Behind the Scenes: Frances Mason and New Forest Mohair

As part of the New Forest National Park Authority’s “Behind the Scenes” campaign, we met up with one of of the New Forest Marque’s long-standing members, Frances Mason. We visited her at home in Pilley and got the chance to meet her gorgeous Angora goats. We were curious to find out more about her mohair business, her journey with the New Forest Marque, and artistic talent for painting and crafts.

Goat-whisperer, yarn-dyer, painter and pony enthusiast Frances, encompasses what it is to be part of the New Forest Marque. An original member, Frances has seen the Marque grow and develop over the past 20 years, and she is one of few members to belong to New Forest Marque Inspired as well as the main produce scheme.

Frances, along with her veterinarian husband Ian, has always had a love for animals. As a child, she spent hours sketching ponies in the Forest, a passion that continues through her vibrant paintings today. After training as a veterinary nurse, the couple acquired land in the Forest and began raising animals. They started with cattle and eventually discovered Angora goats, which produce soft, lustrous mohair fleece. Frances expanded her business by hand-dying the mohair into colourful yarns and selling it at local markets and wool shows.

When she first started, Frances was one of the first to join the Forest Friendly Farming scheme, which later became the New Forest Marque. Over the years, her business has diversified, and she now creates needle-felt craft kits and colorful mohair Christmas decorations as well as her traditional yarn. Her motivation for joining the Marque was to help promote her business and meet like-minded people. The recent addition of New Forest Marque Inspired last year, and the opportunity to connect with other New Forest artists, has been welcomed by Frances.

Though she only has five goats now, Frances continues to be active, balancing her time between caring for her goats and painting in her studio. Her eye-catching art, often featuring ponies in atmospheric pink and purple hues, reflects her deep connection to the New Forest. For Frances, the ponies represent ‘the magical spirit of the Forest’, a constant presence that adds to its unique charm.

Look out for New Forest Mohair and Frances’s paintings at local markets and fairs. To contact Frances and find out more visit: Frances Mason Art | New Forest Marque and www.newforestmohair.co.uk