ELIZABETH WYN WOOD (1903-1966)

The time Elizabeth Wyn Wood spent at the Ontario College of Art (OCA, now OCAD University), studying under Group of Seven members Arthur Lismer and J.E.H. MacDonald, shaped her commitment to a distinctly Canadian modernist vision rooted in landscape.

Described as “perhaps the most advanced and adventurous sculptor working in Canada” by art critic Blodwen Davies, Wood transformed the rugged forms of the Canadian Shield into streamlined, modernist works that balanced abstraction with a deep sensitivity to nature. The Canadian sculptor and art educator was known for her simplified designs, natural forms and experimentation with materials.¹

She graduated from OCA in 1925 and taught at Central Technical School in Toronto for 28 years. She was also a founding member of the Sculptors’ Society of Canada and played a vital role in elevating sculpture within Canadian culture.

Her many public commissions can be found across Ontario and her work is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada.² 

Learn more about Elizabeth Wyn Wood (National Gallery of Canada)

AGO acquires three sculptures by Ontario modernist Elizabeth Wyn Wood

¹Art Gallery of Ontario

²Art Gallery of Ontario

Image credit: Bas-reliefs by Elizabeth Wyn Wood done in 1962 for the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (TMU). Photo: Sandra Rose-Cohen