Traditions by Leada Wood

We carry inside of us the people who came before us. Do you ever wonder about the relatives you see in 100 year old photos? What were they like? 

I am the keeper of my families photos. It was bestowed upon me by my Mama…she was the keeper before me. How do you store fragile, fading photographs? I am in the process of taking digital photos and editing them now, preserving them for future generations. My cousins are doing the genealogy research trying to tie our family tree together. 

I came across a photo of my Grandmother Franklin and her three sisters. I only had met Aunt Ruth when she was an older lady. She was my Mamas favorite so I decided to do a painting from the 100 year old photo. I painted Aunt Ruth and Grandma in a style that made it look aged, a sepia tone. Maybe one of these days I will paint all the sisters. 



 

 



“Sisters”

By 

Leada Wood©️

Watercolor

Tradition serves as an anchor to our identity and heritage. It preserves the customs and narratives that connect us to our roots. These connections are essential for maintaining a sense of family and belonging. I wish that these old photos could talk..so many stories are lost.

"Air Mail",Watercolor by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Air Mail" ©2017 Leada Wood

"Air Mail" was inspired by a birds's nest in an abandoned rural mail box. I started looking for a grouping of old rusted mailboxes and sketched them. Then I thought about the play on words airmail and how fun that would be.

Crows are a lot like people in that they are intelligent and adapt to their environment. They are sociable and sometimes live in communal roosts.

I combined the two concepts and came up with the painting "Air Mail" which show the crows borrowing from humans a nice nesting place in the country. A condo ready made for them to occupy. Looks like they are moving in!
                                                                   
"Air Mail" is on exhibit at the Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas with the ALWT spring show "The Borrowers" from April 7th to May 21st. Stop by and see how a group of painters interpret the theme of The Borrowers.                                                                            

Blackbird Fly, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Blackbird Fly" by Leada Wood ©2016

I just loved the Beatles...I can remember seeing them on the Ed Sulliven show. It was their first American performance. I was pretty young but my younger cousin and I followed our older cousin to their house to see what it was all about. I didn't quite get it...all those girls screaming on tv...and of course my older cousin was quite excited as well. I soon got it though and still enjoy their music. They were very creative and their music kind of changed the world of music. I never got to see the Beatles in person although I have gone to many concerts since then but I did get to see Paul and Ringo perform.

Music takes you places as well as visual art. That is why it is so important to support the arts...to keep creativity alive in our fast paced world.  Where would we be without art? All great inventions begin with an idea born out of a creative mind. Everything you wear, live in, drive , talk on, began with a vision born out of creativity.

"Blackbird Fly" is another mixed media painting in my Happy, Whacky Birds series.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly into the light of the dark, black night.

                                                                                                 ---The Beatles

30 Paintings In 30 Days By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Here is a collage of my 30 paintings for the challenge. Somehow my laptop got a VIRUS through all this and I am having to do everything from my iPad which I like except can't make pic money work! But I got it done with collage ap so now I am really done!

30 Paintings In 30 Days by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Spirit Dreams" by Leada Wood©2015

Day 21 of the 30-30 challenge

"Spirit Dreams" is an acrylic mixed media painting. I begin by writing words or verses onto the blank canvas board. Then I use Gelli Prints that I create for the figures. I collage them on to a canvas board which has many layers of paint and papers, some are just barely visible. Mixed Media is a process and I really like doing them. It is almost like a puzzle to get all the patterns, textures and colors unified into a painting...and you never know IF or how it will turn out...just like any other media. 

I saw this on Bob Burridge's Bob Blast today.

"Collage is an intuitive process of concealing, revealing, adding and subtracting until the artist's goals and intentions emerge from the layers 

of construction and paint. Using a variety of materials and techniques, 

the artist invents in their "laboratory for creativity." Keeping with the 

original history of college art, it's all about risk-taking, new ideas, intentions and inventions."

That pretty much sums it up.

30 Paintings In 30 Days, By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Texas Artist, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

South Light ©2015 Leada Wood



 Day 7 of the 30-30 challenge.

 

Talavera Pottery is hands down my favorite decorative pottery. It just makes you happy to look at it with all the pretty colors and designs. I like pairing it with succulents which do well in our hot dry climate. This still life is of my south window sill where I enjoy the plant year round. I tried to depict the warm light that comes in the window... I hope it brightens your day!

30 Paintings In 30 Days by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Texas Artist, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Open Season by Leada Wood ©2015

Dove Season has arrived! Long awaited by boys and men alike...the hunt is on. I live in the country and you can hear them going at it from early until late. Now don't get me wrong, I love to eat bar-b-que dove and you only get it during the season, IF your guys have a good hunt.

I love my birds but I see why there is a hunting season on dove...we have an abundance of them. They hang around my bird feeders like sparrows and those guys can eat! My Mom in law counted 50 on her back yard fence. Well... that is life in the country...now what  about those pigeons?

30 Paintings In 30 Days by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Contemporary Texas Artist, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage



Blue Parrot ©2015 Leada Wood

 

Day 3 and I am still going! Painting this parrot brought back memories of when we traveled to Isla Roatan and monkeys and parrots were everywhere in the rain Forrest. I got to hold a monkey, he was very curious...everything was lovely until he climbed on my head , covered my eyes and started messing with my earrings! Apparently they like shiny objects. The care taker said not to make any sudden moves...right. Try remaing calm with a monkey on your head! Fun place to visit not sure I would want to live there...hot and humid!

More Gelli Fun, By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

L

This fun little lady is part of a page in my art journal. I wanted to show you some of the things you can do with Gelli Prints. Her dress is a small portion of a page of one of my prints. You could also use prints for collage papers or cards.

This is another Gelli print. Gelli printing is like mono printing without the press. It is not as complicated...but I suppose you could get complicated with the process if you wanted to. That is the fun of it...whatever floats your boat!

Another art journal cover. I have given many of these away as gifts to my art friends through the years. I hope they enjoy having them half as much as I did making them.

This art journal has been to many workshops and is full now.  I used a few pieces of my printed papers and then painted a geisha, collaged her dress and fan and painted the symbols for happiness on it.

I think this is the first art journal I made...it has seen many workshops too. It came about as I used a baby wipe to clean my stamps. I liked it so much I glued it to my journal cover...thus began the process of decorating my journal covers and I have continued over the years. I have a special travel journal that I take on trips and it comes in handy when Boot Man and I reminisce.

These are only a tiny portion of what you can do with Gelli prints. There are no bounds to where your imagination can take you. Thanks for stopping by!

Out On A Limb by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Happy 2014! What a way to start the new year by accepting a challenge from Leslie Saeta to paint 30 paintings in 30 days. Well I certainly went out on a limb and signed up...what was I thinking! First I was thinking oh that will be fun! I have followed her other challenges and enjoyed seeing everyone's progress and wished I had participated. So this year I am joining in. Here is number one, 9x12 watercolor. This painting is available.

 

Mardi Gras by Leada Wood, Contermporary Artist Of Texas

Mardi Gras by Leada Wood©




I always wanted to go to Mardi Gras. It looks like such a fun and lively time! I think it would be better to see it from afar, on one of the balconies overlooking the parade. I am a little claustrophobic so I would not like being surrounded by an ocean of people. When I finished this painting it had a festive, colorful flair to it and being Mardi Gras season at the time decided that would be a good name. The vivid colors reminded me of New Orleans.

 This contemporary abstract painting is 22x28 on archival rag paper, painted with acrylic paints.
This painting is available!