Happy Easter! By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

©Leada Wood

I know Easter is really not about the Easter bunny but I just couldn't resist using this painting to wish you a happy Easter. The colors remind me of all those colorful eggs that will be found tomorrow. I enjoyed dyeing eggs with my kids and grandkids except that the dye usually had to wear off. We looked so cute in our Easter bonnets and colorful hands! Folks don't get as dressed up as they once did for church on Easter Sunday. When I was a girl I looked forward to getting a new dress, socks, shoes, hat and gloves for the occasion. That was a long time ago and things are different now. In my opinion I think we may be getting a little too casual about lots of things. Maybe it is time for a change. Happy Easter!

Painting Like Mucha by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Alphonse Mucha was well known for his distinctive style of painting and began the Art Nouveau movement. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, postcards and designs throughout his life. Mucha's works frequently featured beautiful young women in flowing gowns, often surrounded by lush flowers which sometimes formed halos behind their heads. He used pale pastel colors in contrast of contemporary poster makers of his day.

This is a couple of my girls trying their  hand painting like Mucha, I think they are off to a wonderful start!

After drawing their choice of Mucha's paintings on board and before beginning their paintings they had to experiment with paint and figure out what colors to use.  A lot of mixing and and testing went into this project and they made  a mood board so that they would remember how to make those colors.

Here they are in their creative zones with their reference photos and color mood boards handy laying
in colors that they mix themselves.  I also read to them the biography of Mucha's life as they painted. I think Mucha would be proud. I know I am!

West Texas Watercolor Society, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Here's To The Crazy Ones

"Here's To The Crazy Ones" ©Leada Wood

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits...the rebels...the troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent...they create...they inspire. They press the human race forward. 

Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a labrotory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.

                                                                                 
                                                                                 -Apple Computers shared by Robert Burridge

West Texas Watercolor Society, Legacy Event Center

Thank You West Texas Watercolor Society for a fun afternoon! It was nice to see so many friends in the audience. I was honored to be able to share my techniques with you.

Never enough time when sharing my creative journey with friends. Beginnings are easy and the endings are up to you!

Love this wonderful group of artists! Lubbock is an amazing supporter of the arts and I am so fortunate to be a part of this group.

Spring Is In The Air, Mixed Media, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Spring Is In The Air" ©2018 Leada Wood

Dragonfly Farm is in full bloom so that must mean spring is right around the corner. Have a great week!

Beginnings, Mixed Media, By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Beginnings ©2018 Leada Wood

Beginnings are easy, it's the endings that are difficult as you can see from the photo. It is especially true when working with mixed media in a series. Since there is a lot of drying time inbetween, I like to have a lot of beginnings so I can keep working. Mixed Media has lots of layers and you must push and pull those layers with paint until you are satisfied. That's what makes it so intriguing and fun! For me it's all about the process and experimental,  and the adventure always awaits.

Beginnings ©2018 Leada Wood

This is a peek at my paint table. I have two other tables and a wall of shelves with supplies around me when I am working. Mixed Media takes a little more room when working in a series, or at least for me it does. Love seeing all my pretty paint colors while I am working. 

Printed papers ©2018 Leada Wood

This is one container of collage materials that I have made. I use to make papers in every color and still do with my Gelli plate but find I use black collage more and more as it goes with everything. Kind of like that little black dress in your closet. These are hand printed papers and that is another days work.

Background painting ©2018 Leada Wood

Do you see what I see? Might not look like much yet but there are about seven layers on this beginning right now, and I do manipulate the paint by drippage, spritzing alcohol and splattering. I like to keep it transparent while building up the backgrounds, at least most of the time. There are no rules when experimenting with mixed media.  I work in a series of 6-12 substrates at a time creating backgrounds so that when I am ready to develop the painting I have many to choose from and can add more layers.That's the fun about Mixed Media, you never know what you are going to get, kind of like a box of chocolates.

I Hope you enjoyed a peek into my process and studio. Thanks for stopping by!