When Matthew Mallett arrived at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the artist that existed inside him was reawakened.
“I rediscovered my love for traditional art,” he said.
“Once I got to UAPB, I started back drawing, painting and doing more work with my hands instead of the computer.”
Mallett, a native of Pine Bluff, received his bachelor of science in visual arts during UAPB’s spring 2025 commencement.
He was raised in Dumas, and graduated from the former Dumas New Tech High School.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He now plans to pursue a master of fine arts in visual arts.
He is considering furthering his education in Texas, Atlanta, or even possibly attending the School of Art Institute of Chicago, according to a UAPB news release.
“I would love to be known nationwide (as an artist), but I would also like to go back and teach because I want to spread my gift. I want to be able to spread my gift with others,” Mallett said.
Before graduating, Mallett had a show at the ARTSpace on Main in Pine Bluff, where he exhibited his digital paintings, prints, sculptural work and mosaics.
“I consider myself a mixed medium artist since I practice traditional and nontraditional artwork,” Mallett said.
“I try to stay out of one box. I don’t try to box myself into doing only one thing. I try to do it all.”
Mallett was involved with the Art Guild, a club at UAPB that he describes as a “wonderful group to join.”
Some might be surprised to learn that Mallett enjoys sewing.
He is self-taught, having been introduced to the concept only once in a home economics class.
He takes scraps of fabric to create custom pants and considers this skill set as another way to incorporate his talent as an artist.
Mallett shared that he has contacted art galleries in Little Rock and Dallas to showcase his current work while continuing to create new projects.
He has used his talent to do some graphic design work for the Pine Bluff Police Department.
He also helped work on three murals in Pine Bluff and is currently working on a fourth in Pine Bluff’s downtown Delta Rhythm and Bayous Cultural District, near Third Avenue and Main Street.
Mallett openly shares that his college journey was not easy.
He began his studies at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
While there, he pursued graphic design, but “life was happening,” and he ended up dropping out of school, he said.
By the time he re-enrolled in school, the world was facing a global pandemic.
“Once covid had hit, I had just lost it,” he said, explaining that he lost his motivation to continue going to school.
He ended up moving to Little Rock in 2021, where he reconnected with friends he had met at ATU.
They encouraged him to attend UAPB.
“I had a couple of friends that I went to school with at Arkansas Tech who went down to UAPB and ended up graduating,” Mallett said.
“So that motivated and inspired me to go to UAPB in the fall of 2023.”
He credits God, his family, friends, UAPB professors and advisers for the help and guidance they provided in his pursuit of completing his undergraduate degree.
He said Karen DeJarnette, chair of UAPB’s Department of Art & Design, pushed him “a lot.”
He mentioned faculty members Te’Arra Stewart, Jonathan Wright and Matthew Fields from the UAPB Department of Art & Design, as some of the people who have influenced his art style over the past two years.
“I tried to take a little of everything from each professor or each class I had and put it into my artwork. That’s how I like to do my stuff,” Mallett said.
When advising prospective students, Mallett said UAPB offered him enhanced opportunities for one-on-one interactions with his professors.
He stressed the importance of being able to regularly talk to his instructors and DeJarnette “any time” to receive necessary counsel on a variety of topics.
He adds that UAPB made him feel welcome, at home and a part of something of great significance.
“I didn’t have all of the opportunities and resources like I had at UAPB,” Mallett said, reflecting on his life before UAPB.
