Arline Mathieu
Untitled (from Lunar Water series)
2022
Watercolor and pen, 24 x 37 inches, 2025.1.2. Museum purchase.
Drawing inspiration from the discoveries of water on Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, Arline Mathieu’s paintings in this series present a universe in flux, with phenomena emerging and ever-changing, and explores questions of life on other planets across space and time. Mathieu’s creations are also deeply informed by scientific observation and Buddhist practices.
A Bolinas resident for thirty years, Mathieu studied textile and design at the University of Rhode Island and painting at Michigan State University. In 1971, she moved to Berkeley and continued her involvement in the anti-war and women’s movements of the era. She later earned a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the New School for Social Research and subsequently taught at Hunter College and New York University. When Mathieu moved to Bolinas, her focus returned to creating artworks, which have been exhibited widely across West Marin, the Bay Area, and beyond.
