The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/456562
Winter 2015 37 TURNING POINT BILL BELISLE '68 was an aerospace design and development engineer in the 1970s during an energizing time. Man had recently landed on the moon and interest in aerospace technology was on the rise. Having been commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon graduation, Belisle earned his MBA while working in the aerospace in- dustry. For the frst half of his service time, he was a training offcer at a unit in Ft. Lewis, Wash. While earning his second master's, he switched to human resources, and became a training administrator for about 6,000 employees. Meanwhile, Belisle's wife had started a communications consultant business, while Belisle had been attending written communication classes at several junior colleges in the area. Eventually, he says, "it was a natural to combine forces, switch gears," and join his wife at Belisle & Associates. During this time, his interest in antiques grew—his hobby was get- ting serious. "After a couple decades collecting antiques," he says, "I became more interested in art, for both the aesthetics and the value. If you're going to dig deep into your pockets, however, you want to have the right information." A lifelong learner, Belisle yearned to educate himself further in this newfound feld. "I located a very small, private college that taught ap- praisal skills," he recalls. "Appraising is about the valuation of an item, but it begins with evaluation. Who made it? How old is it? What's it made of? What's its history? What's its condition?" He earned his CFAA (Certifed Fine Arts Appraiser) and started ap- praising part time. But he didn't stop there. "Right after getting that certifcate from the College for Appraisers, the president/owner at the time asked me to teach the classes in fne arts appraising. I became, and still am, the chair and only lecturer for that department." Doing course work at the London School of Picture and Frame Res- toration taught him more about the condition of art objects, and a course on microscopy for conservators through the McCrone Re- search Institute helped him better identify materials used. Belisle then earned a second appraising certifcate—in fne and decorative arts from UC Irvine. "But about fve years ago," he says, "I wanted to have more general knowledge about art. Everything I'd learned was self-taught." So he en- rolled in the regular program at Cal State Long Beach, which led to a BA in art history. Just as in engineering, Belisle says research is still a big part of his job. "I think having a strong technical education motivated me to know as much as I could about the scientifc aspects of appraisal investigation." TURNING POINT J