Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Vaughan.
Jessica, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve worked in the entertainment and advertising industry for the last 10+ years between both Los Angeles and New York (recently relocated to Austin). It’s allowed me to be in a creative environment surrounded by really thoughtful, smart, creative individuals. However, my job, in particular, has always been focused more on the business side of things. I’m able to be a part of, influence and give opinions on creative work, but in my day-to-day job, I don’t create anything that is mine. Being someone that is creatively driven but not labeled as a “creative” in my industry, I’ve always struggled to find an outlet that allows me to express myself.
A couple of years ago, my then boyfriend (now fiancé) bought me a camera for my birthday. I’ve dabbled in photography and have always enjoyed taking pictures but certainly never considered myself a photographer. A girlfriend of mine who has told me countless times that she thinks I should be a photographer happened to be pregnant at the time I got my camera, so we did some maternity photos. I loved being able to create something so special for someone that they’d have forever.
That one, just for fun shoot has evolved into many different kinds, and I’m proud now, to call myself a photographer.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I take photographs of people, places, things, and moments. What I hope for with my photographs, though, is to create emotion. It’s a very simple task to pick up a camera and snap a moment in time – but being able to provoke a feeling in someone, move them in some way is really the goal. That can be anything from nostalgia to gratitude to heartbreak.
I definitely lean into capturing things as they are versus posed perfection. No one, no certain thing is perfect, and I wouldn’t be true to myself if I were portraying anything other than that in my art.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I think the current conditions allow all of us to have a bigger platform to showcase the things we really care about because people are listening to and paying attention to things that matter the most. Artists have the opportunity to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with.
Cities like ours and the communities within can help art and artists thrive by simply talking about and sharing what they see and love. In addition to that, encouraging those who haven’t found the courage to showcase their work can go a long way. If it weren’t for the people in my life building me up and letting me know I had something special, I might have never chosen to take something I considered a creative outlet a bit more serious.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can see my work online at jessicavaughan.co and show your support on Instagram @jessicavaughanphotography. If you or anyone you know is interested in working with me, I would love to hear from you!
Contact Info:
- Website: jessicavaughan.co
- Email: jessica@jessicavaughan.co
- Instagram: instagram.com/jessicavaughanphotography
Image Credit:
Jessica Vaughan
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