7 The Vision of Memphis Wood

One night, decades before the internet would reshape the way we view the world and interact with one another, a husband and wife stepped out on the town to enjoy an art exhibit. While these events were typically fun opportunities to socialize with friends, view local art creations and acquire a piece for home, a frustrated gentleman, carrying a piece of art and not quite as excited as his wife, asked her, “What do we need this for?” As artists Vina Schemer and Memphis Wood crossed their path; Wood turned and answered in her soft, Dacula, Georgia accent: “To please your eye.”[1] That was not the first or last time Memphis Wood would be clear about her intention for art and its value to the Jacksonville community.

In the early 1900s, as women exercised more independence, including moving away from home for new opportunities, Memphis Wood migrated to Jacksonville to fulfill a dream of teaching art. When Wood arrived in 1929, at the age of 27, the city was experiencing a housing crisis and hardships of the Great Depression, but her dreams of being an artist were so hopeful that no challenge seemed too great. Memphis Wood would spend over half a century realizing that dream: teaching and making art in Jacksonville, including 32 years as an art teacher for the Duval County School system, as a charter member and instructor at the Jacksonville Art Museum (JAM, now the Museum of Contemporary Art) and the Jacksonville Children’s Museum (now the Museum of Science and History), as part of the Crown Craftsmen, and as a full-time instructor for five years at Jacksonville University.[2] Before retiring to Atlanta, in 1984, Memphis Wood’s 56-year career in Jacksonville would keep her center stage in creating, teaching, and expanding the field of visual art. Memphis Wood, who did not see an oil painting until she was 17, had effectively changed the professional and educational landscape of Jacksonville’s art community through her leadership role in arts organizations and mentorship as a teacher. She left a legacy that challenges today’s artists to find their style, never stop creating, and be good stewards of our city’s arts community.

In the fall of 2023, as I searched for an essay topic in my FSCJ “History of Jacksonville” course, I found myself struggling to find new and valuable info to share. I had originally chosen a subject from an e-book, The Artists of Old Florida, but felt like the author, Alfred Frankel, who has studied Florida’s art history for more than thirty years, had been more thorough than I was capable of in one semester.[3] I reached out, asking for guidance about which Jacksonville artist he had not covered in his book, which covered the period from 1840 to 1960, and was thrilled when he answered right away. He recommended Memphis Wood, along with a suggestion to purchase a Jacksonville Art Museum scrapbook he had found on eBay. I soon found myself well outside my comfort zone as I moved from being just a student to a historian. I poured over the scrapbook, with its 1972 construction paper wearing with every turn, I toured Jacksonville locations to see Wood’s work in person, and I enjoyed tea and conversation with her fellow artists and friends. At the end of my research, I was fortunate to attend a perfectly timed retrospective show, tracing the lines of her stitchwork with my eyes, noting that every color choice and stitch direction seemed summoned by her creative intuition rather than technical training. Her work seemed to say, “let go and feel it.” What I learned about Wood, and the Jacksonville art community, woke me up in the middle of the night with an answer to my topic question and delivered the valuable information I had been craving.

Memphis Wood was born in Dacula, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, as one of six children on her family’s farm. Wood’s initial exposure to art was as a witness to her aunts’ talent for sewing quilts and hand-stitched dresses. When Wood was a senior in high school, art lessons were taught in her small town, and she saw her very first oil painting. That was it: Memphis Wood wanted to be an artist, and her older sister, who taught outside of town, sent her 50 cents a week for lessons. She worked as a teacher after high school graduation until her sister convinced her to earn a college degree. When their mother passed, whom Wood had been caring for, it felt like it was time to leave.[4] As her longtime friend and fellow artist, Vina Schemer, tells the story: “[Memphis] packed her bags, put on her hat … waited for the Greyhound bus, and went to Athens.”[5] She waited tables to pay for classes at the state teacher’s college in Athens, then accepted a temporary position teaching in Andrews, South Carolina. At the time, teachers were expected to cover academics with a period reserved for art, but Wood only wanted to do art, and the other instructors only wanted to teach academics. The principal agreed to the teachers’ proposal for dividing up the curriculum, and Wood became the art teacher.[6]

As the job was temporary, she sent out resumes nationwide and received offers from North Carolina and Florida. In a short film produced by FCCJ (now FSCJ) for their series Kalliope: A Journal of Women’s Art, Wood recalled that “Florida was such a glamorous place to be, so I chose to come here.”[7] This was a fortunate decision for the students of Landon Junior-Senior High School, as Wood would teach there for 32 years and influence countless students as one of only three dedicated art teachers in Duval County.[8] Her impact and influence were widely felt; you do not have to search long to find her students as many have become artists themselves and proudly include her name in their biographies and interviews.

