TCF Ep. 655 - Tawyny Chatmon

When photographer Tawny Chatmon creates a portrait, she is doing more than arranging light and subject—she is reconstructing history. Drawing from classical European painting traditions while centering contemporary Black subjects, her work reclaims visual space that has long excluded them. Through layered textures, gold leaf, and painterly surfaces, Tawny creates images that feel both timeless and urgently present. Her portraits challenge the conventions of representation, placing children and families within compositions that evoke Renaissance and Baroque aesthetics while subverting their historical omissions. Rather than treating her subjects as symbols, she honors their individuality, dignity, and complexity. The result is work that feels intimate yet monumental—a visual meditation on legacy, visibility, and the power of self-definition. Resources Tawny Chatmon https://www.tawnychatmon.com Altadena Photographers https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/ Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello Timeline: Los Angeles A guided photographic exploration of Los Angeles that encourages participants to engage deeply with place, history, and personal narrative. https://lacphoto.org/events/timeline-los-angeles-with-ibarionex-perello/ Japan Spring Workshop 2026 An immersive photographic and cultural experience in Japan, focused on visual storytelling, observation, and creative growth. https://www.nobechicreative.com/ibarionex-perello-spring-workshop-2026-japan X-Pedition Hanoi A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam. https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi The Raw Society Raw Photo Fest An annual photography festival celebrating emerging and established photographers through exhibitions, talks, and community engagement. https://therawsociety.org/rawphotofest/ Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/perello-familys-journey-to-re-establish-our-life eBook Purchases https://www.ibarionex.net/ebooks Websites The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=70VXjjF-1j_uhK8y0_nfvUK79_R1EWWuCTO2DX5ZOaTOR6yzhL6IgkthBiiitoipmDH23zLzPSIIlLhZ Sponsors Charcoal Book Club https://charcoalbookclub.com Frames Magazine https://readframes.com Education Resources Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/ Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog http://ibarionex.substack.com/welcome Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=13Tg_YGwf58eSyhevNPHAJMlgVqhI4xqQff9jBJeGNGR7G3-GkcKVX6OuU-5ZXfLbUkRa0&country.x=US&locale.x=US You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ibarionex/?hl=en and Twitter/X https://twitter.com/Ibarionex?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor