Arthur Frank Mathews

Arthur Frank Mathews was a painter, architect, muralist, illustrator, publisher, craftsman, and designer. With his wife, Lucia, he created a decorative style unique to California. Born in Wisconsin, Mathews moved to Oakland with his family as a child. As a teenager he enrolled at the California School of Design to study painting—he later became the school’s director. After the earthquake and fire of 1906, Mathews established the Furniture Shop, which created furniture and decorative objects.