 I have taste tested working a little differently this year. I am hankering to change up my practice to be kinder to all involved – including me. Surely, I can morph away from my ridiculous patterns of month-long well into the night painting spurts. These nights are, not surprisingly, not highly conducive to the rest of my life.
I am curious to figure out how to work differently. My habitual deadline cram is under review, and I can feel a transition coming on. Bodies of work of mine were ready to jump well in advance for three significant exhibitions I was part of in 2025 each showing new work of mine. The dates of these exhibitions were all set independently of me making of these bodies of work within larger bodies of work, which were then put forward for these exhibitions:
The Duo exhibition Nic + Rebecca opened early in 2025 setting the scene. Being back in Canberra and reconnecting with fellow students and ANU teachers from my post-graduate studies there in 2016/17 was hearty as was pairing up with Rebecca Dowling for this exhibition. Since my solo exhibition with Anne Masters of Gallery of Small Things at the CSIRO Gallery in 2018 it’s been a joy to exhibit with Anne. Anne said in her speech, “When Nic and I were chatting … she was quite moved that Rebecca had responded to her Squatters residency works. The butter yellows and blues from Rebecca’s ceramics as well as the domestic objects look like they have literally stepped out of Nic’s interior series and off the shelf or table. It’s serendipitous and that’s what I like when you bring two artists together with an idea but also an open brief to make magic … It’s truly the perfect pairing.” However, my ways of working this year have not all been plain sailing. Since my first solo exhibition in Cowra Regional Art Gallery in 2016, I have had a practice of working back-to-back creating bodies of work for deadlines right up until the 24th hour and then crashing. The relief in including different ways of working this year, whilst having gallery support, has been palpable. Big thanks go to Allison Bellinger of A K Bellinger Gallery for working with me since 2017. With my latest body of work developing in my studio, she has been a steadfast gem, as I attempt to transition to new ways of working. Idealistically, I want most of my bodies of work completed 3 months before any deadline and/or I want to make bodies of work that then find their way out into the world. This less drama filled way of creating bodies of work is similar to how I have gone about submitting works for prizes. Depending on prize criteria, I have usually put forward individual works from bodies of works that have returned to me and are up for an additional showing. Hence, I generally have not painted specifically for prizes. I am thankful for opportunities to put forward works for prizes, getting my works out into the world. I am most thankful too to the judges who saw something in works of mine this year bestowing upon them awards for the:
Having work selected this year as a finalist in several national prizes has been hearty too including the:
Heading to the Muswellbrook Art Prize was totally fabulous this year not just to see this amazing exhibition. My work was selected alongside the work of my cousin Kiata Mason’s. So, the treat included spending time with Ki and Jenny (another cousin) whilst also meeting up with a posse of gorgeous artists whom I am in a thing with. Not myself without you is a group with Penne Fraser, Sophie Honess, Kate Hofman and me. We are figuring out making a body of work each beside each other. A yummy part of the process so far has been to swap works with each other. No doubt we will figure a residency and/or some visiting of each other to create some things in this process. And it was raucous fun to celebrate with Charmaine Pike winning the Muswellbrook Works on Paper prize. Ki and I also planned to do a thing together too. 2025 started well with the continuation of Conversations with Clarice Beckett at Orange Regional Gallery (ORG) until 23 March 2025, a project with the National Gallery of Australia. In 2025, the cohort of artists worked with the phenomenal team at ORG including being part of a panel discussion with the Curator Lucy Stranger. I too led some workshops at ORG for community with Cecilie Knowles. Each artist’s works for this exhibition was meant to number four. Upon working with Lucy, I asked her if it was ok if I completed several works from which she could curate whichever pieces from this body of work she wanted into this exhibition. Agreeably, she was up for it, and I end up creating over 30 works. She ended up selecting 4 works on boards and 3 configurations of 12 little works on cornflakes packaging. Different mini-series, arrangements and singular works from this body of work, then went on to show in 8 other prizes or exhibitions in 2025 such as Hidden Treasures and Here/Now both also at Orange Regional Gallery. The 30 plus works have almost all had a showing out in the world. Just one of the 10 mini-series of works on wooden board remains available for homing at the time of writing this. It was also a delight to see that an image of one of my works from Conversations with Clarice Beckett was reproduced in a February edition of Galah Weekly, the award-winning newsletter. It you don’t already subscribe; GALAH PRESS is a beauty. Along with the Conversations with Clarice Beckett public programming involving workshops, I returned to Cowra Regional Art Gallery to run another painting and drawing workshop and also The Uncooperative, the most excellent afterschool youth program in Kandos at WAYOUT, a Cementa Initiative, to lead a painting workshop on cardboard. Yum! I also led a workshop at Bathurst High as part of their BLOCKFEST program. However, this was part of my work as a part-time Arts Worker with Arts OutWest. In my role in 2025 at Arts OutWest, along with a myriad of projects on the go, I embraced working within the new 2025 partnership of Arts OutWest with The Foundations, Portland and Harrie Fasher Studios. Given my timely 2024 Artist in Residence program at The Squatter’s Cottage, The Foundations, Portland, my existing connection with this place and its people has made it a joy to work behind the scenes supporting this program and the cohort of 2025 Artists in Residence at The Foundations. To sum up the year in numbers, my works formed part of over 20 exhibitions, about half of which were in a regional gallery, 4 prizes have been awarded and I participated in a few public programs. Lots on as usual. What’s in store for early 2026? Three exhibitions which include my works are continuing from 2025:
I am co-curating with Steven Cavanagh Domestic Dreams at WAYOUT, Kandos scheduled for March 2026 with many talented artists with diverse voices from the Central West. It will be a big year on the home front with my youngest in his final HSC year. His extraordinary talent buoyed by daily practice can be spied a little from his National Art School Year 11 HSC intensive program. Yes – he’s studying art and science too! I imagine we'll continue to head to Art in the Park which he's been drawing at since he was 8. We’ll be adjusting too to my partner’s, his father’s new work/life schedule with changes on the horizon. I thank them endlessly and my other children too, fledging with gusto, for their continued support. No doubt, my thoughts questioning what to create, why I create, how I create, my expression in responding to the world as I see it and feel it will continue to guide my work. I envisage continuing to walk in the regenerating bush around me in Napoleon Reef, in Wiradjuri Country, as I envisage continuing to play with and set up scenes in my studio. Returning just now to my artist statement I see things in things; no doubt this too will continue to morph as my work morphs through time and with place. Thanks for your interest in my art practice, I wish you all the best as we head into 2026. Nic Mason image: N Mason, Self-portrait at The Squatters Residency Diptych, 53 cm x 86 cm Comments are closed.
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December 2025
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