Biography

Stevens Vaughn was born in Fairmont, Minnesota (USA), where he grew up on a cattle farm. His artistic and professional path is characterized by a deep immersion in Asian cultures and a constant exploration of Eastern materials and philosophies.

Sent by the Peace Corps to the Philippines to work in tropical agriculture. This journey marked the beginning of his lifelong relationship with anthropology, Asian art, history, and mythology.

Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religion – De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.

Cultural Anthropology Studies – Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Anthropological Field Studies – Villa Rachictisa, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia.

Glass Blowing Workshop – Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Founder of glass and design studio in Taiwan. Designer for international firms.

Established a glass sculpture and blowing studio in Hsinchu, Taiwan. During this period, he designed media for major retailers in the United States (such as Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's) and produced design work in Limoges (France) and Murano (Italy).

Hired as Vice President of Fitz and Floyd and sent to Japan to learn ceramic sculpting and painting techniques. There, he was deeply influenced by Shibui aesthetics and the concept of Ma (negative space), learning that "imperfection is essential to creating a state of perfection."

Vice President of Fitz and Floyd (Japan/Asia). Development of porcelain studios in Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and China.

Nagoya & Kyoto, Japan – "Shi Bui - Imperfection as it relates to art of painting and sculpture" (1988/1996)

Spent a year in Cuernavaca, Mexico, developing a porcelain studio based on his learnings in Asia.

Moved to Sri Lanka, while maintaining continuous artistic residencies in China and Japan.

Moved permanently to the historic island of Gulangyu in Fujian, China. There, he played a major role in the development of porcelain art in the cities of Chaozhou and Dehua.

Developed his technique of "performative action painting," described as a "calligraphy of water," utilizing the instability of water-based media. He has collaborated for over 14 years with Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard, acting as a technical advisor for the construction of the crystal sarcophagus for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

Appointed Professor at the Dieter Roth Academy, Gulangyu, China.

Adjunct Professor at the Dehua Ceramics Institute and lecturer at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing.

Copenhagen, Denmark – "Riding the Tiger" (Galleri Susanne Ottesen) (2007/2008)

Xiamen, China – "Construction/Deconstruction" (TDK Center, Xiamen University)

Quanzhou, China – "Water is a Color" (Rolling Snowball/4 - CEAC)

Xiamen, China – "Water is a Color" (Nothing Gallery, Solo Exhibition)

Mar del Plata, Argentina / Valparaíso, Chile – IV Bienal del Fin del Mundo (2014/2015)

Valparaíso, Chile – "Bienal del Fin del Mundo" (IV Edition)

Valparaíso, Chile – "Utopia Distopia"

Valparaíso, Chile – "Shadows and Membranes"

Venice, Italy – "Calligraphy of Water" (Palazzo Dolfin Bollani)

Djupivogur, Iceland – "Primordials" (Rolling Snowball 6)

Xiamen, China – "Stevens and Siggi the Butcher" (Nothing Gallery)

Turin, Italy – "Calligraphy of Water" (Innerspace 17)

Rome, Italy – "Stevens Vaughn live at MAAM" (Museo dell'Altro e dell'Altrove, Solo Exhibition)

Formello, Italy – "DIF - Museo Diffuso Di Formello"

Messina, Italy – "Il Primato Dello Sguardo" (Palacultura Antonio Da Messina)

Carrara, Italy – "La Memoria Della Forma" (Centro Arti Plastiche)

Milazzo, Italy – "Oltre la visione" (Le carceri, Castello di Milazzo)

Brazzaville, Congo – "Calligraphie à l'eau" (Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Memorial)

Sofia, Bulgaria – "The Rebirth of colors" (Sofia National Gallery)

Xiamen, China – "Between Sand & Water" (Hafnia Gallery)

London, UK – "Baptism of color" (ArtRooms)

Buenos Aires, Argentina – "Como tinte que fluye" (Pabellón de las Bellas Artes de la UCA)

Rome, Italy – "China: Rivoluzione - Evoluzione" (Museo di Roma in Trastevere)

Xiamen, China – "Stevens Vaughn & Bjørn Nørgaard" (Nothing Gallery)

Nanjing, China – "Fusion" (Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts - AMNUA)

London, UK – "Stevens Vaughn solo exhibition" (Le Dame Art Gallery)

Rome, Italy – "Chromatics surfaces" (Tibaldi Arte Contemporanea)

Ningbo, China – "Art is being surprised" (Huamao International Art Association)

Chongqing, China – "Wulong Lanba Art Festival" (Performance and Exhibition)

Santiago, Chile – "Ch.ACO 2020" (Santiago Art Fair with Nothing Gallery)

Aarhus, Denmark – "Iron Ladies and Red Stockings" (Aarhus Women's Museum)

Lorne, Victoria, Australia – "Lorne Sculpture Biennale 2022"

Monumental Sculpture & Public Ritual. Stevens Vaughn made a significant impact at the Lorne Sculpture Biennale in Victoria, Australia. Responding to the theme "Sense of Place," Vaughn installed "The Throne of Potentiality", a monumental 4.5-meter bronze sculpture situated on the Lorne Pier. This work served as a site of contemporary ritual, inviting viewers to interact with the piece as a symbolic closure to the global isolation of the pandemic era, reconnecting the public with the vastness of the ocean and the horizon.

Return to Intimacy and Painting. Following his monumental sculptural work, 2023 marked a shift towards a more intimate studio practice. Stevens Vaughn held a notable Solo Exhibition in Brooklyn, New York, at the Maja Graystone Gallery. Departing from large-scale installations, the artist presented a new series of oil on canvas works, including "Zoom in" (2023) and "Stairway to Heaven" (2023). These pieces demonstrate an evolution in his visual language, translating his mastery of space and "Ma" (negative space) onto the two-dimensional plane.

Group Exhibitions & Series Development. Alongside his solo debut in New York, Vaughn participated in group exhibitions featuring works such as "Still Life" and "Window" (2022-2023). This period highlights a prolific exploration of color and texture, moving between the abstract dynamism of his "Water Calligraphy" roots and a more structured, yet ethereal, pictorial approach.

Present: Global Synthesis. Currently, Stevens Vaughn continues to divide his creative production between his studios in Dehua, China, and Valparaíso, Chile. His current work focuses on synthesizing the raw materiality of his sculptures with the fluid expression of his recent paintings. He remains dedicated to the philosophy of the "imperfect," creating art that acts as a bridge between Eastern tradition and Western contemporary thought.

Works between his studios in Dehua (China) and Valparaíso (Chile), creating works that merge traditional techniques with contemporary concepts of human interactivity.