"I made my living as a teacher/author of business subjects but have been painting and drawing my whole life. When I retired as a teacher I moved from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Glendale, Arizona and opened the Kindergarten Art Studio where I specialize in contemporary art that celebrates aspects of life that most of us take for granted. My work, which is categorized as contemporary naive, has an elementary style which, it is hoped, will bring a smile to the viewers face.
Because I'm self-taught I feel less inhibited--both technically and emotionally. I try to rely on my natural artistic talent and intuition. It allows me the freedom to make mistakes. I feel free to do things incorrectly in order to come up with something that works. It's during this discovery phase that new ideas emerge. I find this process very satisfying."
One art critic (Arizona Republic) said: Mr. Mason revels in testing the boundaries of perception. He creates two-dimensional images which veer slightly off center. The exaggeration of scale of his images suggests a stylistic naivete: a certain primitivism often associated with narrative folk art. Mr. Mason's paintings resemble drawings made by a youngster in elementary school: uninhibited, running a bit amok but full of joy. They make one grin.
Mr. Mason's work is in private and corporate collections on four continents.
Juried Shows, Group Shows, Solo Shows:
Waushara Art Festival, Wisconsin (Best of Show)
Art Council Exhibit, Oshkosh, WI (Purchase Award)
Mid-Western Fall Art Exhibit, Fond du Lac, WI (Purchase Award)
Summer Art Festival, Greenbush, WI (Purchase Award)
Annual Juried Exhibition, West Valley Art Museum, Surprise, AZ
The Border Gallery, Phoenix
Glendale Art Council (Purchase Award)
West Valley Art Museum (solo)
Arts Alive, Florence, Alabama
Lexington Art League Summer Exhibit, Kentucky
Motherlode National Art Show,Placerville, CA
Art Goes to the Dogs, San Francisco, CA
Valentines Day Show, Sophia Georg Gallery, Denver
Arizona Artists Guild Show, West Valley Art Museum
Culture and Agriculture Show, New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, WI (3 yrs)
Sky Harbor International Airport Show
Glendale Community College, Glendale, AZ (solo)
Shemer Art Center Show (best of show), AAG
Who Let the Art Out, Sky Harbor International Airport
Featured Artist, Arizona Humane Society, spring show
Adam and Eve Show, Sophia Georg Gallery, Denver
Glendale Art Council, purchase award
Waushara Art Festival, Wisconsin (Best of Show)
Art Council Exhibit, Oshkosh, WI (Purchase Award)
Mid-Western Fall Art Exhibit, Fond du Lac, WI (Purchase Award)
Summer Art Festival, Greenbush, WI (Purchase Award)
Annual Juried Exhibition, West Valley Art Museum, Surprise, AZ
The Border Gallery, Phoenix
Glendale Art Council (Purchase Award)
West Valley Art Museum (solo)
Arts Alive, Florence, Alabama
Lexington Art League Summer Exhibit, Kentucky
Motherlode National Art Show,Placerville, CA
Art Goes to the Dogs, San Francisco, CA
Valentines Day Show, Sophia Georg Gallery, Denver
Arizona Artists Guild Show, West Valley Art Museum
Culture and Agriculture Show, New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, WI (3 yrs)
Sky Harbor International Airport Show
Glendale Community College, Glendale, AZ (solo)
Shemer Art Center Show (best of show), AAG
Who Let the Art Out, Sky Harbor International Airport
Featured Artist, Arizona Humane Society, spring show
Adam and Eve Show, Sophia Georg Gallery, Denver
Glendale Art Council, purchase award
