Biography

Don Freeman is an American artist, filmmaker and photographer, best known for his large, monochrome prints that depict subject matter, be it landscape, human forms or architectural fragments, in states of transmogrification. His work allows the viewer step into my world of broken branches, ruins, decaying flowers and classical perfection and be exposed to the memory of another world where time stood still.

He lives in New York where he divides his time between fine art photography, commercial photography and filmmaking. Don’s photographs have appeared regularly in Vogue, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair and other magazines. His assignments for The World of Interiors, documenting the homes of American artists like Eva Zeisel, Wharton Esherick, Russel Wright, James Rose and Henry Varnum Poor, reflects his deep interest in art and its place in living environments.

Don grew up surrounded by the stark natural beauty of Bainbridge Island, Washington. He studied advertising design at Northern Arizona University and fine art at San Francisco’s Academy of Art. In 1982, he moved to New York to pursue painting, and had one-man shows at White Columns, Hallways, Elga Wimmer Gallery, Jayne Baum and others.

He has published five books, Styling Nature (Rizzoli 2017) Artists’ Handmade Houses (Abrams 2011); The Hotel Book: Great Escapes North America, (Taschen 2006) and Ted Muehling; a portrait by Don Freeman (Rizzoli 2008). My Familiar Dream (1991) is in the permanent collections of the Getty and Victorian Albert Museum in London.

In 2015 he finished Art House, a feature-length documentary film which he produced, directed and edited. Based on the book Artist’s Handmade Houses, the film is currently screening at Festivals around the country.