Coloma GoId Rush Mining Town Odd Fellows Hall I. O. O. F. El Dorado George Mathis
Item History & Price
Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall Coloma El Dorado County George Mathis Off Set Print Watercolored.Condition is Excellent and Clean. Frame size, 17.25” X 21.25” Image Size, 9.25” X 12.50”. Oak Frame.Description: Sign at site reads:
Built in 1854 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, this hall was also shared with religious organiza...tions of the Coloma community. The I.O.O.F. was only one of the many fraternal lodges that were active during the 1850's in Coloma and in most mining towns. Today, Coloma Lodge, No. 27, is the second oldest Odd Fellows lodge operating in El Dorado County. Rebekah Lodge No. 114 shares in the operation of the hall for community events and weekly meetings.
Payment Terms: I accept credit card via PayPal.Shipping Terms. High bidder pays winning bid plus USPS MAIL$15.00.Insurance extra email for quote after auction ends.Refunds, Returns: If you are not satisfied upon receipt, youmay return it to me for a full refund of the bid and shipping. (Buyer to payfor returning shipping to me.)Will combine shipping with other items.From an old FridayHouse Gallery Brochure“About the Prints, There’salways a bit of confusion concerning the manner in which a two-dimensionalpiece of art is reproduced. The term “print” can be correct when used withserigraphy, etching, lithography or offset reproduction.The “prints” atFriday House Gallery are offset reproductions from an original pencil sketchand are reproduced in an unlimited number most often.An original pencilsketch on paper or illustration board is photographed on a process camera, producing a negative from which the plate is made. That plate goes on ouroffset printing press and multiple prints are made whenever needed. The way youcan tell the difference between and offset reproduction and a true lithograph, serigraph, etching, etc, is to look at the piece under magnification… if thereis a mechanical dot pattern (like the photos in a newspaper) it is an offsetreproduction in all common cases. Many reproductions today are touted as“lithographs” when in reality they are offset reproductions.Our prints areprinted by the family in the gallery’s workshop. They are printed in black inkon white paper. These are then titled and signed in pencil (a studio signature)to extend the artists touch.”“About the originalpencil sketches, George Mathis created more than 200 pencil sketches focusingon California past. These remain in the Mathis family collection and are notavailable for purchase” Note now in the collection is at Washington State University.George Mathis Pictorial Historian of the Mother Lode.George Mathis was generally and affectionately known as the“pictorial historian of the Mother lode”. Because of his interest in thehistory of the Gold County area, his desire to be authentic and his exceptionaltalent, the title was well deserved. Pictorial illustrations became hisgreatest talent and reflected in his original lithographs and prints from hisoriginal pencil sketches. The proofs from the original lithographs werefrom stone presses but were engraved at the site on a stone substitute. The Miners cabin a favorite subjectdelighting children and adults. On a Sunday afternoon in the artist’sstudio, George would sketch one of these for visitor, telling a story while hedrew a miner’s cabin… a white cat in the doorway waiting for his master, smokecoming from the chimney because there were beans cooking on the back of thestove, a nest of birds, and a few clumps of granite. The sketch took justminute and then was presented to the youngest member of the family. Itwas not unusual to receive a child’s version of a miner’s cabin sketch as areturn gift. The cabin sketch was developed to show how the techniqueworked. George made it look easy.About the Water Colors: Spokane, Washington is thebirthplace of Jean Mathis. She became a Californian later at the age of19 where her talent for marionette construction and theater led her to conductingclasses at one of Oakland’s department stores. Jean attended art schoolpart time and here a romance with fellow art student, George Mathis, developed. Jean and George married in 1963-a marriage that resulted in abipartisan art and craft-continuing through the years. Jean has a defttouch for many activities. She was once a linotypes and columnist for anewspaper, designed domestic architecture, and one of her doll designs wonnational recognition in McCall’s Magazine. There’s a special gift for driedflower arrangements, ceramic modeling and costume design. Watercolorexcellence was accomplishment developed to compliment her husband’s historicalillustrations. These watercolored subjects have become one of the west’smost popular records of western history. The heritage is Currier and Ivesbut George/Jeans Mathis results are a dimension of their own for collector orhistory fan. Author Note: (On some prints one might see in thelower right corner the writing W/C, J. M. this means that Jean Mathishandcolored that print.)Sketching The Mines: George’s love affair with mountains wasenhanced when he moved to Nevada City. Here he could combine his talentwith his bent on history while he explored high places. The NorthernMines were a bonanza he sketched his way through them. Young AmericanMine on Sardine Lake only offered exciting remnants of history but the majesticSierras were the back drop- a place to recapture the aura of the fabulous goldrush era. Old Kentucky Mine, on the skirts of Sierra City, is now amuseum but when George was there [50] years ago Sierra City boosted two barsand one old time hotel. Now it has been discovered. Yuba RiverCounty could be any spot along a mountain river but this abandoned mine shaftis just south of Downieville. Settlements mushroomed near any goldstrike-some lived and grew but most faded into history. Alleghany, stilljust a wide spot off a cliff-side road, was the scene of great expectations inthe 1850’s. The