Paul Mason (23 June 1952 – 9 May 2006) was a British sculptor and artist working mainly in stone and

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

.Manley, David. (19 May 2006)
"Paul Mason, Stone carver in the Moore tradition."
London: ''The Independent.'' Retrieved 3 September 2012. Winner of the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

Gold Medal in 1976, his work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom and Europe, including the

Tate Gallery, St Ives Tate St Ives is an art gallery in St Ives, Cornwall, England, exhibiting work by modern British artists with links to the St Ives area. The Tate also took over management of another museum in the town, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture ...

and the Bauhaus Kunst-Archiv in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Personal life and education

Paul William Mason was born on 23 June 1952 in Bolton, Lancashire. Mason first married Susan Disley, a ceramicist, with whom he had a son, Joseph. He later married a

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

, Emma Talbot, to whom he was married at the time of his death. Together they had sons Zachary and Daniel. As of 2006, Emma was the Head of Painting and Two-Dimensional (2D) at St Martin's College, University of the Arts, London.Baker-Alder, Helen. (5 June 2006)
''In memory of Paul Mason, 1952–2006.'' Insight, Northumbria University. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
/ref> Mason studied first at Bolton College of Art & Design from 1970 to 71. Next he studied at

Wolverhampton Polytechnic The University of Wolverhampton is a public university located on four campuses across the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, Shropshire and Staffordshire in England. The roots of the university lie in the Wolverhampton Tradesmen's and Mech ...

from 1971 to 74, under John Paddison, and finally at the

from 1974 to 77, under Willi Soukop.''Paul Mason.''
Kemper Art Museum. Retrieved 3 September 2012. Note: additional commissions listed.

Career

Paul Mason wWith Willi Soukop at the Royal Academy Schools

He is known for his exterior sculptures, dubbed "iconic stone carved pieces that are large scale interpretations of natural form", but he also painted, drew, created collages and made smaller sculptures.''Paul Mason.''
Tarpey Gallery. Retrieved 3 September 2012. Of his works, Mason said:

My works attempt to recognise and emulate the natural forces inherent in both carving and the geology. There is something deeply attractive and satisfying about the sculptural processes on both scales, and the dialogue between them that occurs quite naturally within the fragment and the whole.

He taught from 1993–1997 at

Northumbria University , mottoeng = A lifetime of learning , established = 1877 - Rutherford College of Technology1969 - Newcastle Polytechnic1992 - gained university status , type = Public , budget = � ...

. Mason taught at Derby University after Northumbria. In 2004, at Derby University, he became Professor of Sculpture. Mason also taught at art schools in Loughborough and

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

. Mason had in-house residencies in his career, including one at

Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishment of a minster dedicated to S ...

in 2000–01 and the other in 1996 at

Tate St. Ives Tate St Ives is an art gallery in St Ives, Cornwall, England, exhibiting work by modern British artists with links to the St Ives area. The Tate also took over management of another museum in the town, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture ...

, where he worked in

Barbara Hepworth Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth (10 January 1903 – 20 May 1975) was an English artist and sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism and in particular modern sculpture. Along with artists such as Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, Hepworth was a leadi ...

’s Studio.

Works

This is a partial list of Mason's works.

Exhibitions

The following are partial lists of Mason's exhibitions.

Solo exhibitions

:2005 Stone Landscapes. Quay Arts. Newport Isle of Wight. :2001 "Division as Structure" Reliefs & Drawings Bauhaus Archiv, Berlin. :1998 Six Chapel Row, Bath. :1997 "From the Ocean Floor" Djanogly Arts Centre, Nottingham. :1996 Tate Gallery St Ives. Installation and new work sited throughout the permanent collection.

Group exhibitions

:2004 Fermynwoods Gallery, Northampton with John Holden :1999 Dock Museum, Barrow in Furness. :1997 Drawing Exhibition, Newlyn Art Gallery. :1995 "Divers Memories" Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford.

Retrospective exhibitions

:2012 Tarpey Gallerys''Paul Mason Retrospective at Tarpey Gallery.''
Nottingham Visual Arts, 9 January 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.

References

External links

The Poetics of Making, about Paul Mason

Transformations of matter: contemporary carving in stone
– Info about some of Mason's works
Works & images

Residency at Gloucester Cathedral

The Gibberd Garden
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Paul 1952 births 2006 deaths 20th-century British sculptors British male sculptors 20th-century British male artists