Beatrice Wood papers, 1894-1998, bulk 1930-1990

This subseries contains both personal and professional correspondence from the early years of Wood's career as an actress and artist until the end of her life. Included in this series are letters to and from friends, family, clients, other artists, gallery owners, museums, and editors. An an avid writer, Wood maintained lifelong relationships through her letters. Correspondents include John Estenza, Anna Bing Arnold, Ruth Maitland, Ruth Dayan, Reginald Pole, Anais Nin, Dorothy Liebes, Rue McClanahan, Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, Rupert Pole, Esther Rosencrantz, Michael Weightman-Smith, and Geesche Ninke. Wood also formed many personal and professional relationships with individuals she met during her three trips to India in 1961, 1966, and 1971. Among these correspondents are Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, N. Suri Ram, P. K. Vyas, Srimali Rukmini Devi, and N. Kumar Das.

Several art museums are represented in this subseries, including DeYoung Memorial Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Pasadena Art Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Art, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Material is arranged chronologically by date. Undated letters can be found at the end of the subseries, arranged by last name of correspondent. Note that Wood's correspondence with the galleries is found in Series 3: Personal Business Records. Additional correspondence with publishers is found in Series 4: Notes and Writings.

This subseries has been scanned in its entirety.