Alden Mason: In Memoriam 1919-2013

Alden Mason at the Wright Exhibition Space
Phen Huang and Greg Kucera co-curated Alden Mason: In Memoriam 1919-2013, an exhibition of Alden Mason's work shown at The Wright Exhibition Space from April 25 to June 30, 2013.

The exhibition was designed to be a bit of a retrospective, with concentration on the major themes of his work. The exhibit contained a few of the large head drawings in oil pastel or acrylic on paper from the 1970s; the Burpee Garden oil paintings from the early to mid-1970s; the patterned paintings in acrylic from the early 1980s; the figural paintings from the late 1980s and through the 1990s; the abstract work in acrylic on canvas from the late 1990s and into this century; and the late watercolor and oil pastel works Alden created in the last few years of his life.

This exhibition was not a full retrospective, but a survey of his brilliant career, since the early 1970s. It was a different than the various museum shows during Alden's life. As two of his dealers for Alden during the last 30 years of his life, the co-curators combined their knowledge of which collectors owned some of the finest works of his life. Kucera represented Mason from 1983 until 1996. Foster/White has represented Mason since 2002 and continues to represent his estate.

Huang and Kucera also asked a number of critics, artists, curators, and dealers, to write a group of short descriptions of various aspects of his career for a memorial publication and for label information within the exhibition. These writers included the co-curators, but also critics like Regina Hackett, and Sheila Farr, curators such as Beth Sellars, Gerald Nordland, and Bruce Guenther, and artists such as Roger Shimomura, Fay Jones, and Chuck Close.

Our Curatorial Statement for the memorial exhibition:
Late in his life, Alden Mason hoped for a retrospective museum show to define the phases of his career. He wanted major works from each series to represent his artistic oeuvre. His seventy years of painting revealed a range of media from watercolor to oil paint, then to acrylic paints, and finally back to ink and watercolor. Moving through these unique styles proved Mason’s ability to innovate and resonate with all audiences over an extended period of time. In curating this exhibition, we aimed at fulfilling his request. As art dealers who represented his work for lengthy periods during his life, we each knew of favorite works in our community to bring to light in this show. We aimed for work that had not been previously shown in his various museum exhibitions such as his drawing show at Seattle Art Museum (1986), mid-career retrospective at the Henry Gallery (1987), survey exhibition at Museum of Northwest Art (2000), and his late career exhibition of works from the collection at Seattle Art Museum (2010).

We are grateful for the opportunity to co-curate this exhibition at the Wright Exhibition Space. We thank Virginia Wright for the opportunity to honor Alden Mason. We both thank Alden for his faith and encouragement of us in return. Phen Huang and Greg Kucera

Description of Wright Space Exhibition: The exhibition was designed to be a bit of a retrospective, with concentration on the major themes of his work. The exhibit contains a few of the large head drawings in oil pastel and acrylic on paper from the 1970s; the Burpee Garden oil paintings from the early to mid-1970s; the patterned paintings in acrylic from the early 1980s; the figural paintings from the late 1980s and through the 1990s; the abstract work in acrylic on canvas from the late 1990s and into this century; and the late watercolor and oil stick works Alden was working on in the last few years of his life.

Link to: Greg Kucera's remembrance of Alden.
Link to: Description of Burpee Series and Squeeze Bottle Paintings.

The Seattle Times
A museum-worthy Alden Mason retrospective at Wright Space Wright Exhibtion Space assembles a glowing Alden Mason retrospective, with almost three dozen paintings and with fond, insightful reminiscences by 15 Seattle art-world figures. Through June 30, 2013.
By Michael Upchurch

Seattle Met
Art Review
A Knockout Tribute to Alden Mason at Wright Exhibition Space New exhibit Alden Mason: In Memoriam 1919-2013 hits the high points of the artist's work from 1970 on.
By Sheila Farr

The Seattle Times:
Obituary: Alden Mason, 93, lived, painted with a flourish
By Lynda V. Mapes

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine:
RIP Remembering Alden Mason (1919-2013) The prolific Washington artist, who painted well into his 90s, passed away today.
Published Feb 6, 2013, 2:14pm By Sheila Farr

Seattle Post Intelligencer:
At 88, painter still surprises himself
By REGINA HACKETT, P-I ART CRITIC
Published, Wednesday, March 5, 2008
(Download pdf of article)

EDUCATION
1947 Received M.F.A. from University of Washington and joined faculty
1981 Retired from teaching to paint full-time

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Archer M. Huntington Gallery, University of Texas, Austin
Bellevue Art Museum, WA
Boise Art Museum
Charles B. Goddard Center for the Arts, Ardmore, OK
Denver Art Museum
Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
Harborview Hospital, Seattle
Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle
Meany Hall, University of Washington, Seattle
Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin
Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach, CA
Oregon Art Institute, Portland
Palm Springs Desert Museum
Renton City Art Collection, WA
San Francisco Museum of Art
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Arts Commission
Spokane City Art Collection, WA
Tacoma Art Museum, WA
University of Oregon Museum of Art
Washington State Arts Commission
Washington State University Art Museum, Pullman
Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA

SELECTED CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Alaska Airlines Corporation, Seattle
Alexis Hotel, Portland
Atlantic Richfield Corporation, Los Angeles
Axelrod Investment, Seattle
Betts, Patterson and Mines Law Firm, Seattle
Bogle and Gates, Seattle
Cairncross, Ragen & Hempelmann Law Firm, Seattle
Cornerstone Development Company, Seattle
Cromwell, Mendoza Law Firm, Seattle
Dain Bosworth, Minneapolis
Davis, Wright and Jones Law Firm, Seattle
Data & Staff Service Company, Seattle
Federal Reserve Bank, San Francisco
Hillis, Cairncross Law Firm, Seattle
Idaho First National Bank, Boise
KING Broadcasting Company, Seattle
KMS Financial Services, Seattle
Mercantile Bank of Canada, Vancouver
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
Miller and Young Law Firm, Washington D.C.
Nordstrom, San Francisco
Oaks Landing Investment Firm, Portland
Pease & Doces Law Firm, Seattle
Perkins, Coie, Seattle
Physio-Control Corporation, Redmond, WA
Piper, Jaffray and Hopwood, Minneapolis
Polyclinic, Seattle
Preston, Thorgrimson, Shidler, Gates & Ellis, Seattle
Prudential Insurance Company of America, Los Angeles
Security Pacific Bank, Seattle
Rainier Club, Seattle
Reed, McClure, Moceri, Thonn, Seattle
Riddell, Williams, Bullitt and Walkinshaw, Seattle
SAFECO Insurance Company, Seattle
Seafirst Corporation, Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Sheraton Hotel, Seattle
Sheraton Hotel, Tacoma, WA
Steve Chase Associates, New York
Stoel, Rives, Boley, Jones and Grey, Seattle
Swedish Hospital, Seattle
Taco Bell Corporation, Irvine, CA
U.S. West Communications, Seattle
Warner Brothers Records, Burbank, CA
Washington Mutual Savings Bank, Seattle
West One Bank, Boise, ID
Williams, Lanza, Kastner and Gibbs, Seattle