Jillian M. Browning: Cyanotype, Identity, and Teaching

Lenscratch's Photography Educator series profiles Jillian M. Browning, an interdisciplinary artist and Assistant Professor of Photography at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Browning's cyanotype works on fabric explore identity, memory, and the Southern landscape, using sugarcane planted by their father as a symbol of resilience. Their practice challenges traditional notions of photography, merging process, material, and image. Browning earned a B.S. in Photography from the University of Central Florida (2012) and an MFA from Florida State University (2015). Their work is in the permanent collections of the Center for Photography at Woodstock, the Southeast Museum of Photography, and the David C. Driskell Center. Influenced by Lorna Simpson, Sonya Clark, and Nan Goldin, Browning emphasizes experimentation in teaching, encouraging students to take creative risks. They currently experiment with printing cyanotypes on glass and metal. The profile includes student testimonials praising Browning's mentorship.