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!

Online Store

As you may recall, I've been trying to organize and plan better work routines for 2016.  Part of that has been accounting for my inventory of original paintings, notecards and fine art prints.  So this week I have been working on my online store.  Shown above are some of the notecards that I've uploaded.  I'm hoping to replenish stock on some designs and to add more in the near future.  It's a lot of work, but fun! 

Thanks for taking a peek!

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

Wheeler Farm Revisited

Wheeler Farm - 3.5"x5" - watercolor on paper

Click here to bid. Starting bid: $35


Another throwback painting today! This little painting would make a lovely addition to any home. I have reduced the price for auction. It comes as is. . . not matted or framed, but is a great and affordable start to building a collection of original art.

what this painting could look like framed

Thank you for viewing my work.

1000 Facebook Likes . . . Really?

"Little Brown Jug" - 6" x 6" - watercolor on aquabord

Can it really be true?  I just noticed that my Facebook page, "Paintings By Kara K. Bigda" has reached 1000 likes this week.  So I feel a free give-away is definitely in order.  If I could throw a huge party and invite all my followers I would, but since that's not feasible, this little painting will have to do.  (Although, how fun would a party have been, eh?!) 

So if you'd like to be entered into the drawing to win this painting, all framed up and ready to hang, please head on over to "Paintings By Kara K. Bigda" and leave your name in the comments on this post.  The drawing will be held on Monday, March 21st.  Oh, and be sure to "like" my page, if you haven't already done so.  Can 2000 likes be far away?  Ha!

Thank you for all your support throughout the years.  I truly couldn't be doing what I'm doing without you.  :)

Grape Study Revisited

Grape Study - 10.5" x 7.5" - watercolor on paper - $250

Click here to purchase. 

I am revisiting this painting in the hopes that it will find it's "forever home." "Grape study" is a painting that I did as a precursor to a much larger painting. At the time I wanted to create a contemporary feel to the traditional subject of fruit.

This painting comes framed and matted and ready to hang.

This painting is framed and ready to hang.

Two Tomatoes

"Two Tomatoes" - 11" x 14" - watercolor on aquabord

Click here to purchase:  $225

I finally finished this one.  Why it took me so long, I don't know.  Sometimes paintings come together fairly quickly, while others take a while.  It can be pretty unpredictable.  Anyway, this painting is up for sale at Daily Paintworks - it comes framed and ready to hang.  

I've painted this subject/composition before, only smaller and on paper.  I think it would look pretty cool in the right kitchen. 

This painting comes framed in this black, wood frame and is ready to hang.

Pristine

"Pristine" - 6x6 - watercolor on aquabord

Click here to bid.
Starting bid: $100

This a a painting from a quick trip to Cape Cod last year. Thank you for viewing my work. Have a great weekend.

Scratching

 

I made this little video so you all could see one of the many advantages of painting on aquabord like scratching. Please be kind: I have trouble speaking while painting. I guess multi-tasking isn't one of my strengths! 

Note that you should let the paint dry completely before scratching out any details. And I only use this technique on small areas, such as grasses, small highlights and whiskers.

I hope you find this demonstration helpful.

True Confessions

work-in-progress - 6" x 6" - watercolor on aquabord

I don't know about you, but I find running a small, yet (hopefully) growing business from home very challenging.  I am not an entrepreneur by design and it's all I can do to strike a balance between painting and creating, along with book-keeping, marketing and everything else that comes with building a successful business.  In addition, my studio is in my home and therefore it's often tough avoiding interruptions:  phonecalls, dogs, housekeeping, etc.  I often find that when my home is in order, I do little painting and when I'm most productive in the studio, my house is in complete disarray!  There is only so much time in the day to do everything and while I've (happily) resigned myself to that fact, I still embark on finding and maintaining the perfect balance.  

How do you strike the balance?  Does building a business come easy to you?  I love the challenge, and enjoy researching marketing and contemplating new business ideas, but I find it's easy for me to get burnt out.  Do you ever need to take breaks from it all?  I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on this topic, so please comment if you have the time (well, you probably don't have the time, but if you can spare a moment or two, I'd be most appreciative!)  :) 

Have a great and productive day!

Not much progress . . . I'm busy working on my book-keeping right now . . . but I'm dedicated to producing new work and and improving my business and time management.

I Couldn't Help Myself

work-in-progress

I couldn't help myself. . . I just had to do it. . . yes. . . I started a new painting.

Homestead - An Oldie but a Goodie

"Homestead" - 6"x6" - watercolor on aquabord - $200

Click here to purchase.

I've decided to re-post this painting I did a couple years ago as it is still available for sale. This painting comes framed and ready to hang as shown in the image below.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. Have a delightful day.

Inching Along

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

As you can see . . . I really am just inching along.  Have lots going on at home and with some other commitments right now so I'm doing my best to keep painting, although when I'm in these final stages, the progress is pretty slow and there's not much to see.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by. 

Curveballs

work-in-progress - 22" x 30" - watercolor on aquabord

Well hello there.  I was thrown a couple curveballs over the past two weeks that explain my cyberspace absence.  Two weeks ago today, my dad went into the hospital unexpectedly for a battery of tests that I'm happy to report came back negative.  He is doing very well, and we are all extremely grateful for that.  :)

work-in-progress - 8" x 8" - watercolor on aquabord

On a lighter note but nonetheless distracting, last Monday I took a fabulous trip to IKEA (with my dear friend, June) to look for some organizational supplies and other fun doodads.  After 5 1/2 hours of shopping (yes . . . you read that correctly), I came back with many delightful items including an adorable rolling cart for my palette and painting tools, rolling storage for works-in-progress and other various flat files, and some lovely window treatments to help eliminate the glare in my studio.  Hence, I spent all last week, putting together my IKEA furniture (I like to call them legos for adults) . . . hemming & hanging curtains, sorting, carting, rearranging and reorganizing furniture, files, artwork, supplies and books in my studio and basement.  I still have lots more to do but feel that now I am in fine form for creating!

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

Lastly . . . the images in this post are three paintings in their current state, that I am looking forward to finishing up this month.  I've also been photographing, editing and preparing other new paintings, and developing classes and workshops. While I may have been inactive on the internet, I've certainly been very active in the studio and basement!  Thanks for stopping by.