Watercolor, Mixed Media, Sunflowers by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

The hot days of July are upon us with their fluffy white clouds floating in the turquoise blue sky...ahhhh summer! The prickly pear cactus are bearing fruit and the sunflowers are abundant, life in west Texas is good!

July is also World of Watercolor month, in order to celebrate I have been doing a few watercolors, mostly in my sketchbook and as cards for friends, in other words just for fun! That is what art should be... enjoyable, to celebrate the moments of my life and to share them with you!

"Sun Seekers" ©2017 Leada Wood

"Sun Seekers" is 11x15 on Archival paper, painted with transparent watercolors using mixed media to give drama and mystery.

"Poire", Watercolor by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Poire" ©2017 Leada Wood

It must be the heat, keeping me indoors making me restless,so I headed to my studio to try some new techniques in watercolor. I used Arches 140# and drew a simple composition. I then decided to add Unyru paper bits here and there to give some texture and interest to the composition. When the collage was dry I painted the pears transparently with watercolor. Then I divided up the background and went in with dark complimentary colors, wet on wet. While this was still damp I used a stencil and sanded a watercolor pencil over it, misting it to activate the specks of color. It was a fun experiment mixing media in watercolor and I am pleased with the mystery and drama it gives to the painting. Thanks for stopping by!

A Peek In My Sketchbook, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Purple Beauties" ©2017 Leada Wood

Eggplant is such a wonderful veggie and I have only discovered it in the last few years. I bake it in the oven to make a little Eggplant Parmesan or sauté it with a little garlic and add to my spaghetti sauce. Mostly I love the color and the shape and it beckons me to paint it. These beauties were growing in our garden as I searched for one big enough for dinner. As always I had my iPhone with me to capture the moment so I can paint it when I have time.  Have a great week!

Happy May Day! Watercolor by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

The earliest May Day celebrations were held during the Roman Republic and appeared with Floralia, the Godess of flowers. As Europe became Christenized it became known for traditions of dancing around a maypole and crowing the Queen of May. Since the 18th century the Roman Catholics observe it with adorning the Virgin Mary with a crown of flowers and a two day feast. Fast forward to the 20th century and the  giving of small baskets of flowers or a paper cone with a small bouquet hung on a doorknob marked the first day of May.

Isn't it a shame that some traditions fall by the wayside in our fast paced world? I couldn't let the day pass without wishing you a happy May Day and sharing my little hummingbird and May flower with you!

Copyright 2017 Leada Wood

Drawing With Graphite, Dog Portraits, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Ok, ok, it's official! I have gone to the dogs...at least that is what I have been drawing lately. I thought I would share a few of these doggie delights with you during the next few post.

Kris Kringle by Leada Wood©2017

  It's rather difficult to take a pencil and paper and create something much less try to make it recognizeable. I love to draw and have been doing it for years and it is still a challenge which I embrace with enthusiasm. I can tell my hand muscles are a bit out of shape as my right hand is getting sore. It is a lot of repeated motion.

  I use a mechanical pencil, vellum, stump and kneaded eraser when I draw. I like the mechanical pencil because I don't have to sharpen it and it makes a fine line. The vellum is a smooth surface paper and has no tooth so I can push the Graphite around with my stump or use my eraser to lift it. The vellum also doesn't turn yellow like a lot of drawing paper. Do you have a favorite drawing paper that is acid free? Please share the brand in the comments.

 This little pup reminded me of my parents miniature schnauzer Kris Kringle which we gave them one Christmas. He was a comical dog and loved to take naps with my dad. He wasn't allowed on the bed but mom could see the imprint of his head on her pillow. He was a good companion and they sure loved that rascal. Thanks for stopping by!

"Averi's Favorite Hat", Watercolor Figure Painting, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Averi's Favorite Hat" ©2017 Leada Wood

                                                              

Averi's is a beautiful and vivavacious young lady who is fond of going to the beach and she loves dots. This is her favorite blue hat with dots and she wears it quite often. It is always a challenge to keep your hat on at the beach as the gulf winds are gusting constantly. I enjoyed painting Miss Averi from a photo I had taken of her.

The painting was done with watercolor on clay board and I  like the way the surface takes paint. It is totally different from painting on paper with watercolor. You also can seal the surface and frame without glass.

