Azure Angel by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Azure Angel by Leada Wood, Copyright 2013
www.leadawood.com or www.leadawood.com/blog

This is another in my cruciform series, so much left to explore! This one really took a twist as I kept seeing a blue angel or figure in it so that is where I let the painting take me. This is what I like about painting abstractly...you begin and the process starts... you never know where you will end up until you get there!

I never thought from this beginning that it would turn into a figurative painting. I put lots of texture and collage and threw in some graphic lines. Nothing in mind except to do another cruciform painting...exploration. Again a horizontal beginning turned into a vertical format.

This is where I started seeing a figure. I changed directions and made it into the painting at the top...my Azure Angel. I hope you enjoy seeing a little of the process and reading about the journey. I'm glad you stopped by!

Southwest Cross by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

 

SOUTHWEST CROSS BY LEADA WOOD COPYRIGHT 2013
www.leadawood.com  or www.leadawood.com/blog

I have been working in a series exploring the cruciform. This is one of my finished explorations and it is 11x15 on illustration board. I started by laying in some collage papers with them extending off all four edges as show below. I then added lots of texture and glazes of paint.

As you can see it came through different stages before the final stage. I thought at first it would be a horizontal format but kept going until I liked the vertical format better, as shown below. I tried to bring it together using the blue and other colors but it just didn't come together until I changed directions entirely. I used a different color palette and started knocking it back until I came to the finished piece, as shown at the top.

That is the wonderful thing about abstracts  you never know where they will take you...it is about the process...the journey...the exploration.

Thanks for dropping by!

Plastic Fusion by Leada Wood©

This is another little plastic fusion piece...only 1"x2"...very miniature! I don't know why I am working so small these days...maybe so I can get more done. I have been modeling clay as well, trying to get a different look and feel. I will then incorporated these experiments into my art. Experimenting is half the fun with mixed media. Solving the puzzle of how to make it work in a piece of art is the other.

Feed The Birds by Leada Wood

Feed The Birds by Leada Wood©

This was the original painting I did in August of  last year. You can go back into my blog and see how I did this work step by step. It just never seemed finished to me so it sat in my studio while I decided what to do to make it better. I decided it needed more color and  interest on the girl...sooo I collaged a hat band and flower and repeated the pattern in her shirt and apron. It warmed the painting up and created more movement through the painting. A ghost bird seems to have appeared behind the pigeon. Anyway I am happier with this painting and it is finished...at least for now. I like her better...how about you?
Feel free to comment!
This is a mixed media painting.

Feed The Birds by Leada Wood©

Red Rising by Leada Wood©

Red Rising by Leada Wood ©

This is my January challenge for Creative Catalyst. This month the challenge was Bold. I love experimental painting...it takes me places and oh what a ride! When you are one with the painting and  it is speaking to you...life is good!  I love textures, layers, pushing and pulling with the paint until you feel you have arrived at the end. 
Red Rising was done on illustration board and is 16x20. I used acrylic gels and stamped and scratched into that. Then I used charcoal and drew into my painting and began layering paint scratching into the wet paint with my paint brush handle to allow some of the previous colors to show through. It's always fun to sling a little paint along the way and splatter it a bit..so loosen up you can always add another layer! Be CREATIVE and let your inner artist child PLAY!

Altered Background by Leada Wood

Things are really changing now!  I didn't like the competiton of the background with my focal point and I decided to put a nice neutral grey on it. I selected a grey that was opaque so that your eye could rest on the girl. When the grey was dry I painted the textured strip.  I decided to put some of my collage papers that I make onto her skirt and do a little stamping. Now I have started laying in colors on my lovely lady, still keeping transparent so the writing on the prepared background is peeking through. She is staring to come to life, don't you think?

Altered Background by Leada Wood

I have now added my drawing using charcoal and a wash of liquid acrylic to the background. I am keeping it transparent so that the writing on the altered background is still showing through.  I will keep going...stay tuned!

Altered Background by Leada Wood

I am using one of the techniques I learned from the Liz Hill workshop at the Bunk House. This is an altered background technique. I adhered phone book pages to watercolor paper and let it dry. Then I placed masking tape randomly over the paper and burnished it. Next I started ripping up the masking tape. This removes layers of the paper and gives a nice textured look. After I had mutilated it enough ( do this technique to relieve stress) I added a thin wash of gesso, more of a veil, just keep it transparent. When that dries you should still be able to see some of the writing. This adds white back into the painting.

Moon Flowers by Leada Wood, Artist Of Texas

Moon Flowers by Leada Wood ©

I have been in Betsy Dillard Stroud's workshop in Lubbock, Texas this week put on by the West Texas Watercolor Society. We have been working in acrylics but using them transparently as well as opaquely. I have had so much fun experimenting with Betsy guiding us. This painting is a full sheet, 22X28, and I started by doing an underpainting wet on wet and then doing a  drawing of moon flowers when the paper was dry. I then divided up my space with tape and circles and when ever I crossed a line I changed value or color. I left the flowers with the underpaintings  showing and  just adding a little detail to the focal flower. It was a fun exercise and I encourage you to try it!