Anna Vaughan is an artist and educator who lives in Oakland, California. Originally from the Midwest, Anna ‘s creativity was nourished at early age by her mother, who was an art teacher and remains a practicing artist. During summers, Anna lived on a farm with her grandparents, where she spent most of her time barefoot and outside. This led to a lasting and intimate connection with nature. This love of nature and encouragement toward creative play and artistic pursuit is the foundation of Anna’s work as an artist.

Anna’s current investigations are figurative clay sculptures, which are first sculpted in front of a live model. These works seek to draw connections between the artist’s own inner world and the more direct experience of observation from life. Working with the figure also provides a way for the artist to explore cultural, historical, and spiritual myths. Her artwork responds to the interplay between natural and manmade environments, and she endeavors to draw out points of connection and diversion between these two worlds. Her sculptures invite viewers to contemplate some of the profound and simple experiences of living in connection with nature.

Ms. Vaughan lectures at a variety of Bay Area institutions, including UC Berkeley’s ASUC Art Studio, California College of the Arts, and Laney College. Her involvement in the arts extends to acting as a juror for exhibition programs at the Oakland Museum of California, and organizing and curating exhibitions for several non-profit galleries such as the June Stiengart Art Gallery, the Mercury Twenty Artist Gallery, the Pro-Arts Gallery, the NIAD Art Center, and Cell Space. She received a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and a MFA from Mills College.