Pauline with Lute 2004

Frank Mason made this painting, "Pauline with Lute," with oil on canvas. I see how the light catches on her cascade of red hair like flames. The brushstrokes are wispy and free. There's a directness and honesty in the way Mason handles the paint; it feels like you can see him figuring out the forms as he goes along. The colour palette is warm, with deep reds and browns. The surface has a velvet-like texture, especially in her ornate dress. I keep coming back to the lute in her hands. The way Mason renders the light on the polished wood makes it seem almost touchable. Those delicate lines give the instrument a life of its own. The Pre-Raphaelites, with their romantic, detailed portraits of women, come to mind. But there’s a rawness in Mason’s approach, a willingness to let the process show, which is so great to see. It's a reminder that painting is always a conversation, an exploration, rather than a fixed statement.