Neal Cox, currently on the faculty in the School of Art at Steven F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, is a native of Utah. Cox received his MFA from University of Texas, San Antonio where he studied with another AP/RC artist, Kent Rush. In 2019 Cox graciously gifted 85 of his prints and photographs.

Cox embraces various printmaking and photographic techniques, even creating an array of pin hole cameras designed and structured for task-specific projects. His cameras serve not just as image-fixing devices but as sculptural companions to his two-dimensional photographs. The artist gave us permission to reproduce images of his cameras on this site.

In 2017 he built a new camera and re-purposed another for a series of photographs he called, Accretions. One of the cameras took telephoto-like images and the other was like a wide angle lens. Cox used these cameras to photograph wads of gum dried up on sidewalks.  His found sites of ‘micro mounds’ captured the discarded hills of gum that slowly transformed their topography as each gathered dirt and debris.

Ten years earlier, 2007 Cox had built a icosahedron (a polyhedron with 20 faces) camera. With a single exposure he was able to capture 20 images. His fascination, he appropriately calls it “modular aesthetics,” with the geometry of cameras and image-making resulted in a string of cameras as tetrahedrons, icosahedrons, dodecahedrons, octahedrons, decahedrons, cubes and others. He even fabricated a panaoramic camera and a series of individual cameras configured as a geodesic dome. Cox printed his photographs as collotypes, gum bichromate prints and other media. An array of images from select cameras accompany this blog.

In 2013 Cox explained in a bit more detail his “modular aesthetics, My recent camera designs, based on Platonic geometry, allow for multiple film planes, spaced symmetrically one from another. I don’t think of the resulting images as photographs, per se, with a specific subject matter, framed in a deliberate manner. Rather, I think of them as marks to be used in a composite image such that the flattened version of the geometric structure of the camera is revealed in the final work of art. I’m very interested in seeing how each mark interacts serendipitously with the lines, shapes and values of the next mark. I consider both the photographic compositions as well as the cameras as finished works of art.

Cox also works with printmaking techniques such as linocut and other relief methods. His penchant for rationality and structure in photography echoes in his printmaking. He intricately carves small, regular shapes in exacting structures patterns to create an array of geometric patterns.

Taylor Ernst

Extended Cube Camera version 2. 2013. Six square film planes.

Extroverted Simultaneous Panorama Camera (ExSimPanCam). 2009. This camera exposes 12 images on a 12 exposure roll of 35 mm film.

Stellated Dodecahedron Camera v. 2. 2012. This camera has twelve pentagonal film planes, each receiving five exposures.

Extroverted Simultaneous Panorama Camera 2 (ExSimPanCam2). 2013. Three 4×5″ films.

The “accretion” cameras.

Neal Cox; Untitled (Sombrilla #20), 2009; Van Dyke Brown, chine colle; 285mmx204mm; AP

Neal Cox; The Sombrilla, 2007; Cyanotype; 284mmx215mm; AP

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 6, 2007; Van Dyke Brown, chine colle; 276mmx202mm; AP

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 4, 2008; Collotype, chine colle; 275mmx202mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 16, 2008; Collotype; 276mmx200mm; AP

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 15, 2008; Collotype, chine colle; 275mmx203mm; Artist proof

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 17, 2009; Collotype; 275mmx200mm; AP

Neal Cox; Sombrilla no. 13, 2008; Collotype, chine colle; 276mmx205mm; AP

Neal Cox; ExSimPanCam Grid, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 758mmx758mm; Edition 2/3

Neal Cox; InSimPanCam Grid, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 760mmx760mm

Neal Cox; Untitled from Extended Cube Camera, 2008; Inkjet; 560mmx520mm

Neal Cox; Piazza Signoria no. 2, 2009; Inkjet; 405mmx275mm

Neal Cox; Untitled proof no. 3 (From stellated dodecahedron camera), 2014; Linocut; 573mmx635mm

Neal Cox; Primary Test Site, 2015; Screen print; 460mmx270mm; Edition 6/7

Neal Cox; Deachedron Grid, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 565mmx475mm; Edition 3/3 E.V.

Neal Cox; West Texas Quadrangle, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 486mmx415mm; Edition 2/3

Neal Cox; Tuckerwoods Bridge, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 756mmx664mm; Edition 3/3 E.V.

Neal Cox; Fort Worth Tree, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 213mmx185mm; Edition 3/3 E.V.

Neal Cox; Azalea Garden no. 2, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 202mmx165mm; Edition 2/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Azalea Garden no. 1, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 240mmx200mm; Edition 1/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Holly Tree, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 235mmx235mm; Edition 4/4

Neal Cox; Between Art and Housing, 2013; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 280mmx210mm; Edition 3/3

Neal Cox; Centennial Park, 2011; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 350mmx250mm; Edition 1/6

Neal Cox; Untitled Dodeca Half, 2013; Gum bichromate; 505mmx390mm; AP

Neal Cox; Stellated Solargraph/Docealaderal Solagraph, 2015; Screen print; 525mmx445mm; Edition 3/7

Neal Cox; Porto San Ferdiano, 2009; Inkjet; 735mmx580mm

Neal Cox; Piazza Piave, 2006; Reduction linocut; 284mmx255mm; Edition 9/13 C.V.

Neal Cox; Untitled Dome #4 Part E, 2007; Screen print, 290mmx280mm; Edition 3/8

Neal Cox; Untitled Dome #4 Part D, 2007; Screen print; 287mmx220mm; Edition 3/8

Neal Cox; Untitled Dome #4 Part C, 2007; Screen print; 384mmx289mm; Edition 3/8

Neal Cox; Untitled Dome #4 Part B, 2007; Screen print; 384mmx290mm; Edition 3/8

Neal Cox; Untitled Dome #4 Part A, 2007; Screen print; 385mmx288mm; Edition 3/8

Neal Cox; Breezeway 1.3, 2013; Collotype, chine colle; 285 mmx383mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Breezeway 1.2, 2013; Collotype, chine colle; 285mm x 382mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Breezeway 1.1, 2013; Collotype, chine colle; 285mmx380mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Ventitaltion Tower, 2015; Screen print; 438mmx708mm; Edition 2/7 E.V.

Neal Cox; Dome 5.6, 2011; Collotype; 259mmx414mm; Edition 4/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Dome 5.5, 2011; Collotype; 285mmx355mm; Edition 5/7 E.V.

Neal Cox; Dome 5.4, 2011; Collotype; 286mmx357mm; Edition 3/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Dome 5.3, 2011; Collotype; 284mmx358mm; Edition 3/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Dome 5.2, 2011; Collotype; 286mmx357mm; Edition 6/6 E.V.

Neal Cox; Untitled Proof no. 2 (From stellated dodecahedron camera), 2014; Linocut; 570mmx610mm

Neal Cox; Untitled Proof no. 2 (from stellated dodecahedron on camera), 2014; Linocut; 570mmx610mm

Neal Cox; Pecan Park no. 2, 2010; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 260mmx595mm; Edition 4/4

Neal Cox; Timp View no. 13, 2018; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 355mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Timp View no. 33, 2017; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 355mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Timp View no. 30, 2017; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 355mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Timp View no. 31, 2018; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 285mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Timpanogos Orange and Blue Study, 2018; Screen print; 285mmx347mm; Edition 3/14 E.V.

Neal Cox; Timp View no. 27, 2017; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 282mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Timp View 07, 2017; Gum bichromate; 355mmx355mm; Monoprint

Neal Cox; Accretion: North Red Oak, 2018; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 284mmx350mm; Edition 16/18 E.V.

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 2, 2012; Photogravure; 390mmx195mm; AP

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 3, 2013; Photogravure; 278mmx286mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 7, 2014; Reduction linocut; 356mmx287mm; Edition 4/8

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 8, 2014; Photogravure; 383mmx290mm; Edition 10/10

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 10, 2018; Reduction linocut; 356mmx290mm; Edition 2/6

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 1, 2012; Photogravure; 380mmx195mm; AP

Neal Cox; TEXAS, 2014; Screen print; 356mmx285mm; Edition 1/8

Neal Cox; PET-RSO, 2016; Photogravure; 256mmx156mm; Edition 1/5

Neal Cox; Arrow no. 6, 2014; Reduction linocut; 355mmx290mm; Test Proof

Neal Cox; Royal Lane, 2015; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 210mmx475mm; Edition 2/4 E.V.

Neal Cox; JD, 2014; Photogravure; 352mmx285mm; Edition 7/7

Neal Cox; Crossed Heart, 2018; Screen print; 292mmx243mm; Edition 3/11

Neal Cox; Hashtag Capulin Volcano no. 3, 2018; Linocut; 255mmx330mm; Edition 2/8

Neal Cox; White Face Green Hair, 2019; Screen print; 240mmx293mm; Edition 13/13

Neal Cox; Hashtage Evergreen Colorado, 2016; Woodcut; 500mmx385mm; Edition 3/4

Neal Cox; Hashtage Capulin Volcano no. 2, 2016; Photogravure; 290mmx193mm; Trial Proof

Neal Cox; Hashtag Capulin Volcano no. 1, 2015; Screen print; 355mmx290mm; Artist proof

Neal Cox; Gotta Catch ‘Em All, 2016; Gum bichromate over cyanotype; 250mmx330mm; Edition 5/5 E.V.

Neal Cox; Stellated Tetrahedron, version 1, 2017; Reduction linocut; 284mmx355mm; Edition 3/4

Neal Cox; Stellated Tetrahedron, version 2, 2017; Lithograph, chine colle; 285mmx355mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, 2014; Etching, soft ground; 256mmx188mm; Edition 4/8

Neal Cox; 1-2-1-2-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-3-2-1, 2015; Lithograph; 385mmx253mm; Edition 1/8

Neal Cox; Hexagonal Grid Study, 2018; Woodcut, lasercut; 385mmx253mm; Edition 7/7

Neal Cox; Descending Sevens, Ascending, 2017; Linocut; 360mmx282mm; Artist Proof

Neal Cox; Untitled Isometric Counting Grid, 2019; Cliché verre, cyanotype; 281mmx180mm

Neal Cox; Skip Counting, 2019; Linocut; 284mmx196mm; Trial Proof

Neal Cox; Truncated Cube Dessection, 2018; Reduction linocut; 256mmx303mm; Edition 2/6

Neal Cox; Colony Collapse, 2017; Screen print; 192mmx231mm; Edition 14/15

Neal Cox; Truncated Cube, 2017; Reduction linocut; 280mmx353mm; Edition 8/9

Neal Cox; Secondaries, 2016; Screen print; 270mmx230mm; Edition 3/7

Neal Cox; Untitled Proof for Chroma: Orange Print Exchange, 2019; Screen print; 305mmx230mm; Trial Proof

Neal Cox; Identity Revealed, Identity Concealed, 2019; Reduction linocut; 284mmx329mm; Edition 2/3