Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Karen Calastri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Karen, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I started painting as a curiosity. I had never gone to art school, and frankly, did not know how to draw. I had discovered pottery and especially enjoyed hand- building vases, platters, bowls, etc. When I moved into texture on my pottery pieces I became curious about texture on a canvas so I signed up for an oil painting class. I was instantly fascinated. There was so much to learn. I continued to take various classes, including drawing. Once a week I became immersed for 3 hours. After a few years of this, I accumulated many paintings and hung them proudly on my walls at home. One day, my art teacher told me I should enter a juried show. The thought of rejection scared me. The thought of parting with paintings I had poured my soul into scared me. But I did it and was accepted!What a thrill! After that I juried for other shows, being rejected from some and accepted in others. But the first time I sold a painting was something special. I have no idea who bought the painting, because it was in an auction, but it felt great that someone liked it enough to buy it. The risk of rejection was worth it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a fine artist who learned how to paint through various art classes and workshops. After several years, I have adopted a style that incorporates what resonates most with me. My paintings are of landscapes and seascapes, animals and architecture. I love taking great pictures that capture color, light, shadows and interesting compositions. I have mostly painted in oil, but have recently tried my hand at watercolor and have added a bit of whimsy to my portfolio. Including bunnies, flamingos, and cocktails! I pride myself in creating something a little different. My clients tell me that they like my paintings for their vibrancy and texture. They say my compositions are different from what they have seen.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My first career was in Corporate Finance at IBM. I did this for 15 years and then took a break to raise a family. When my daughters got older and didn’t need me as much, I had the desire to do something for myself. Going back to work entered my mind, but Corporate Finance was not for me anymore. I had tapped into my creative side and my passions were more geared towards creating. So, I started entering juried art shows and art groups. It ramped up pretty quickly and is now what I do full time. I have sold 55 paintings and multiple prints in 2 short years.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Painting was a hobby for me for many years. Once I started entering shows, one thing lead to another and now it is a full time job. Each show requires multiple paintings and a portfolio of prints or unframed paintings. This can be as much as 30 or 40 in one show. Sometimes a show is over and the drop off for the next show is the following day. I took some time to go to each show before I juried into it. I would say there was a year of research and exploration. For Some shows I did not get accepted, but I was able to try again the following year. As more paintings were sold and networking with other artists was established, more shows were on my calendar. Key milestones were being accepted jnto The Artists Circle, a group of 20 professional women artists who paint together and put on 2 fine art shows per year. Another one was being accepted into Historic Yellow Springs Art Show, a very esteemed juried show of over 200 fine artists.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Karencalastriart
• Facebook: Karen Braun Calastri