Robert E. Wood
1926 - 1999
By the early 1960s, he was acknowledged as one of the premier California Watercolorists to emerge during the postwar era. The personal style for which be become well-known, was clearly developing. While most of his works have been painted with transparent watercolors, he also freely incorporated opaque colors or other complimentary mediums if they improved a specific work of art. His paintings often balance areas of pure abstraction with stylized, but recognizable subject matter. Throughout his career, he divided his time between painting outdoors and working inside his studio.
Wood also established a career in teaching watercolor painting. He taught at the University of Minnesota, Otis Art Institute, Scripps College and the Brandt-Dike Summer School of Painting. Beginning in 1961, he held the position of Director of the Robert E. Wood School of Painting in Green Valley Lake, located in the San Bernardino Mountains. His book, "Watercolor Workshop", was published by Witson Guptill in the early 1970s and has been reprinted three times. Wood also taught traveling watercolor workshops in Russia, Sweden, France, Japan, Tahiti, Jamaica, Ireland and many other countries.
In addition, Wood exhibited his works in New York City at the National Academy of Design and in commercial art galleries. He was also an active member of the American Watercolor Society and served as their vice-president. On the West Coast, he exhibited regularly with the California Water Color Society, West Coast Watercolor Society, and in galleries. He presented over eighty one-man shows since 1950.
Studied: Pomona College (California), Claremont Graduate School (California)
Member: National Academy of Design, American Watercolor Society, California Water Color Society.
Biographical information:
Interview with Robert E. Wood, 1984.
Biography provided courtesy of California Watercolors 1850-1970‚ By Gordon T. McClelland and Jay T. Last.
Courtesy of CaliforniaWatercolor.com
Person TypeIndividual
