Contemplating Emily Mason

Lignite, 1968, Oil on canvas, 50 x 41 in., photo by Dan Bradica, New York, NY, courtesy of Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY © 2024 Emily Mason | Alice Trumbull Mason Foundation/ARS.  Thank you for giving me permission to feature Emily’s work.

Welcome! Contemplating Emily Mason

I invite you to participate in a brief contemplative art experience. Please take a moment to find a comfortable seat, and click on the audio below to explore the essence of "Lignite, 1968" (see above), by Emily Mason, followed by my own experience of her painting at the bottom of this page.

Emily Mason

Emily Mason, born in New York (1932-2019), is associated with the American abstract expressionist movement. My initial fascination with Mason's work stemmed from encountering the exhibition "The Thunder Hurried Slow" at the Miles McEnery Gallery in New York (December 14th to January 3rd, 2024). The title of the exhibition intrigued me, as I have a deep appreciation for Emily Dickinson's poetry.

"Pleasure Garden," 1970, oil on canvas, 52 x 44. Photo by Dan Bradica, New York, NY, courtesy of Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY © 2024 Emily Mason | Alice Trumbull Mason Foundation/ARS. 

Many of us feel unsettled in the presence of uncertainty. Abstract art, unless explained, can sometimes leave viewers feeling uneasy, leading to avoidance. While Mason’s vibrant colours, cadence, and sense of harmony are an invitation that draws the viewer into her world, at times, her work also instills uncertainty, due to its lack of definition or explanation.

The unknown can stir a visceral response that pulls us to turn away. Instead of resisting these sensations, contemplative practices encourage us to meet these emotions, but without judgement or attachment, just awareness.

When we draw upon contemplative practices, such as softening our gaze, slowing the breath, and letting go of expectation, difficult emotions begin to move and flow through us. Gradually, a sense of space emerges, which can evoke a new perspective, or a series of unique artful experiences.

In my view, Emily Mason uses colour and composition to invite us to contemplate the liminal space between what is known, and what is continually unfolding in the realm of infinite possibility.

Her compositions evoke a sense of depth and stillness, grounding us in the present moment. Simultaneously, the vibrant interplay of colour with shape in ‘Pleasure Garden’ suggests movement and fluidity, inviting us to transition into a state of flow.

Rather than prompting a retreat from experience, Mason’s work invites us to move closer, to lean into the mystery behind each layered colour, tone and line. The interplay of light and dark shades provides bridges that allow us to traverse safely between different spaces; they offer moments for rest and contemplation.

I am equally drawn toward another work, one whose energy carries a different kind of intensity:

The Thunder Hurried Slow

The Thunder Hurried Slow, 1978, Oil on canvas, 54 x 54 inches., photo by Dan Bradica, New York, NY, courtesy of Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY © 2024 Emily Mason | Alice Trumbull Mason Foundation/ARS. 

Mason’s vibrant bursts of red in ‘The Thunder Hurried Slow’ act as anchor points; moments of respite amidst the thunder’s impending chaos. It is as if Emily Mason has crafted an experience, rather than an object, as she invites us to hover between reaction and immersion.

Mason’s work possesses an energy that compels repeated investigation!

Certain works of art can be transformative, reaching deep into our psyche and altering who we are. Sometimes, we cannot articulate what has changed, but nevertheless we know that we have been moved to feel something profound.

This is how I feel when I engage with Emily Mason’s work.

Contemplating Lignite: My personal experience

“As Emily's ‘Lignite’ slowly seeps into my consciousness, it gently stirs a full-bodied reaction that engages multiple senses. The symbolism of coal, so beautifully captured through rich tones and earthy colours, evoke a sense of deep-time.

I am taken through shifting layers of emotion, opening into expansive, textured inner landscapes.

As I rest for a while within Emily’s painting, the earth’s rock formations evoke a distant memory of forgotten places. I reflect upon a feeling of enduring loss, as I consider the transient nature of belonging.

I am drawn to contemplate my own relationship with time, and I feel the impermanent, fleeting nature of the delicate present moment.

As I continue to gaze upon "Lignite," a sense of spaciousness begins to unfold; a feeling of being (re)connected to something unexplainable flows through my body, and sensations of elusive light guide my attention even deeper into the painting.

As I become immersed in ‘Lignite’, time and space seems to fade; replaced by an overwhelming sense of peace –emanating from within.” Anna

My next blog considers why nature is a key theme in contemplative art. You can keep an eye on my instagram feed for updates.

You may also like my contemplative essay on the photography of Chaosheng Zhang, which explores light, atmosphere and the unfolding presence of place.

Thank you to Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY and Emily Mason | Alice Trumbull Mason Foundation/ARS for agreeing to let me feature Emily’s work - it has been an absolute honour!

Meditation Music Credit: Adrift, by Christopher Lloyd Clarke. Licensed by Enlightened Audio