Harry Wood Papers 1883-1987; MSS-183

Harry Wood Papers 1883-1987; MSS-183

The Harry Wood Papers are comprised of original artwork, awards, correspondence, poetry, research papers, short stories, and writings. The collection is divided into five series: Series I: Artwork, Series II: Awards, Series III: Media Clippings, Series IV: Photographs and Slides, and Series V: Written Materials.

Biographical Note:
Harry Wood came to Arizona State University in 1954 and was art department chairperson for twelve years before resigning from administrative duties to devote full time to teaching at the university and painting. He was a University of Wisconsin graduate with Phi Beta Kappa honors who had a range of professions, including newspaperman, symphony orchestra musician, Emeritus Professor, and mural painter. One man shows of his paintings were held in cities across America and Europe. In 1973, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. purchased Dr. Wood’s painting of George Santayana, making him the first Arizona artist to be represented at the Smithsonian Institution gallery. Widely known in Arizona as commentator on “Cinema Classics,” popular KAET-TV series, he was listed in the Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Education, and Who’s Who in American Art. He died in 1995 at the age of 85.

Scope and Content Note

The Harry Wood Papers are comprised of original artwork, awards, correspondence, poetry, research papers, short stories, and writings.

Series I: Artwork consists of sketches, paintings, watercolors, chalk drawings, and art show flyers produced by and/or promoting Harry Wood. Series II: Awards houses two awards that Wood received during his lifetime.

Series III: Media Clippings is a collection of magazine and newspaper visuals that Wood used to illustrate art techniques in his class lectures. The subjects of these clippings run the gambit from Santa Claus, to Elvis, to nature and wildlife, to handwriting. This is the largest series in the collection. Materials have been arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Series IV: Photographs and Slides contains photographs and slides taken by Wood as well as slides used in his classes. The majority of the slides are of pieces of art: paintings, architecture, sculpture, photography, etc. Other slides display images of the human body and scenery for artistic study.

Series V: Written Materials contains research papers, poetry, parables, short stories, correspondence and other writings by Wood. He wrote on topics ranging from art to the treatment of the mentally handicapped. Folders are arranged alphabetically by title. The original order of these materials has been retained.