Moonlight On The Mesa by Leada Wood

I have wanted to do hot wax encaustics for a long time. I don't have the proper ventilation in my studio so I haven't tried it yet. I have been experimenting around with faux encaustics though and am liking the results. You use acrylic paint instead of oil and different mediums. 

I usually don't like doing landscapes as I did so many of them as a beginning painter many years ago. But I can see a new more interesting way to do them now through encaustics and collage. 

I started the process using pages from an old book. I rescued it from the trash and repurposed it.  This is a mixed media painting. I hope you can see the many layers on the blog as that is what makes it so interesting. 

Froggie Went A'Courtin' by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

I always liked the song and children's story " Froggie Went A'Courtin'" when I was a little girl. Just the thought of it brings a smile to my face...so many fine childhood memories. Books were a big deal when I was growing up. We took care with them because we didn't have as many as children today. Most of my reading was done by going to the library and checking out stacks of books and taking them home and devouring them. Maybe that is why I have such a vivid imagination!

 Today I just download a book from the library on my ipad or several books if I am traveling. I love the convenience of that, nice not to have to carry books. They do add weight to your luggage! Yet I still like the comfort of holding a good book in my hands.

This painting is transparent watercolor, 6x9, and is available for purchase.
contact me@ www.leadawood.com

"Froggie Went A'Courtin'" by Leada Wood ©2014

 

                                         

Love Is...by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

I am  currently working on a series entitled  Love Is. It is very difficult to put your thoughts on the canvas without making the theme appear too valentinish ( is that a word?) or girlish...to make it seem like art! Since it is Valentine day....almost....I thought I would just get it out of my system! The thing every girl associates with Valentines day is hearts and flowers...symbols of love, right? I received my new gardening catalog and since it has been soooo cold I decided I would make a collage out of flowers to brighten the dreary winter days. I used symbols for love in this 12x12 collage on canvas. Flowers and hearts are both symbols for love. The color red symbolizes passion, excitement, and happiness. The color pink is romantic and  can represent compassion, unconditional love, understanding, and nurturing . Purple is a royal color and can symbolize mystery, creativity, and spirituality. White is the color of perfection, purity, innocence or completion.  The spiral is a very feminine symbol and can represent balance, awareness, the act of creating, or intuition. A lot of meaning in this little collage...all with references toward love... real love...not infatuation  I did not research the meanings before I began the collage but only as I was writing this post. Maybe some of this I just knew from previous explorations or maybe it was just intuitive.

 Whatever rhyme or reason it was fun to create and I am using it to wish you a happy Valentines Day filled with lots of love and hopefully a little romance!

                                               

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preservers. Love never fails.     

   1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Collage of 30 paintings in 30 days challenge by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

I decided I would share my collage I made of all 30 paintings. That was a challenge in itself since they were all different shapes and sizes. I think if I do it again I will paint on the same size canvas. Yes as difficult as it was, I am thinking of next year! It was fun challenging myself and more fun to actually complete it. Time heals all things...or so they say.

                                                        

Birds Of A Feather by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

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

It has been a challenge but I have made it! Whoo Hoooo! It has been fun but I am glad the pressure will be off. I just hope I can continue to paint everyday...at least some.  I have been also learning to paint on my ipad during this month. That is another challenge in itself!

I do appreciate those who have taken time to look at my blog and say kind words. I also really appreciate my friends on Facebook who have been so encouraging. I don't think I could have made it without you! My life has been enriched knowing you care.

I stared with bird paintings so I though it appropriate to finish with a bird painting. This 5x7 transparent watercolor of Zebra Finches is the last of the 30/30 challenge. But I will be back with more paintings...so stay tuned.

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Thanks for dropping by!




Birds Of A Feather by Leada Wood©2014

Tea Time by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Day 29 of Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

I love to have tea parties with my grand daughters...what fun we have! Sometimes we dress up with jewelry and hats and have special treats, other times it is just spontaneous with muffins or whatever I have on hand. They enjoy getting out the special little cups that I have collected. I am collecting old  ones from antique stores when I find just the right one. They will have to be older to use these. We are making memories and always enjoy our time together. Nothing like a cup of tea and sweet company to warm your heart.

Tea Time by Leada Wood©2014

 

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