Short Bio
After a career in science and technology, Helen Wood, a resident of Bethesda, MD, studied drawing and watercolor before moving exclusively to pastels. She has studied with a number of internationally recognized pastel artists and is a member of the Rockville Art League, Montgomery Art Association, Maryland Pastel Society, Laurel Art Guild, and Friends of the Yellow Barn. Her work has been well received in regional art shows and by private collectors.
Statement
I work exclusively in pastel. It provides a wonderful medium for conveying light, color, shape, and their interplay to create mood. My subjects vary across landscape, still life, and the occasional animal. Using photographs as a point-of-departure, I try to capture the essence of the subject without all the detail. My mother, Helen Busey Wood, was a professional artist and teacher who worked primarily in oils. From my early childhood I watched her paint. She encouraged me to draw and paint, but I didn’t pursue either until I retired from a career in science and technology. Now, painting is my passion. I find great joy in the creative process and the opportunity to share my work.