired to be.

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They prepared everything together and created their joint venture: Mente Scope. Katrina assisted Federico, providing an external perspective and guiding him in his choices. Federico's impulsive and impatient temperament contrasted with hers, allowing him to always have a fresh perspective and a new course of action. Their business was a success, opportunities presented themselves, and they became iconic figures in the Bay of Napoli. Katrina gradually returned to painting when she distanced herself from the media. She needed time for herself, feeling her health decline and her precision decrease.

From 2103 onwards, she dedicated very little time to Mente Scope's affairs to focus on herself and her artworks. Of course, she still provided directives and empathetic analyses of what competitors were doing, but it was less frequent...

Present and Ending

It was finally at the end of the year 2106 that her health declined, and she lost all hope. She had accepted her fate and wished to leave, to no longer suffer and not to inflict pain on Federico by showing him her condition. She became increasingly weak, increasingly thin, less and less... present.

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Between her quest for glory to revive the Mente Scope company from the decline it had experienced and her relentless research to find a way to cure her wife, to give her more time, Federico and Katrina saw each other very rarely. But for her, it was clear... She was going to die this year.

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Her only regret was not being able to finish her painting representing their wedding venue... The painting still had to wait and be suspended in her studio at Isola Festival.

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However, Katrina now leaves in peace.

She would have loved to have her husband by her side for a longer time, but that's how life goes, she thought. She had well understood that, the first night they met at Via Veneto, that Federico was a passionate man... More sensitive than he let on, and that one day he would be overwhelmed by his emotions.