Totems by Leada Wood

Totems © Leada Wood, Mixed Media

Eleven.....I had a dream and when I woke up the words "Pray for 11/11/11" were still lingering in my mind. I have thought about this...a lot! I usually don't remember many dreams and certainly not words from my dreams, so it has caused me to do lots of soul searching and reseach.

The number 11 is a prime number, and in a 12 step program, the 11th step is usually the step of mediation and courage. Eleven is my totem number, according to my birth date. The spiritual meaning associated with it is: Eleven brings the gift of spiritual inheirtance, gifted as the "Light Bearer". Strengthened by the love of peace, gentleness, sensitivity and insight. Eleven is a symbol of higher ideals, invention, refinement, balance, fulfillment, vision, strong will, pure energy, equality, kindness, tact and purity. HMMMM....Who knew!

Maybe someone is telling me I need to seek balance in the new year of 2011, and balance is always a good thing in life. As we are in the 3rd month of the year 2011, I wish you all to have balance in your life, along with health, love and happiness.
Anyway, my dream got me to meditate on the new year and that sparked me to do a painting containing the number 11 and some of its symbolism. Hope you enjoy looking !

Tulips Are Blooming At Dragonfly Farm

My little sugar cookie looks like springtime sitting by my tulips...wonder if she is thinking about picking a few for me!

Totems by Leada Wood, Mixed Media

Totems ©Leada Wood, Mixed Media

If you are in Odessa, Texas Sunday, March 20th at 2 pm be sure to stop by the Ellen Noel Art Museum and join the Odessa Art Association watching Leada Wood do a demo on Mixed Media. We would love to see you there!

New website

Hi you guys well my guy has got my website online still some gadgets to put on there and a few things to work out but you can at least look at it! Go to www.leadawood.com and check it out! Thanks for looking!

Dancing Dragonflies

Dancing Dragonflies ©Leada Wood
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This is a 11x14 liquid acrylic on illustration board, using a splatter technique then painting negatively around the dragonflies, leaving only the underpainting showing. I added a little detail in black to make them pop.  This is always a fun way to begin a painting because you never know where you will end up. This painting now lives with a couple in Lubbock, hope they are happy together!

Tiger Lilly



"Tiger Lilly" by Leada Wood (C) 2011 All Rights Reserved

This is a  9X12 mixed media watercolor on Strathmore paper I painted today.  I randomly put texture medium on the paper, let it dry and then drew my still life. I used wax crayon as a resist in places and drew with inktense pencils in others. I placed masking tape in a directional angle, disregarding the composition and continued painting. I used colbalt teal and turquoise in the directional angle to carry the blue throughout the painting. I added a mirror on the top left painted in the same hue as the bowl and the tiger lilly for balance. I stamped into the black on the top right to create more texture. In areas while the paint was wet I scrapped watercolor pencils over sandpaper for sprinkles of color. For a little added pizzaz I added fushia at the top. I used water soulable oil pastels, watercolor pencils,and inktense to add details here and there. It is difficult to see the various textures as I have to post on such a low resoulution. To see it high resolution visit my website: http://www.leada-wood.artistwebsites.com/  I had fun playing with the different techniques and will try out some more new things with watercolor. Keep checking back...I will keep you posted!



"Time Is Like A Circus" Collage by Leada Wood
(C) 2010 All Rights Reserved

This is a 12X12 inch acrylic collage. My dad was a clock maker and a jeweler and I used some of his clock parts for this collage. The little man is made from two clock keys and there are various clock hands painted around, also an antique pocket watch and various other clock parts scattered about. My mom collected elephants so the elephant represents her... the monkey on her back represents me and the other monkey on the clock hand represents my brother. The writing says " Time is like a circus...always packing up and moving away."  Isn't that the way time is...always moving on? Can you believe it is almost 2011? It sounds so futuristic and yet it is here! I wish for you all blessings and a very bright and happy new year!

Dreams Of Mine

"Dreams Of Mine" by Leada Wood (C) 2010 Mixed Media
All Rights Reserved


I created this piece on a hardcover sketch book to take to one of my art club's Christmas party. We always have an art exchange and this year I decided to do my art on something they can enjoy the whole year though, as an art journal or sketchbook. I started the process by putting gesso on the cover then I wrote some inspirational words and phrases with sharpie. I then added texture with gel medium and started applying pearlescent acrylic paints. After the painting was done I attached some silver wings and a little moon face figure I made out of clay, a little dragon fly and the letters soar. I then used inktense pencil to do the shading.
 I hope my friend likes the gift I made for her!

"Fan Fare"

"Fan Fare" by Leada Wood (c) 2010 Mixed Media Collage
All Rights Reserved


I paint papers and embelish them  with stamps, and other things. Then I start tearing them as needed and collage them onto a substrate. I then use liquid acrylic paints very transparently so that you can see all the layers building up. When I am satisified with the results I start collaging found objects onto the work. On this piece I used gold leaf and a little clay sculpture I had made. I enjoy doing this type of work as it very freeing and I can let my creative self out to play!

Linda likes cake!

Is Linda really eating two pieces of cake at the artist reception? She is pictured in the lovely Christmas tree forest at the Heritage Museum's opening of "Angels We Have Heard On High" exhibit by the Caboose Watercolor Society running now through January 8th 2011.