Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Christmas Came Early by Leada Wood

Heritage Museum Christmas Forest

I had exciting news today. The Creative Catalyst contacted me and said that I had won last week's challenge with my entry of Precious Memories in their Holiday Paintout. That means I won Ann Bagby's new DVD as soon as it is released. I love Ann Bagby's other two DVD's so I can't wait to get the third one. I felt as though Christmas had come early! You can see the winning entry if you scroll back down. Happy Holidays to all!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Altered Background by Leada Wood

Things are really changing now!  I didn't like the competiton of the background with my focal point and I decided to put a nice neutral grey on it. I selected a grey that was opaque so that your eye could rest on the girl. When the grey was dry I painted the textured strip.  I decided to put some of my collage papers that I make onto her skirt and do a little stamping. Now I have started laying in colors on my lovely lady, still keeping transparent so the writing on the prepared background is peeking through. She is staring to come to life, don't you think?

Monday, November 28, 2011

Precious Memories by Leada Wood

Precious Memories by Leada Wood©
www.leadawood.com

This is an ARTifact © painting I had started some time ago and when the Creative Catalyst posted their Holiday Challenge, it inspired me to get it out and finish it.
This week's challenge was community, and to me community is all about family.

My family growing up was very close...with aunts, uncles, and cousins by the dozens. Love, music and food was the glue that held our family together...kept us close.
We would have gatherings on Sunday afternoons. The kids would all run free outdoors while the grown ups got down with their country and gospel music. They were serious musicians...not for money, just for the love of making music. They would play all Sunday afternoon and then reluctantly put away their instruments and go home. They were good people, plain, hard working, God fearing folks. I can remember Pappa playing his guitar every day...I think it was his way of relaxing when he came home from work.

My Pappa was a clock repairman and jeweler and owned his own shop. He was very good at fixing things, everything. He liked to fix up cars and sell them in his spare time. The clock in this painting was his family clock, bought on the day he was born. I love clocks...guess they remind me of him. I use them in my art a lot. Always mindful of time, and how fast it passes and how there is never enough of it. Time...elusive... gone...never to be reclaimed...spend it wisely.

My family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, Pappa are all gone now. Wish I had listened better to all their old stories, maybe taken the time to write them down. Now they are all gone...dust in the wind.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so maybe I can tell my stories in paintings...to help remember my family...to keep our stories alive...to pass them on.

Precious memories...how they linger.

Altered Background by Leada Wood

I have now added my drawing using charcoal and a wash of liquid acrylic to the background. I am keeping it transparent so that the writing on the altered background is still showing through.  I will keep going...stay tuned!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Altered Background by Leada Wood


I am using one of the techniques I learned from the Liz Hill workshop at the Bunk House. This is an altered background technique. I adhered phone book pages to watercolor paper and let it dry. Then I placed masking tape randomly over the paper and burnished it. Next I started ripping up the masking tape. This removes layers of the paper and gives a nice textured look. After I had mutilated it enough ( do this technique to relieve stress) I added a thin wash of gesso, more of a veil, just keep it transparent. When that dries you should still be able to see some of the writing. This adds white back into the painting.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving! by Leada Wood


As another Thanksgiving day comes to a close I would like to take the time to say I am very thankful for my family, my friends, and all the many blessings of living in a free country. I am grateful to all my followers and folks who drop by and read my blog, I hope you will continue to, I love hearing your comments!

