Golden Dragon by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 28 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

 The Dragon Dance is an important part of the Chinese New Year celebration. It is believed that the dragon represents prowess, nobility and fortune; drives out evil and brings good luck. The dragon mask and body used for the dance may be gold, green or fire red. Green symbolized great harvest; yellow symbolizes the solemn empire, gold symbolizes prosperity and red represents excitement. Some of the dragons are 100 feet long.  Wouldn't it be fun to see the parade with the dragon dancing?

Hope your new year has been prosperous so far! Mine has been...28 paintings in 28 days...nearly finished with the challenge. It has been fun!

Golden Dragon by Leada Wood ©2014

Mandarin Duck, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 27 of Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 days challenge.

Okay just so you know this is like any project  or deadline....it begins to keep me awake. I started last night or I guess you could say early morning since i started this painting 12:30 am. I wanted to do a couple of more for my Chinese New Year series so that when they hang in the gallery they will make a big square.

You might have wondered about my series all having nearly the same background. I collaged Chinese newspaper...for inspiration and then painted the canvas red. I did this day by day not massed produced ahead. The color red in Chinese is a symbol of good fortune, and I happen to like red! After all that has dried I draw my design onto the canvas with a water soluble white pencil. I have used Acrylic paints for my series, kind of like oils but not so toxic.

Boot Man said we have eaten more Chinese food while I was painting this series than we have in our entire lives! Gotta have inspiration!

I thought of doing a plain white duck and naming it Peking duck but as I was surfing free images I ran onto this these Magnificent Mandarin ducks! Painting does take some research and development before the painting begins. Sooo....noooo. No plain white duck for me! All those gorgeous colors just sparked me into action. 

If you grew up in China or Japan, where the Mandarin ducks are wide-spread - you most probably have heard stories about the love and devotion of Mandarin ducks. They mate for life and are considered loyal and devoted to their chosen partner. I knew I liked those ducks!
Thanks for stopping by!

Mandarin Duck by Leada Wood Copyright 2014

Golden Poppy by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 26 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

Bet you thought I wasn't going to make it today...to tell you the truth neither did I! Getting tired! Only 4 more days....

Golden Poppy by Leada Wood©2014

 

Beautiful Butterfly by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 25 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

As I was painting this butterfly I was thinking of all the stages it must go through before it can fly. That in turn reminded me of all my beautiful grand daughters and how they are morphing into little women right before my eyes! Funny how we have to go through life stages as well in order to spread our wings and fly.

Metamorphosis is the magic that the butterfly teaches us. Changes insure our growth and we must struggle to shed the old before we can become new. A butterfly will only emerge when the conditions are favorable. The same things happen in our life... things unfold adoring to a plan. That is the force of creation...we are always changing. Hopefully for the better! Growth and change can be joyful or sometimes painful.  The butterfly reminds us of the never ending cycle of life.  It is only working through these stages that we emerge as the person we are to become.

Butterflies also symbolize joy, warmth, faith, celebration, freedom, naturalness, purity and transformation. I think that symbolizes my grand daughters as well!

Beautiful Butterfly by Leada Wood©2014

 

Black Cat, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 24 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

My brothers always liked firecrackers, but they scared me! I did enjoy the big ones that blew up in the sky but didn't like the small ones you had to light...I was more of a sparkler girl.

 I was discussing with boot man about doing a firecracker painting, I had in mind doing one big firecracker. Hearing him talk about his firecracker days and black cats stirred up a lot of memories of the 4th, and one thing let to another. I never liked that mean looking cat on their packages either! I was such a sissie girl.

Many historians believe that Independence Day’s most explosive form of entertainment originated in China, which continues to produce and export more fireworks than any other country in the world. It is thought that, as early as 200 B.C., the Chinese had already stumbled upon a sort of natural firecracker: They would roast bamboo, which explodes with a bang when heated due to its hollow air pockets, in order to ward off evil spirits.

At some point between 600 and 900 A.D., Chinese alchemists—perhaps hoping to discover an elixir for immortality—mixed together saltpeter (potassium nitrate, then a common kitchen seasoning), charcoal, sulfur and other ingredients, unwittingly yielding an early form of gunpowder. The Chinese began stuffing the volatile substance into bamboo shoots that were then thrown into the fire to produce a loud blast. The first fireworks were born.

The firecrackers, both then and now, are thought to have the power to fend off evil spirits and ghosts that are frightened by the loud bangs of the firecrackers. Firecrackers are used for such purposes today at most events such as births, deaths and birthdays. Chinese New Year is a particularly popular event that is celebrated with firecrackers to usher in the new year free of the evil spirits.

     Black Cat by Leada Wood copyright 2014

Oh Hummingbird! By Leada Wood,Texas Artist

Day 23 of Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.

Hummingbirds are natures jeweled messengers and there is a lot to be learned from the smallest of birds. Because of its speed, a hummingbird is known as a messenger and a stopper of time. It is  also a symbol of love, joy, and beauty. Hummingbirds are able to fly backwards, hover and stop in an instant. They are fierce warriors defending their territory from other hummingbirds, and are tireless always seeking the sweetest flowers.

When a hummingbird hovers over a flower drinking nectar, we learn we should savor each moment, and appreciate the things we love. They remind us of the beauty of life, and to appreciate the magic of the moment and to enjoy the gift of being alive.

In China and around the world the Hummingbird symbolizes powerful energy, transformation and joy. This tiny, colorful bird also symbolizes the ability to overcome the impossible, as well as flexibility in life circumstances.

I can't wait for spring and their return!



Oh Hummingbird, by Leada Wood©2014

 

Lucky Bamboo by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 22 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30
days challenge. I can't believe only 8 days left! I kind of got on a roll with the Chinese New Years series. I was having fun painting traditional Chinese lucky symbols and learning a lot about their culture and traditions. I hope you have had fun along the way!

