THE ARTFUL BLOGGER When Philip Mayeux retired last February he had a plan.
After spending three decades teaching and doing research at UAMS, Mayeux started the Arkansas Art Scene Blog blog: arkansasonline.com/papertrails124/.
It was a natural extension of his love for visual art.
"I've always had an interest in art," says the 61-year-old Mayeux. "I took a few classes, but I could never be an artist so I stated collecting."
He and his husband, Joe Nichols, have 75 works by Arkansas artists on their walls, as well as sculpture, glass and pottery on display.
"Doing this blog has been dangerous," Mayeux says with a laugh. "Every time I interview someone I want to get one of their pieces."
At first, it was to be a one-stop spot for news about art events -- gallery openings, exhibits, etc. In an early post from March 1 describing the blog, Mayeux said he hoped readers would "check back several times each month for event updates and the occasional interview with an artist, collector or someone involved with the arts."
The pandemic was just around the corner, though, and traditional openings and events came to a screeching halt.
So he dove headfirst into conversations with artists whose work he admired, like Tessa Davidson, Meikel S. Church, Aj Smith and Marjorie-Williams Smith, Robyn Horn, Perrion Hurd, Robert Bean, Rebecca Thompson, Neal K. Harrington and others.
"The ball started rolling, and I figured I could do one every week," says Mayeux, who grew up in Mamou, La. "No one knew me at the beginning, but the response started to grow."
The interviews feature artists from a broad swath of styles and disciplines, and he's also spoken with non-artists like art appraiser Jennifer Carman and former Democrat-Gazette editor and arts writer Ellis Widner.
All of the interviews, which are posted every Monday, are conducted via email. Each is done Q&A style and includes images of the artist's work.
"It's fun," Mayeux says of doing the interviews. "I wasn't very good at the beginning, but I think I'm getting better."
It's not a money-making project or a place for scholarly criticism, he adds. The blog is simply a way for him to highlight the art and artists he loves.
And as for keeping busy in retirement, it has filled that need nicely. There have been more than 40 interviews posted, and Mayeux is booked through April.
"I almost can't stop," he says.
ABOUT THAT SPELLING Last week's column on the Winter Weather Database had a wonderful quote about a March 6, 1875, snowstorm in which we managed to mangle the 19th century weather watcher's name. Heavy sigh. He was Granville Whittington. Many thanks to our new friend from Mount Ida for setting us straight.
email: sclancy@adgnewsroom.com