Artist Statement
Hi my name is Jonathan Mason and I paint under my Christian name Joseph. I
have shortened it to Joe.
I refer my artistic style as being ‘Christian Surrealism’ because I paint my
dreams and meditations and all my paintings have a distinct interpretation to
them which I share with anyone who may be interested in the meaning of the
image and gives the viewer an insight into my reality.
I am a self taught artist and have been very influenced by the baroque and the
free baroque periods. I am particularly inspired by artists like Caravaggio and
more especially his use of light and dark, with strong contrasts. I am also
inspired by Salvador Dali’s later works.
I try to bring an illusion of reality into the figures that I paint and juxtapose
these figures with images that point to deeper meanings that are to be found
in each painting.
Please feel free to read the interpretations as it will help to bring the painting
to life for you. Please see my website.
My artwork is more than a reaction to the world, it is what I believe is a
Christian response to the world. Every image is carefully considered, studied,
referenced in terms scripture. All images are from my meditations, encounters
with others, and events and stories that have touched my life. Each image is a
story of how Christ lives in his followers.
My hope is that these paintings will inspire people to consider their own
relationship with God and how one can see Christ living in others.
All my work is done in oils and I have drawn upon the rich tradition of the old
masters for technique, composition, and image proportions and use of colour.
The originals are not for sale but to buy prints in various sizes you can go to my
website and follow the link which will take you to my store.
These paintings can take months to paint, as each painting is a carefully
considered meditation. Each painting is fully conceived before any paint is
applied to the ground. The original paintings can be as small as 40cm X 40cm
or can be as large as 1.67 metres X 1.22 metres. Every painting is unique in
itself and carries a specific message for the viewer.
