Born in Texas, USA. Desmond is a former NBA player and winner of the 2001 NBA slam dunk contest. “Some people paint to create, but I paint to live” says Desmond Mason, a burgeoning artist with an emphasis on abstract expressionism. “When I was growing up in a bad neighborhood with drugs and violence, art was my getaway,” says Mason. He threw his first art show in 2002, which drew praise from out-of-town critics. “That’s when I knew this was something I could do for a living,” he says, though he continued to play hoops. “Pollock has had a huge influence on my art. I watched the film based on his life and it changed everything. I wanted to paint like that, without boundaries. That’s when I made the conscious decision to become an expressionist.” Mason has sold his work to notables such as movie star George Clooney, sportscaster Joe Buck, nightlife honcho Rande Gerber and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. His colorful abstract art has been shown at Art Basel in Miami.