Empire Mine in Grass Valley and Ott’s Assay Office inNevada City were among the first subjects for George’s sketch pad. It wasafter he moved to Coloma that he discovered the stamp mill site of Ruck aChucky Mine and noted sadly that some time would demolish one of the lastvisual reminders of this once famous territory north of Georgetown. LaCompton Mine in Nevada City, Last Mine on Main Street and Chinese at the Mineswere researched and sketched from old photographs and engravings.Sketching in the Foothills: Historians record the excitementof the gold rush days but mostly he remembered the mountains and the foothillswere these events took place. It was early in June when George sketchedthe Sierra Buttes for Bassett’s Station background was the snow still toppingthese lovely peaks. While Edwards crossing now has a modern bridge andcarries station wagons instead of freight wagons-the surroundings remain thesame. Thirty years ago when visiting Bridgeport Bridge there was not aperson in sight. Not one car went by while George sketched. In 1952the road to Bodie left much to be desired. Bodie had yet to become atourist attraction. Just a blowing wind broke the silence of this ghosttown. Carol and George climbed about the cliffs above Donner Lake to locatethe trail where the covered wagons come over the pass. Sketching the Railroads: Most of the historic trains thatGeorge sketched were researched from old photographs; Jean remembers a tripthey took to a lonesome spot in the Nevada desert where the Virginia&Truckee bullion car sat on a barren hilltop. In 1952 they went toSierra Valley to sketch the Shay and caboose nestling in the fringe of grass.(Print is Abandoned Rail Equipment 1952) George’s attention to detail isreflected in his statement, “If I don’t put in every nut and bolt, some trainbuff will surely point out the omission.”The Historical, Old Buildings: It was around 1945 whenGeorge began sketching the gold country. As they traveled the foothills, a feeling of urgency grew-a need to record as many old buildings as possiblebefore time, weather and the march of progress destroyed these places. George often found himself just one step ahead of the bulldozer. Thetendency at the time was to tear down and replace them with modern structures. Certainly too many historic buildings suffered this fate. When they wentto Sierra City, years ago, the town consisted of boarded up buildings, two barsand one hotel. Now it thrives as a popular vacation resort. OldKentucky Mine stood decaying for years. It has now been turned into amuseum with plans to make it a working museum to demonstrate the processing ofore. The lawless atmosphere of the gold rush days may be missing but theflavor of the 1800’s is still there. Nevada City is one of the best examplesof careful restoration. The National Hotel, Ott’s Assay Office, AmericanVictorian Museum, The Marsh House and many fine Victorian homes are just a fewof the places well worth mentioning. Old structures now in the goldcountry cities, towns and state parks are restored or in the process ofrestoration.SOURCE: A Catalogue of George Mathis Country offering over100 prints & lithographs of the historic west 1980s. (8/20/2012)
Built in 1854 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, this hall was also shared with religious organiza...tions of the Coloma community. The I.O.O.F. was only one of the many fraternal lodges that were active during the 1850's in Coloma and in most mining towns. Today, Coloma Lodge, No. 27, is the second oldest Odd Fellows lodge operating in El Dorado County. Rebekah Lodge No. 114 shares in the operation of the hall for community events and weekly meetings.
Payment Terms: I accept credit card via PayPal.Shipping Terms. High bidder pays winning bid plus USPS MAIL$15.00.Insurance extra email for quote after auction ends.Refunds, Returns: If you are not satisfied upon receipt, youmay return it to me for a full refund of the bid and shipping. (Buyer to payfor returning shipping to me.)Will combine shipping with other items.From an old FridayHouse Gallery Brochure“About the Prints, There’salways a bit of confusion concerning the manner in which a two-dimensionalpiece of art is reproduced. The term “print” can be correct when used withserigraphy, etching, lithography or offset reproduction.The “prints” atFriday House Gallery are offset reproductions from an original pencil sketchand are reproduced in an unlimited number most often.An original pencilsketch on paper or illustration board is photographed on a process camera, producing a negative from which the plate is made. That plate goes on ouroffset printing press and multiple prints are made whenever needed. The way youcan tell the difference between and offset reproduction and a true lithograph, serigraph, etching, etc, is to look at the piece under magnification… if thereis a mechanical dot pattern (like the photos in a newspaper) it is an offsetreproduction in all common cases. Many reproductions today are touted as“lithographs” when in reality they are offset reproductions.Our prints areprinted by the family in the gallery’s workshop. They are printed in black inkon white paper. These are then titled and signed in pencil (a studio signature)to extend the artists touch.”