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Libby Wood

 

POMFRET —  When Patrick Wood applied to Pomfret School in 1997, his future was endless.  He won a full four-year scholarship because of his outstanding grades and musical accomplishments.  He graduated as the top scholar and went on to Stanford where he graduated cum laude in math.  He became a programmer for Siemens in Berlin, traveled throughout Europe, and was accepted into Stanford’s prestigious computer science graduate program.  But his sudden death in 2006 ended his dreams.  His twin sister, Libby, is bringing them back to life through the first Pomfret School Alumni Art Show, starting Oct. 29, at the Silver Circle Art Center in Putnam.  Proceeds will benefit future “Pat Wood Scholars” at Pomfret School.

“We want to encourage students to act on their dreams and have a role model through Pat’s legacy of excellence and artistic talent,” Libby said.  “We had such a great start at Pomfret, and then when we were 23, everything stopped.  It’s like we both disappeared instead of just Pat.”

 The art show is one of many outpourings on Pat’s behalf.  “When he died, people contributed so much on their own initiative,” Libby said.  “It allowed us to begin the scholarship soon afterward.  We give $1,000 to a top incoming student to Pomfret School.  Now we want to do more.  We want hard working students to know that we’re here to make Pomfret School a reality for them.  That’s how important it was to Pat and me.”

Toward that end, Libby designed a website for Pat (www.patrickwoodprize.org) and then held a website launch party at Pomfret School last March.  She brought the fund to over $80,000.  From those successes came the idea to honor Pat’s memory through an art show with his classmates.  The response was so strong that Libby included other alumni/ae for a total of 15.  One of the donations is from Hong Kong.  

The artwork, which includes photographs, papercuttings, and woodwork, will be sold to benefit Pat’s scholarship.  It can be purchased online at www.patrickwoodprize.org or from the Pomfret School gallery at the Silver Center Art Center throughout the month of November.