Maureen Cogan

Maureen Cogan, a former portrait studio head, shifted from digital photography to cyanotype, drawn by its tactile nature. She creates interactive, textured pieces, aiming to surprise and delight viewers beyond expectations. She exhibits in Columbia, Maryland.
From: Columbia, Maryland, USA
Shows: Cyanotypes

[Show slideshow]

Maureen Cogan was the head of her own portrait studio for 10 years before moving from the world of DSLRs, memory cards, software, and studio lights to the camera-less art of cyanotype. Photography became too much about software and retouching and keeping up with the latest equipment. The lure of the hands-on quality of cyanotype drew her in when she read an article about Anna Atkins and her book of algae cyanotypes.

Maureen enjoys creating different textures and effects within cyanotype, such as making a ballerina’s tutu look fluffy or adding an out-of-focus foreground plant to a landscape image. She also enjoys making her images interactive as in the lenticular pieces that change from one image to another as the viewer walks past (visit Maureen on Instagram to see videos).

When Maureen was a young girl, she visited Disneyland with her family. This was in the early days of the park, before it was fully fleshed out. She was so excited to enter the famous Disney castle that she’d seen on TV. When she arrived it looked so magical from a distance and her excitement built. She couldn’t wait to see the glittering, enchanted room where Cinderella danced with Prince Charming. But when she arrived, she found there was nothing inside the castle. It was a simple arch with plywood walls that parkgoers walked through to get into the park. She was so disappointed and felt a desire for there to be more. This experience taught her to strive to make art that surprises and delights the viewer and gives more than expected.

Maureen exhibits her art in her home town of Columbia, Maryland and also creates interactive greeting cards.

“I enjoy the hands-on quality of cyanotype and I think of Anna Atkins often when I’m creating. The fact that I’m doing it the way she did it makes me feel especially connected to the process and the people who came before me.”

More about Maureen Cogan: