Throwback Thursday -- "Nantucket Christmas"

"Nantucket Christmas"
9.25" x 5.5"
(matted and framed watercolor on paper)
$185

Click here to purchase.

This painting served as one of my Christmas cards last year.  This year I'm hoping that the original painting will find a good home so I can make room in the studio for some new paintings.  As a little extra gift, I will throw in a box of 10 of "Deerfield Wreath," this year's cards, with the purchase of this painting.

"Deerfield Wreath"
2017

`Tis the season and thank you for all your kind comments and support throughout the year.

Onto The Next!

"Cape Cod Pumpkins" - work in progress - watercolor on aquabord

After cutting a piece of aquabord for my last painting "Cape Cod Roses" I had another long, thin board left.  Luckily I had another composition at the ready.  I started "Cape Cod Pumpkins" last week.  Hope you all had a blessed Easter. 

Cape Cod Roses

"Cape Cod Roses" - 7" x 11" - watercolor on aquabord

Good evening.  I think I'm done with his one.  I'll be posting it on DPW in the next few days.  I just want it to set a bit just to make sure I don't have any more adjustments.  I'll be selling it framed.  The image below is the actual frame, (although it looks like the painting is a little crooked in the frame, however I assure you, it is not in real life.)  :)

I really like these frames from www.customframesolutions.com.  If you haven't ever used them, you should give them a try.  I find their frames very reasonable.  And you can join their wholesale club for even greater savings, if you find you are ordering a lot during the year.

Anyway . . . to those who celebrate, I hope you all have a joyous and blessed Easter . . . and to those of you who don't - have a great weekend!  :)

This is how this painting will come framed and ready to hang!

Cape Cod Roses - Progess

work-in-progress - 11" x 7" - watercolor on aquabord

A little more progress on my painting, "Cape Cod Roses."  Hoping to finish this one up this week.  Thank you for stopping by!

We Have a Winner!

"Little Brown Jug" will be heading to it's forever home today and Carolyn Pappas is our winner!

Many thanks to all of you for participating in my "1000 Likes" drawing and for encouraging me all these years. I'm truly blessed to be able to do what I do and with so much kindness and support.

Below is a new painting I began last week.  I have so much to work on this week . . . lots to finish up and then there are so many more paintings I want to paint.  Have a great day!

work-in-progress - 11" x 7" - watercolor on aquabord

Christmas?!

"Nantucket Christmas"
9.25" x 5.5"
(watercolor on paper)

Click here to bid.

What am I thinking?!  I can't say I'm looking forward to winter, but I am looking forward, preparing for my 2015 Christmas cards.  So this is my first design for this year.  My Thursday morning ladies inspired me . . . the "beachy" window was their idea.  I'm so lucky to have such creative students!  

I haven't yet come up with the inside sentiment, but if you'd like more information about getting a jump on the holidays and ordering cards, please email me kkoz517@charter.net.  

2015 Christmas card - before folding
5.5" x 4.25"

(what this painting could look like when framed)

Nantucket Window

"Nantucket Window"
8.75" x 5.5"
watercolor on paper

Click here to bid.

`Tis the season for beautiful blue hydrangea and Cape Cod!!  This is a little painting I did of a window from a home on Nantucket.  Thank you for viewing my work and have a great day!

(what this painting could look like when framed)

Auction

"Window Shadows"
10.25" x 5"
watercolor on paper

Click here to bid.  Starting bid:  $75

What is it about my love for windows and doors?  :)  Even though this is more of a study, I thought it could stand on its own as a real live painting!  So I've decided to auction it off over at Daily Paintworks.  Below is an example of what this painting could look like framed.  Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!

what this painting could look like framed

Sneak Peek

Here's a little sneak peek of a new painting I'm working on. I'm experimenting with value and looser washes. It has a ways to go, but it's fun. Have a good day!

Tina's Lamp

"Tina's Lamp"
19.5" x 12.75"
(watercolor on paper)

I'm happy to say this one is done.  I'm not sure how it looks on your monitor, but it's been difficult to color correct on mine and is looking a bit dark here on blogger.  It's less jarring in person I think . . . a little more calm, the contrast looks a little severe here.  Anyway . . . it's done and I'm excited!  :)  Thank you to my friend and student, Tina for her photograph.  And thank YOU all for reading my blog.  Have a great day!

More Painting

work in progress
watercolor on paper
16.5" x 12.25"

I took lots of pictures when I was preparing for the workshop I'm doing now and decided to work on a larger painting of glass.  I think it's safe to say that once this is finished it will satisfy my interest in glass for a while.  :)  I get completely lost . . . I don't know how Carrie Waller does it! 

Oh . . . and my dad came up with the title for my last painting.  I emailed him the finished image and then called and asked what he thought would be a good name.  He started to talk it through and after only a few seconds said:  "Late Afternoon." I immediately knew that was it because as I was painting, I kept thinking that it looked more and more like late afternoon light. So thank you, Dad!  :)

Grrrrrr

I need a time machine.  So . . . I took this progress shot today while it was still light out and was very pleased with how things were coming together. Then I continued to paint. That's where the "Grrrrrrr" comes in.  I have gone a step too far I think and as I sit here comparing this photo to the painting propped up in my studio, I'm feeling a little sick. The painting is on Fabriano cold-press, so hopefully I can do some serious scrubbing and get this thing back on track tomorrow. I should never paint when it's dark out!!  :)  Have a good night.

Wednesday Work

work in progress
watercolor on paper
11" x 19"

I began this painting a while ago and it's been sitting in my studio.  I got all jazzed to start working on it again after I finished "Parlor Afternoon."  (and yes, I just used "jazzed" in a sentence!)  :)  So below is my progress . . . 

Last night I had a wonderful second class at Workshop13.  My students are doing great work.  Unfortunately I forgot to load the battery into my camera, so no pictures.  Boooo!  I will try to remember next week so I can share their progress. 

While my students were busy rendering their glass bottles, I took to doing a little Valentine inspired still life.  This is what I completed last night.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a good day.  

Early Morning Bottles

"Early Morning Bottles"
4.25" x 8.8"
watercolor on paper

(what this painting could look like framed)

Click here to bid.

I did a larger painting of this window last year, but I wanted to play with the composition.  So I painted this little version of it . . . I hope you like it.

Below are a few progress shots.

Thank you for stopping by.  Have a great day!

Today's Progress

6" x 6"

approx. 6.5" x 9"

19" x 13.5"

Oh my goodness . . . no commentary today . . . just back to work.  :)

Juggling

Nantucket Basket - wip 1
(approx. 13" x 19")

Nantucket Basket - wip 2

In between washes of this new painting, (which I'm thoroughly enjoying) I took out my gentleman farmer to work on: trying to adjust values using a black and white image of my painting. I find myself constantly struggling with values anyway - but throw in yellows and bright oranges and I'm completely lost! I think they're so difficult because they register gray. Ugh. 

I also continued working on some details. I feel like I'm going at a snail's pace with this guy . . . in fact he's already hayed his fields twice since I started this painting! Almost done though.  

Have a great day!

  

 

Big Bowl

"Big Bowl" ????
12" x 16"
watercolor on paper

work in progress

I think this one is basically done -- maybe a little more tweaking on some "table" shadows but that's about it.  So I need some help naming this one.  If you have any good ideas please let me know.  "Big Bowl" just doesn't cut it!  And like last time, I'll include everyone who participates in a drawing (a "raffle" drawing, not a "pencil drawing, Silly!) . . . and the winner will receive some little "Kara K. Bigda" surprise tidbit. So put your thinking caps on, people!  :) 

. . . And thanks for dropping by.  :)

Barn Window

"Barn Window"
5" x 7"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Click here to bid.

Last November while I was out and about snapping pictures in Petersham with my friend, I took this photo. I was taken by the weathered wood and simple yet strong design of the composition. Weathered barns have such personality and history and this one is no exception. In some way, this painting will always remind me of home.  I hope you like it.  Thank you for viewing my work.

Baskets Are Hard

Here are a couple shots of a painting I'm working on.  The second one has a mask on some of the reed, that's why it looks so weird.  I painted some underlying washes first, as you can see in the first painting, but then went back masked out one of the legs and parts of the basket to add some darker tones.  I have no idea what the heck paper I'm working on -- I thought it was a Fabriano hard-press -- but I'm not so sure.  It's not really allowing me to lift like it usually does - although I did manage to get some of that pigment off the wall before I neutralized it.  Perhaps though because it is a heavier stock than what I usually use -- I think it's 300lb.  That probably makes a difference.  Anyway -- I don't like it.  And also, like the title of this post reads:  baskets are hard!  Actually they're freakin' hard -- pardon my language.  I don't much like them either right now.  I am a little in a bad mood, in case you can't tell . . . but I will keep pluggin' along, so watch for my next post.  And I promise I will be back to my delightful self again!  HA!