Join Us in Celebrating His Inspiring Art

Mayfield grew up in a house like this one, and that is where our story begins. On a summer day in 1949, Mayfield heard his mother call him. When he got to the front porch, a man named Stuart R. Purser introduced himself as the new art professor at the University of Mississippi.  Professor Purser gave Mayfield two things that day, a generous supply of art supplies and “His offer for me to come to ‘Ole Miss’ and work as a custodian for his Art Department.” When writing his autobiography, Mayfield said, "As I reflect on that incident, I must say that was the major turning point in my life.” 

Mayfield left from Ecru for Oxford on a bus ticket sent to him by Professor Purser and studied art by observing classes from a broom closet classroom at Peabody Hall. His mother grew sick in his third year in Oxford, so he returned to Ecru to care for her. After the death of his beloved mother, Mayfield lost his inspiration to paint. He left Ecru for nearly two decades. After regaining his love of art while working as a custodian at Brooks Memorial Art Gallery in Memphis, TN, he returned to the landscape and his home place to paint again in "Sweet Ecru." 

Mr. Mayfield would go on to become a prolific painter of landscapes and portraits, a recognized artist who created beautiful paintings taken from his recollections of growing up in the quaint, small town that held his memories. Mayfield's "memory scenes" are a vibrant chronicle of his community. African Americans growing up in Mississippi in the first half of the 20th century had few pathways to pursuing the arts as a career. M.B. Mayfield's gift opened the door to art training and education when he met his mentor. He cracked the door of opportunity, pushed it open to become an artist, and walked through it courageously.