Memphis Wood arrived in Jacksonville as an oil painter, but she was repeatedly pulled toward crafting, starting when the school system allocated just 25 cents for supplies, per student, per term, and Wood ventured to the local salvage yard for lumber and unique pieces her students could use. Ever enthusiastic and resourceful, Wood recalled the “lovely” sculpture and jewelry pieces they created in class, and her desire for students to explore and experiment through the artistic process.[9] Wood continued to explore crafts, recalling a much earlier experience when she visited New York and saw an exhibit by fashion designer and embroidery artist, Mariska Karasz, later consuming her time on a family vacation when she played with yarn patterns on a piece of outstretched linen.[10] Working with colorful, three-dimensional textiles influenced Wood’s artistic choices and projects throughout the rest of her career.

Reading about Memphis Wood’s extensive career in arts education and her impact on her students, I reached out to artist and writer Helen Ashmead whose online biography said she was a former student. Ashmead graciously accepted the first of my interviews and shared a story about Wood being “elegant” and “kind,” in her 1960, 7th grade classroom, encouraging her and her classmates to find their own style. This was a theme I would hear repeatedly. Ashmead recalls one class period when she was painting a blue sky and Wood suggested she try purple; she said Wood wanted her students to “expand their vision of what art could be and not what was generally thought of and expected.”[11] Trying something new was a persistent goal and one that Wood valued and practiced in her own art. In an essay Wood wrote while teaching at Landon, The Why of Art in Education, she shared: “The thing that I deplore … and the thing that throttles creative work is the fear of being different.”[12] Wood approached education with a focus not on the result but on the artist’s path to get there. She encouraged creation without fear.

It was not just Memphis Wood’s teaching practice that promoted exploration and uniqueness; she did not like idle time, was always creating and taking classes, and she let colors and materials dictate her next bold move. Journalist Susan Shemwell once said Memphis Wood’s life in art could be defined by periods: “oil paintings, flat stitchery, found objects, and three dimensional fabrics.” In every case, color was the primary focus, most often rich and warm but sometimes muted to cleanse the palate between projects.[13] Wood had the “tremendous urge to create” and never stopped learning, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees during summer breaks from teaching.[14] When interviewed for Kalliope, producer Peggy Friedmann asked Wood how she chose color for one three-dimensional fabric wall hanging. Wood replied in a very casual, matter of fact tone that “[choosing colors] was just a very simple matter of selecting things that snuggled up to one another comfortably.”[15] She did not worry about rules or what she had done before; each project was a fresh vision, and she let the process unfold naturally. Her artistic choices were not restricted to a painted canvas or fabric backing; she was unique in her personal style, as well. Wood’s friend, Schemer, describes her “wonderful,” style of ever-auburn hair tied up with ornamental pins, a handmade necklace, exotic fabric skirts, colorful socks, and the anchor of strong shoes.[16] Memphis Wood’s art was never trapped by tradition or expectation and colored every part of her world.

Memphis Wood fought conformity at every turn and celebrated the artist’s hand saying, “Van Gogh’s Sunflowers look not so much like sunflowers as like Van Gogh,” making her point through her work: her pieces are different yet identifiable, even when she moved from oil painting to crafts and stitchery exclusively.[17] When JAM director, Russell Hicken, asked her to create and exhibit fabric wall hangings, she worked on them for a year while teaching at Landon, creating a collection unlike anything previously exhibited by a Jacksonville artist.[18] Always looking to try new things, and not repeat herself, this project was pivotal in determining the direction her art would take from paint to fabric, which is what Wood became most well known for. She worked so consistently that she admittedly lost track of all the places her art made its home, although there are a few permanent installations I was fortunate enough to view: an incredible altar piece at Unitarian Universalist in Jacksonville, in the complex Wood’s friend, architect, and former student, Bob Broward designed, as well as the 17’x8’ tapestry that hangs in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s of the Sea Episcopal in Jacksonville Beach.[19] The stitch-work at St. Paul’s is especially impactful to see up close because her love of color and seemingly improvised patterns that feel modern despite being crafted more than forty years ago. Another breathtaking piece is at Mandarin Presbyterian Church where the staff was kind enough to show me Wood’s one of a kind large, wooden cross, which had been moved from its original location due to renovations but still very much enjoyed and appreciated by the church. The cross’s wood frame was constructed by the craftsmen who made earlier pews, and Wood collected colored glass from friends to fill the hollowed center. Wood liked to work big to impress the viewer, and she did.

