“The Many Faces Of Eve” by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"The Many Faces Of Eve" ©2019 Leada Wood

"Tear off the mask, your face is glorious." ----Rumi

This painting has had many faces. I started it in a figure painting workshop with Liz Hill several years ago but it was tossed in the unfinished painting stack to deal with later, when inspiration arrived. I cropped the finished (is a painting ever finished?) version to give it more mystery.

Inspiration finally did come but in phases, as most paintings do evolve in stages. I thought it might be interesting for you to see the process that Eve has been through.

The original had shorter hair, but I wanted it longer. I also painted over her face and  added crackle paste to give her texture.

This is another version before I decided she needed longer hair and a new face, back in the pile of unfinished paintings she went.

"The Masque" ©2019 Leada Wood


One day I saw a mask that captured my attention and decided to draw it. I really enjoy drawing with graphite and it is very relaxing to me. This one action created a reaction and got me thinking about the "lost girl' painting.  I retrieved Eve and started working on her again.

     

This is a very rough sketch on velum to see if the mask idea would work on the painting. I decided it would so I added a face and the mask to the girl.

“The Many Faces Of Eve”@2019Leada Wood

One idea usually leads to another and I started thinking of Eve and women in general and how we all hide behind masks at times. We wear many hats or masks throughout life. We are daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, nanny, cook, housekeeper, and soooo much more! Some have careers added onto all of these titles and change from one role to the next at the drop of a hat.

All of this brainstorming was how I came up with the name, "The Many Faces Of Eve".  In life, just like painting, we undergo so many transitions and they take time. We are all the Daughters of Eve, the mother of humanity, all different but related and we all wear masks at times.

"Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story" ----Marty Rubin

“A Little Bird Told Me” by Leada Wood, Texas Artist



“A Little Bird Told Me” ©️2019 Leada Wood

“A Little Bird told me that inventing your dream is the first and biggest step toward making it come true. Creativity is a renewable resource. Challenge yourself every day. Be as creative as you like, as often as you want, because you can never run out. Experience and curiosity drive us to make unexpected, offbeat connections. It is these nonlinear steps that often lead to the greatest work.”—-Confessions Of The Creative Mind by Biz Stone


“A Little Bird Told Me” is watercolor stilllife on archival paper. The inspiration came from my studio muse doll  that I created out of clay and a wooden mannequin, painted in vivid colors. It’s fun to use your imagination, you should give it a try.



“Time Traveler” by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

“Time Traveler” ©️2019 Leada Wood


Imagine traveling back in time or into the future, what amazing things we would see or maybe some terrifying ones!

Art is comparative to time travel...it takes you places you normally wouldn’t go. When I am creating a painting I lose track of time and place...it transports me into another realm. A place I create with my imagination.

People ask where my inspiration comes from. It comes from LIFE! I am curious and observe my environment around me. I love nature and the living beauty that surrounds me. Inspiration is everywhere but it better find you working.

“Time Traveler” is a mixed media collage on canvas board.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.    —-Pablo Picasso



Fun In The Studio, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

You never know what the day will bring when creative minds get together. My dear friend Sue and I had a play day planned in my studio. I told her to bring her favorite rusty finds and we would do assemblage on a muffin tin but then we had a better idea, make faces on Matt board. She had done 

these before but I was a total newbie.

This is my first little assemblage. I love his crooked smile! These little guys are so liberating and relaxing to do and they make me giggle with their expressive faces. 

I decided my muffin tin was better suited for holding all my rusty parts. I already had a slight problem with saving old coupons and paper bits for collage, but now I have added a new addiction of saving rusty things. I imagine if you make something out of your found things it's recycling...right?

I recycled pieces of matt board that were too small for most of my paintings and cut them into 5x7 and 6x6 pieces. I used some of my old paper on this one and I like the way it turned out. These are just plain fun and I am using materials that are cast away and recycling them into art pieces. I think it's a wonderful combination! 

Be flexible... be open...be patient. Life has its rhythm and there is nothing you can do but dance with it.