Marine Paintings – Great Barrier Reef
Famous for the accuracy of the creatures in his underwater artwork, John’s artwork is like having an aquarium in your home.
John’s artworks feature in collections in Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Japan and the USA.
Art Prints
Many of John’s original artworks are also available as high-quality art prints. These can be purchased either as ready-to-hang stretched canvas prints or as unframed prints on fine art paper, providing collectors with flexible display options while maintaining the integrity of the original work.
John N Mason’s creative process is as versatile as it is passionate. His practice frequently alternates between brushwork and the use of a palette knife, depending on the energy and texture he wishes to convey. He works almost exclusively in high-quality artists’ acrylics—chosen for their durability and resistance to cracking, unlike traditional oil paints.
His subject matter is deeply personal and often reflective of his own experiences. A standout example is his Marine Painting series, which draws inspiration from his early days with the Broken Bay Game Fishing Club, and more significantly, from years spent sailing and snorkelling throughout the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays, Queensland. These paintings are not literal representations but imaginative compositions grounded in lived experience and meticulous study.
To bring accuracy to these imagined underwater scenes, John engages in a detailed preparatory process. He begins by creating individual A4-sized studies of each fish, which allows him to understand their anatomy, movement, and colour before incorporating them into the larger work. This dedication to realism enhances the immersive quality of each marine piece.
Exploring Other Techniques
In addition to his marine subjects, John explores a broad range of themes and techniques. His use of a palette knife, for instance, adds striking impasto textures, as seen in works like Workboots. In contrast, his airbrush techniques—evident in the vibrant intensity of Machinery—require precision, planning, and patience. While airbrushing lends itself to controlled compositions, it’s less suited to emotionally-driven pieces such as the Soundscapes series, which benefit from the freedom and spontaneity of knife work.
John’s abstract pieces are equally considered. These works often demand as much time and attention as his most detailed marine paintings. With layers reworked multiple times, his abstracts are the result of deep thought and constant refinement—balancing intuition with compositional control.
Art Prints
A selection of John N. Mason’s original works is also available as premium-quality art prints. Collectors can choose from ready-to-hang stretched canvas or unframed prints on fine art paper—each option carefully produced to preserve the detail, colour, and character of the original artwork.