KARA K. BIGDA

Fall Open Studio

2018-10-04T01:00:00.000-04:00

Well hello again. So I never really got things going on my new blog location. I can't seem to figure things out . . . I'm not feeling too tech savvy these days. And besides, blogger has just been so easy to manage. So I guess I will not be leaving any time soon and thus, I will try to update this blog like I used to. I really kind of just gave up after I mentioned that I'd be moving. And besides, it wasn't too easy to update from my phone! What's up with that?

So anyhoo . . . I'm hosting my annual Fall Open Studio on October 20th and 21st. If you are local, I hope you will stop by. Lots of new paintings . . . I'll be posting them here in the weeks to come.

I'm Moving!

2018-05-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Hello all, I've decided to move my blog over to my website account. That way everything will be in one place and I can update it from my phone when I need to.

I'm a little sad to leave blogger -- it's been very good to me and I really like how user-friendly it is but sometimes one just has to move on. I hope you understand.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and hope that you will all join me at my new cyber-location:

https://www.karakbigda.com/blog

See you at the new digs!

Belchertown Art Walk

2018-04-27T14:13:00.001-04:00

I will be at the Belchertown Town Hall from 1 to 4 pm, tomorrow, Saturday, April 28th as part of the Quabbin Art Association's participation in the Belchertown Art Walk. If you are out and about . . . come visit! I will be painting and have a few items for sale and display.

Happy Friday!

When I'm Not Painting

2018-04-25T17:11:00.001-04:00

I made reference recently to the fact that I struggle with marketing and keeping up with all the "other" stuff that goes along with running an art business: like blogging, posting to social media, entering shows, writing newsletters, etc. I often set a schedule only to follow it for a short time and ditch it after a while.

So here I am, once again, arranging an editorial calendar and organizing my business responsibilities for myself so that I can maintain more consistency in my bookkeeping and marketing efforts. I have some great mentors in this arena and am hopeful that I can improve my organization and follow-through. Sometimes it's hard to be me. Ha!

What part of your art business do you struggle with?

New Braintree Sap

2018-04-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

"New Braintree Sap"
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. Good grief! As you well know, my consistency with blogging isn't always the best. Marketing and social media maintenance is my Achilles heel with regards to my art business. For me, the painting is the most comfortable part. While I enjoy posting, keeping up with it and "marketing" is tough for me. I have to really work at efficiently scheduling my time and when life gets in the way, it's the first thing that suffers. Just know that I will forever be working at this because I guess it's "just how I roll." Ha!

That being said, even though some of my priorities have been shifted the past few weeks, I managed to finish a couple paintings and enter some shows. I'm also working on a solo exhibit that I'll be having this summer. I'll let you know more about that soon.

So . . . for now I'm sharing with you my new painting, "New Braintree Sap" and I'm excited to say that it's already found a "forever home." I'm so lucky to have such wonderful collectors.

Have a great start to your week!

Doggy Paddlin'

2018-04-04T00:30:00.000-04:00

"Doggy Paddlin'"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on clayboard)
$275

I finally finished this little painting yesterday so that I could hang it in a local exhibit at the Palmer Library in Palmer, Massachusetts. It is part of the Library's Community Collaborative "Rivers" Art Exhibit. A reception is scheduled for Wednesday night from 5:00 - 6:30 pm with a poetry reading event following from 6:30 - 8:00. You can find more information here if you are interested in attending. It should be a lovely event.

Have a great day!

Tomato Progress ...

2018-04-03T20:17:00.001-04:00

I've been a little remiss at posting . . . my goal is to post 2-3 times a week, but I don't always do it. Ugh. I thought you might like to see how this painting is shaping up. I'm still not done, but it's close. Lots and lots of layers.

Have a delightful day and enjoy the groovy music!

Portfolio Review

2018-03-20T12:32:00.000-04:00

I spent some time recently revising and re-designing my Artist's Statement, Biography, and c.v. so that they all reflect my new brand. I needed to do this and the fact that I was going to be attending my first Portfolio Review last weekend hosted by the Cambridge Art Association at the Lesley University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts presented me with the necessary deadline.

I had never participated in a Portfolio Review and was a little nervous as I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. But it proved to be a great experience. I met with three reviewers, two individuals from local museums and one gallery owner. My reviews were a mixed bag with some overlap but all very helpful. I found that I "clicked" most with a gallery owner who's basic outlook on art seemed to match mine, which is probably a more pragmatic, business point of view. I mean, I have an appreciation for making art that feeds one's soul, but let's face it, I gotta eat. For me, painting what I love is paramount, and improving my skills as a painter and editor of subjects and how they are conveyed is important to me. Lucky for me I've been able to connect with my many collectors who share this appreciation for and my depictions of, the simplicities of life. They have purchased my painting, supporting me in this wacky endeavor to document my time in history, for which I am extremely grateful. Overall, I left the review feeling encouraged, inspired and ready to take the next steps necessary for gaining more exposure.

