iHannas Spring Postcard Swap by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

This is my fourth postcard swap and I love getting art in the mail! It is amazing at the variety of different techniques and is exciting to see what part of the world they come from. The diving girl is from Norway.

 It is an eclectic mix of styles and interesting to see what each person comes up with. The world is full of talented people.

Near and far, it is always nice to make new friends or get a card from a old friend. Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
                                               --------unknown

May Flowers by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Walking in the garden looking at the flowers always makes me in a good mood. I guess you could say my mind and body are focused on natures beauty and it has a calming effect on my day. This spring has been wet and cool and the flowers and birds are loving it and so am I. 

Bootman knows I love Hibiscus and surprised me with 2 of every color for Mother's Day. I will enjoy the tropical flowers all summer long. They take the Texas heat and winds really well and bloom every day. He really knows the way to this girls heart!

The Bottlebrush tree is a Texas native plant and is so lovely when it blooms. I can see how it get its name.

Shasta Daises and Primroses are perennials. I love that they come back every year. 

These beautiful Balloon Flowers are enjoying the cool, wet weather. Love the violet color!

Another hardy favorite perennial is the red salvia. The hummingbirds and butterflies love this!

Walking out onto my porch and smelling my little herb garden is delightful. The dill has been especially fragarent, probably because the catipillars are munching on it. I don't mind as I know there will be butterflies this summer.

Our family especially enjoys fresh tomatoes with basil, feta cheese and olive oil. It's a summer staple at Dragonfly farm. I hope you have enjoyed a tour of my little piece of paradise and hope things are blooming with beauty at your place. Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

"The earth laughs in flowers."

                      -----Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every Child Is An Artist, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Who doesn't love yummy strawberries dipped in chocolate! It is a tradition for the girls and I to dip a bunch of berries for the reception for the children's art show and other special occasions. Spring has arrived!

A labor of love for sure.

This cutie is enjoying her art class and using watercolor to paint her girly minion. Lots of concentration going on. 

This young lady likes to paint coffee cups and has done several different paintings of them.

These kiddos are in the zone working on their projects.

These girly girls are seasoned artists with years of experience under their belts. Always something new to learn and share in the art world. Fun times at Studio Twenty! 

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

                                                                                               ----Pablo Picasso

iHanna Postcard Swap by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

Postcards created by Leada Wood©2016

Postcards created by Leada Wood©2016

Happy Spring! It is that time again for the iHanna postcard swap. I did a series of postcards for the swap starting them all the same way by using acrylic paint and a scrapper, spreading the paint around. Then using stencils, hand made collage, glitter, washi tape, Gelli rollers and Tombow pens finished them up. I hope my new art swap friends like them!

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

                                                      -----Anais Nin

Follow Your Star by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Follow Your Star" by Leada Wood©2016

Elephants make me nostalgic...they remind me of my mama, as she had a huge collection. People were always gifting her with a new one to add to her menagerie. I sure miss her.

"Follow Your Star" is a mixed media in yummy, happy colors. The colors seemed to sing to me so I added the notes at the bottom...which led to the words "Follow Your star...Dance to your music."Isn't it funny how things evolve?

The elephant symbolizes many things...strength, wisdom, remembrance, patience, power, and compassion. No wonder it makes me think of my mama. Happy Mothers Day!

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal "

Dreaming Of Wonderland by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

I am so excited and honored that the Buddy Holly Center has chosen my painting "Dreaming of Wonderland" for their marketing representing the Art League of West Texas Foundation's Spring show. The exhibition, Bunnies and Hares...do you dare? will run May 6th thru June 12th. Stop by and visit the center when in Lubbock.

"Dreaming Of Wonderland" by Leada Wood ©2016

"Dreaming Of Wonderland" won first place!

"A Good Scratch" by Leada Wood ©2016

 "A Good Scratch" also won an Honorable mention.

My daughter and her family surprised me and made the trip to Lubbock to attend the reception! They made my day!

A fun photo on the sculpture at the Buddy Holly Center.

"Always believe something wonderful is about to happen."

Free To Be Me by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Free To Be Me" ©Leada Wood 2016

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my Happy, Whacky Bird series at least half as much as I enjoyed painting them. My desire was to bring color into your day and a smile to your face, I hope I succeeded. 

There is still time to run by Howard College and see them closer. The Caboose Watercolor exhibition will close May 4th. The show is  excellent with exciting work from various artists.

"Art is, after all, only a trace...like a footprint which shows that one has walked bravely and in great happiness."

                                                                                                                       ---Robert Henri                                               

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

Happy Feet, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Happy Feet" by Leada Wood ©2016

"Happy Feet" is a mixed media collage created from hand painted papers. I just love painting the little birdies...real and imaginary. Happy Feet has bright cheerful colors that makes you smile just looking at him. This is one of my recent bird series created for the Caboose Watercolor show at Howard Collage. The reception is April 12th from 5:00 to 6:30, stop by and see the show, have some sips and snacks and say hi!

Star Light, Star Bright by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Leada Wood, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Collage

"Star Light, Star Bright" by Leada Wood ©2016

Do you remember looking at the starry sky on a summers night and saying the little poem "Star Light, star bright, the first star I see tonight, I wish I may I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." It's funny when I am painting a title just pops into my head or sometimes during the drawing stage. They just seem to come out of the blue and remind me of different times throughout my life. That's why I always say " Art takes you places."

I have been working on this series of bird paintings for a show that the Caboose Watercolor Society is having at Howard College. The exhibition opened on April 1st and will run until May 4th. The reception will be April 12th from 5:00 to 6:30, be sure to drop by and see the show.

The birds are collaged from hand painted papers that I create with Gelli prints and then paint on top of the prints. It gives a whole different look to a painting. The process is a bit long but I enjoy it...I hope you do too!

"We lose ourselves in the things we love...we find ourselves there too."