Cameron Anne Mason

My work spans two worlds: Fine Art and the Celebration Art. Most of my work has been created for performance in parades, festivals, and theater. I have also created a body of work intended for display, using hand-dyed and painted fabrics in art quilts and sculptural fiber pieces.

In 1989 I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in Visual Communication. I worked as a graphic designer specializing in book design for 6 years, until I quit to be a full-time mom. Also in 1989, I met a group of creative, enthusiastic, and fun-loving people who were starting a new event, a street parade in Fremont. I’ve been involved in the Fremont Solstice Parade ever since. I’ve also created work for Bumbershoot, The Bon/Macy’s Parades, and theater performances. Celebration Art is a mix of the challenges of design, the joy of working with my hands, the richness of working in community, and the excitement of watching pieces “come alive” in performance.

In 2000 I began to set higher standards for myself in my personal artwork. Until then, much of the work I created for the Parade and other celebrations was made quickly and meant to be seen no closer than 10 feet away. After the event the work would be recycled or thrown away. I wanted to create new work that I could store and reuse. I knew that fabric would give me the degree of finish and storability I wanted. I participated in a series of master classes sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council with Ali Pretty, a British celebration artist and designer who works with hand-painted silks. I was inspired by Pretty’s use of fabric to create dramatic, large-scale and lightweight costumes and giant puppets. In her workshop, Pretty taught me the basics of batik techniques and I was on my way.

Since that workshop five years ago I have explored techniques of painting and dyeing fabric, for use in performance and as an art form in itself. Much of that study has been independent, through reading and experimentation in the studio. Creating these fabrics has led me to quilting, with its rich traditions and many avenues to explore. Yet I also continue to be drawn to working in three dimensions. This past January I took a master class with Marita Dingus, who taught her techniques for creating three-dimensional forms with fabric and heavy stitching. Much of my recent fine arts work is influenced by Marita’s techniques.

Ultimately, I simply like to make things. I am happiest when working with my hands. I am a person who must be creative, whether experimenting in my studio, working with community, or dancing in the streets.