Carrigallen Sunset 1951

Frank Mason made this landscape painting using soft, muted colors to capture a sunset probably on location. Look at the way the blues of the sky blend into the yellows and pinks on the horizon! You can see Mason laying down the paint, shifting and adjusting to capture the changing light, responding to the landscape. I wonder if he mixed the colours in advance or right there on the canvas, trying to keep up with the speed of the setting sun. I find myself really admiring the way Mason applied the paint in thin layers. See how they create depth and atmosphere, giving the painting a sense of light and air. And the marks themselves! That vertical stroke cutting through the clouds -- such a confident gesture. It's like he's saying, "This is what it feels like to be here, now." It's paintings like these that remind me that art isn't about perfection, but about feeling and expression. And how artists are always building on what came before, learning from each other, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be.