Martha Holland Wooding

The artist, Martha Wooding left her earthly studio on October 4, 2015, nine days shy of her 72nd birthday. During her time here, she collaborated with her beloved husband, Nat Wooding, to create Anne Wooding Kemp (work in progress), who, in turn, collaborated with Brent Kemp to create Sarah, an exciting work of art on her own. Martha devoted her life to learning and practicing the arts, earning a degree in Art History from The College of William and Mary and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from VCU. She worked in a variety of materials over time, learning to sew in her childhood, taking up ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, stained glass, theology, carpentry, cooking, gardening, and even tax preparation, to name a few of her many, many areas of study. She thrived in the creative process, loving the puzzle of figuring things out and solving the unsolvable problem. She fished, she hunted, she grew, she created. She reveled in the ability to reverse engineer and create something out of nothing. We love her dearly and will miss her always.

Her family would like to thank the Angels on Earth who cared for her in her final days, the Doctors, Nurses, Therapists, and Caregivers at St. Frances Hospital, Vibra Hospital, Manor Care Hilliard, and Bon Secours Hospice, for Martha greatly appreciated the healing arts you shared with her.

The family will receive visitors from 6-8 PM Thursday, October 8, at Woody Funeral Home on 1020 Huguenot Rd. A celebration of her life will be held Friday, October 9 at 10:30 AM at St. Edward’s Catholic Church, 2700 Dolfield Rd, followed by a brief reception at the church, then service of committal at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 1400 S. Randolph St, Richmond.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider giving a child crayons, paper, coloring pencils, or modeling clay and other materials with which to create. Adopt an underfunded art teacher and help them to inspire creativity in others. Repurpose things you would normally throw away or give them to someone who can make something of them. Buy from a local artist, use functional art in your daily life, and stop to enjoy the art and majesty God shows you every day. And, for goodness' sake, get a colonoscopy.