Remember "Life is a coin, you can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once." Spend it wisely my friends.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

ARTifact © Cross by Leada Wood

ARTifact Crosses © by Leada Wood

I love creating special works of art for special folks! People bring their loved ones belongings to me and I set up a still life and paint it for them. I also create one of a kind crosses out of mom's and grandma's old costume jewelry creating a beautiful ARTifact keepsake for generations to come. Art makes a wonderful gift whether it is a portrait, ARTifact painting or an ARTifact cross.  I also create collages out of bits and pieces of memorabilia from your life.
To order one for your special occasion for your someone special please contact me by email. I have Paypal for your convenience or  accept major credit cards.
Please contact me at: www.leadawood.com  

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Caboose Watercolor Sociery by Leada Wood

Christmas Tree Forest at Heritage Museum

Our opening at the Heritage Museum was so lovely. The museum staff works so hard to make Christmas come alive! There are trees upstairs and downstairs with so many different themes. They will be having different events during the month of December. Be sure to stop by and see the Caboose Watercolor Society Historical Big Spring Show and get in the Christmas Spirit!
Back row left to right, Linda Rupard-Irvin and Leada Wood
Front row left to right, Estelle Howard and Sue Bagwell
Not pictured, Kay Smith and Carole Berry

Photos courtesy of Lane Boyd's Photography. Thanks Lane for sending me these great photos!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Bee Keeper by Leada Wood

The Bee Keeper by Leada Wood©
www.leadawood.com

I have always had a facination with bees. I love to watch them visit my herb garden when the rosemary is blooming, buzzing around pollinating the blooms.  Suprisingly I am not afraid of them as I am wasp which I am very allergic to. I always loved the notion of keeping bees but haven't tried that yet!

 I was visiting the Flea, a fleamarket in Santa Fe and saw a woman with her honey shining in the sunlight, a beautiful sight! Naturally, as I always have a camera handy I took a few photos.  Those photos were the inspiration for this painting, although I changed it to make it look more historical so it would work with the show that is opening Sunday, November 13th at the Heritage Museum.  The show runs until December 21st, so if you are in Big Spring, please stop by and see all the works by the Caboose Watercolor Society.

This painting is 14x22 and is transparent watercolor on Archival paper. I strived to give the painting a warm feeling of a girl setting out her jars of honey to sell, with the sunrise behind her making her jars of honey glow.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Grannie's Wash by Leada Wood

Grannie's Wash by Leada Wood©
www.leadawood.com

This painting was inspired by the wringer washer I photographed at the Potton House Museum in Big Spring.  I have always had a fascination with wringer washers, even when I was small. I had a close encounter with a modern wringer when I tried to help my mother with the wash. I had to drag a step stool up to the machine and then I proceeded to run the wash through the machine along with my arm, thank goodness for elbows, as that was what stopped it! Mom heard me crying and came to my aid and promply reversed the process and set me free. The doctor said I was so small my bones were still soft so there weren't any broken ones. Maybe this painting will bring back memories to you.


This is an ARTifact painting, which is painted on Arches Archival Paper, with transparent watercolors. It is 14x22. You can see it at the Heritage Museum along with many other historical paintings of Old Big Spring, by the Caboose Watercolor Society, November 13th thru December 21st.


I would love to take your memories and paint them for you!
Christmas is coming and it would make a wonderful gift for a special someone.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Papa's Wash Stand by Leada Wood

Papa's Wash Stand by Leada Wood ©

Papa's Wash Stand was inspired by my dad's shaving cup, complete with straight razor and shaving brush. This is another ARTifact Painting. I had taken photos in the Potton House in Big Spring, a historical home complete with furniture. The wash stand reference was taken from those photos.  I am getting ready for the Caboose Watercolor Society's show at the Heritage Museum in Big Spring. We are painting Old Big Spring, I think this may bring back memories to some, don't you?
The show opens November 13th and the reception is from 1 to 3. The show will run through the Christmas Holidays so stop by when you are in town!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Dragon Fly Farm by Leada Wood, Artist Of Texas

PiPi Longstockings

This is the newest member of my herd, born on Halloween, Pipi Longstockings. I thought I was going to have to get rid of my llamas with the drought we had this summer...and I did sell some of them. Then the autumn rains...just two to date, came and the wheat is green and growing and the pastures are greening up again...Praise God!  I never gave up hope that our God who supplies all our needs would send the much needed autumn rain....I pray that the rains do continue, don't you?