Challenge Yourself by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Life is a challenge, right, I get that, but it’s fun to set up creative challenges for myself. Whether it’s diet, exercise or my art I enjoy the challenge of something new and different. Recently I have started a new way of eating called Keto and believe me it is a challenge! I also completed a 30 paintings in 30 days challenge and was so relieved when I was finished but what a sense of accomplishment to have 30 new paintings that I otherwise would not have done.

"Out of Bali" ©2019 Leada Wood

This is the finished version of the jewelry challenge. I don't use metallic paint for silver or gold, as they look so flat and I don't care for them. Painting is an illusion after all, so it's another challenge to paint metal without using metallic paints. I also used Golden's interference paints, which are utterly luminous and that was a learning curve as well.

Recently at a WTAG meeting we were told to bring a black canvas and a piece of jewelry. In this photo the easel is more colorful than my canvas, but this is only the beginning! I'm not sure the other women at the meeting enjoyed the challenge as much as I did. Oh well, sure beats eating cookies and I thought it was fun!

My personal preference for drawing on a dark surface is white charcoal pencil or some light colored chalk. It rubs away easily and takes the fear of drawing straight on the canvas away. I am still laying in color at this point. I did learn that all black gesso are not created equal and that I have been using one brand that I will not be using again. 

I thought I was finished as I signed my name but with fresh eyes this week, I decided it needed more work. I used Golden's interference colors and they are very hard to photograph but give an iridescence glow to the paint that no other paint can give. I wasn't quite happy with this so I added more highlights, as seen in the first photo, to give it more depth.

You can see the piece of jewelry that was made by M Douglas Walton in the upper right corner that gave me my inspiration for this piece. I may do it again, who knows, only use a square canvas and create it even larger.  It was an entertaining experiment with materials that were new to me and I learned somethings along the way. That's what challenges are for...to learn new things. This is 8x10 in acrylics.

Wonderland by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Wonderland"

The mind is an amazing thing...how one idea turns into another. This piece began life in my art journal as I was thinking about the new year and all the new paths available before me. The many twists and turns, ups and downs of life that we encounter each day. There are guide post and we must be aware of them or we could become lost along the way. Hoping 2018 is a year full of great adventures and may the path take you where your heart desires. 

Enchanted Forest by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

  Enchanted Forest COPYRIGHT 2015 Leada Wood

I have been enjoying a leisurely pace in the studio, still working just not cranking them out like I was for the challenge. I was thinking about that...I know I can and it was fun rising to the challenge...I think it is good practice so what keeps me from continuing? Life happens as they say. 

The pieces I am working on now are a little more entailed and I am enjoying the process. I guess that is what it is all about anyway when you get down to it...painting for the JOY of it.

Enchanted Forest is 8x8 mixed media and is AVAILABLE.

 It is hard to see the metallic copper and iridescence paint in the photo, sorry you can't see its sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by!