Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Gooch.
Barbara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a watercolor artist, fondant artist and photographer. I was born in Cuba and grew up in NY and NJ. I have done some traveling over the years and have an extensive library of images I use in various mediums to create my work. Living on both coasts has offered me a wealth of inspiration. The natural beauty found along the CA coast in contrast to NYC’s man-made towers never get old. Currently my family and I find ourselves living in New England.
I specialize in watercolor portraits, collage and have grown very fond of capturing artisans at work. I am currently exploring 3D watercolor art and miniature portraits. You can check it out on my Instagram account: @cake tooth.
In the Fall of 2016 I was featured in American Art Collector Magazine. Check out the September 2016 issue (page 125), Artist Focus. Watercolor and photography prints are available for purchase.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It is never a smooth road. You always must work hard at what you do. If it is your passion you never give up, you just keep going. I have a need to be creative every day. Creativity for me comes in lots of forms. I paint, sketch, bake, play piano and take pictures.
In the 90s I owned a bakery with my dad in New Jersey. The baking was done overnight but I went in after work and on weekends to do the cake decorating. There I experimented with cake decorating and found my way to creating fine art on fondant. Lots of hours went into finalizing my technique.
Managing the staff at the bakery was intense. Not all people that find themselves in a field are there because it is their passion. It is difficult to deal with lots of different personalities and work ethics. Moving around has its benefits. I think they outweigh the negatives, but it is still hard to start over in a new area. An online presence has made it a bit easier. Marketing is my biggest struggle. It is a learning process and quite time consuming.
BG Watercolors and Baybcakes – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am still finding my way with the new art studio in Mass. I wanted to have my hands in everything but realize that is not possible at this point.
Initially most of my business was coming from the cake end. I specialize in painting on fondant. I treat it much like a canvas. It is quite fun, and requests have come in for portraits of people, animals, co. logos. etc. The best part of the cake business was dealing with kids. There was nothing better than seeing their faces when they got their cakes.
My interests have changed, and I am now focused on painting portraits. I adore painting interesting faces. I think what sets me apart from others is the story that comes with each portrait. I seek out individuals that either work with their hands or those whose faces captivate me.
I work hard every day to better my craft, to experiment. I try to capture a slice of life with my portraits. Due to the nature of our country’s current situation art is more important than ever and CAN make a difference.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me success comes in the form of steady work. It presents me with the opportunity to keep going and to keep learning through experimentation. Painting is quite solitary and sharing work, experiences with other artists has always been great.
Social media for all its negatives has become a source of inspiration for me. I only participate on Instagram on a regular basis. It is always incredible to see what other artists are doing, get feedback and support. I cannot simply think of creating for money. It is something I need to do. It is part of who I am and the need to tell my story.
Contact Info:
- Website: bgwatercolors.com and baybcakes.com
- Phone: 650 488-3595
- Email: bgoochwatercolors@gmail.com and info@baybcakes.com
- Instagram: @caketooth
Image Credit:
All images are property of barbara gooch, bgwatercolors and baybcakes, copyright 2018
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