About Mason Kang

I used to be a chemical engineer, a businessman in the petroleum/gas industries and retired as a CEO of a construction company. But now I'm just a humble artist, a painter. I am very proud that I'm an artist as I'm enjoying my role in the world creating artworks, a new world of my own on the canvases.  

Biography

Mason Mansung Kang was born and grown up in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). He obtained a BS Degree in Chemistry Education from Seoul National University, Korea, in 1975. Mason worked for petroleum/ oil & gas/ construction industries until he retired in 2012 after 35 years of service. Learning to paint has been his biggest dream since he was young. As an amateur painter, he acquired six group exhibitions and two solo exhibitions by 2013 in Korea. He was finally able to pursue his passion after retirement by studying at the Graduate School of the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, U S A from Feb 2014 until he obtained MFA in Painting in Aug 2016.

He likes scenes of nature with harmonious light and shadows, especially in the sunny weather in California. Because of joining the fine art Study Abroad program to Florence, Italy in 2015, he also gained plenty of experience with plein air painting there as well. He has recently been listed as a Finalist in the Landscape Category of the 13th international ARC Salon Competition. He also obtained many awards from various renowned international competitions such as the Gateway International 2017-2018, Sedona Art Prize 2016-2017, Light Space & Time Online Gallery, The Artist's Magazine 34th Annual Art Competition, Patchings Competition UK, Manhattan Arts International, etc… Notably by his painting, ‘On the Hill’, he won the Best Landscape award in Jun/Jul 2016 of the 6th Annual Plein Air Salon Competition, selected as the ‘Winner Emerging Artist’ of the Artmuse Contest in 2016, and also selected as the Painter for the Online Gallery of the Leisure Painter Magazine in the issue of August 2016. He used to be represented by the ‘Bill Hester Fine Arts’ gallery and 'Gallery 901' in Santa Fe, NM.

He sincerely hopes his works can ultimately present viewers with a sublime sense of warmth, happiness, and contentment.

Awards

2018                 The 2nd Place, International Art Competition ‘Nature’, Artroom Gallery Online, USA

2018                 Finalist, Jan 2018, Gateway International Paintings Competition, USA

2018                 Landscape Finalist, 13th International ARC(Art Renewal Center) Salon Competition. USA

2017                 Finalist, September 2017 Gateway International Painting Competition 2017-2018, USA

2017                 Finalist, Honorable Mentions, Sedona Art Prize 2016-2017, USA

2017                 Finalist, Special Merit Award Category, Seascape Art Exhibition - Oct 2017, Light Space & Time Online Gallery, USA

2017                 Finalist, Landscape Category of The Artist's Magazine 34th Annual Art Competition, USA

2017                 Highly Commended Work, The Artists Category, Patchings 2017 Competition/Exhibition, Painters Online UK

2017                 Overall Winning Artists and Painting Categories, Special Merit Award Category, May 2017 Landscapes Art Exhibition, Light Space &                          Time Online Art Gallery, USA

2017                 Finalist, & Meritorious Works, Small Works 2017, Richeson75 International Competition, WI, USA

2016                 Featured Artist, Top & Excellence Award, The Exhibition, 'New Beginnings', Dec/27/2016 ~ Feb/27/2017, Manhattan Arts                                       International, NY, USA

2016                 Finalist, November 2016 Emerging Artist, Artmuse Contest, USA

2016                 2nd Place, Jack Richeson Co. & Merchandise Award, The Exhibition “Red”, California Art League, USA

2016                 FAV 15%, Aug. Bold Brush Painting Competition, USA

2016                 Finalist, Aug 2016, Sedona Art Prize Competition, USA

2016                 Judges Choice, Jun 2016, Water/Seascape Category, Contemporary Art Gallery Online, USA

2016                 Best Landscape, 6th Annual Plein Air Salon Competition, Jun/Jul 2016, USA

2016                 Finalist, Online Gallery, August 2016, Leisure Painter Magazine, UK

2016                 Winner Emerging Artist, May 2016, Artmuse Contest, USA

2016                1st Place, 3rd Place, Body of Work, MFA Landscape/Cityscape Category, Spring Show 2016, Academy of Art University, San Francisco,                         CA, USA

2016                Meritorious Entry, Richeson75 Competition, Landscape 2016, WI, USA

2016                Finalist, Patchings Competition 2016, UK

2015                2nd Place, Scape II, Art Competition Network, NY, USA

2015                Highly Commended Work, Artist Category, Patchings Competition 2015, UK

2015                Meritorious Entry, Richeson75 Competition, Still Life & Floral 2015, Kimberly, WI, USA

2015                2nd Place, All Paintings Category, Jan 2015, Contemporary Art Gallery Online, USA

2015                Finalist, Richeson75 Competition, Small Works 2015, Kimberly, WI, USA

Education

2016                 MFA- Painting, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA

2012 ~ 2013       Completed 30th & 33rd Courses, Modern Art Education Course for CEOs’, Hongik University, Korea

2006 ~2012        Completed eight Semesters, Oil Painting, Institute of Fine Art & Design Education Center, Hongik University, Korea

1975                 BS- Chemistry Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea