Decades before Photoshop was available, American artist Sandy Skoglund started creating surrealist images by building incredibly elaborate sets, a process which took months to complete. Her works are characterized by an overwhelming amount of one object and either bright, contrasting colors or a monochromatic color scheme.

Born in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1946, Skoglund studied studio art and art history at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts from 1964-1968. Moving to New York City in 1972, she started working as a conceptual artist, dealing with repetitive, process-oriented art production through the techniques of mark-making and photocopying. In 1978, she produced a series of repetitious food item still life images.

Skoglund was an art professor at the University of Hartford between 1973-1976. She is currently teaching photography and art installation/multimedia at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Above image: FOX GAMES 1989 Sandy Skoglund

See Sandy Skoglund's non-Photoshopped scenes of surreal sets and below.

REVENGE OF THE GOLDFISH 1981 Sandy Skoglund

THE COCKTAIL PARTY 1992 Sandy Skoglund

RAINING POPCORN 2001 Sandy Skoglund

A BREEZE AT WORK 1987 Sandy Skoglund

THE GREEN HOUSE 1990 Sandy Skoglund

SQUIRRELS AT THE DRIVE-IN 1991 Sandy Skoglund

BREATHING GLASS 2000 Sandy Skoglund

GERMS ARE EVERYWHERE 1984 Sandy Skoglund

RADIOACTIVE CATS 1980 Sandy Skoglund

BODY LIMITS 1992 Sandy Skoglund

ATOMIC LOVE 1992 Sandy Skoglund

CATS IN PARIS 1993 Sandy Skoglund

THE COLD WAR 1999 Sandy Skoglund

GATHERING PARADISE 1991 Sandy Skoglund

Sandy Skoglund: Website