 E. James Wood, artist, modelmaker, and engineer, was born
and raised in Philadelphia, PA in 1922, the only child of immigrant parents from England.
He was permitted at the age of 18 to take private art lessons with instructor Allan R.
Freelon at the Northeast Philadelphia Adult Community School for a period of one
year. This was his only formal training -- he then dedicated himself to independent
study, which he continued for the rest of his life. Mr. Wood's work focused on
pastoral, historic themes since he had a great interest in history and was an avid
reader. He worked in both watercolor and oil mediums.At
different times he was a resident of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey. Wherever he
lived he searched his environment to portray the "secret corners of forest and field,
clefts in rocks, mountain trails, willows in watercourses, high ground meadows enclosed by
hills and ancient, forgotten homesteads, abandoned by modern descendants, that reflect
passion and the communal grasp of what we have lost; ignored by modern society."
Mr. Wood married Elaine Beringer in 1943 and they had two daughters. The
family purchased a summer home in Cape May, NJ, which gave Mr. Wood an opportunity to
sketch the unique ambiance of remote villages or coastal scenes bypassed by the average
vacationer. He was elected a member of The Philadelphia Sketch Club in 1960 and the
Lansdale Art League in 1962. His paintings were shown and sold through these
associations.
Art was his passion but not his primary occupation as he was an engineer with
General Electric Company for 34 years. When he retired from GE in 1974 he started a
model making business where he produced accurate scale models for industry and historic
models used by churches to commemorate centennial anniversaries. His customers
included Union Camp Corporation, VA; Howe Richardson Scale Company, St. Luke's Lutheran
Church in Obelisk, PA, and Grace Goochland, VA.
Mr. Wood's goal was to share "the complete quietness of nature's
atmosphere in conveying utmost peace and contentment with the viewer, of the secret
alcoves of nature's hide-a-ways." He died of pneumonia at the age of 77.
Written by Patsy W. Pulcher (Daughter)
Please note that Mr. Wood's artworks shown here are not available for sale. |
Contact
Information
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work in this exhibition) send an e-mail to: mgaa@att.net
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