"Grounded in the early influence of late 1940s and 1950s Abstract Expressionism, the work of Emily Mason centers on an exploration of the expressive possibilities of abstraction. Throughout a distinguished career spanning nearly five decades, she has consistently produced paintings that reflect a broad emotional range. The thrust of her work is color. Her combinations of raucous, vibrant hues and her masterful tonal calibrations imbue her canvases with a mysterious luminosity. Inspired by nature as well as by the tactile properties of her chosen medium, Mason's exuberant compositions at first appear spontaneous and serendipitous." "Emily Mason: The Fifth Element is the first comprehensive presentation of Emily Mason's work and brings long-overdue attention to this contemporary American artist. This volume includes eighty reproductions of the artist's oil paintings, along with a selection of prints, highlighting many of the most significant works from each phase of her impressive career. David Ebony's text brings Mason's life and work into focus, showing how her unique painterly vocabulary has proven that the expressive possibilities of abstract art are indeed boundless."--BOOK JACKET.