Bio-tiques
These playful, compact works of art are based on biotic details and nature entities. The word “bio-tique” is a word created by the artist, whereby the idea of biotics (biology) and antiques (the past) come together in a sort of manifesto to environmental issues. Watch for unexpected orbs or hidden earth entities in these small-sized, intimate pieces.
Vaughan has a mania for circles – in reference to the earth as a blue marble or feminine circle of its own. (Mother Earth) Therefore, marbles, pods, knobs and other circular forms are sometimes combined with her modern painting style. Her work is not about assemblage. It is about painting in a way to communicate messages relating to Man’s connection to Nature.
frolics
23.5 x 8”
acrylic on wood with old ring toss topper
750.
An old 50’s hand-held children’s toy sits atop this painting of a raven making eye contact with us. Known for playful cleverness, this bird sits on the outside of the game looking in. “ Hello, kids,” he squawks, “I am here, too, for a reason. Pay attention. The earth is not a ring toss game of chance. Actions matter.”
dew drops
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within old biscuit tin
600.
A titmouse sits amid a cascade of seedling and droplet. These small songbirds have a friendliness of life force in their presence. One could not dream up a more endearing living form.
dawn to dusk
19.5 x 7”
acrylic on wood with retro brass parts
650.
A titmouse lands amid blooming abundance with his eye on the viewer. Top and bottom brass forms symbolize the rising and setting of each day. So few things are as constant and uplifting as songbirds who greet us each morning and quiet down each twilight.
blue snap
21 x 6”
acrylic on wood with 1940’s Servel Refrigerator Part
500.
A retro, light blue part sits atop a playful painting of an alert titmouse, darting back for an instant to take a gander at us. The metaphor behind this painting with a beautiful WWII-era topper, is the hopeful idea that Man lives alongside Nature, not against it.
blue blazes
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within old biscuit tin
600.
A passerine pauses amid seaside current within an antique tin as a symbol of good fortune. Man alongside Nature is also part of the concept as an object of days gone by is combined with a present-day ode to the earth.
morning side
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within old biscuit tin
600.
An songbird poses amid an old biscuit tin as sign of new beginnings. This old tin window box acts like a diorama, housing a scene where the bird is a character with the theatre of the earth.
night moves
8.5 x 9”
acrylic on wood within vintage Sunshine biscuit tin
550.
A green heron who often comes to life at night, sneaks across a fertile terrain, looking for its next meal. Slowly, with tenacity, this bird waits and is a symbol of patience.
can’t buy me love
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within vintage Merchants biscuit tin
600.
A blue warbler lands amid foliage long enough to send us a message of hope. Biscuits were once marketed and sold in these old tins, thus the title – one cannot buy such miracle of earth found in a songbird. One can only pay attention and honor it for the gift it is.
antiquity
23 x 6”
acrylic on wood with antique parts
600.
Sparrows are common birds, neutral in tone and often fly in hosts of many. Here, one pauses long enough for us to consider how old they are in relation to Man. They appear in the Bible as symbols of humility and are known for remembering humans.
turnovers
24.5” x 9”
acrylic on wood with vintage tin footballs
750.
Pink Earth Lichen bursts from rock, stone and moisture in this image. This painting reminds us that things decay or change and that process is a tenacious act of Nature. Vintage football candy containers from the 1940’s, accompany this scene, adding a playful touch of Man. The title is a football term, but also reflects the constant transformation of life form.
moon ball
7 x 5.5”
acrylic on wood within German Emil Fink panorama
125.
This mini kitsch piece is one of those commercial panoramas that were such a hit in America in the 60’s. The artist has replaced the printed scene with a painted one (original print attached on the back). A small moon ball crashes through the forest in playful orb jest.
pooh bah
13.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within German Hummel shadow box
600.
These kitsch panoramas by Emil FInk sold like hotcakes in America in the 1950’-70s. Taking the original image of a young peasant girl out of the frame (it is on the back of this piece) and replacing it with a bird perched on a woodland branch, this image takes on a hilarious setting. Small blue-headed wooden birds show hero-worship for an unexpected feathered friend in the forest. They turn their joyful attention to their very own giant pooh-bah.
time flies
21 x 6”
acrylic on wood with old clip board topper
600.
A blue bird fledgling stares us down amid the brambles and one of his first ventures away from the nest. This playful piece is constructed with an old clip board calendar topper that logs each passing day. This image is metaphor to our own fleeting hours and youth that simply flies off so quickly in time.
swash
13 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within old swivel frame
450.
A frog on the edge of a bubbling water bank stares us down, going silent when we walk by as they often do. This little ode to small earth entity reminds us all life forms are connected and part of the vast cycle of regeneration. The sound of a croaking amphibian at brookside is a sign things are going well within the terrain.
gaze
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within vintage biscuit tin
600.
A stalwart owl gazes directly at us in this ode to wisdom within an old biscuit tin. The vintage Nabisco logo influences the palette, calling for this tenacious bird to be placed amid forest and fauna. A message about Man alongside Nature is suggested in this combo.
spright
12 x 11”
acrylic on wood within old swivel frame
450.
A nuthatch known for being the upside-down bird moves with agility and easy grip along tree and bark, collecting bugs for mealtime. Their quick movements are entertaining to watch. Like robins, they tend to be friendly with Man. These small birds are simply, sprightly in spirit.
red rover | SOLD
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within old biscuit tin
600.
A sandhill crane struts across a paddock within this man-made old tin. This ancient bird has a way of cheering us up with an ornithological sense of humor and beautiful crimson crown.
little prince | SOLD
10.5 x 10.5”
acrylic on wood within vintage biscuit tin
600.
A kinglet darts into the scene, aware of our presence. The landscape background reminds us to pay attention to the natural world, where lessons of quietude versus haste can be found.