I’m drawn to the tangibility of shooting film and printing in the darkroom, but my creative practice is broader than film. I get inspiration for my darkroom printing from abstract painters, textures and mixed mediums.
-Meghan
Meghan Horosko was drawn to monochrome images long before she got into film photography. As a young charcoal artist, she began shooting black and white film over 20 years ago on the advice of an art instructor, to build understanding of monochromatic composition and light. Her dad and uncle were strong proponents of film, offering her encouragement and criticism in early years. Although she enjoyed shooting film, it wasn’t until she learned darkroom printing at Ottawa School of Art in 2011 that she realized the creative possibilities of printing one’s own photographs. Since then, her main interest has been exploring ways to manipulate images during the exposure and printing process.
Meghan chemically prints in silver gelatin and cyanotype processes, typically from 35mm or large format 4×5 film. From the negatives captured in these formats, Meghan prints in photopolymer gravure, enjoying the meditative nature of this photo-mechanical printmaking process. Drawn to tactile elements in photography, Meghan also works in photo encaustic methods, combining photographs with beeswax/damar resin to create layered and textured images. She follows her curiosity while printing in the darkroom, often integrating photograms, chemical painting, or incorporating her own paintings as textures within multiple exposure prints, disconnecting the subject from reality.
Website: meghansdarkroom.com
Instagram: @meghanhorosko
