Leslie Wood's Arts

Defiant

 
Sometimes I wake up and I just feel out of sorts.  Today was one of those days.  I woke up just kind of mad.  I also dropped lots of things and spilled some paint so I was thinking, I really shouldn't be painting today if this is how things are going.  But I trudged on and Miss Defiant came out. Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up all Disney Land, but today... not so much.

New Pendant and Fall shows starting this weekend!

I made a new necklace today using some old stuff I had tucked away.  It was fun getting back into my jewelry room, but what a mess I made. ha. 

I hope everyone comes out this weekend to Athens for the Art on the Square.  Its right around the square and so easy to find parking.  Come out and say hello!  Or next weekend is Monte Sano Art Show, another great show with great views and even greater art! 

Hope to see you in the next two weekends.

Upcoming Events

Less than two weeks until my fall shows start!!!  I'm excited to get my tent out and see some great art and good friends.  I hope you will come out to one of them.  Athens Art on the Square is September 10, 10am-4pm and Monte Sano Art Show is September 17, 9am-5pm. 

Also coming in October is my super fun art journaling class 'Monster's Ink'.  We'll spend 4 weeks putting together an awesome Halloween themed journal from just an old book.  We'll explore everything from old Hollywood Monster movies to Edgar Allan Poe.  Space is limited, so email me to get on the list.  The class will be taught at Lowe Mill four Tuesday's in October (October 4, 11, 18, 25) and the cost is $70 and includes some awesome supplies and vintage book.  No previous journaling experience is necessary.

Lowe Mill June Exhibition Photos

 

Ok, so I'm slow at getting these posted.  The summer just keeps slipping away from me.  It's hard to believe it's August already.  Several different pictures here. The awesome pictures made the night of the opening are by my friend Nancy Bennett.  Thanks again Nancy.

 
   

It was a great night shared by wonderful friends some old and some new.  A special thanks to Theresa Miller who bought one of the Orbs and patiently waited weeks to get it.

Thanks again to everyone who came out. 

Next up for me is Athens: Art on the Square on September 10 and Monte Sano Art Show on September 17.  I hope to see you there.  I'm also gearing up to teach my 'Monster's Ink" Halloween Journaling Experience at Lowe Mill in October!  That will be one fun class.  Email me if you want to get on the list. 

Catching Up

So I haven't been keeping up with my blog in the past month or so.  I have lots to post, so I'll do it in two.  Been a busy summer with my show at Lowe Mill in June and getting interviewed for the paper.  I also just finished a new set of Orb Paintings in red and in a different size for me (20"x24"). 

The first picture here is the scanned in article that was in the Hunstville Times last weekend by Sarah Cure.  Here also is the link to it.  I feel honored to have been interviewed and it was fun meeting Sarah, who is full of energy and love for local art.

http://blog.al.com/entertainment-times/2011/08/leslie_wood_uses_both_sides_of.html

The last pictures are the Red Orbs I finished this weekend.  I have another painting of red orbs but used botanicals instead of mechanicals.  I decided to go back to my roots with the mechanicals. 

Another Sad Passing

 

Losing a pet when they are like our kids is surely a hard thing.  I woke up Saturday to find my little Monterey had passed onto kitty heaven.  She was 16, but she was always full of energy and spunk.  I was sure should would pass Colby's almost 20 years.  But, not sure what happened, since she didn't even appear to be sick.

 

I first found her in this kennel at a vet in Madison, with her sister.  Their mom had been killed and had left the two of them too little to survive.  The vet had nursed them up big enough to be adopted and I took little Monterey home with me.  She always had a little fire in her and a little spunk that could sometimes get rough.  But she was a sweet kitty and love to cuddle.  I think she thought she was part leopard, cause she loved to rest on a chair like she was perching on a tree limb. She hated the vet with a passion and had a dreaded 'Caution' on her file there.  Needless to say, she wasn't much for getting her temperature taken.  (-:

I will surely miss her, but I know she'll be hanging out with little Colby again. 

Kitchen Remodel

After almost two months, we put the final touches on the kitchen this weekend. Boy am I glad. It had been 9 years in the wait, and I knew it would be a lot of work and trouble. But I'm extremely happy and am eager to start cooking up a storm. Thanks to all my Facebook friends on some cookbook ideas, I'm ready to go.  Already cooked cookies, a cake, pot roast and my mom's steak and onions recipe.  And I did not burn a thing!!!  Probably a first. 

 
First up the laundry room.  We stacked our washer and dryer, took out a toilet and half wall that seemed useless to us, and replaced it with a doggy shower that I'm sure will get a lot of use with our 4 dogs.  The result, happiness and cleanliness.

Next the side entry where we had nice storage before and a tad nicer now.  Added extra height with the lighted cabinets on top.  I've yet to figure out what to store up there though.  But now my pantry spans two of the cabinets instead of being crammed into one.

Next pictures are before and after looking into the dining nook.  I can't tell you how happy I am that the wallpaper is finally gone.  I did keep a small piece as a souvineer.  The people before me sure loved their wallpaper.  We've taken down 6 rooms of it so far and only 2 more to go before it's all obliterated.

These next two images are looking opposite the previous images to the sink and refrigerator. Thank goodness we had already bought those appliances a few years ago, so didn't have to get them now.

And finally the drama wall.  I never could understand this side of the kitchen before.  Maybe it was their lack of symmetry that always bothered me, or the not-so-nice stove and cook-top that never worked for me.  I don't know how many cakes and cookies i overcooked in that thing.  And the wall of endless wallpaper that made me cross-eyed.  After many days of red paint drama (hint: always use a grey primer before painting red), and many endless days waiting on the hood and installing the hood. We are done and I do love that little patch of red, though I'm still smarting from the pain of it. 
 
So, let's get cooking.  Right now I have jalapeno cheddar bread going.  Yum!

Leapin' Lizards

You know when you're a kid and you dream of being an illustrator at Disney.  You think, 'I could draw cartoons for a living; how cool would that be.'  Ha!  That's what I thought anyways, so when a friend of Phil's asked me about doing some illustrations for a children's book he wrote for his grandchild, I thought, 'What Fun'.  But after over a whole lot of hours and a sore hand, I'm thinking this is definetly not for me.  (-:  I didn't even get any backgrounds done!  Oh well, here is my incompleted set of drawings. 

On another note, thanks to all of you that came out to my Artist Reception last week and to those that also went to visit the show.  It was great to see everyone and I had an amazing time.  So glad you could share it with me.

Leslie Wood Artist Reception: Friday, June 10, 6-8pm! Everyone Welcome!

 

It's finally here!!!!  The art is all set up and ready for Friday's reception at Lowe Mill.  I never imagined it would be so difficult to set up a show.  But thanks to my wonderful husband, Phil and good friend, Everett, we got it all set up.  Not only do I have my paintings and jewelry up there, but also several pieces of my sculpture as well.

If you are in the area, come out and see me.  The reception is Friday night (June 10) 6-8pm and there will be wine and snacks.  There is even a concert on the dock there at 6pm if you get bored with the art.  I'm on the 3rd floor, so take the freight elevator and come on up. The art will be set up for the entire month of June, so if you miss Friday, stop by some time and see it and all the other amazing art and artists up there.

Hope to see you there.  Click Lowe Mill map for directions.

Orbapaloosa

More orbs.  I'm just in that orb mood I guess.  I really had fun with the red one and the dripping paint technique.  Getting them ready for my show next week at Lowe Mill.  It's 6-8pm on Friday June 10.  Come out and have some free wine and snacks and say hello!