Cambridge Art Association did a wonderful job hosting this event and preparing artists through a Portfolio Review Preparation Workshop a couple weeks before.

Below is a little slideshow that I put together of the work I showed at my reviews. Thank you for following me on this journey! Now I better get back to my drawing board!!

Big Tomatoes

2018-03-16T00:30:00.000-04:00

"Big Tomatoes" - work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

We're getting there! Hope to have this one finished up very soon. Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.

Making Some Progress

2018-03-14T11:24:00.000-04:00

"New Braintree Sap" - work-in-progress
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

Well we received some more snow here in the Northeast yesterday. Hard to imagine that spring is on its way. Good grief! But a snowday makes for a good painting day. Here are my works-in-progress.

work-in-progress
14" x 11"
watercolor on clayboard

"Big Tomatoes" - work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

Have a great day!

New Ones

2018-03-12T00:30:00.000-04:00

work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

I was absent from the blog last week, but I was busy in the studio. In the midst of finishing up old paintings I began some new ones.

The first is a 24" x 24" painting of tomatoes. My first version of this composition was on some kind of illustration board many years ago and although I was close to finishing it, I just didn't like the way the board was taking the watercolor. So I scrapped it. Then I painted a smaller version on watercolor paper -- I think around 10" x 10" -- of the same colander with tomatoes, a few years later. However I knew I always wanted to do this painting bigger than life. So I decided to jump in last week on the clayboard. I'm looking forward to sharing my progress with you ... and I can't wait to see what it's like all done!

Last week I also decided to turn my sap bucket sketch into a larger painting on clayboard. I so love painting on this surface!

New Braintree Sap - wip
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

Lastly, I drew out three white pitchers. I'm much further along on this one, but you'll just have to wait to see . . .

work-in-progress
11" x 14"
watercolor on aquabord

Happy Monday -- have a great start to your week!

Sketching Spring

2018-03-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

sap bucket - sketch
watercolor on paper

Well, technically it's not spring yet here in the Northeast, but it's been brilliant like spring so I'm going with it. The sap buckets are out and the light was just right as I drove by the other day, so I snapped some photos. I want to practice more on my trees, so this seemed like the right subject. I think I'll do a larger painting of this on clayboard.

Have a great day!

pasted into my sketchbook

Cutler Road - sketch
watercolor on paper

Grape Demo

2018-02-26T01:00:00.000-05:00

wip
watercolor on clayboard

Thursdays are my teaching days here in the studio. Most of the time my students work on independent projects and I guide them and (hopefully) help them when they need it. Sometimes though, they all decide they want to paint something together. Last week we began this little 6" x 6" painting of grapes on clayboard. I did a little more work on it over the weekend and videotaped my process, so stay tuned!

Have a great start to your week!

Pasted

2018-02-23T10:12:00.002-05:00

I decided to paste this little sketch into my watercolor sketchbook for reference. I don't keep a regular sketchbook but am once again trying to get into the habit as I'm always impressed when I see others' books. They're so inspiring and sketching in general is just a good way to practice skills.

So I will once again, try to do more sketching. I can't promise I will, but I'm going to try. Do you keep a sketchbook? How often do you sketch? What kinds of things do you sketch . . . and how much time do you devote to sketching? I'd love to read your responses!

Cutler Road sketch
8" x 8"
(watercolor on paper)

Happy Friday, Happy Sketching, and Have a great weekend!

Trees and Time-Lapse

2018-02-21T20:39:00.005-05:00

I worked on this little sketch today. It's on an Arches hot-pressed watercolor block. Paper is not my favorite to paint on, but it's always good to practice. Trees are a challenge for me, so I decided to give them a little time today.

I've also been messing around with my new iPhone. I've never owned one (crazy, I know). But I broke down and got one about a month ago and have been having a lot of fun taking photos, and planning out animated Instagram posts not to mention some stop-animation video of my Fisher Price Little People. My time-lapse of today's sketch is below . . . enjoy the funky jams. Ha!

Happy painting and I'm heading back to the drawing board!

