Felix MasFelixMas

1934

Training

Barcelona

Felix Mas was born in Barcelona on October 14, 1934. His interest in art developed as a child. He trained first at the School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona and later at the San Jordi Academy of Fine Arts, where he received a traditional education.

As a young man he did his military service in Puigcerdà, in the Pyrenees, and then began working in Barcelona as an illustrator and designer. Those school years gave him a craft he never abandoned: decades later he still stretched his own canvases and ground in a mortar the natural pigments from which he made his colors.

Comics

Warren and Vampirella

Barcelona

In the sixties, Mas made his living as an illustrator, painting covers for romance novels among other commissions. In 1966 his work was exhibited for the first time, in a group show at the Galeria Jaimes in Barcelona, and he continued to exhibit in Spain until 1974.

In 1972, Mas was hired by the American company Warren Publishing, where he drew a total of 17 horror stories for their magazines "Creepy" and "Vampirella" until January 1975. The story "The Vampiress Stalks the Castle at Night" from "Vampirella" #21 was included in a list of the 25 best Warren stories in David Roach's book "The Warren Companion."

Caracas and Florida

The leap onto the canvas

Venezuela · United States

In 1974 he traveled to Venezuela for his first solo exhibition and decided to stay. He settled in Caracas with his family, where they lived until 1979, and after leaving Warren he devoted himself entirely to painting. He exhibited at galleries in Caracas, Maracaibo, Barquisimeto and Valencia, and became a prominent figure in the art life of Caracas: the newspapers and magazines of the time followed his work closely.

In the 1980s he moved to Florida, where he exhibited continuously at numerous galleries in Miami, Boca Raton and Naples. In 1988 he opened his own studio in Boca Raton, the city where he lived for many years and became a highly influential figure, regularly featured in newspapers and magazines. From there, his work traveled to the major art fairs in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Tokyo.

This is when his language took shape. His works rely on bold colors used in concert with provocative body language. The gaze of his subjects is often diverted, allowing the viewer to apprehend his paintings without engagement. Each woman in his paintings is dressed in rich fabrics that are elegantly draped, achieved through the pigments that he created himself.

Since 1992

Back in Barcelona

Spain · Europe · USA · Russia

Since 1992, when he returned to live in Barcelona, Mas worked with galleries throughout Spain, in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Málaga, Girona and Sitges, and his work also reached Lisbon, Brussels, London, Moscow and, in 2006, Saint Petersburg. He remained in full contact with the United States, continuously sending his artwork and traveling for numerous exhibitions throughout the country.

He painted in the studio of his home, a few kilometers from Barcelona, surrounded by books, canvases, masks, hats and the classical music that kept him company twelve hours a day. "My studio holds my world," he wrote. His dedication to his craft and his ability to capture the elegance and grace of his subjects never waned.

25 October 2024

Legacy

La Sénia

In 2010 he moved to La Sénia, a small village in the south of Catalonia, where he spent his last years. There he continued to create stunning pieces of art, working every day in his studio, a few minutes from home, diligently and passionately until his final days. On October 25, 2024, at the age of 90, Mas passed away, leaving behind a legacy of exquisite art. He remained fully in his faculties, painting as beautifully and masterfully as ever, right up to the end. His contributions to the art world are celebrated and remembered for their unique blend of cultural influences and timeless beauty.

"As you can see, writing is not my strength, so I prefer to paint. That language is universal, and it is all thanks to my colors." — Felix Mas