We've all heard that lucky bamboo (which of course isn't really a bamboo at all) increases feng shui, but what exactly does lucky bamboo mean? According to the Chinese tradition, the meaning of lucky bamboo is tied to how many stalks you have. Here are some of the meanings associated with different lucky bamboo arrangements:

• Two stalks represent love.
• Three stalks represent Fu (happiness), Lu (wealth), and Soh (long life).
• Five stalks represent the areas of life that represent wealth (e.g., spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, and intuitive).
• Six stalks represent good luck and wealth.
• Seven stalks represent good health.
• Eight stalks represent growth.
• Nine stalks represent great luck.
• Ten stalks represent perfection.
• Twenty-one stalks represent a powerful blessing.

I painted lucky bamboo representing love and I didn't know that until the painting was finished and I researched the symbols. Now that I know, I like the way they are intertwined and standing side by side, supporting each other. I know in my own life I have been lucky in love and blessed. 

Thanks for dropping by!

 

  Lucky Bamboo by Leada Wood ©2014

 

Lotus Flower by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 20 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

Well it's getting tougher to get the painting a day done and get it on three blogs and face book. Whew! Ten more days! I think I can, I think I can! I hope I can!

Still doing my Asian series for the Chinese New Year. The Lotus flower has many meanings in Chinese culture but the one symbol I liked was purity. I thought it especially fitting for a white Lotus blossom.

Lotus Flower by Leada Wood ©2014

Lucky Fish by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 19 Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

I am still going, some days are tougher than others...they require discipline to continue. Today was one of those days, but finish I did!  I got to enjoy my family as well...it was a good day!

In Feng Shui Fishes are regarded as Symbols of good fortune and abundant wealth. So they are widely used as pet fishes in the aquarium, paintings or pictures or kept as figurines to attract success and prosperity. It is said that the fishes saves us from danger and bad luck. There are many types of fishes used to create positive energy and abundance in Feng Shui like the Arowana, Flowerhorn, Dragon Carp or Gold Fish. 

Today I decided to paint a gold fish, I especially like the ones with the long flowing tails. I also like to paint koi. I love to watch the little fishes swim around in an aquarium or pond. It's very relaxing, whether it brings good luck or not who knows.

Lucky Fish by Leada Wood, copyright 2014

Moon Lantern, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 18 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I still painting every day but today I noticed my right hand was beginning to hurt. Painful...it hurt all day. I hope it's not tendonitis setting in. There are pitfalls of being a painter. Seclusion, tendonitis, neck ache back aches, writing on 4 blogs is quiet a challenge in itself! And posting on Face Book...oh my! It has been a very busy month! That is just when you can squeeze it in between the other jobs and life. I have been staying up way too late getting the business of art completed but that's ok because it's my life and I enjoy it...it's who I am.

This year, the year of the horse, the lunar new year will begin with the new moon on January 31st. The Chinese New Year is a fifteen day event, now that's a celebration! Chinese lanterns play a big part in the celebration especially red lanterns as red is a lucky color.  People will write their wishes and desires on their lanterns and then pray for them to come true. The lantern festival officially ends the new year celebration and commences the next new moon after the celebrations beginning.

I hope you are enjoying following my Asian series as I find their culture very fascinating. They have been around for thousands of years and have invented many things .Their culture is quite evolved in music, dance, theater and art. I hope you will check back tomorrow as I will have another surprise  for you!

Moon Lantern by Leada Wood ©2014

Sushi! by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 17 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.





Sushi! by Leada Wood©2014

I know...Sushi is Japanese but this is an Asian inspired series so it qualifies, right? I can't say sushi without smiling...it's just fun to say!  I also can't think of it without thinking of my niece. She and her husband love the stuff.

Lucky Coin by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 16 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.




Lucky Coin by Leada Wood ©2014

Chinese cash coins, round bronze coins with a square hole in the middle were made for more than 2,000 years. There are hundreds of different types with thousands of varieties. Most  coins have an inscription of four Chinese characters to identify the historical time of their casting and their monetary value. Most Chinese charms, or lucky coins also have four or more character inscriptions but they do not have monetary value. Instead the inscriptions are to bring good luck, good fortune, good health or some other wish to avert misfortunes. They are very big in Feng Shui.

Green Tea by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 15 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge...half way to the finish line!

Maybe you have wondered about my obsession with Asian things...well it is almost Chinese New Year. 2014 is the year of the horse. I started this series and I am having so much fun with it I don't want to stop! I am sitting here looking at the paintings together and they make a really cute grouping. I can't wait to do some more of them!  Got a few ideas marinating...keep you posted!




Green Tea by Leada Wood ©2014

Chinese Take Out by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 14 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. Whoo Hoo! Nearly half way there! I have been having such fun painting my Asian series. They are small 6x6 and would make a cute grouping..so far there are 4. They are available, just contact me here: www.leadawood.com. Thanks for looking!

"Chinese Take Out" by Leada Wood copyright 2014

Fortune Cookie by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 13 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge nearly halfway there.i had a little Asian series going with GIrl With The Golden Fan, Yin and Yang, and now Fortune Cookie. They are all 6x6 mixed media collage sure would make some one a cute grouping. There is a plan for a fourth one to be added. I just love making Asian mixed media collage.

If you have never painted a fortune cookie why don't you get you one and give it a try. I thought oh yeah that will be quick and easy! WRONG! For such a simple little subject matter it was tough! I think you should try it you will be amazed how difficult it is, especially one with crack showing around the edge. If I had thick bodied paints and palette knives it would have mad the job simpler I think. I may have to try it again like that just to see. It was fun to paint just surprising at how challenging it was.

Fortune Cookie by Leada Wood copyright 2014