19 March to 24 April 2016
This solo exhibition by Nic Mason references her long background in conservation management and ongoing relationship with the Australian landscape, specifically the bush and big skies of the Blue Mountains and west of the Great Dividing Range. This environmental focus by Mason who lives in Napolean Reef near Bathurst is mixed with stories from her domestic and family life.
The two combined echo Mason’s disquiet about the impact of introduced pest animals on threatened Australian fauna and convey her immersion in living and bringing up a family within this landscape. Narrative and symbolism are integral to this work, where Mason plays with the rendering of animal masks and her recurring red bag. Wild is the first substantial body of work shown by Nic Mason and hosted by Cowra Regional Art Gallery, following her win of the 2015 Central West Regional Art Award.
Image: Nic Mason, Fox and numbat, oil on canvas, 2015, 76 cm x 76 cm.