About
The Artist
I am Maria Selkou, a visual artist and architect originally from Athens, Greece. Photography and the visual arts have always shaped my creative world, and cyanotype emerged as the ideal medium where these passions converge. Through this distinctive process, I translate photographs into tactile, handcrafted works that unite architectural precision with poetic expression.
My most vivid childhood memories are immersed in the luminous blue of summer days by the sea. After moving to the Netherlands in 2010, I encountered entirely new shades of blue—vast dramatic skies and the refined tones of Delft blue ceramics—that gently connected two contrasting cultures through one shared colour: cyan.
In 2018, I founded Art of the Blue Studio in the Netherlands. Since then, I have created cyanotypes that capture places and objects carrying deep personal meaning. I experiment with diverse papers and textiles, continuously refining my techniques to deepen my understanding of cyanotype printing. My work explores the subtle tension between artistic interpretation and realistic representation, using cyanotype as a vessel to express the passage of time and the persistence of memory.
My architectural studies in both Greece and the Netherlands have heightened my sensitivity to the urban landscape. Architecture, nature, and the dialogue between light and shadow remain central sources of inspiration. Each cyanotype I produce is a one-of-a-kind piece, merging analogue processes with digital photography to narrate intimate stories while reflecting on place, memory, and the built environment.
The Studio
Art of the Blue is the cyanotype studio of Maria Selkou, founded in 2018 in the Netherlands. The studio is dedicated to the timeless art of cyanotype printing, where contemporary creativity meets the analogue beauty of this centuries-old process. At the intersection of art and design, Art of the Blue explores the delicate balance between tradition and innovation.
Maria’s work is deeply influenced by her surroundings, as well as by the places and objects that hold personal meaning to her. With an architectural background, she draws inspiration from the geometry of cityscapes, the flow of nature, and the intricate interplay of light and shadow.
The cyanotype process is used intentionally, with its distinctive blue tones and monochromatic palette serving to emphasize texture, contrast, and form. By removing the superfluous, Maria’s work speaks to the essential—highlighting the beauty found in simplicity and abstraction. Her pieces evoke emotion and bring positive energy, making them perfect for enhancing any space.
Beyond fine art, Maria’s practice extends seamlessly into textile design, homeware, and fashion, blurring the lines between artistic expression and functional design. Through this, Art of the Blue creates pieces that are as visually striking as they are versatile.
What is it?
Cyanotype is a camera-less photography technique that dates back in the late 19th century. The origin of the word describes precisely its essence; cyanotype comes from the Greek words ‘cyano’ which means ‘blue’, and the word ‘type’ stands for ‘print’. Therefore, cyanotype can be described as printing something in blue colour.
A liquid mix of two chemicals is applied on an organic material, usually paper. This step needs to be done in a space without sunlight. Through the application of these chemicals, the material becomes photosensitive. An object or a negative image can be applied right on top of the photosensitive material. As final steps, the object/image with the photosensitive material are exposed under the sun for a certain amount of time and finally washed in a water bath.
Why use it?
The idea behind using an analogue printing technique lies on the overwhelming number of digital images that we take and receive daily.No matter how easy the photographic process may be nowadays, this has not always been the case. Pictures are constantly present in our digital world, but almost never printed.
Moreover, the easiness with which pictures are taken, makes them less special. We are becoming consumers of images, but we seem to be losing their essence. Studio Art of the Blue aims to bring back the craft in Photography and interpret a picture through cyanotype.
Artistically, the interpretation of an existing object comes through the choice of the brushstroke that will reveal it. Through the frame in which something will fit. The rigid borders of the frame transform into loose brushstrokes.