The Jake and Nancy Hamon Arts Library is a four-story building located in the Owen Arts Center of the Meadows School of the Arts. A branch of the Central University Libraries, Hamon serves students and faculty in the areas of visual art, art history, cinema, communications, dance, music and theatre. This fall, the library celebrates its 25th anniversary.
In honor, Meadows Dean Samuel Holland, Dean and Director of University Libraries Gillian M. McCombs, as well as Hamon Library’s staff, came together to reflect on the vision and innovation of the library. Here’s the full video:
Current exhibtions
Paper Dolls by Colleen Shull and Justin Shull
September 9 – December 13, 2015
This exhibit displays photographs of collages created through the alteration and excavation of contemporary fashion magazines. Located in the newly renovated Hamon Arts Library lobby, this new body of work explores the intersections of new media, fashion advertising, photography, and the body. The exhibition will feature new work by SMU former adjunct lecturer Justin Shull, and SMU MFA graduate Colleen Shull.
Fashion Design Sketches by Nancy B. Hamon
September 24 – December 13, 2015
The exhibition will feature fashion design sketches, circa 1933-1942, by Nancy B. Hamon (1918-2011) from the Jake and Nancy Hamon Papers, housed in Jerry Bywaters Special Collections in the Hamon Arts Library, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Read more
The Fashion Design Sketches Exhibition
About Nancy Hamon
Nancy Blackburn Hamon was born in San Antonio and attended the University of Texas at Austin before enjoying a brief career as a dancer in Hollywood. She moved to Dallas after marrying Jake L. Hamon in 1949. Mrs. Hamon was a legendary philanthropist and Dallas benefitted from her enormous generosity, particularly in the arts, education and medicine in Dallas, San Antonio and San Francisco. In addition, Mrs. Hamon was an extraordinary hostess and was known for the extravagant theme parties she hosted with her husband during the 1950s and 1960s. Themes included circus, Moulin Rouge and others, including a silent movie theme with special guest Louis Armstrong.
Mrs. Hamon’s fashion design sketches were completed while she was in her late teens and early twenties. The vibrant sketches were created using tempera, watercolor, pen and pencil on paper.