Artists find inspiration everywhere, and for Chris Mason, the source of his inspiration is the holidays he takes with Melba Support Services every year.
Chris’ love of travel, according to mum Bernie, began when he was a small boy, with the family enjoying getting away whenever they could.
Although, added Bernie, and as most people know, travel with family members comes with challenges, and Chris has recently banned her from accompanying him on his travels!
“I went to Sydney with him once, because he had an art show in Sydney, and then he told me ‘Mum, don’t ask me to go away with you ever again’!” she laughed.
“I said that’s fine with me, why would you want to go away with your old mother anyway?"
Since then, Chris has begun travelling with Melba’s holiday program, and he loves it.
So far, Chris has been to America and Singapore, as well as trips to different parts of Australia.
Of all the locations he’s visited, Chris says his favourite is Singapore.
“It was a tropical holiday, we did all different kinds of activities over there,” he said.
Like most of us, COVID-19 disrupted Chris’s travel plans. Chris had to postpone a trip to San Francisco as well as a trip to the snow.
In addition to putting a halt to his travels, COVID-19 saw one of Chris’ much-anticipated art exhibitions put on hold.
A talented and naturally creative artist, Chris attends Arts Project Australia in Melbourne, a creative social enterprise that supports artists with autism and intellectual disabilities, promotes their work and advocates for their inclusion in contemporary art practice.
He loves painting, life drawing, and sculpting, but lately has been creating dye-cast moulds of little skink lizards.
The show was supposed to be at Collingwood Yards, Melbourne’s newest contemporary art space, where Chris could show and sell the pieces that he has put his talent into creating. While the show was postponed, there was no stopping Chris’ creativity, and he created pieces that he sold online.
The pandemic, though, hasn’t stopped him planning his next trip.
“I want to go to Portugal," Chris said. “I want to hire a car, and then drive to Gibraltar.”