Photo of artist Woodward Payne standing in front of one of his paintings. He is an older white male with short white hair, wire-framed glasses, a short white mustache and trimmed beard. He is wearing a black turtleneck and is smiling.

Woodward Payne

Artist & Photographer

Woodward Payne’s prolific body of work is rooted in a deep connection to the natural world. As expressed variably through brushes, lenses, and graphite, his highly sought-after creations invite you into a colorful world that is lush with idealism and a deep sense of place. Whether you are drawn to realistic captures or softly geometric abstraction, miniatures or scaled paintings that establish the esthetic of a larger space, you will find them all here.

Mr. Payne’s work is featured in esteemed collections worldwide, including The Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, Cornell College, Phoenix Art Museum, and the estates of Barry Goldwater and Eva Marie Saint.

About the Artist

"As my work has developed over the years I find increasingly that I identify with, and respond to, the sensuality of nature and landscape in all its aspects."

"These concerns were first evidenced in my aerial landscape paintings which were a direct result of my lifelong interest in flying and viewing the unique elegance of the earth from above. Although this viewpoint is still of considerable artistic concern my recent efforts have gravitated more towards dealing with natural forms on a smaller scale. I enjoy working in a variety of media and on varying scales although very large watercolors continue to be my dominant direction."

"The abstracts were a natural progression resulting from my quest to deal with formal artistic elements without consciously basing them on tangible imagery. I am equally interested in both approaches to painting and feel neither is more valid than the other."

Education

B.A. Arizona State University

M.A. Indiana University

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Art Students League, New York

Awards & Grants

Marin Arts Council Artist Grant Program, funded by the Leonard and Beryl Buck Trust

National Air and Space Museum, First Prize, Earth View Competition, Smithsonian