Scandia Wood-Blackwell

Originally stained glass was a hobby for Scandia in her off-work hours as a Creative Director and Strategic Planner in the advertising industry. Fortunately, her passion for glass would eventually lead her to a rewarding new career working for the art glass manufacturers themselves. First as Marketing Manager for Spectrum Glass Co. (maker of System 96®), followed by a supporting role with the new owner/manufacturer of the product lines, Oceanside Glass & Tile. During her 16 years working in the industry, she gained invaluable experience and a deeper knowledge about the base materials she uses in her own glass art.

Scandia is now committed to creating and selling her artwork on a full time basis. Each of her pieces is an original creation and all painting is done freehand. Her style most often leans towards a painterly, soft focus approach and her choice for imagery is centered around nature or sometimes still life scenes. She enjoys the freedom to toggle between multi-layered paintings and creating fun home decor pieces in several artistic styles. She additionally, more often than not makes her own display bases, frames, stands to go with each piece.

When painting, Scandia's subject matter is most often based upon nature themes, more specifically calming and richly colored landscapes. The majority of her kiln-formed paintings are based upon her recall of past places visited, rather than specific locations. The aim of her artwork is not to exactly mimic every realistic detail of a place, tree, or flower, but rather to offer her own artistic interpretation. The goal is to create a visual passage into an inviting outdoor environment, often vistas with many colors and flora, along the lines of an Arcadian dreamscape, of sorts.

Scandia earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio Arts) from The University of Texas at Austin. Her focus was Illustration and Intaglio Printmaking (copper plate engravings & dry points, as well as zinc plate etchings).