About Madison Woods | CV

Introduction

Hi, I’m Madison Woods. My husband and I live in northwest Arkansas far off the paved highways, a perfect environment for a nature artist.

Ozark pigments

Madison Woods, Artist, Pigment Hunter, & Paint-maker
Madison Woods, Artist, Pigment Hunter, & Paint-maker

There are many fabulous painters in this region.  What sets my work apart from most is that I use exclusively pigments foraged locally, processed by myself into paints. All of the color you see in my art are the colors of the Ozarks of Madison county, Arkansas.

Before I start a painting, I collect the pigments I’ll need to produce the painting. If I’m working on series, then I’ll collect and create enough paint for the entire series before I get started.


Click here for my artist statement.

Click here to read my general bio at Wild Ozark’s website

Keep reading below for general information about the timeline of my leap into the abyss of art…

Becoming a Painter

My life as a watercolorist began in the summer of 2018. Before that I used colored pencils for drawings. 2023 is a year of exploring the Ozark pigments in oils. I’m self-taught in all aspects of art. As for the paintings, I’ve only ever used my own watercolors or oil paints, so I have no idea how they ‘work’ as compared to store-bought varieties. My colors are earthy and the palette very limited.

While I enjoy painting anything of nature, I am most passionate about painting the birds of prey. But it’s really more about the predator/prey relationship than it is about the birds, specifically. Other themes that resonate with me include the duality of nature and liminal spaces. You’ll find all of this reflected in my art at some point or another. For the year of 2023, my subjects will be mostly landscapes and possibly a bird or two.

Timeline: Paintings, Career Benchmarks, Awards and Accomplishments

  • 2018
    • July – began making paint, began painting
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
    • 2021 January – Wild & Scenic Film Festival, placed 3rd in 2D (paintings)
    • 2021 February – Spotlight Article in Okra Magazine, Issue 13
    • 2021 June – Solo Exhibit, ASSEMBLY Project, in conjunction with INTERFORM.art | Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Springdale, AR
    • 2021 July – broke the sales record at the Downtown Rogers Art on the Bricks (sold 5 original works that afternoon)
    • 2021 September – Bosque Arts Classic (juried by Tyler Crow CA, Bosque Arts Center in Clifton, TX)
    • 2021 Oct 25-Nov 5 | Audubon Artists 79th Annual Exhibition, at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003
  • 2022
    • 2022 June-Aug – Watercolor USA exhibiting artist, Juror Kevin Umaña, The Forager, Springfield MO Art Museum
    • 2022 Summer/Fall issue – cover art and feature article in Ozarks Watch magazine. Editor Susan Croce Kelly.
    • 2022 Metamorphosis Exhibit, Ft. Smith Regional Art Museum, People’s Choice Award for Whisper
    • 2022 October, Solo Exhibit Gotahold Brewery
    • 2022 November, invitation to write blog article/post about my art/nature connection to the Ozarks, Smithsonian
    • 2022 December, Group Exhibit Lightspace & Time
  • 2023
    • Jan 14 Began the journey into Ozark pigments in oils
    • May 5 through November at the Swale House on Governors Island, NY – Re-Imagining Conservation: From the Ground Up, Creature Conserve Arts Curator, Heather McMordie. Destination Unknown (watercolor, 2019).

Gallery Pages

2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018

Madison Woods is an author, artist, and Paleo Paint maker living
with her husband in northwest Arkansas far off the beaten path. She uses paint made from rocks, and mostly Ozark pigments to create her paintings.

Contact Info:
Email: Madison@wildozark.com
Instagram: @wildozark
Facebook: @wildozark

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