Today we’d like to introduce you to M. Mason.
Hi M., thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out always wanting to work with my hands. I was raised to make the best of circumstance, and I spent a lot of my time drawing clothes I saw in magazines, creating characters to fit in my favorite animes and haphazardly sewing together new clothes from my old ones. I’ve always seen the inner beauty in what I had, so I think it naturally led me to artistry. Painting allowed me to express the words I couldn’t find, and I never fully got away from it, as much as I tried. As a young queer person growing up in the South, there was already a tall list of prejudice to overcome, and a career that is unstable as the art industry just felt like another point of contention. I tried a multitude of careers, but I always found myself drawing and painting again. After a long fight, I decided to take my passion seriously and it has given my life purpose in ways I never imagined.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a walk in the park, but the journey has been worth it. Rejection is difficult to experience, and as someone who experiences Rejection Dysphoria, I really struggled with showing my work to anyone, let alone submitting to open calls and being turned down. I’ve always been a creator, but wasn’t until 3 years ago that I finally worked through the self-doubt to be able to confidently present and submit my artwork. The business side was also something that took some strategy to overcome, primarily because the arts aren’t made as accessible for my demographic. With the help of a mentor, I was able to learn about the process for submitting to galleries, writing engaging artist statements, and all the rest of the paperwork that was needed to be a compelling applicant. Still, a lot of the networking connections and references needed to break through the barrier weren’t available to me, because of how I grew up. Regardless, I forged my own path and let the universe guide me to people who could help me learn more and perfect my craft.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in mixed media artwork that incorporates found materials, oil painting, and collaging to create work that speaks to the feelings and experiences that can’t quite be replicated. I also help organize Black queer events in Dallas, and I love creating room for my community to enjoy music, art, and interpersonal relationships. Outside of art, I’m a project manager to for a nonprofit, so I truly feel that my day to day works creates moments and feelings that truly burst at the seams of my mind, with so many stories I want to tell through my artwork. I’m proud of my commitment to bending the rules, creating work that is experimental while still holding familiarity. I think my hands-on approach sets me apart from others because it creates an immersive experience with a light-hearted approach.
How do you think about luck?
As for luck, I’m big into astrology, so I can absolutely say that things go in my favor. I am a Sagittarius stellium, which means I am ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet that rules over expansion, wisdom, and luck. so I usually have a positive outlook with results to match. While I’ve always loved art, I didn’t have access to the professional end of the industry, I never went to art school, networked, anything like that. So, I feel it would be dishonest to say that I got where I am today through sheerly my own star power. Legacy is important to me, so I definitely try to honor my ancestors through my work. I think prayers and good luck had a healthy hand in guiding me in the directions I needed to go to where I am now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://canva.link/67llrtr96y0a2xx
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therisingpisces/?hl=en
