Beatrice Wood

United States, 1893–1998

Place of BirthSan Francisco, California, United States

Place of DeathOjai, California, United States

Biography"After her earlier studies in theater and painting, Beatrice Wood entered ceramics with an intensity of feeling and energy that has characterized her art ever since. 'My curiosities were inflamed with the endless inventive approaches to clay and glaze' she says. Today the artist channels her energies by the rigid discipline of an imposing work schedule in the almost monastic seclusion of her studio in the Ojai Valley near Santa Barbara, California. Her pottery forms are usually variations on traditional spheres: Wood's expressive quality is imparted by rich tactile surfaces and exotic glazes. Her lusterware reveals the sensitivity if a colorist-a single piece may show reds ranging from copper to ox-blood. Her work covers a wide range of modes-from humorous fantastic figures reminiscent of Klee and Chagall to simple earth bound forms. She has traveled extensively throughout India in a State Department grant, and has completed a book on Indian folk art which she researched during a trip."

- Objects: USA exhibition catalog, Museum of Arts and Design, 1970.