Leona Wood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leona Wood
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Leona Wood in 1981
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| Born | May 21, 1921 |
| Died | February 7, 2008 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Surrealism, Orientalism |
Leona Wood (born May 21, 1921 – died February 7, 2008) was an amazing American artist from the 20th century. She was a talented painter, dancer, and writer. She also helped start a famous dance group called the Aman International Folk Ensemble. Early in her career, her paintings were part of the Surrealism art style, which is known for dream-like and imaginative scenes.
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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Leona Wood was born on May 21, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. From a young age, she loved to draw and paint. She also studied ballet and learned different folk dances.
First Art Shows and Studies
When Leona was just sixteen, her artwork was shown at the Seattle Art Museum. This was a big deal for a young artist! She also won a special award to study design in San Francisco. In her late teens, she had her very own art show at the Seattle Art Museum.
Moving to New York and California
In 1939, Leona married Philip Harland, a physicist. They moved to New York City, where Leona worked as a designer and illustrator. She even created pictures for books. During this time, her paintings were shown in a gallery alongside famous artists like Salvador Dalí.
In 1947, Leona moved to Los Angeles, California. She continued to show her art in galleries across the country. In 1958, her work was even featured at an international art festival in Italy.
Art for De Beers Diamonds
In 1957, Leona Wood was hired by De Beers, a famous diamond company. They wanted her to create paintings for their "A diamond is forever" advertising campaign. She received a large payment for these artworks, which appeared in magazines all over the world. Her paintings for De Beers even got special attention in a Newsweek magazine article in 1959.
Passion for Dance and Music
In the 1960s, Leona and her husband, Philip, became very involved with music and dance at UCLA. Philip played drums, and Leona learned Middle Eastern dance to perform with him.
Starting the Aman Folk Ensemble
Leona and Philip formed a music and dance group called Friends of Arabic Music. They often performed with another dance group, the Village Dancers. In 1965, Leona and Tony Shay, the leader of the Village Dancers, decided to combine their talents. They co-founded the Aman International Folk Ensemble.
Aman became a very successful dance company. They were the first local dance group to perform at the Los Angeles Music Center. A famous critic called Aman "one of the finest ethnic companies anywhere." In 1978, Aman danced with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The company also performed in New York City in 1979.
Costume Design and Orientalist Paintings
Leona designed many of the costumes for the Aman company. This inspired her to paint Middle Eastern dancers and scenes. She painted in a style called Orientalism, which was popular with artists in the 19th century.
Kwakiutl Winter Ceremonial Project
In 1980, Leona received a grant to create a special Kwakiutl winter ceremonial performance for Aman. She worked with an artist to make ceremonial masks. She also designed the stage setting, including a unique fire that lit the stage from the center. This performance was called "a visual masterpiece."
Later Life and Legacy
Leona Wood taught classes on Middle Eastern dance at UCLA. She also wrote many articles about different dance forms. These articles appeared in magazines and on music albums.
Her paintings were shown in the Lane Galleries in California for over 25 years. Even after her husband passed away in 1980, she continued to paint even more. She created artworks on many different themes, including Venetian masks and scenes from mythology.
Leona Wood passed away in her home in 2008. Her work as a painter, dancer, and writer left a lasting impact on the art and dance worlds.
