With her photographer’s eye drawn to color, patterns and light, Vicki Hone Smith seeks to discover the quieter, hidden side of the places where she travels. An exhibit of her work will be shown at Pogacha of Issaquah and Pogacha of Bellevue.

Four years ago, Hone Smith and her sister embarked on a sentimental and retrospective journey to discover the places her father had documented in a photo journal he kept as a U.S. Army officer stationed in Italy during WWII. These photographs from her trip to Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, Rome and Venice, titled “The Allure of Italy,” will be displayed July 17 to August 28 at Pogacha of Issaquah, 120 NW Gilman Blvd.

Last May, the Edmonds resident returned to Venice on another artistic journey, this time with a mission to stray from the crowds of tourists and show the quieter side of Venice.

The photographs from her most recent trip to Venice, which included Burano and Verona, titled “Venice: Quiet Reflections,” will be displayed at Pogacha of Bellevue, 119 106th Ave NE, Aug. 28 through Oct. 9, 2010. The artist will hold a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Pogacha of Bellevue.

“Venice is so rich in history and unique with its Grand Canal lined with palaces dating from the 13th century,” Hone Smith said. “It is vibrant and always in motion with tourists and boat traffic. But there is so much more to Venice when you get off the beaten path. That’s the Venice I wanted to discover and capture in my photos.”

Hone Smith has been capturing moments and images on camera since age 9. She studied art in college and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from California State University at Long Beach.

More information about Hone Smith’s exhibit and Pogacha restaurants is available at 425-392-5550 or www.pogacha.com.