James Arthur Wood Jr.

James Arthur (Art) Wood, Editor, Cartoonist and Public Relations Executive died on November 4, 2014 in Charlottesville, VA. He was born in Miami, Florida where his father was in a law firm. He spent most of his life in the Nation’s Capital. He graduated Cum Laude from Washington and Lee University in 1950 … received his Masters at Michigan State. During World War II he served in the Navy where he was Staff Cartoonist for The Bainbridge (MD) Mainsheet, All Hands magazine and Ships Editorial Association (a Navy syndicate) which circulated his cartoons around the world. After the war, Art Wood was cartoonist for the Washington (DC) Star, The Richmond (VA) News Leader, and Chief Political Cartoonist for the Pittsburgh (PA) Press, one of the largest evening papers in America. His work appeared in such major publications as Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report, Saturday Review of Literature, Harpers, and Editor and Publisher. He was also reprinted regularly in the New York Times “News Of The Week In Review” and papers coast to coast…his work syndicated nationally.

Wood was awarded a dozen Freedom Foundation Awards, the Christopher Award with Walt Disney and numerous others. For twenty years he was a Political Cartoonist for the Farm Bureau News (a weekly). He also hosted and moderated the Smithsonian’s popular lecture series “Great Cartoonists” and the National Press Club’s “Cartoonist’s Night” featuring the country’s outstanding graphic artists.

Wood was a “Founding Father” of The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, a long time board member and President in 1975. He was also a member of The National Cartoonists Society, the National Press Club, Sigma Delta Chi, ODK, Phil Gamma Delta, and PRSA, Accredited.

His own original cartoons have been displayed at The Metropolitan Museum in New York, The Hirschorn in the Nation’s Capital and the National Gallery in London, and featured in two World’s Fairs. He was included in the International Touring Exhibit “The Great Challenge.” President Truman framed one of Art’s original political cartoons over the door to the Oval Office. His work is also represented in Presidential Libraries.

In addition to his cartoon work, Art Wood was Director of Public Relations for the Telephone Association in Washington, DC and Editor of their publications for many years.

Art Wood’s collection of original cartoons and illustrations, some 40,000 drawings, was the largest private collection of that genre in the world. He gave this collection to the Library of Congress in its Bicentennial Year. The Library of Congress has published a table top book, Cartoon America, based on his “Gift to the Nation.” Art authorities and prize winning cartoonists have contributed chapters to the volume illustrated by work from his collection. Earlier he had written a book of his own, Great Cartoonists and Their Art concerning the trade and leading major artists he knew personally.

Mr. Wood was an Elder of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland and an active member for a number of years.

He is survived by his wife, the former Sallie Van Dyck, a daughter, Elizabeth Wood Blakely of Irvine, CA, two sons, Dr. James Arthur Wood III of Richmond, VA, and Baldwin Jennings Wood of Charlottesville, VA,seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, VA. Memorial gifts may be given in his memory to the Charlottesville Salvation Army.