Our affinity for nature is as true today as in times past. For centuries, people have sought respite in the natural beauty of parks. Writers have captured this sentiment in words. Artists have captured it on canvas.
Mason Park, landscaped with shade trees and lawns, beckons children to play and families to connect. An elegant walking bridge spans a nine‑acre lake, the perfect backdrop for a stroll and stage to watch model sailboats and geese glide across the water. It’s a retreat that brings us closer to the beauty of our city’s natural open spaces.
LIFE IMITATES ART IN IRVINE
Mason Park bears a striking resemblance to Georges Seurat’s famous painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Completed in 1886, the artwork is a celebration of color and perception – an optical effect that requires the brain to stitch together tiny dots of paint to fully appreciate the brilliance of the colors. It is also a reflection of life in 19th-century Paris. It portrays people as they stroll, gather and picnic along the banks of the Seine, just as they do today along the banks of the lake at Mason Park.
