This week, Kōrero speaks with artist Jennifer Mason, whose latest exhibition, Emelie, is being installed in St John’s Church, Wakefield. Jennifer’s work is deeply reflective, exploring themes of beauty, stillness, and the sacred. In this conversation, she shares insights into her journey as an artist, the role of faith in her creative process, and how art can serve as a pathway to deeper contemplation and connection with God.
Jennifer never set out to become an artist—in fact, she resisted the idea.
“I can say without any doubt that art chose me. I never saw it as a career or contrived the idea of being ‘an artist’ at any point. As a child, I wanted to be a businesswoman or a doctor. Art felt like something I turned to for comfort when everything else didn’t seem to work out.”
Despite this initial resistance, the experience of making and viewing art gave her an overwhelming sense of "flow"—a feeling of ease and belonging. “It all just made sense, like coming home.” Now, she fully embraces her calling. “I still don’t think I have talent, but what I do have is an intense, overwhelming drive to make a particular kind of art.”
Jennifer’s paintings often evoke a deep sense of peace, inviting the viewer into moments of stillness and contemplation. When asked how she creates this effect, she explains:
“I dedicate myself entirely to a painting. I work with tiny brushes, put long hours in, and don’t rush. My process is slow, attentive, and careful, and I think that comes across in the visual results.”
Her work is also deeply informed by art history. “I have an embedded visual knowledge of art history and its tropes, so I can draw on that language to convey a particular mood.”
St John’s Church in Wakefield, the site of her Emelie exhibition, felt like the right place for her work.
“I asked myself, ‘What would be the ultimate destination for these works?’ I had this vision of them making a journey to a sacred place, like a church—not necessarily where they would have the biggest art-world audience, but somewhere they could be connected to something deeper.”
In an almost serendipitous moment, she Googled a description of the space she imagined, and St John’s appeared. “I was delighted when they were enthusiastic about the project.”
Jennifer’s faith journey has profoundly influenced her art, especially in recent years. Raised in a devout Catholic home, she admits she initially rebelled against it. “For a long time, my art was driven by sarcasm, irony, and whatever was happening in contemporary culture.”
A turning point came five years ago, after the sudden passing of her mother. “I became deeply interested in theology and started studying ideas about beauty and truth—thinkers like Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and medieval philosophers. As my fundamental values changed, my paintings became a reflection of that transformation.”
Does Jennifer see her art as a form of worship? Not quite, but she does see it as a place of encounter with God.
“There are things in life that make you feel directly connected to God—being in nature, listening to music, connecting with animals. For me, art has always been one of those things.”
She describes moments of creative clarity as “rewards or blessings.”
“The best days in the studio, when I do something well or have a conceptual breakthrough, feel like moments between myself and God. They make me feel independent of worldly things.”
Jennifer acknowledges that not everyone connects with art in the same way. “Some people relate to other offerings in the world, but for many, art is one of the gifts that connects us—to each other and ultimately to God.”
She recalls the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux, where ancient handprints remain on the walls.
“When you see those handprints, it’s like you could place your own hand over them and reach through time to another human being. That sense of connection—to the past, to each other, to the ultimate Creator—is what makes art so powerful.”
📍 St John’s Church, Wakefield
🗓 21–23 February, 10 AM – 4 PM
☕ Opening reception with afternoon tea: 22 February, 2 PM
Jennifer Mason’s Emelie series invites visitors into a space of stillness, reflection, and beauty. Her work reminds us of the power of contemplation in a world that often moves too fast.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
This week, Kōrero speaks with artist Jennifer Mason, whose latest exhibition, Emelie, is being installed in St John’s Church, Wakefield. Jennifer’s work is deeply reflective, exploring themes of beauty, stillness, and the sacred. In this conversation, she shares insights into her journey as an artist, the role of faith in her creative process, and how art can serve as a pathway to deeper contemplation and connection with God.
Jennifer never set out to become an artist—in fact, she resisted the idea.
“I can say without any doubt that art chose me. I never saw it as a career or contrived the idea of being ‘an artist’ at any point. As a child, I wanted to be a businesswoman or a doctor. Art felt like something I turned to for comfort when everything else didn’t seem to work out.”
Despite this initial resistance, the experience of making and viewing art gave her an overwhelming sense of "flow"—a feeling of ease and belonging. “It all just made sense, like coming home.” Now, she fully embraces her calling. “I still don’t think I have talent, but what I do have is an intense, overwhelming drive to make a particular kind of art.”
Jennifer’s paintings often evoke a deep sense of peace, inviting the viewer into moments of stillness and contemplation. When asked how she creates this effect, she explains:
“I dedicate myself entirely to a painting. I work with tiny brushes, put long hours in, and don’t rush. My process is slow, attentive, and careful, and I think that comes across in the visual results.”
Her work is also deeply informed by art history. “I have an embedded visual knowledge of art history and its tropes, so I can draw on that language to convey a particular mood.”
St John’s Church in Wakefield, the site of her Emelie exhibition, felt like the right place for her work.
“I asked myself, ‘What would be the ultimate destination for these works?’ I had this vision of them making a journey to a sacred place, like a church—not necessarily where they would have the biggest art-world audience, but somewhere they could be connected to something deeper.”
In an almost serendipitous moment, she Googled a description of the space she imagined, and St John’s appeared. “I was delighted when they were enthusiastic about the project.”
Jennifer’s faith journey has profoundly influenced her art, especially in recent years. Raised in a devout Catholic home, she admits she initially rebelled against it. “For a long time, my art was driven by sarcasm, irony, and whatever was happening in contemporary culture.”
A turning point came five years ago, after the sudden passing of her mother. “I became deeply interested in theology and started studying ideas about beauty and truth—thinkers like Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and medieval philosophers. As my fundamental values changed, my paintings became a reflection of that transformation.”
Does Jennifer see her art as a form of worship? Not quite, but she does see it as a place of encounter with God.
“There are things in life that make you feel directly connected to God—being in nature, listening to music, connecting with animals. For me, art has always been one of those things.”
She describes moments of creative clarity as “rewards or blessings.”
“The best days in the studio, when I do something well or have a conceptual breakthrough, feel like moments between myself and God. They make me feel independent of worldly things.”
Jennifer acknowledges that not everyone connects with art in the same way. “Some people relate to other offerings in the world, but for many, art is one of the gifts that connects us—to each other and ultimately to God.”
She recalls the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux, where ancient handprints remain on the walls.
“When you see those handprints, it’s like you could place your own hand over them and reach through time to another human being. That sense of connection—to the past, to each other, to the ultimate Creator—is what makes art so powerful.”
📍 St John’s Church, Wakefield
🗓 21–23 February, 10 AM – 4 PM
☕ Opening reception with afternoon tea: 22 February, 2 PM
Jennifer Mason’s Emelie series invites visitors into a space of stillness, reflection, and beauty. Her work reminds us of the power of contemplation in a world that often moves too fast.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
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