Block Island Beach Scene 1962

Frank Mason made this Block Island Beach Scene, probably in oil paint. It’s full of light and a tangible sense of a breezy day at the beach, achieved with an amazing and dynamic economy of marks. I love how the paint is both thick and transparent, layered in such a way that it feels like you can see through the surface to the underlayers. It's like looking through memories, each stroke a quick impression. See how the figures are loosely rendered? There's a sense of immediacy, like Mason was capturing fleeting moments. Check out the yellow streak of light hitting the water – it's almost abstract, a pure gesture of color that somehow perfectly conveys the shimmer of sunlight. And then there’s the detail of the foreground beach accessories, painted with a more realistic, careful hand. This reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter, in that he too paints everyday scenes and makes the ordinary feel profound. What a nice painting! It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation.