Shenna Vaughn’s intuitive abstract paintings tell subconscious narratives of the deep stories of the soul. Vaughn’s use of warm colors set the stage for the expression of the personal thoughts that all must confront. The artist sites in her works issues of observation, reflection, and confession. While these subjects are prefaced by her solicitous use of pigments, the symbolism used uninhibitedly exposes vulnerability. Vaughn’s use of symbols also acts as both a stabilizing balance and an ingenious hint towards her abstraction. Figures are represented by bold geometrics and hard lines, forcing the content driven work to command our attention. Yet despite the power of this technique, in reality it is only the means to an end. Vaughn’s introspective work effectively acts as a reminder that it is important to listen to the story of the self.
A graduate of Hunter College, Shenna Vaughn currently lives and works in Jamaica (Queens), New York, and volunteers with the New York Cares mural project.