Artist Bio:

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 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 man-made 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.

Anna 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 Steingart 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.

EDUCATION:

M.F.A. 2001 Mills College, Oakland, CA

B.F.A. 1995 Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City • Graduated with High Distictions SOLO

EXHIBITIONS:

2013 • Elements, ASK Building, Currated by BayVAN, Oakland, CA

2009 • Wood and Water, Mercury 20 Gallery, Oakland, CA • Lodge, Herringbone, Berkeley, CA

2008 • Reverie, Mercury 20 Gallery, Oakland, CA

2007 • The Stories We Tell Ourselves, Mercury 20 Gallery, Oakland, CA

2003 • Plugged In: Images,Objects & Sound, Olive Hyde Art Gallery,Fremont, CA

1996 • Anna Vaughan: Recent Works, Late Night Gallery, Kansas City, MO

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2015 • Preview, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Albany, CA

• September Show, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Albany, CA

• Eco Art, June Steingart Memorial Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Botanica, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA

2014 • Explorations, June Steingart Memorial Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Herstories, June Steingart Memorial Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

2013 • Swarm, Lotus Land, Santa Barbara, CA

• Animal Arts, Collector’s Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

2012 • Environments: Interrogating Space, Baum Art Gallery, Conway, AR

• Transits and Returns, Mercury Twenty Gallery, Oakland,CA

2011 • Deceased Classes, Laney College Campus, Occupy Oakland Protest, Oakland, CA

• Eco-Art, Bioneers Conference, San Rafael CA • Annual Fundraiser, 21 Grand Gallery, Oakland, CA

2010 • Selections, June Steingart Memorial Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Art of Bees, June Steingart Memorial Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Las Cadre: 21st Century Groove, Pacific Grove Arts Center, Pacific Grove, CA

• Earth Art, Laney College Art Building, Oakland, CA

2009 • Encounter, Mercury 20 Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Las Cadre, Craft Masters Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA

• Faculty Exhibit, ASUC Gallery, Berkeley CA

• Beyond Boundaries, Seed Corn Gallery, Berkeley, CA

2008 • Pequenitos, Presented by: Las Cadre, Ruby’s Clay Studio and Gallery, San Francisco, CA

• Bestiaries, Oakland Art Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Juried Annual, Selections by Laura Hoptman Senior Curator for the New Museum, New York, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland CA

• Matters of Fact, Addison Street Windows Project, Berkeley CA

• Art Matters, Oakland Zoo, Oakland Ca

2007 • Almost 3-D, Presented by: Las Cadre, ASUC Gallery, Berkeley CA

• Art Work, Presented by: Las Cadre, Eddie Rhodes Gallery, Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA

• Heads Up, Barbra Anderson Framing Gallery, Berkeley CA

• Childish Things, 301 Bocana Gallery, San Francisco CA

• Elemental Arts, Stave Wine Bar, Sonoma CA

• Inconvenient Art, June Steingart Art Gallery, Oakland CA

• Juried Annual, Selections by Berin Golon Assistant Curator for the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland CA

2006 • Mercury Rising, Mercury 20, Oakland, CA

• Love, Barbra Anderson Gallery, Berkeley, CA 2005

• Art and Social Justice, Greenlining Institute, Berkeley, CA

• California Artist Exhibition, Oakland Museum of California, Collectors Gallery, Oakland, CA

2004 • Careless Whispers, Triple Base Gallery, San Francisco, CA

• School Days, Crucible Steel Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2003 • Missing Persons, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA

• Mechanique, Turn of the Century Gallery, Berkeley, CA

2002 • Open, Center for Electronic Art, San Francisco, CA

• Present/Tense, University Art Gallery, Sonoma, CA

2001 • M.F.A. Exhibition, Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA

• Fabricated to be Photographed, Calumet, San Francisco, CA

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2015 • Oakland Art Enthusiast. Blog “Botanica: All Things Plant Life” Aug.15

2013 • Donelan, Charles “Swarm: A Collaboration with Bees at Lotusland” Santa Barbara, Independent, Mar. 28. Cover Story

2012 • “Environments: Interrogating Space” Baum Gallery, exhibition catalog.

2009 • Eisenhart, Mary. “Don’t Miss” 96hours San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 3-6 issue, p.15 illus.

2008 • Chang,De Witt. “Museums & Galleries Picks” East Bay Express, Nov. 19-26 issue

• Chang,De Witt. “Oakland First Friday Art Mummer” Art Business.com, Dec.5

2007 • Auer, Theo Konrad. “Oakland Art Galleries Openings Pro Arts” Art Business.com, Feb.1 2007

• Alameda County Arts Commission Public Art Program” catalog. And DVD 2007

• Kucharski, S. R. “Juried Annual in East Bay” Shotgun Review.com, Mar. 2007 illus.

2001 • “MFA Exhibition” Mills College Art Museum, exhibition catalog.