William Mason ARCA

William Mason (1906-2002) was born in Newport, Wales. He studied at Newport College of Art from 1923 to 1927, then attended the Royal College of Art until 1931. He taught at Scarborough School of Art and St. Albans School of Art. It was only in Mason’s later life that he began to take painting more seriously as it was a foremost hobby for him, while pursuing his academic teaching of art.

Mason’s technique was influenced by the Impressionists, he named Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro as particularly inspiring. Capturing the gentle movement of light, shadows and reflections, Mason’s paintings convey a particular atmosphere of the moment by prioritising movement, light, and colour above realism. A solo exhibition of Mason’s work was held at the McClelland Gallery in 1970, Mason also previously exhibited with the Royal Academy.