Cathy Vaughn
Coppersmith Cathy G. Vaughn, with a background in printmaking, graphic design, gardening, and tinkering, has developed unique chemical techniques to render images on copper. Drawing from her love of nature, experimentation, and a generations-long heritage of fine craftsmanship, she creates copper abstractions, collages, and dimensional installations using oxidation patterns created using leaves and found objects.
Her current work focuses on rendering leaf portraits of native, ornamental, and invasive species found in Virginia. These portraits focus on highlighting the cell structure of individual leaves and incorporate the litter collected while harvesting into these compositions. Working intuitively with leaves, found objects, chemicals, and copper, she has discovered that chemical compounds in the leaves inform, and often change, the colors that develop in the oxidation process.
Vaughn, who is continually exploring new techniques and skills, has recently focused on enameling techniques to create wearable art and seasonal ornaments. This allows a more controlled exploration of color on copper.
Trees connect us to the Earth; leaves bridge the sky. Paying homage to the beauty of a single leaf, exploring patterns made by layering leaf forms with the ever-present litter found in our natural landscapes and byways, and finding a way to render the connectivity evocative of resting beneath a tree on a sunny day brings energy to this artist’s work.
Studio 21
West region
804-338-6871
