Memories of Sicily 1966

Frank Mason made this painting, Memories of Sicily, and the first thing that strikes you is how immediate it feels. The brushwork is loose, almost gestural, like he's trying to capture a fleeting moment. Look at the paint itself, how Mason uses thin washes of color. See that broken column on the right? It’s not about precise detail, but more about the feeling of light on crumbling stone. You can almost feel the warmth of the Sicilian sun. Then there’s that tree on the left, see how the leaves are just dabs of paint? It's not about botany, it's about creating an impression, a memory, a feeling. This way of working puts me in mind of Corot, but with a touch more melancholy. It’s about embracing the imperfections, the fluidity, and the sheer joy of putting paint on canvas. It’s like he's saying, "Here's my memory, take it, feel it, make it your own."