Mercer Gallery Exhibition - James Mathews Prints
The Mercer Gallery at Garden City Community College (GCCC) is thrilled to showcase a unique collection of hand-pulled prints by Garden City Legacy Artist James “Jim” Mathews. The exhibition will be on display from Monday, February 3rd, through Friday, February 21st, with a closing reception on February 21st from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. in the Mercer Gallery. Light refreshments will be provided, and the event is free and open to the public.
The exhibition, "James Mathews Prints from the GCCC Permanent Collection" showcases 18 hand-pulled prints, including relief and silkscreen prints, offering a rare opportunity to appreciate the diverse talents of this beloved artist. Many of his works, newly mated and framed, will be on display in the Mercer Gallery and the Joyce Fine Arts Buildings Hallway Galleries.
The Mercer Gallery, located in the Pauline Joyce Fine Arts Building at GCCC, is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, please contact Gallery Director Michael Knutson at michael.knutson@gcccks.edu.
About James “Jim” Mathews
James “Jim” Mathews, a true artist at heart, was born on September 1st, 1920, in Thackerville, Oklahoma. His journey as an artist began in the Cherryvale, Kansas, area, where he graduated from high school. He further honed his skills, earning a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University and a master's degree from Emporia State University. His artistic journey was interrupted by his service in the Pacific during WWII in the United States Merchant Marine Service from 1942 to 1946. Despite these challenges, Jim's passion for art never waned. He worked as the acquisition librarian at Kansas State University and the University of Wisconsin before finally settling in Garden City, Kansas, in 1987.
Jim's dedication to his craft was unwavering. He enrolled in art classes at Garden City Community College upon his arrival in Garden City and continued every semester until his health failed in 2012. He also served as a mentor to numerous other students in the GCCC Ceramic Arts Studio. Jim's commitment to his art was not just personal but also communal. He participated in numerous art shows and festivals in Wisconsin, winning various awards, before returning to Kansas. He had a booth at Garden City’s Art in the Park event for 25 consecutive years and helped organize and set up the event for many years. Jim created a permanent ceramic mural in the Pauline Joyce Fine Arts Building at GCCC, accompanied by a plaque commemorating his service.
Jim is quoted from a February 1996 interview for an exhibition in the Mercer Gallery saying, "Some of the strongest works in the exhibit are the traditional black and white prints," according to the artist. "These are woodcuts and linocuts which, technically at least, have a relationship to the German expressionist woodcutters such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Kathe Kollwitz, and Edvard Munch." The artist’s-colored prints, primarily serigraphs, tend more toward the exploratory in subject and style.
Jim's artistic philosophy is deeply rooted in the power of black-and-white prints. He believes that 'Striving for a particular style is less important than creating a strong impression and good composition.' He believes that black-and-white prints create the most powerful contrast, and when a message is essential, black-and-white images consequently send the best message. This belief in the power of black-and-white prints is not just a technical preference but a deeply held artistic philosophy that guides his work.
He considers himself "basically a self-taught relief printer" and employs a hand-drawn process involving no press. He has completed drawing, serigraphy, and related courses at Kansas State University and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. During his 22 years in Wisconsin, he found fertile ground for exploration and creativity. He earned prizes at art fairs throughout the state, had many of his works accepted in regional and state exhibitions, and received several awards in graphics. A Mathews linocut, "The Checker Players," was selected for the Wisconsin Regional Art Association traveling show in 1975. His works were also chosen for All-Wisconsin juried exhibits at UW-Whitewater and the Milwaukee Art Museum's Wisconsin Trends '82 and '83. He staged a 1983 solo exhibit in Milwaukee.
When Jim Returned to Kansas in 1987, his works were accepted for the Central States Exhibition '92 and Regional Small Works Exhibit. His prints and ceramic pieces have become familiar to show-goers attending each summer's Art in the Park festival in downtown Garden City, where he earned Best of Show honors in 1988.
Jim's approach to creativity is versatile and multi-faceted. He believes that an artist may have a multi-pronged approach to creativity. By this, he means an artist may be realistic, impressionistic, or abstract during the same period. This probably means a schizoid style, but the approach will depend on the presentation's subject, emotional content, or social or political comment. Jim's versatility in his approach to creativity is a testament to the breadth of his artistic expression.
Outside of his role as an artist, Jim was happily married to Jean Clare Bailey for 60 years and enjoyed his time with family. He quietly contributed to dozens of charities for people experiencing poverty, the underrepresented, and those facing injustice. He was particularly generous to causes and organizations that serve orphans. Jim’s lifetime of creating art produced thousands of drawings, paintings, prints, and ceramic pieces. He also enjoyed gardening and avidly enjoyed fishing.
