ALLENTOWN, PA - They say art is a way of recognizing oneself. Well, Polly Wood’s art is one way of recognizing the Lehigh Valley.
“She was well known in the arts community, well known by artists, but really did her own work,” says Shannon Fugate, Executive Director at The Baum School of Art. “She had a unique style and had a unique approach to her work that is really special to be able to see it all together that way.”
A native of Allentown, the late artist was a prolific artist in the Lehigh Valley. And now her works are on display in memorial fashion at The Baum School of Art; where she served on the Board of Trustees nearly thirty years ago. Wood is best known for her series, ‘Ordinary Women.’ Wood would write about her pieces and explain she loved created portraits of ordinary women because no woman is ordinary. The collection is a celebration of the everyday women that surround us and personal friends like Pam Dent say, emphasize how ahead of her time Polly and her art were.
“Polly was an artist that was really ahead of her time in celebrating the power of women, the female spirit and her paintings, many of which were pastel and ink, the lines, the colors, just beautiful,” says Pam Dent, “she used them to evoke emotions from her audience and from the women. And again, it’s a powerful testament to her as a women and to the female spirit.”
At first glance, it’s not too obvious, but Polly’s artworks are still on display throughout the Lehigh Valley, hidden, in plain sight. Her artwork hanging silent, but prevalently on walls inside Lehigh Valley Hospital, the Wood Company and Allentown’s Community Music School. “Polly was so involved in our Lehigh Valley arts community. Whether it be here at the Baum school of Art and had paintings hung at other Lehigh Valley Institutions,” Dent explains, “she was a friend to all of us in the Lehigh Valley and especially in the arts community.
Wood passed away in October of 2016 of complications from cancer. But today, three years after her death, ‘A Tribute to Polly Wood’ features the beloved artist’s works and serves as a memorial to her life and art; spearheaded by what she might have said was one of greatest works of all, her son, Jonas.
“It’s special to be able to help Jonas to celebrate his mom and we pulled together her artwork,” explains Fugate, “he chose a lot of the pieces that are here and was able to give us information about Polly’s work and this was all done with love.”
‘A Tribute to Polly Wood’ will remain on display here at the Baum School of Art until July 3rd.
Polly Wood
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A tribute to late LV artist Polly Wood at the Baum School of Art runs
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