“About the originalpencil sketches, George Mathis created more than 200 pencil sketches focusingon California past. These remain in the Mathis family collection and are notavailable for purchase” Note now in the collection is at Washington State University.George Mathis Pictorial Historian of the Mother Lode.George Mathis was generally and affectionately known as the“pictorial historian of the Mother lode”. Because of his interest in thehistory of the Gold County area, his desire to be authentic and his exceptionaltalent, the title was well deserved. Pictorial illustrations became hisgreatest talent and reflected in his original lithographs and prints from hisoriginal pencil sketches. The proofs from the original lithographs werefrom stone presses but were engraved at the site on a stone substitute. The Miners cabin a favorite subjectdelighting children and adults. On a Sunday afternoon in the artist’sstudio, George would sketch one of these for visitor, telling a story while hedrew a miner’s cabin… a white cat in the doorway waiting for his master, smokecoming from the chimney because there were beans cooking on the back of thestove, a nest of birds, and a few clumps of granite. The sketch took justminute and then was presented to the youngest member of the family. Itwas not unusual to receive a child’s version of a miner’s cabin sketch as areturn gift. The cabin sketch was developed to show how the techniqueworked. George made it look easy.About the Water Colors: Spokane, Washington is thebirthplace of Jean Mathis. She became a Californian later at the age of19 where her talent for marionette construction and theater led her to conductingclasses at one of Oakland’s department stores. Jean attended art schoolpart time and here a romance with fellow art student, George Mathis, developed. Jean and George married in 1963-a marriage that resulted in abipartisan art and craft-continuing through the years. Jean has a defttouch for many activities. She was once a linotypes and columnist for anewspaper, designed domestic architecture, and one of her doll designs wonnational recognition in McCall’s Magazine. There’s a special gift for driedflower arrangements, ceramic modeling and costume design. Watercolorexcellence was accomplishment developed to compliment her husband’s historicalillustrations. These watercolored subjects have become one of the west’smost popular records of western history. The heritage is Currier and Ivesbut George/Jeans Mathis results are a dimension of their own for collector orhistory fan. Author Note: (On some prints one might see in thelower right corner the writing W/C, J. M. this means that Jean Mathishandcolored that print.)Sketching The Mines: George’s love affair with mountains wasenhanced when he moved to Nevada City. Here he could combine his talentwith his bent on history while he explored high places. The NorthernMines were a bonanza he sketched his way through them. Young AmericanMine on Sardine Lake only offered exciting remnants of history but the majesticSierras were the back drop- a place to recapture the aura of the fabulous goldrush era. Old Kentucky Mine, on the skirts of Sierra City, is now amuseum but when George was there [50] years ago Sierra City boosted two barsand one old time hotel. Now it has been discovered. Yuba RiverCounty could be any spot along a mountain river but this abandoned mine shaftis just south of Downieville. Settlements mushroomed near any goldstrike-some lived and grew but most faded into history. Alleghany, stilljust a wide spot off a cliff-side road, was the scene of great expectations inthe 1850’s. The Empire Mine in Grass Valley and Ott’s Assay Office inNevada City were among the first subjects for George’s sketch pad. It wasafter he moved to Coloma that he discovered the stamp mill site of Ruck aChucky Mine and noted sadly that some time would demolish one of the lastvisual reminders of this once famous territory north of Georgetown. LaCompton Mine in Nevada City, Last Mine on Main Street and Chinese at the Mineswere researched and sketched from old photographs and engravings.Sketching in the Foothills: Historians record the excitementof the gold rush days but mostly he remembered the mountains and the foothillswere these events took place. It was early in June when George sketchedthe Sierra Buttes for Bassett’s Station background was the snow still toppingthese lovely peaks. While Edwards crossing now has a modern bridge andcarries station wagons instead of freight wagons-the surroundings remain thesame. Thirty years ago when visiting Bridgeport Bridge there was not aperson in sight. Not one car went by while George sketched. In 1952the road to Bodie left much to be desired. Bodie had yet to become atourist attraction. Just a blowing wind broke the silence of this ghosttown. Carol and George climbed about the cliffs above Donner Lake to locatethe trail where the covered wagons come over the pass. Sketching the Railroads: Most of the historic trains thatGeorge sketched were researched from old photographs; Jean remembers a tripthey took to a lonesome spot in the Nevada desert where the Virginia&Truckee bullion car sat on a barren hilltop. In 1952 they went toSierra Valley to sketch the Shay and caboose nestling in the fringe of grass.(Print is Abandoned Rail Equipment 1952) George’s attention to detail isreflected in his statement, “If I don’t put in every nut and bolt, some trainbuff will surely point out the omission.”The Historical, Old Buildings: It was around 1945 whenGeorge began sketching the gold country. As they traveled the foothills, a feeling of urgency grew-a need to record as many old buildings as possiblebefore time, weather and the march of progress destroyed these places. George often found himself just one step ahead of the bulldozer. Thetendency at the time was to tear down and replace them with modern structures. Certainly too many historic buildings suffered this fate. When they wentto Sierra City, years ago, the town consisted of boarded up buildings, two barsand one hotel. Now it thrives as a popular vacation resort. OldKentucky Mine stood decaying for years. It has now been turned into amuseum with plans to make it a working museum to demonstrate the processing ofore. The lawless atmosphere of the gold rush days may be missing but theflavor of the 1800’s is still there. Nevada City is one of the best examplesof careful restoration. The National Hotel, Ott’s Assay Office, AmericanVictorian Museum, The Marsh House and many fine Victorian homes are just a fewof the places well worth mentioning. Old structures now in the goldcountry cities, towns and state parks are restored or in the process ofrestoration.SOURCE: A Catalogue of George Mathis Country offering over100 prints & lithographs of the historic west 1980s. (8/20/2012)
