By Lee B. Roberts
Journal Times | Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:00 am
A simple, yet elegant sign in the window tells customers that Mathis Gallery & Frame shop is celebrating its 35th year in business here in Racine. Inside the shop at 328 Main St., the elegance continues not only on the gallery walls, but in the manner of the proprietor, Emile Mathis.
Mathis is a gracious, skillful man with a passion for art. Strike up a conversation with him and it won't take long to realize that he is also someone who knows his stuff. Whether discussing the nuances of a particular lithograph or how to frame your favorite painting, he is glad to share his knowledge with those who come through his door. And, as a lifelong learner, Mathis has a lot to share.
His love for art took root in a high school class in his hometown of Superior, where the teacher would declare certain class times "art history days," giving students an introduction to art through the ages. As a student at Dominican College, Mathis had a professor who was educated at the Bauhaus School in Germany whom Mathis credits with giving him incredible insights into color and design. And, while earning his bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, he had already begun his collection of etchings and prints by artists such as James Abbott McNeill Whistler.
Those are just a few early examples of the many influences and educational opportunities that led Mathis to his career as an art dealer, appraiser, conservationist and framer.
Before coming to Racine, he worked for an art dealer based in Great Britain. When he decided to go into business for himself here, he began with his own collection as inventory.
Fine eye
Through the years Mathis has worked with museums, including Racine's Wustum Museum of Fine Arts and the Milwaukee Art Museum, framing artwork and curating shows. He has also done appraisal and framing work for corporations, as well as individual clients throughout southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. Up to 40 percent of his business comes from customers in New York, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota and Chicago's North Shore, Mathis said.
What is it that brings people from near and far to Mathis' shop in Racine? In one word: expertise. While his area of specialty is prints (particularly those of Sir Frances Seymour Haden), Mathis's knowledge reaches beyond that to African art and other areas as well, said Bruce Pepich, executive director of the Racine Art Museum.
"He has a very fine eye," said Pepich, who has worked with Mathis on various projects through the years.
"And he is very good about sharing his expertise with clients."
Another area of specialization for Mathis is that of conservation framing, a process in which special archival materials and methods are used to assure the lasting care of the artwork being framed.
"It is my niche," said Mathis, who has been using conservation methods in his framing work for many years.
"I love the idea of learning how to do this stuff and accomplishing it."
Everything from the type of matting material to different adhesives - even the water - used in framing a piece of art can not only affect its quality, but its value through the years, Mathis said.
"People don't often realize what an effect these things can have," he said.
"Because I am a collector, I see the tragedies that can happen when things aren't cared for properly."
Love of learning
One way to tell if a piece of artwork has been framed with conservation methods, is by the color of its backing paper, Mathis said. If the paper is not blue archival paper, true conservation methods have not been used. The brown craft paper typically used in framing has a higher acid content which can damage artwork over time, he explained.
Mathis feels so strongly about the importance of conserving artwork that he recently closed his gallery/shop for a couple weeks so that he could attend a seminar on paper restoration at the Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies in Illinois.
"It was fascinating," said Mathis, describing the seminar, at which he worked with conservators from institutions such as New York's Whitney Museum of American Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. "I learned so much from everyone there, about everything from pigment to composition. It was a really good group to work with."
The pleasure in conservation work, for Mathis, comes not only from the satisfaction of a job well done, but from the processes involved in each project.
"Conservation framing is enjoyable for me yet, after 35 years," he said. "There is a certain contentment that comes along with this work. I almost find it relaxing."
At the same time, it is work that he takes very seriously, paying attention to every detail.
"My whole life has been based on my pursuit of quality," Mathis said. "It is what I believe in."
Duty and devotion
Mathis said he also enjoys being involved in the community - both the one he has lived and worked in for 35 years, and others with which he feels a connection.
Through the years, he has been a strong supporter of Downtown, as well as organizations such as the Racine Zoo, the RAM, and the United Performing Arts Fund. He currently serves on the fine arts advisory committee at Carthage College, as well as the City of Racine's Board of Zoning Appeals and the Downtown Design Review Committee.
Mathis also gives back to his alma mater both by going and talking to students at UW-Superior, and through monetary contributions.
Last year, he donated $500,000 toward the reconstruction of the university's student center.
In the kind of work he does, Mathis could be located anywhere, he said, but he is happy to be in Racine. When deciding where to settle, he looked at other cities, including Denver and Minneapolis, but chose Racine.
"Emile was one of the earliest people to invest in buildings in the Downtown area," said Pepich. "That was a great demonstration of faith, on his part, in the community."
It was an investment Mathis is glad he made.
"It has been very rewarding for me here," he said. "I've really enjoyed the people here."