above: Deborah Hamon's The Game combines a painted figure with a photographic background.
41 year old artist Deborah Hamon, born in Adelaide, Australia and now living and working in Marin County (my own home town), was recently named one of PDN's 30 Photographers to Watch and has been featured in New American Paintings, Israel's Picnic magazine, Flak photo, has a permanent piece (Wonderland) in the prestigious Crocker Bank Art Museum Collection, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, honors and mentions.
above: The artist, Deborah, in her studio, alongside Queen of The Hill (also shown below):
Her unusual work consists of both 'constructed' photography and complete paintings. Her surreal photos (c-prints) combine a study of fiction and reality, placing flat graphic painted figures (almost always girls) usually confronting the viewer, with photographic backgrounds of exterior settings. She uses Photoshop to construct her photographs with figures from her paintings.
above: detail of Forever and Ever shows the contrast of the painted figure with the photographed tree, combined in Photoshop.
Here are a few examples of her Constructed Photography:
Facade:
Forever and Ever:
Grandma's House:
Huff and Puff:
Manicured:
Sandtrap:
Snowbound:
Tree Fairy (left) and Walkabout (right):
Wonderland:
It seems as though her photographs have received more attention than her paintings, likely because of the unusual combining of media. But, as you will see from the images below, her large acrylic paintings which consist of similar subject matter, are also very compelling and thoughtfully rendered.
Here are a few examples of her acrylic paintings:
Poolside:
Cowgirls and Butterflies (left) and Rope Swing (right):
He Loves me, He Loves me Not:
Haven:
Red Arrow:
Victory:
Deborah Hamon