Ronald C. Woods
Acrylic | Oil | Watercolor
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Biography
Entering the Space Program at the Manned Space Center, Houston in 1967, I was fortunate to have worked with history making engineers and technicians of the Mercury, Gemini and early Apollo programs. • As our work required development of prototypes leading to new configurations of flight hardware for Apollo, Skylab, ASTP, Shuttle I had the opportunity to use my drafting and art skills from high school and college. Examples include Pre-Shuttle crew worn equipment patterns were developed, soft goods assembled and tested prior to acceptance for flight. Redefined the RMS Elbow Camera Attachment Bracket to support STS-125 return to flight. • As my interest in art continued, I pursued and received an art degree from University of Houston.
As I continue to paint my favorite subject, I reminisce about the true artist of the Apollo Space Suit era: the engineers, draftsmen, quality control, logistics and those special ladies of ILC who worked tirelessly to assemble those works of art that carried the explorers from the Earth to the Moon with the United States flag proudly stitched on the shoulder of those A5L, A6L, A7L, A7LB, and Shuttle Extra-Vehicular Mobility Unit.
As I saw firsthand the work of Robert McCall and Paul Calle. I could have not been more inspired. It was there at Bldg. 2, where I observed Mr. McCall painting “The Spirit Of NASA”. What an inspiring lunch time adventure. Several years later I was suited, posing for Mr. McCall’s Smithsonian painting “The Space Mural”. Throughout my time in the space program there were so many events that I observed, and documented that I have and will share in the future with space enthusiasts. For me, I find that there is a personal satisfaction to share my space art in oil, acrylic and watercolor. My brushes continue to take me from the launch pads to Moon University, orbiting the lunar landscape. It will be a most interesting place to study science, technology and space art in Zero G. For years, I have shared the same stage with the artists of the IAAA at Spacefest. Admiring their work and exchanging creative ideas about space art.