This is the second painting I have done of Averi at the beach. The first piece was "Shell Seeker", transparent watercolor on paper.  I am ready to go back to the beach and get more reference photos!  Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

A Good Scratch, "Watercolor by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media and Collage

"A Good Scratch" by Leada Wood ©2016

Spring has arrived in Texas and everything is in full bloom! The blue bonnets are gorgeous  and the weather is fine. We have been seeing lots of rabbits at Dragonfly Farm but not any long eared Jacks. I'm not sure what has happened to them but they have been scarce for a while. I love to paint the lanky long eared fellas. " A Good Scratch " caught this Texas Jack rabbit enjoying the cool evening shade and kicking some dirt out of his ear. This painting is 15 x 22 transparent watercolor.

Happy Easter!

For flowers that bloom about our feet. For tender grass so fresh and sweet. For song of bird and hum of bee. Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

                                                                                                         ----Ralph Waldo Emerson

Back In The Studio, By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Hope your new year is starting off with good things! It has been a busy year already with getting ready for shows, art classes, oral surgery and an eye surgery but life is good!

My word for this year is still...mmmmmm.....you know silent, calm, tranquil, quiet, unhurried, peaceful, relaxed, to name a few meanings of the word. I am trying, really I am but life happens and there are so many fun and interesting things to do! 

copyright 2016 Leada Wood

This is some complicated paper I am making from those Gelli prints that have been stacking up. I think it could be framed, used in collage or make cards with it. What do you do with your Gelli prints?

Gelli printing is such fun I wanted to share it with a couple of my older students. They took to it like ducks to water, after all who knows how to play better than kids.

I am not sure who had the most fun me or them! They caught on quickly and we used LOTS of paint and paper. The next lesson will be to add more layers and unify the papers.

Gelli print in progress

This is a close up of one of the Gelli prints. The more layers you make the more interesting they become. You can always unify the papers with a glaze or veil of paint. I use different weights and kinds of papers for this technique. 

This is just a small portion of the afternoons work, there were papers all over the floor as well. I am grateful for a warm studio where I can create these cold winter days. Thanks for stopping by!

"Be happy in the moment, that is enough. Each moment is all we need, not more."

                                                                                             --- Mother Teresa

30 Paintings In 30 Days by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Calling All Crows by Leada Wood©2015



Day 15 of the 30-30 challenge



Even though it is still hot in Texas I know autumn is going to get here someday. My thoughts have been turning toward cooler weather, pumpkins, autumn leaves and all things fall. I decided to paint a pumpkin and a crow for a taste of autumn for this daily painting. Now off to get ready for the rodeo where my little grand daughter is mutton bustin'

Ok we are back from the fair and rodeo and I had to give everyone a heads up on Averi and her Mutton bustin'. This was her second time to ride a mutton ever, at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo..Averi is 7 and very determined and fearless. That little girl could ride she hung on for all she was worth, a boy beat her by a few feet so she won second,,,which is amazing! And she won her belt buckle...sooo proud of the buckle, that was her mission was to win a belt buckle. I am so proud of you Averi! Love you to the moon and back!



More Gelli Prints by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 

I was honored to do a Demo on Gelli Printing for the Big Spring Art Association this past Tuesday evening. I thought I would share some of my finished prints with you. It is such a fun process and the prints can be used in so many ways. You also can print on various surfaces and obtain excellent results.

 

Of course my studio is usually a wreck during the printing process! When I print it is usually a days work and I have piles of Prints. I then separate them into three piles... a more to go pile, an almost there pile and that's a wrap pile and sometimes one or two find their way into the trash pile. I find adding lots of layers usually makes the most interesting papers

 

I use my hand made stamps for the images or sometimes I paint over the Gelli Print and of course they are always great for collage. Making stamps is another thing that is fun to do. There are all kinds of ways to make stamps but that is another post.

This little elephant was made into a card...waiting for the right person to send it to. I love to get real mail, don't you? Especially cards handmade with love!

 

A little birdie told me to make another card. I sometimes add little embellishments along with the Gellies.

You never know how your Gellies will turn out. This one has a little metallic paint on it as well. I enjoy using bight color combinations. That's the way I roll.

Even when you use similar stamps and colors no two Gellies will ever be the same. That is one of the fascinating things about Gelli Printing...each print is unique and cannot be duplicated exactly.

I love the rich colors and interesting textures you can create. It's so much fun...kind of like making mud pies when I was a kid.

 

Bee kind to one another and have a wonderful, relaxing weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Day Eleven-30-30 Challenge by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Roadrunner Copyright 2015 Leada Wood


Roadrunners fascinate me and they live in the pasture around our house so it is fun to watch them. I have one who brings gifts of rocks and sticks and lays them at our front door. I catch them sneaking over the back fence and peaking in the glass doors. Apparently they are very curious birds and fearless. They catch lizards and snakes and other critters. Roadrunners are monogamous birds and offer gifts during courtship...guess that cuckoo is courting his reflection in the glass. The roadrunners  are a member of the cuckoo family and maybe why they fit in on our place!

