The Mandarin Museum & Historical Society will host a free reading and book signing Thursday, Oct. 15, celebrating Memphis Tennessee Wood, a Jacksonville artist and educator who helped establish the Mandarin Art Festival.

Jacksonville author Tim Gilmore will discuss his new book, "Memphis Wood and the Sanctified Fecund," as part of the museum's fall Third Thursday lecture series.

The event will take place at 11964 Mandarin Road. Refreshments begin at 6 p.m. in the museum galleries, followed by the reading at 7 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, and Gilmore will sign books before and after the presentation.

Wood helped shape Jacksonville's arts community

Wood moved to Jacksonville in 1929 and taught studio art at Landon Junior-Senior High School for 33 years, becoming one of Duval County's earliest public school art teachers, according to the Mandarin Museum.

She built a home on Woodside Lane in Mandarin in the 1950s and lived there until a few years before her death in 1989.

Wood and fellow artist Charlie Brown helped establish the Mandarin Art Festival in 1968. They also co-founded the Crown Craftsmen Association, which promoted local artists and craftspeople.

The city of Jacksonville recognized Wood as the "First Lady of Art in Jacksonville" in 1985, according to the museum.

Her work ranged from oil paintings and sculptures to experimental textile art. She became particularly known for abstract fiber creations that blurred the boundaries between fine art and traditional crafts.

Gilmore's book explores her artistic development through interviews, historical newspaper coverage and archival research. He teaches writing at Florida State College at Jacksonville and maintains the local history website jaxpsychogeo.com.

Museum preserves Wood's legacy

The Mandarin Museum houses an extensive collection of Wood's artwork, including more than 40 works it received from the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville in 2022.

Museum executive director Brittany Cohill has highlighted Wood's importance to Mandarin's cultural history.

In a March 2025 article published on Gilmore's website, Cohill described a 1977 portrait of Wood displayed at the museum.

"I call it Saint Memphis," she said.

Wood's influence extended beyond Mandarin. A 22-foot-tall textile installation is displayed inside the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville, designed by architect Robert Broward, a former student of Wood's.

Her artwork also inspired composer Stella Sung to write a chamber music composition based on Wood's "Night Bloom."

Admission and parking

Admission to the Oct. 15 event is free.

Parking is available at Walter Jones Historical Park, with overflow parking at Mandarin Presbyterian Church across Mandarin Road. Visitors using the overflow lot should use the designated pedestrian crosswalk.

The museum's Third Thursday lecture series continues monthly. More information is available at mandarinmuseum.org/events.