Journal of a Local Artist


Welcome. This is an attempt to chronicle the doings of a local artist. A chance to look over his shoulder at what's happening in a small town, and a way for him to step back and see what he's doing. Oop.. watch your toes.

 Click Here for the index of dispatches


This web journalizing began with a roadtrip around America. Peggy had a sabbatical in 1996-97 to visit historic sites, and the Muirs sent daily e-dispatches from the road to a widening circle of correspondents. They also drew, painted, and took photographs of the American scene. The habit of regular illustrated journalism was hard to shake, and Bryce kept on reporting -- about the doings in Bowdoinham. In 1998 he figured out how to put these chronicles and illustrations together as web pages. The Muirs went back to their road logs and put together American Sabbatical -- a travelogue as web site. Subsequent illustrated journals are indexed here, and the tale continues. There have been pauses in the narrative, as enthusiasm for the medium wanes. The original idea -- to illustrate a local yarn with an artist's images -- is still fun, but telling tales out of school in a small town can get political real fast. The web may be a global village, but if you gossip in digitopolis your neighbors will get pissed. If the later chronicles are more about the interior life of an artist, and his personal doings, he's just trying to keep out of hot water.