Richard Mason trained in fine art sculpture before pursuing careers in teaching and running an art gallery. Having recently returned to his own practice, Mason brings a depth of experience and renewed clarity to his work, creating mobile sculptures that explore balance, lightness, and a quiet sense of joy.
His sculptures investigate how form can occupy space with minimal volume. Interested in structures that feel expansive yet spare, Mason embraces a restrained aesthetic, allowing simplicity and proportion to guide each piece. Movement is central to his practice: his mobiles shift with subtle currents of air, animated with an economy and efficiency of form.
Working with ethically sourced tropical hardwoods such as rosewood and ebony, Mason draws on the natural density, tone, and grain of these materials to complement the pared-back shapes he constructs. Their inherent richness provides a subtle counterpoint to the lightness of the overall compositions.
Wire also plays a key role in his work, particularly brass, which he forms into elongated chains and linked elements. Planished surfaces catch and reflect the light, enhancing the sense of motion and delicacy. Often incorporating found materials alongside wood and metal, Mason creates sculptures that balance strength with sensitivity, that fill a space with presence while maintaining an elegant lightness.