Max Mason paints big—a 10' x 160' mural chronicling Pennsylvania's farming heritage. He paints small—a 7" x 5" still life of a single orange segment. His subjects range from action-packed baseball scenes to serene, intimate views of his own studio. Yet, despite the enormous variations in size and subject matter, Mason develops all of his paintings in a similar way—he begins on site. "I need intimate knowledge of a scene, I need to get comfortable there, to take possession of it in my head beforehand," he explains. "Then there is an initial flash of recognition when I find the right subject—a sort of epiphany. But the epiphany needs to be shaped, molded, pushed and remodeled."
Linda S. Price, American Artist, July, 2004