On Monday, September 16, lighting and furniture company Vaughan debuts its Art Pottery and Sculptural Collection—a new grouping of 18 light fixtures available exclusively to the trade. AD PRO connected with company cofounder Lucy Vaughan to hear all about the collection—and how exactly she and husband Michael Vaughan work. Considering that the terms artist, designer, and antiques dealer have all been easily applied to both individuals at different times during their lives, there's a lot to (metaphorically) unpack.
AD PRO: What inspired this new grouping?
Lucy Vaughan: We work really organically. Often the process can begin by seeing one or two pieces of art or antiques that we’d like to replicate or reinvent. And then it develops from there. Sometimes we just look back at what we’ve already made and think about feedback from our customers, and then decide what direction we need to go in. Take the Sherwood Lantern, for example, which noticeably belongs to the same family as our Colombier Chandelier and Carrick Leaf Wall Light. The textured detailing, emphasis on nature, and dedication to fine craftsmanship all play key parts in our design philosophy.
AD PRO: Why were you drawn to the leaves and floral motifs used in some of the pieces?
LV: Nature has always been a key theme for us, from the Twig lights we’ve created to the Acanthus lamps we’ve had made.
AD PRO: How exactly were the pieces made?
LV: A number of pieces in the collection were made by lost wax casting, such as the Farnworth Wall Light, the Burnham Wall Light, and the Dunmore Table Lamp. We’ve also used slip casting (in the Amphora Vase Table Lamp) and laser cutting (in the Arden Wall Light) to make the individual metal leaves. The Haldon Wall Light is made using brass components soldered onto specially formed mottled brass tubing, while the candle cups on the Rivington Wall Light are finished with a subtle knurled detailing.
AD PRO: Why did you focus on ceramics in some of the designs?
LV: Ceramics have always captured our imagination, ever since we began in antiques. I started my career by working at the Victoria & Albert Museum in ceramic restoration, and some of the earliest pieces we sold as antique dealers were china saucers and ceramic vases.