Work-In-Progress

2018-02-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

work-in-progress
12" x 12"
(watercolor on clayboard)

I was recently reminded how important critique is. A dear friend and fellow artist came for a visit and as usual we got around to talking "art." We were in my studio and I was voicing my plans for future paintings and what I hope to accomplish and achieve with regards to my artistic growth. It was so enlightening to hear an objective perspective and she helped me clarify what things I need to work on to strengthen my work going forward, putting words to my feelings; giving me a concrete path to follow.

We spoke in generalities and then specifically about this painting, which has been vexing me for a few days now. I'm looking forward to applying the direction I received and excited to execute what we talked about and finally finish this painting!

I was reminded that my paintings aren't the only "works-in-progress" in the studio.

detail

Have a great start to your week!

The Crush -- Happy Valentine's Day!

2018-02-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

"The Crush"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on clayboard)

Aaahhh . . . remember the days of school Valentine's? The doily-decorated box of valentines in the back of the room and the party at the end of the day. I always had chips and popcorn stuck to the frosting on my cupcake that I'd stuff in a bag to bring home for later. Ha!

For all intents and purposes I'm calling this one done. I'll probably tweak it a bit, but will have it up for sale on my site in a day or so. Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!

No Travel Today

2018-02-12T10:11:00.000-05:00

"Blueberries Revisited" - SOLD
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I thought I was going to be traveling to Concord today to pick up my painting from the Concord Art Association's Members Juried Show, but I was informed last week that "Blueberries Revisited" sold! A big thank you to my new collectors and to the Concord Art Association for including this little painting in their show.

Wishing you all a good week . . . I am off to paint!

Church Street Progress

2018-02-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

4 1/2 Church Street - wip

Just giving you a little update. It's shaping up nicely I think. Still have plenty of work to do though.

Revisiting Old Paintings

2018-02-07T00:57:00.003-05:00

wips

I don't know about you, but I have plenty of paintings laying around the studio that I need to finish. So I am slowly working my way through them, while of course still starting some new ones. (Ha! I just can't help myself.)

4 1/2 Church St. - wip
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

This is my first night scene. I started it sometime ago but abandoned it because it looked so lousy. But I'm back at it . . . trying to get it to a place that satisfies me. So far so good, I feel like it may come together after all.

Thanks for stopping by.

All "Dressed Up" With Somewhere To Go

2018-02-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

"Dressed Up"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

This little ditty will soon be heading to its "forever home." I enjoy painting packaging and this one was no exception. This commission is joining five other paintings I painted for this collector last year. I'm sure it will fit right in. Here's the rest of "the family."

Many thanks to my collector. This was such a fun series to paint!

Have a terrific weekend.

The Crush (cont'd)

2018-01-31T00:30:00.000-05:00

"The Crush" - wip
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I made a little more progress on this last week and hope to finish it up this week. Stay tuned . . .

Nora

2018-01-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

"Nora"
8" x 10"
(watercolor on aquabord)

While this little lady is no longer here on earth, I'm sure she is spending time in doggy heaven looking down upon her mom and still protecting her. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to paint Nora -- many thanks to my collector. This one was a pure joy to paint.

Have a great start to your week!

"The Crush" . . . the beginning phase

2018-01-26T00:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, while doing some shooting for the RHOFP (Real Housewives of Fisher Price) I decided to take a break and plan out a new Valentine's Day painting. No time like the present for killing two birds with one stone: next year's calendar and this year's Valentine painting. Below is a behind-the-scenes at my photoshoot...

and the new work-in-progress.

"The Crush" - wip
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Enjoy your day!

Flying By The Seat Of My Pants

2018-01-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

Happiness is . . . a vintage Fisher Price toy collection!
(Although for all you purists, this is the Playskool McDonald's)

I tend to like routine and plans but for a little over a year now I've had some life things get in the way. Nothing bad, just the way things go sometimes. I'm sure you all understand. And in the midst of tending to unexpected life events I decided I still must focus more on my art career and not let the momentum I've worked so hard to achieve, slow down. That means staying consistent . . . which can be really difficult when life gets in the way.

Part of that consistency includes marketing and consciously setting time aside to devote to just that, something I've never really done. (While I have a love affair with routine, I often have a tough time sticking to it). It takes loads of discipline, something I've always struggled with.

And part of my new marketing plan is a new instagram account: "Real Housewives of Fisher Price." (There really is a method to my madness, even though this seems completely random!)

I've created a crazy cast of characters with storylines a la "Real Housewives" and have been posting little "episodes" for a couple of weeks, I hope you will check it out. I've also created a new Facebook page for the #RHOFP which you can access here. It's fun and challenging and different. But most of all, it takes time and while I try to stay disciplined and ahead of the game, somedays I still find myself flying by the seat of my pants!