Susanne Cochran
2026–2027 Signature Artist | The Ginkgo Foundation
On October 20, 2026, The Ginkgo Foundation announced Susanne Cochran as its inaugural Signature Artist for the 2026–2027 season.
A contemporary artist originally from Germany and now based in Kentucky, Susanne's work has most recently been showcased at Creo Arts Gallery in Wilmore and Central Bank Gallery in Lexington.
An exhibition celebrating the breadth of her artwork and artistic career will open in mid-November at Gallery Ginkgo in Wilmore, Kentucky: The Ginkgo Capital of America.
Artist Statement
Growing up in a small town in Germany, Susanne Cochran was surrounded by the simplicity of rugged nature and creative people. Those early experiences continue to shape her approach to painting today.
Her artistic practice is rooted in abstraction and the expressive potential of simple mark-making. Rather than representing the visible world, she seeks to distill its essence, capturing feelings and experiences rather than literal images.
Her paintings often begin with something observed: a place, a memory, or a moment. As the work evolves, recognizable forms gradually give way to abstraction. What remains is not the image itself, but the feeling it evokes.
For Susanne, abstraction offers the freedom to move beyond description and toward experience. She creates work that invites interpretation and personal connection, allowing viewers to discover their own meaning rather than directing them toward a particular narrative.
Her art does not tell viewers what to see. It invites them to imagine.
