Year of Residency: 2021
Joey Mason is a sketch journalist and animation designer based in Los Angeles, CA. In his personal work, Joey documents moments in urban life through on-location ink drawings.
Education
BFA Communication Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University
Recent Exhibitions
Hive Gallery, Los Angeles- ‘Line Attack’ featured artist / May 2021
Hive Gallery, Los Angeles – Group Show /December 2020
Civil Coffee, Los Angeles – ‘Figueroa Street Sketches’ Solo Show / Jan-May 2020
Related Publications
Figueroa Street Sketches – 2019
York Boulevard Sketches – 2019
Film credits
Development Artist – Nickelodeon, Oddbot
Marvels M.O.D.O.K (Hulu/Disney+) / 2020
Onyx Equinox (Crunchyroll) / 2019
Adam Ruins Everything (truTV) / 2018 Stretch Armstrong (Netflix) / 2017
Scooby-Doo/Green Lantern/Flintstones (Warner Brothers) / 2009-2014
Motivation
Much of my work examines contrasts— especially the juxtapositions created by the layers of history present in urban environments.
The city of Belgrade’s rich historical architecture and vibrant contemporary culture provide an ideal environment to expand this study. My focus during the residency will be to record scenes of life in Belgrade that represent this combination of old and new— as well as create a compilation of the diversity of the city beyond landmarks and main streets.
From a broader perspective, I hope to share my experience in Belgrade with an International audience and make new connections in Serbia. A long term goal of my work is to inspire curiosity about everyday life across borders.
Artist statement
I began sketching from life as a study tool, an essential form of study for illustrators and animators. For these occupations, life study helps the artist to represent life in a natural and authentic way. But throughout history, similar work was a way to document life and share experience. Inspired by the greats of animation and travel journalists, I began to wonder what would happen if the study became the focal point. Would it have meaning beyond an exercise?
As my studies evolved into a personal practice, I’ve focused on sharing and celebrating moments in everyday city life. I love finding beauty in the mundane, and love the stories that unfold when spending time with a subject, noticing deeper and deeper layers of history or meaning. I’ve also found sketching to be a form of meditation, resting the attention on the place and moment in front of me.
To describe a place fully, I feel it’s essential to include not only the architecture, but glimpses into daily life. I hope my work provides a sense of ‘being there’ and suggests open-ended impressionistic stories. The viewer might find their own meanings behind the interactions taking place in the scene. I also hope, by examining the everyday, that the work poses some ambiguous questions about contemporary life.
Links
website: Joey Mason