Matulis - John

Matulis, John G. (1911-2000)

John Matulis was born in New Britain, Connecticut in 1911. He attended public schools and graduated from the Hartford Art School in 1933. He then worked for the WPA Federal Arts Project from 1936 to 1940. According to his obituary, Matulis completed 55 color plates for the Index of American Design, but his work card shows that he completed only 47 color plates and one oil painting. He also supervised other artists assigned to the Index project. Matulis was one of three Connecticut artists who had a plate exhibited at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park. During World War II, 1942-1945, he served in the U. S. Army drawing topographic maps from aerial photographs. From 1945 to 1975 he was a technical illustrator for Pratt and Whitney. After Matulis retired, he served on the Connecticut Commission on Aging from 1975 t 1978 and taught drawing at the New Britain Senior Center. According to his obituary, he “designed posters for the National Institute of Senior Centers for the National Council on Aging” and covers for the AARP magazine. Matulis was a well known and respected local artist.

Sources: WPA Artist’s Work Card; AskART; Obituary, New Britain Herald, January 12, 2000; Matthew Hay Brown, “John G. Matulis, 89, Dies; “3 State Artists Have Work in Hyde park Show,” Hartford Courant, September 13, 1941; “Artist Painted Apples,” Hartford Courant, January 12, 2000; Edwin O. Christensen, The Index of American Design (National Gallery of Art, 1950), pp. 88, 154-155, 189, 205, 207.

Works of Art Listed in CT Archives’ database from John Matulis:

Matulis, John