Yellow Bird
Alden Mason
Seattle Convention Center
An abstract painting suggests the colors and weave of folk art textiles.
Growing up in Washington’s Skagit Valley, Alden Mason loved wildlife—especially birds. Birds, and one arresting moment with a sparrow in particular, inspired him to become an artist, and they continued to fascinate him throughout his life. As an adult, Mason traveled often to Central and South America to watch exotic species, which later made their way into his paintings.
Mason painted in a variety of styles during his long and accomplished career, and Yellow Bird was made during his “squeeze bottle” period. In the 1970s, toxic fumes from oil paints had caused Mason significant health problems, leading him to experiment with acrylics. Then a studio visit with his friend and fellow University of Washington art professor Robert Sperry introduced him to the squeeze bottle, which Sperry used to glaze ceramics. Using it, Mason found he could draw and paint at the same time.
His Abstract Expressionist works from this period, like Yellow Bird, feature patchworks of dots and squiggles that recall the colors and weave of folk art textiles from the places Mason visited on his travels. Together their repeated gestures create a mosaic-like effect and thrum with an exuberant rhythm. Yellow Bird was commissioned as part of the Honors Program, which recognizes visual artists who have made significant contributions to our region through the sustained production of high-quality artwork.