Eliza Mason is an artist and illustrator living and working in Western Massachusetts.
Artist Statement
We all have places that ground us. For me there is a primitive satisfaction in being enveloped by a canopy of plants, much like the soothing sound of a crackling fire or the calm repetition of crashing waves. Despite endless advances in technology nothing that we have accomplished as a species rivals nature’s beauty and the things that it creates without any assistance. In large part I draw my inspiration from the colors and patterns inside a hothouse. This is where the air is humid, the foliage is rich in texture and all colors are at their most brilliant.
My work is an exploration of repeating patterns and vivid shades from the jungle, the arid and wherever else living things manage to grow. The influence of textiles also spills into my work, from antique carpets to shibori, to simple woven linen stripes. In some of my work, aquatic life is woven into the carpets, as if suspended just below the surface of a colorful body of water. The pigments used are intended to represent not only the colors of woven textiles, but also to imply the presence of the many living pieces of underwater ecosystems. I enjoy working in watercolor for many reasons, for its fluidity, its ability to create layers and depth, for its transparency, for the way that it transforms color and of course for its unanticipated outcomes.
Education:
- Bachelor Fine Arts - UMass Amherst, 2013
- Artist Residency - Chateau de La Napoule, Summer 2011