Featured image: Don't Harvest Here, Elaine Defibaugh, 2020, mixed media photograph, 57 x 39 in. / 144.78 x 99.06 cm.
In the domain of contemporary art, there is a fascinating intersection where scientific inquiry meets the boundless creativity of the artist.
Elaine Defibaugh is an artist known for her mixed media photographs that blend scientific elements with artistic expression, highlighting marine life's beauty.
Elaine Defibaugh stands at this crossroads, exploring the ethereal beauty of marine life through her mixed media photographs. Her work is a vivid dance of color and form, bringing to light the hidden spectacles of the underwater world.
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Corallium Habitat, Elaine Defibaugh, 2020, mixed media photograph, 57 x 39 in. / 144.78 x 99.06 cm.
Corallium Habitat (2020) is a testament to Defibaugh's ability to transform the scientific into the fantastical. This piece, originally a photograph taken at a Coral Research Lab, transcends its documentary beginnings to become a canvas of fluorescent vibrancy under UV light. The meticulous hand embellishments with paint markers add a layer of texture and depth, inviting viewers to ponder the delicate intricacies of coral ecosystems. Defibaugh's work not only illuminates the coral's fragile beauty but also underscores the importance of preserving such natural wonders.
Fleeting Moment Solarized, Elaine Defibaugh, 2023, mixed media photograph, 54 x 40 in. / 137.16 x 101.6 cm.
Fleeting Moment Solarized (2023) continues Defibaugh's exploration of the aquatic but delves into the transient nature of life and light. Solarized in Photoshop and then hand-painted, the work challenges the permanence of photography by introducing a sense of motion and change. The choice of Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper as a substrate adds a tangible quality to the image, reminiscent of traditional watercolor techniques, yet the subject remains unmistakably contemporary.
Dancing Mesoglea, Elaine Defibaugh, 2020, mixed media photograph, 42 x 32 in. / 106.68 x 81.28 cm.
Dancing Mesoglea (2020) captures the otherworldly grace of jellyfish, presented in a tableau that seems to float beyond the confines of its Arches Cover canvas. The use of fluorescent paint markers again plays with our perception of light, as the image shifts and transforms under different lighting conditions. There is a balletic quality to the jellyfish’s movements, captured in stillness yet suggesting a dance that continues beyond the frame.
Elaine Defibaugh's work is a brilliant exploration of the liminal space between two worlds – one grounded in the tangible research of marine biology, the other in the limitless realm of artistic expression. Her mixed media photographs not only highlight the beauty and complexity of marine life but also reflect a profound respect for the scientific process. They serve as a reminder that art and science are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, complementary forces capable of revealing the world's hidden wonders.
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Tropical Water 2, Elaine Defibaugh, 2020, mixed media photograph, 57 x 39 in. / 144.78 x 99.06 cm.
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