July’s blog features my pal fine artist and textile designer Alex Mason, whom I first met when we were both exhibiting near each other at the Chicago Antiques and Art Show, a gazillion years ago. We were two creatives early-ish in our respective industries and could commiserate on all things art. Our friendship kept blossoming throughout the years, punctuated by my annual jewelry shows in Lexington, Kentucky where Alex lives. I love Alex’s use of color and punch in her work and have always been impressed by how she has translated her artwork seamlessly into the world of interior design.

DdeK: I was scrolling for quite a while looking at your press coverage and… wow, you are a media darling! What about your work do you think resonates with editors?

AM: Ha ha “media darling! Love it! Social Media marketing has really changed the landscape of what it means to be seen in magazines. Back in 2008, when we launched, there was no Instagram or Pinterest. Editorials in shelter in magazines were the only way to be seen by interior designers. My partner, Brian Ferrick had a relationship with many of the editors in the shelter magazines along with many of the interior designers getting published. Back then it was about relationships and we cultivated those relationships easily because the design world in Los Angeles was a very welcoming and social community. Our unique color and patterns must have also resonated with editors who are always on the lookout for something new and different. Now I think it is all about how many followers you have. Do Millennials or Gen Z even read magazines or see any significance in them? For the record I LOVE a good interiors magazine!

DdeK: Your work is so soothing yet whimsical, in a way. When did you start doodling? And was your style evident then?

AM: I think I doodled before I could spell and write. I embraced making art at a young age but really didn’t have a style. I think my style is whimsical because I embrace the flaws of my artistic skills and not the perfection of it. I am not looking for realism, my perspective is askew, but I have an active and fluid imagination, I am open and embrace the unexpected. For the past 25 years I have worked hard to create a unique style by creating my own iconography for subject matter. I use it like ingredients for cooking recipes. That way it is cohesive and slowly evolving.

DdeK: The first line of your bio; "Living in a digital age has fueled my passion for the tactile and handmade,” really hits me. Exactly how I feel about the blurred line between my jewelry design and need to express myself painting. You work in several mediums though; which do you find the most fulfilling?

AM: In high school I learned how to paint with oil paints. I loved the medium of paints because it felt like dipping into frosting and spreading it around. I moved away from oil paint many years later because I had bad eczema on my hands from the paints and solvents which irritated them. I switched to acrylics and inks, and later gouache. I fell in love with gouache and worked a lot on paper. But now I am moving back into oil paints. I am making a conscious effort to transition away from acrylic paints to more sustainable mediums.

DdeK: When did you feel the pull to open Ferrick Mason? What do you find compelling about dealing with clients and their whims versus your painting practice?

AM: I had graduated from Grad School and moved to New Zealand to be with my future husband. I was totally fried from the MFA program at Pratt and didn’t want to touch another paint brush and didn’t for a whole year. (The longest period I have ever gone, not painting since high school.) It wasn’t until we moved to Los Angeles that I decided to learn textile design after a handful of people kept telling me my paintings would translate well into textiles. So, I registered for classes at Otis College of Art and Design to learn pattern making by William Morris method. I feel like the universe gives you signs and you need to be open to them. I fell in love with textile design and dove right in. I actually have to deal more with clients when I do painting commissions. But I am clear that I paint in my own style and have no idea what the painting will look like. Usually, it turns out to be a good experience; only once or twice was the commissioner unpleasant or difficult.

DdeK: I know you lived in many places before settling home in Kentucky. How do you feel running your business from Kentucky has changed you and/or your business. Are you more inspired? Are certain collections a direct result of living in Versailles (near Lexington)?

AM: We launched Ferrick Mason in Los Angeles and it definitely had a coastal vibe. When I moved the company to Kentucky in 2015, the response was a little tepid. People thought we were too whimsical or coastal. I really had to dig deep to bring out the earthier vibes to our collection. But those designs have turned out to be our best sellers. They are a little more traditional with a pallet that any part of the country can grasp. Our business has really blossomed in Kentucky because we have been able to do so many more things that would have been cost prohibitive if we had stayed in Los Angeles. We now have a Showroom/Studio where we print our wallpapers in house. We inventory our textiles and make all of the samples in house. It has really opened me up to take more chances. We are creating a new woven collection milled in Los Angeles and an eco-conscious upholstery collection made from organic materials and sustainable hardwoods to show it off. We are also launching a new website to feature it all. 

DdeK: Tell me about your personal style which I find kind of “classy/chill with an LA vibe"… and your jewelry game! (Of course, I’m angling to hear which Daria de Koning jewel is your fav…)

AM: Ok, I LOVE jewelry!!! My grandmothers also loved jewelry and my father always gave my mother wonderful gifts of jewelry.I feel like my clothes are a mix of high/low vintage/ hippie / preppy. But my standard uniform is jeans and a puffy vest! Stripes have also been my wardrobe in one form or another since I was a child. I am in my 50’s and as an artist who has worked with my hands all my life. I have beastly looking hands. I decided I need big bold colorful rings to kind of camouflage what is happening to my skin. Which is one reason I am gaga for all of your jewelry. It is big, vibrant and bold and unique. I love that it is precious but not going to the Buckingham Palace fancy. I love the mix of precious and semiprecious stones and rocks. Bring it! It perfectly complements my wardrobe and I never have to take it off. I feel that good jewelry is the icing on the cake. An outfit isn’t complete without good jewelry, just like a cake isn’t done until it is frosted.

ABOUT ALEX:

Alex Mason, Owner and Creative Director of Ferrick Mason, brings a rich background in fine arts to the textile industry. A graduate of the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Alex spent years honing her skills as a painter, developing an eye for color, texture, and form that seamlessly transitioned into her work in textiles. Originally from Kentucky, Alex Mason’s journey took her across the globe—from New Zealand to Los Angeles— before she returned to her roots to establish the 2,500-square-foot Ferrick Mason showroom in Versailles, Kentucky. Her diverse experiences have enriched her artistic approach, allowing her to blend different cultural influences into her designs. Now, she uses her formal training as an artist to create each of Ferrick Mason’s popular patterns and colorways by drawing straight from her work in the painting studio, and incorporating the instinct for color and love of naturally-inspired, organic forms that informs her canvases. Dedicated to environmental stewardship, Alex strives to incorporate sustainable practices into every aspect of Ferrick Mason’s production. By using eco-friendly materials and processes, she ensures that each product not only embodies beauty and creativity but also respects the planet. Visitors can find her original paintings alongside the textiles and wallcoverings created from her works in the Ferrick Mason showroom, offering a full immersion into the creative process that defines the brand.