Artist Bio
Biographical
1968 Born in Atlanta, Georgia
1990 Graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Arts with Honors
2022 Lives in Coupland, Texas
Solo Exhibitions
2015 “Wells Mason: Designer. Sculptor. Collaborator,” Wright Gallery, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
2008 “The Umasi Collection: Incidental Furniture Design,” Gensler, New York, New York
2007 “The Umasi Collection: Blurring the Line Between Furniture and Sculpture,” Lofty Concepts, Dallas, Texas
2005 “The Umasi Collection: A Shotgun Marriage of Materials,” Ironwood Industries, Coupland, Texas
Group Exhibitions (Selected)
2022 Congdon Yards, High Point, North Carolina
2022 Gardenship, Kearny, New Jersey
2021 Reed Gallery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
2021 Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Hamilton, Ohio
2021 Red Bud Gallery, Houston, Texas
2020 Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, Texas
2020 Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas
2019 Guild of Austin Artisans, Austin, Texas
2019 Dock Space Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
2018 Big Medium Gallery, Austin, Texas
2017 BMC Design Center, Austin, Texas
2017 Big Medium Gallery, Austin, Texas
2016 BMC Design Center, Austin, Texas
2015 Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown, Texas
2015 Generous Art, Austin, Texas
2014 Scott + Cooner, Dallas, Texas
2014 Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas
2014 Center for Architecture, Austin, Texas
2014 Dougherty Art Center, Austin, Texas
2013 Wells Mason Gallery, Austin, Texas
2013 Art Car Museum, Houston, Texas
2013 Herradura Tequila, Austin, Texas
2013 Ilume Gallerie, Dallas, Texas
2013 Generous Art, Austin, Texas
2013 Texas State Capitol, Austin, Texas
2013 Dallas Modern Expo, Dallas, Texas
2013 IEI Exhibit, Austin, Texas
2012 Wells Mason Gallery, Austin, Texas
2012 Ilume Gallerie, Dallas, Texas
2012 Page Southerland Page and Generous Art, Austin, Texas
2012 Wells Mason Gallery, Austin, Texas
2012 Arts Alliance Center, Clear Lake, Texas
2011 RE | Gallery + Studio, Dallas, Texas
2011 Wells Mason Gallery, Austin, Texas
2011 Guild of Austin Artisans, Austin, Texas
2011 Gensler and Generous Art, Austin, Texas
2011 Wells Mason Gallery, Austin, Texas
2009 Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2009 Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, Texas
2008 Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
2008 Design Within Reach, Austin, Texas
2008 Artexpo, New York, New York
2008 Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona
2008 Arts Alliance Center, Clear Lake, Texas
2008 Austin Center for Architecture, Austin, Texas
2007 K Space Contemporary Gallery, Corpus Christi, Texas
2007 Smithsonian Craft Show, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.
2006 Rockport Center for the Visual Arts, Rockport, Texas
2006 Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, Texas
2006 Design Within Reach, Austin, Texas
2006 Center for the Visual Arts, Denton, Texas
2004 Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas
2004 Design Center of Austin at Penn Field, Austin, Texas
2003 Design Center of Austin at Penn Field, Austin, Texas
2001 Design Center of Austin at Penn Field, Austin, Texas
1999 Ironwood Industries, Marfa, Texas
1997 Ironwood Industries, Austin, Texas
1996 Form and Function Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
1995 Fishbone Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
1995 Star of Texas Gallery, Marble Falls, Texas
1992 Texas Fine Arts Association, Austin, Texas
Honors/Awards
2022 Selected for “Innovation + Design,” a studio furniture exhibition sponsored by the International Society of Furniture Designers, High Point, North Carolina
2022 Selected for Austin Home Design Awards, awarded “Best Repurposed Furniture,” Austin, Texas
2019 Selected for City of Austin Capacity Building Program, Austin, Texas
2016 Selected for Permanent Art Collection, Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas
2014 Selected as Finalist for 2015 International Artist-in-Residency Program, Artpace, San Antonio, Texas
2013 Selected for “Art of the Barrel,” a national art project sponsored by Herradura Tequila
2009 Selected for “New American Talent: 24” Exhibit, Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, Texas
2008 Selected for “Modern+Design+Function” Exhibit, awarded “Best Overall Design,” Design Within Reach, Austin, Texas
2008 Selected for “2007 Year in Review,” Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas
2007 Selected for “2008 Acclaimed Artists Series,” Art in Public Places Program, New Mexico
2007 Selected for “Annual Juried Art Exhibit,” awarded Chapman Prize, Live Oak Art Center, Columbus, Texas
2007 Selected for Smithsonian Craft Show, awarded “Excellence in Design of the Future,” National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.
2006 Selected for Texas Original Artist Program, Texas Commission on the Arts
2006 Selected for “New American Talent: 21” Exhibit, Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, Texas
2006 Selected for “Materials: Hard & Soft” Exhibit, awarded Juror Award, Center for the Visual Arts, Denton, Texas
Articles/Interviews
2022 “Meet Wells Mason,” Canvas Rebel, August 2022
2022 “A Study of Wells Mason: Conceptual Artist, Furniture Maker, and 21st Century Philosopher,” Home Design and Decor, April/May 2022
2020 “Meet Wells Mason of Ironwood Industries,” Voyage Houston, June 2020
2019 “Next in Lines,” Luxe, May/June 2019
2018 “Designer. Sculptor. Collaborator.” The Wright Gallery 2014-2017, March 2018
2014 “Wells Mason: Designer/Sculptor,” Pecha Kucha Austin, March 11, 2014
2013 “The Art of the Barrel,” Texas Monthly, December 2013
2013 “Wells Mason by Todd Camplin,” Mod Media, December 2013
2012 “Austin Art Industry Continues to Grow,” YNN News, April 4, 2012
2012 “Generous Art,” Season Two, Arts in Context, February 23, 2012
2011 “Subversive and Sublime,” PaperCity, April 2011
2011 “Cutting Edge,” Forbes, March 2011
2008 “Blurring the Lines,” Organic Spa, Fall 2008
2008 “Reviving the Centerpiece,” Episode 204, The Art of Living, Fall 2008
2008 “Green Pioneers,” Tribeza, July 2008
2008 “The Consummate Craftsman,” Luxe, Winter 2007/2008
2007 “An Interview with Wells Mason: Furniture Designer,” Area of Design, November 2007
2007 “The Design World of Wells Mason,” The Lohasian, November 2007
2007 “Building the Perfect Project,” Austin American-Statesman, September 2007
2007 “Wells Made,” Brilliant, May 2007
2006 “A Reinvention of the Chair,” Architectural Digest, June 2006
2006 “Architecture Lays the Foundation for Furniture Design,” Fine Furnishings International, March/April 2006
2006 “Lone Star Sculptor,” Modern Luxury, March 2006
2005 “The Artists of Coupland,” Austin American-Statesman, August 2005