Fortunate timing would also allow me to immerse myself in an entire room of her work at a recent show in the Mandarin Museum at Walter Jones Park. On a backdrop of orange walls, Memphis Wood’s art is bold, warm, and tactile. She showed diversity and skill in multiple mediums like paint, jewelry, clay, fabric, stitch-work, and yarn. Not a single color appears unrepresented, but she seemed clearly drawn to fully saturated values found in the most vibrant sunsets. The direction of her stitch-work intuitively changes directions to guide the viewer’s eyes up, down and across the tapestry, slowing them down to step carefully over fine lines only to climb back up over thicker ones. Memphis Wood’s art was ruled by her heart through her hands as they created a visual journey through warmth and harmony.

During the years Memphis Wood taught classes at Landon, the Jacksonville art community saw great advancements along with shifts in direction; one of these advancements had roots dating back to 1900 when ladies from the Woman’s Club of Jacksonville, led by Marydelle Hoyt, started the Jacksonville Art Club. After an Annual Art Exhibition, three artists, Louese Washburn, Edith Harrison, and Rose Tharpe, decided to start their own club: the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society. In 1924, the two groups merged, which was year one for what is now MOCA. Their 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2024. But the road to MOCA was not linear and part of its diverse beginning dates to 1935, when the Federal Art Project (FAP) came to Jacksonville and supported existing efforts. The organization offered federal aid to put artists and artisans to work through the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). With the economic stress of the Depression, the Fine Arts Society dissolved in 1937, but the FAP continued efforts through the Civic Art Institute. When federal funding ended the FAP in 1943, the local art club, still lead by Hoyt, pivoted by exhibiting in the statewide Florida Federation of Art (FFA) circuit of 1945. Local artist Florence Seymour took the club’s lead in 1945, joined the club with the FFA, and renamed their group the Art Exhibition Club of Jacksonville. While these ladies were steadfast in exhibiting throughout repeated disruptions, there was no permanent location to work or exhibit, and they struggled with FFA bylaws that did not allow art courses outside the FFA framework.[20]

At the same time, Memphis Wood and a group of artists, Edith Waas, Sarah Johanknecht, Faye Koski and Charlie Brown, who met on Sundays to work, felt desperate to find a location and the Jacksonville Art Museum (JAM) plans were in motion. Edith Waas, who Wood described as “knew no obstacles,” found a property in Riverside for $25,000, and local artists raised money to make the purchase. The museum would make one more move before finding its home downtown, and local artists were pivotal in moving efforts forward.[21] At JAM, the artists worked, exhibited and taught lessons, and Memphis Wood never stopped advocating for her community, while educating children and mastering her craft.

Wood also played a pivotal role in the formation of another local arts organization, the Crown Craftsmen. While sourcing material for this essay, I came across an online article in the Mandarin News Line, where fellow artist and educator, Nofa Dixon, was recognized for a donation of pieces created by the Crown Craftsmen. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Crown Craftsmen, a regional formation of the larger Florida Craftsmen group (now Florida CraftArt) gave local artists the opportunity to exhibit and build community. A piece by Memphis Wood is in the collection, which inspired me to reach out to Dixon.[22] Dixon, whose lengthy career as an artist and art educator includes, in part, years with the Crown Craftsman and 26 years at the University of North Florida, shared wonderful stories about being a member of an art community that made a positive difference in the lives and careers of Jacksonville artists. To no surprise, Memphis Wood was a charter member of the Crown Craftsmen, along with neighbor, dear friend, and potter, Charlie Brown, who worked as an accountant before Wood encouraged him to take a pottery class in 1951.[23] Dixon’s stories painted a picture for me, when a community of artists transformed Jacksonville into a place where they could fulfill their dreams, support their neighbors, and educate others.

Following my interview with Dixon, I spoke to Vina Schemer who is a potter and educator and formerly a dear friend of Memphis Wood. Schemer was the Chairman of the Board for the southeast territory of the American Craft Council (now CraftGuild) for 30 years and, like Wood, was always working to strengthen the art community through exhibits and education. Her Mandarin home holds a diverse art curation, with a prime dining room wall reserved for her Memphis Wood oil painting. “Family,” is how Schemer would describe the relationship she and her husband Bill had with Wood through the decades they lived in Mandarin as neighbors. Schemer walked me through everything she knew about her friend, Memphis, starting with the story of Wood leaving Dacula on a Greyhound, to sharing anecdotes that left Schemer laughing as if it were yesterday. My favorite story was about a summer day at Wood’s house and their hot pizza lunch: Schemer and artists Allison Watson and Charlie Brown were enjoying cold drinks when Wood said she would get their lunch ready. She then walked over to her car, popped the trunk, and pulled out a pizza. She had not forgotten the pizza in her trunk; Schemer laughed and recalled, “[Memphis] figured out how to keep it hot…. She was full of surprises.” Schemer also proudly recalled when architect Bob Broward designed Wood’s Woodside Avenue home, which Wood then built, noting, “And when I say she built it, she stood on a ladder with a hammer…”[24] This should not be surprising; when discussing Schemer’s own art education, she remembers taking woodshop since art was not offered in her school, and this was likely Wood’s experience, also. While this makes Wood’s construction skills not particularly unusual for her generation, it does highlight that her early career as an art teacher was uncommon and incredibly rewarding to students lucky enough to learn art so young.

Although it has been more than forty years since Memphis Wood’s passing, her legacy can still be felt in the Jacksonville art community. Allison Watson, a Jacksonville artist, educator, and friend of Wood, who spoke to me from her CoRK studio, shared a poignant gift of information: when developers build spaces that are state funded with free entry to the public, there is a portion of the budget allocated to public art commissions.[25] This gives insight to Wood’s commissions in government buildings and office lobbies: the developers were patrons of art but also following laws supporting the arts. In the law’s text, local artists are encouraged to apply, but the projects are not limited to Florida artists. One can imagine Memphis Wood might have cared about these details; her desires to strengthen her local Jacksonville community were clear. In a 1949 letter Wood wrote to Dr. Garth H. Akridge, then President of Jacksonville Junior College (now Jacksonville University), she thanked him for the school’s catalog but noticed an absence of art classes. She ended her note abruptly with “Why?” He replied thoughtfully and respectfully to Wood, explaining that academics had “exceeded our facilities,” and expanded facilities would allow for expanded services.[26] Sharing this letter with Schemer, she noticed Akridge’s letter was addressed to “Mr.” Wood, and “Mr.” was also in the address. As an artifact set in its historical context, this letter was written post-World War II when many women were home raising children and not commonly sending strongly worded letters to the heads of colleges. The name Memphis did not identify her as a woman, and her tone might have matched the expected directness of a male writer; it only matters as it adds a new layer of perspective to Memphis Wood and that no expression of her art, nor advancement of her community, was easy or expected. Wood was a trailblazer, an “influencer,” said Watson, and a person who continues to inspire those who knew her.[27]

Researching the life and career of Memphis Wood introduces us to inspiring artists and exposes us to past, present, and future concepts crucial to the health of the Jacksonville art community. Her legacy remains relevant: it is not in a body of work or museum collection but continues through the people of Jacksonville. Memphis Wood said, “I consider vision to be my greatest treasure … and make use of what I find to be compatible with my own inner vision and feeling is what I think art is all about.”[28] While she was talking about sense and intuition in her personal art, it is fair to imagine that vision included goals for a sustainable art community in Jacksonville. For this reason, Memphis Wood’s vision is one of our greatest treasures, too. 

Pam Landa

Pam Landa is originally from Los Angeles and moved to the beaches area of Jacksonville with her family in 2016. After 18 years as a professional wedding and portrait photographer, she returned to college with a lifelong desire to be trained in painting and drawing. In 2023, Pam received her AA with High Honors from FSCJ and is currently working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of North Florida.