Mattie Codling is the executive director and chief curator at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art (WAMA).
Q: Tell us about yourself and the impact you are making.
A: I view my role as that of facilitator. I can enable moments of inspiration and connection for the public that the museum serves on a daily basis.
I also have the privilege of leading an exceptional team of artists, educators and creatives who genuinely care about the impact of their work on the Gulf Coast. I am consistently amazed by the thoughtful, dynamic ways that they develop programs to enhance our community’s quality of life.
Through our efforts, my team and I preserve the legacy of artist and naturalist Walter Inglis Anderson, provide arts and environmental education to school children throughout the state and serve as a cultural hub for the Southeast.
Q: What are you passionate about and why?
A: I am passionate about the impact of the arts in our communities. The arts bring people together; they unite us and celebrate our shared cultural identities.
The arts also are economic drivers, bringing billions of dollars into our state each year and creating thousands of jobs. They teach creative problem solving, collaboration and empathy. Whether visual, culinary, musical or performance, the arts bring people together to celebrate the things that make us unique. They preserve cultural heritage and create a regional identity. The arts help us to know who we are and where we have been while inspiring our futures.
Q: What special achievements or awards are you proud of?
A: I am proud to have been a part of the growth of the WAMA over the past decade and to have contributed to our community’s artistic flourishing. I have had the opportunity to help reinvigorate the life of the institution and turn it into one of the South’s leading small museums.
In 2025, I successfully led the museum through reaccreditation with the American Alliance of Museums, a designation attained by only 4% of museums nationwide. Alongside the WAMA team, I have helped renovate our collections storage, turned a 1911 cottage into a café (The Traveler) and made plans to sustain the museum’s long-term growth.
Q: Share a quote or mantra that you live by and has helped you become successful.
A: There is a passage from Mary Oliver’s “Invitation” that reads, “It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in the broken world.” That little line is such a beautiful and revolutionary way of thinking. Sometimes just being human and existing within this world is an accomplishment.
These words have helped me to celebrate the small moments that comprise ordinary days and cherish them. With this mindset, I can approach my day with gratitude — for my work, for the people in my life and for my home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.