Julian Masson portrait - oil painting

Pictured here is French artist Julian Masson, currently residing in the UK. 
He is framed in this composition standing in amongst one of his works, a mobile named " Frequency Hopping" which consists of cut card triangle shapes painted with various textures, hung from a frame work suspended from the ceiling. It's influenced by H. Lamarr’s work.

Julian's work explores our relation with technology and the connections between Science and the Arts. His web site is https://jfmmasson.com/
The painting is sized at xxx x xxx", painted on canvas, in oils. Originally the painting started to take shape in late summer 2023. Some progress was made before the work was abandoned until the following spring, when completed.

Plein air painting 136 07 june bishop's waltham ruins

Plein air painting 136 

Bishop's Waltham palace was a residence built around 1367 and destroyed during the civil war 1642-49. It was home to many influential figures in politics and the church over the years. The ruins are about 12 miles from Southampton.
This oil painting was done one Friday morning with very changeable weather conditions so it was difficult to pin it down as a dull day or sunny one. Sized at 12 x 9.5", done in oils on mounting board. 07/06/24.

Plein air painting 135 

This unglamorous view is of a traffic junction in central Southampton. It is a junction along Western Esplanade road within the heart of the city. The long red brick wall hides the railway line running parallel to the road. On the left can be seen the footbridge crossing the line, with the building beyond it being offices built above the central station. 
This was painted one Thursday morning (06/06/24) on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5" in oils.

Plein air painting 134

 

Plein air painting 134 rose garden

A meetup of the Southampton Art society took place at the East (Andrews) park, in central Southampton, on the morning of 4th June 2024. The specific location was the rose garden, near the junction of New road and Above Bar Street. In the background can be seen some of the shops, some in scaffolding on the right hand side.
Painted on cardboard in oils, sized at 12 x 9.5".

Plein air painting 129

This is another view of Debenhams, Southampton, but from the other side as shown in the previous post, and painted about a week later (18/05/24). The road featured with a sweeping curve is Houndwell Place, and the ex-department store's architecture follows it. In the foreground is a supporting column, part of old offices converted into student apartments a few years ago. On the right side is a recently hit road sign!
Oil on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5".

Plein air painting 133 central hall

Plein air painting 133

This distinctive building is the Central Hall, built in 1925 as a Methodist church, later becoming a part Hampshire Education Authority during the 1960's, and since the 1990's has been owned by the New Community Church. It resides along Kingsway, Southampton. The roadway outside the building was risen a number of decades ago for a redeveloped traffic junction which visually 'eats' in to the base of the Hall. In the background can be seen 'Dukes Keep'.
Painted in oils on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5", one Monday morning, 3rd June 2024.

Plein air painting 131

Western Docks, a part of the dock complex at Southampton, is shown in this Saturday morning view. A number of large cruise vessels are shown at this popular viewing point for shipping. In the background can be seen a 'One' container ship, berthed at part of the terminal, the cranes towering above. 
Painted in oils on mountboard sized at 14 x 7.5" on the 25th May 2024 in front of a stream of passers by taking an interest.