 



Day Three- 30/30 Challenge by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Third day of Leslie Saeta's January Challenge. Still cold and icy in Texas but the sun is shining and the ice is melting as I type and I am flying the coup today! I am doing small paintings so I thought I would do a notecard and catch up on some corespondence, sort of killing two birds with one stone. Plus it is fun to get a letter in the mail!

 Our kids have Corgis and they are fun dogs to have...full of life and very protective of their kids...good snake finders too. I enjoy painting all kind of animals but had not tried a Corgi until today. This is a 5x7 watercolor, and my first Corgi. I hope my grand daughter Katie will like it as it is a thank you note for her. 

                  Spur copyright 2015 Leada Wood

Time Is A Circus by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 

Time Is A Circus By Leada Wood, copyright 2014

With the New Year being upon us I decided to post one of my paintings concerning time. I found the quote "Time is a circus, always moving away " and combined it with an old clock face and painted clock keys, a pocket watch, and  clock parts around. The elephant is a symbol for my mom as she collected them, the watch pieces symbolize my dad as he was a clock maker, the monkeys were my brothers and I am the key person with my hands on my hips. It was a fun piece to do! 

 

The Gift Of Time

 

Every day we are given 86,000seconds...as a gift of life. When we go to sleep at night any remaining time is not credited to us to use later...it is gone. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost and yesterday is gone forever. Each morning of your life your life account is refilled with 86,000 seconds...but it can be closed at anytime without warning. So what will you do with your 86,000 seconds a day? The choice is yours! Every second is more valuable than gold...think about it... what are you exchanging the seconds of your life for? Enjoy every second for it passes too quickly. Never complain about growing older...some people never get the privilege. Take care of yourself...love deeply...live joyfully...and enjoy the gift of time!

Happy New Year! May yours be prosperous, creative and filled with love and pleasant adventures!

 

 

 



 

 



The Fiddler, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 

The Fiddler by Leada Wood ©2014

 My daddy was a fiddler...in fact he could play nearly any musical instrument and he played by ear. I come from a musical family, nearly every Sunday afternoon was spent at a relatives house. The family band played gospel and country music...I can still hear the songs in my mind. The family band is gone but not the sweet memories.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas filled with fond memories, family and friends! 

World Blog Hop, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 



 

 

 

Hello and welcome to my blog! This is my first go at a blog hop and it is very exciting! I am pictured here in my studio, Studio Twenty, working on another original concept.  First I would like to thank Kay Smith for inviting me. Kay and I belong to a small group of watercolorist, the Caboose Watercolor Society that do themed paintings and exhibit them. We have known each other since 2002 and have had many creative adventures together. Kay has a fun and funky studio in Big Spring, Texas where she creates. You can check out her blog here: http://kaysmithbrushworks.blogspot.com .

 

  

Monte Carlo ©Kay Smith
 

World Blog Hop- Questions and Answer


1. What am I working on?

 Right now I have started a new series for upcoming shows in 2015. I began by laying in the first layer and usually work on 8-12 paintings at a time. I am working small 8x8, the size of the series always varies, usually to what I have on hand. Sometimes I start abstractly and go towards realism or sometimes I stay non objective. I enjoy creating both abstract and realism, watercolor and mixed media and tend to go back and forth.  My work is intuitive and I follow where it leads me.

This is my mixed media work station in my studio. You can see that it is messy business...but fun! I usually have an idea for the series to keep the work cohesive, whether it be color, an underlying paper, composition or a theme. It helps to work this way as there is drying time involved and who wants to watch paint dry!

I add layers of paint and scratch into it or stamp, pushing and pulling the paint until the layers meld together. One of the shows I am getting ready for is  entitled "RED".  I still have a long way to go on these and will post as they are finished.




2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?


I create many layers, giving thought to symbolism, whether it be colors or shapes. They represent something to me and hopefully the viewer.  Sometime I include inspirational words or phrases which may or may not be visible. I also like to include texture in my work...to make the viewer want to reach out and touch the painting. I guess you could say I like to involve the senses when you look at one of my paintings and evoke an emotion whether real or imagined...to give you a glimpse of the world  I envision.


3. Why do I create what I do?

I have people ask me how I come up with my ideas all the time. It is a gift...I am always observing and creating in my mind.  Color and light intrigue me...the
 way shadows dance and light sparkles is fascinating, observing people is captivating. I create because I have to is certainly true...I get a little cranky if I go too long without it ! Even drawing in my sketchbook helps if I can't get into the studio...ahh but there is nothing to compare with the studio experience. Whether it be the kitchen table or a converted closet...both which I have used as studio space. It doesn't matter where I paint as long as I get to. I find joy in creating and hope I bring some into your life when you view my work.


