FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Fresno native Paige Mason grew up in a creative family and realized she had a talent for drawing.
She has taken her talent to the next level by creating original characters, illustrating books, and teaching art at an elementary school.
“Actually, my whole life has been filled with this passion,” said Paige Mason.
When Mason isn’t in a classroom or teaching art with her loved ones, she is in her creative space, her art studio in downtown Fresno.
She is a freelance illustrator specializing in watercolor painting.
“I have a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in illustration. Through that experience, I was able to try watercolor painting and then I just thought, ‘This is fun. I could do cartoons and watercolors!'” Mason said.
Thanks to her parents, drawing and art were part of her life from a young age.
“Growing up, we made our own Valentine’s Day cards and all kinds of things. My dad is just a natural artist,” Mason said.
“He drew things for me on napkins. To this day, he gives me comics on Sundays.”
On their social media pages, they showcase their unique work from start to finish, like this Christmas card.
Her talent also brings books to life.
She has illustrated several books, including “I Grab the Mic” and “I Love Everything About Me.”
Stories, she says, have an important message for readers.
“Our main focus is on the girl here in the middle, but we have these supportive friends that will hopefully resonate with anyone who reads it,” Mason said.
Mason says her little ones are often the inspiration for some of her characters.
“It’s funny because my daughter always asks, ‘Is that me? Is that supposed to be me?’ and I’m like, ‘Okay, maybe I need to switch the characters.’ But they definitely recognize themselves in my artwork,” Mason said.
She hopes her work will inspire her children and students to appreciate and respect all styles of art.
“When they leave my art space, I want them to be able to just respect the art and talk about it rather than say they don’t like it … and really give them an appreciation for the arts,” Mason said.
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