Michael B. Mason Exhibiting Artist Interview September 2023

Speakers: Michael B. Mason, Artist

Michael B. Mason: Hello, my name is Michael Mason. I was a resident artist at Artists & Makers Studios from December of 2020 until December of 2022. During my time as a resident artist, I had several opportunities to display my work in resident artist group shows and I had a solo show in September of 2022 entitled Powell's Prophecy, in which I explored the diminishing water resources of the American West.

Michael B. Mason: What was my favorite part about exhibiting at A&M? Well, I think my experience was probably a little bit different than some of the visiting artists who have shown their work there. I was a resident studio artist for two years. And during that time, I was surrounded by other artists who really supported and shared in my artistic vision, and to receive encouragement from your peers on almost a daily basis when you're trying to put a show together is really pretty special. So I really appreciated that. Outside of that opening nights are always fun, spend a lot of time and effort putting the work together, putting the show together. And it's exciting when the work is finally up on the gallery walls, ready for the public to come in and hopefully appreciate.

Michael B. Mason: I work primarily in abstraction using acrylic paint, water based cold wax medium and assorted mixed media. I work on canvas, cradle panels and on paper. My process involves the building up of layers of paint or paint mixed with the wax medium and then digging back through those layers to expose earlier layers of paint. I apply paint using silicone edge tools. I stopped using bristle brushes about a year ago because they simply take too much water to get clean. So I'm trying to do my part to conserve water here in the desert. My work could best be described as environmental commentary. Some of the themes include climate change, the diminishing water resources of the American West and the Sonoran Desert where I was born and raised, and still live today. I'd like to thank A&M for this opportunity and thank you for watching.