4. How does my creating process work.


Sometimes it is a dream...I keep a notebook by my bed or sometimes a random thought sparks an idea. Observation plays a big part in my creative process and I take thousands of photos of things that inspire me and keep notes of ideas that I may or may not put into existence. My mind is always at work... perhaps me thinks too much!

Thanks for joining me in and discovering the World Blog Hop! I hope you will hop back again or follow me and see where the next creative adventure takes me...


World Blog Hop- My Chosen Artist To Continue The Hop


It is my pleasure to introduce to you Vernita Bridges Hoyt. Vernita is a Texas Artist and is from Spring, Texas. Nita is involved with many animal rescue
organizations and donates a portion of her sales to help fund them. She paints the sauce of Texas in various mediums. You can check out her blog here: http://TXsauce.net

2014 copyright Vernita Bridges Hoyt




 

 

Glad Tidings, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 

 

Glad Tidings ©Leada Wood 2014


Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."   Luke 2:10-11

"Glad Tidings"  is 11x14 transparent watercolor on Archival paper with gold leaf. It is not available. Glad Tidings was created for the show, " Angels Among Us", a group exhibition, a couple of years back and was exhibited at the Heritage Museum during their annual Christmas celebration.   

Fun In Dallas, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Here we are at the Dutch Art Gallery's Pursuit of the Southwest opening. Bootman, Katie and Bel were kind enough to accompany me to this sensational event. Bel, me, and Katie are pictured by one of my paintings that was juried into the show. It is always fun to go into the city for a weekend especially with my girls! They have been to many openings with me but this was their first trip to the Dutch. They seemed very impressed with the large inventory and quality of work. They are artists too and notice things like that. We had fun looking at all the various paintings and styles and picking our favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

No trip to Dallas is complete without seeing some of the sights. We visited the arboretum's 12 Days of Christmas display. The girls are standing in front of some colorful fall foliage in the garden. 

 

 

The designs of the structures as well as the design of the characters of the song were amazing.

 

 

 

Here we have 8 maids a milking...wouldn't it be fun to design or create one of these displays?

 

 

 

 

6 Geese a laying. Just showing random favorites...all wonderful in their own way.

 

 

 

I do have a thing for birds...7 swans a swimming...

 

 

 

 

I especially liked 5 golden rings. The white Polar bear was awesome! So much thought, work and creativity went into the gardens wonderful interpretation of the 12 Days of Christmas and they are open some nights too. I imagine the garden would be stunning with all the Christmas lights aglow. If you are in Dallas Texas during the holidays try to go be the arboretum and enjoy the splendor of the 12 Days of Christmas. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week.

 

 

Purple Passion by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Purple Passion was juried into the Dutch Art Gallery's Pursuit of the Southwest show opening Saturday December 6th in Dallas, Texas. The first 25 attendees will receive original art as well as first chance at the art. It's always a fun event at the Dutch and I would love to see you there!

Purple Passion is a form of batik using Unryu paper which is very thin and transparent and a bit tricky to work with. I really enjoy the process of batik as you never know how the paper will take the paint or if it will make it through the process. Have a great week!

Purple Passion by Leada Wood copyright 2014

Nutty Trio by Leada Wood, Texas Artist





Happy December! Yes it is that time of year again to drag out the Christmas decorations and display them with cheer. I love Christmas! The colors...whimsical decorations...scents and sounds of the season. Making merry with the kids...creating gifts and ornaments...baking...spreading good will toward others. Isn't it a shame that the spirit of Christmas doesn't last the whole year? Maybe that could be a resolution for the new year...to keep the joy alive...to keep Christmas in your heart everyday.

Nutty Trio was created for a Santa exhibition at the Heritage Museum a few years ago. I collect nut crackers and this was three of them.

copyright by Leada Wood2014

iHannas Winter Postcard Swap, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

I am so excited! I received all my names yesterday and mailed out my cards. Can you tell it's my first swap? I had one from UK and one from Australia and the rest were spread across the USA. I can't wait to get mine! I made a collage of the cards that I created just for the swap. I want to share my post with Hanna and hope this works as I am a newbie at all this sharing stuff. To see iHannas winter diy postcard swap blog please click on the link:  http://www.iHanna.nu  or copy and paste in case it doesn't work.

I had two lovely comments on Google + but could not get my comment to work...so thank you Sue Marrazzo and Sandra D for your comments. Sandra D I cannot wait to get your card! Have a wonderful weekend!