The Approaching Storm (Going Home) 1964

Frank Mason’s ‘The Approaching Storm (Going Home)’ is a landscape in which the artist conjures an unsettled atmosphere, probably using oils. The painting feels traditional. It is like looking back, over my shoulder, at the history of painting. I can imagine Mason, brush in hand, thinking about the Old Masters, and the ways they manipulated light and shadow to create depth and drama. Those horses at the bottom, rendered in soft greys, are like ghosts, emerging from the landscape as the storm approaches. The landscape seems to sigh and sway! The high-key clouds form a monumental backdrop; I wonder if Mason knew what he was doing, using such different keys? I can really appreciate the technical skill here, the way Mason balances light and dark, creating a sense of depth and space. You can see how artists are in an ongoing dialogue; it's like they are bouncing ideas off each other across time, sparking each other's creativity.