Lisa Wood holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Yale University (2005) with a focus in painting. Her figurative art practice interrogates traditional portraiture – questioning who is depicted, how they are represented, what materials are used, and where and how the portraits are displayed, in order to reflect on how portraiture constructs history. Wood uses both traditional and non-traditional materials in her portraits. When she wants to capitalize on the authority and grander of traditional materials she prepares canvas with rabbit skin glue and oil primer, and starts with a verdaille (monochromatic green) underpainting before overlaying colour in oil paint. Conversely she uses non-traditional materials such as unframed drafting film, and mixed media approaches combining coloured pencils, watercolour and oil paint to make portraits that are light and delicate with finished and unfinished sections. Wood has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships and exhibits her painting and prints nationally and internationally. She is an Assistant Professor in IshKaabatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg Department of Visual Arts at Brandon University.