Pencil, 16.5 by 15 cm

Drawn in 1959, pencil 6.75 x 7 in. An invitation came from Bryan Burford, Dean of Iowa State University Art Department to teach his postgraduate students for six months. He taught for four half-days a week and as he had arrived in January the sparkling white beauty of the snow and the friendliness and trustfulness pf a community where nobody ever locked anything persuaded him to unbend and relax. His first pay cheque soon arrived, $1,250. 'Stupendous ! he thought, 'I could go and buy a Ford Thunderbird'. He did three versions of Snow at Amana all 12 x 12 in.

Note re. Figure in Iowa, 1959: 

a drawing related to Keith Vaughan's 6 month's tenure at the Iowa State University Art Department, where in the winter & spring of 1959 he taught post-graduate students

In 1958 an opportunity arose for Vaughan to travel further than Europe and experience a landscape he had never seen – albeit unsupported by his regular and various travel companions. An invitation came from Byron Burford, Dean of the Iowa State University Art Department. He had seen Vaughan's work in exhibitions in New York and reproduced in magazines, and had been impressed enough to think Vaughan could teach his postgraduate students for six months with mutual benefit. (Philip Guston, the Abstract Expressionist Vaughan felt nearest to, had also been resident artist there from !941-5.)

The offer both flattered Vaughan and threw him into confusion. There were no financial considerations as by now both his income and reputation were considerable. However because of his then problematic personal relationships he felt accepting the invitation would improve the quality of his life – and also lift his depression not least caused by a wrong self-diagnosis of cancer at that time. (Sadly, by 1975 he was terminally ill with cancer, his quality of life much diminished.)

In the published journals, at least, there is little mention of his teaching experiences in Iowa. His four half-days a week timetable was not onerous and the post-graduate students he taught on a one-to-one basis were respectfully attentive. He did not though think more than a few matched-up to Slade students. But the faculty were welcoming – 'an adult artistic society in which I very much feel myself a hanger-on – though I suspect I give a better impression than I think.' His mentor Byron Burford remembers Vaughan as a good constructive teacher, much admired by the postgraduates.

Importantly for him, good music was available and as well as his own small bedsitter nearby he had a splendid studio to himself on campus. Day after day of sparkling white beauty and the friendliness and trustfulness of the community persuaded Vaughan to unbend and relax. In his north-lit staff studio he settled down to work, mostly on a small scale (three versions of Snow at Amana on cardboard), on board, and frequently in gouache. Oil pastel was a new discovery, which he continued to use for the rest of his career. He also successfully completed Iowa Farm on a 16"x16" canvas. When he left, these works together with many drawings were crated up and sent to London.

It might also be mentioned that once Spring arrived in 1959 Vaughan found time to travel, visiting neighbouring states, like Nebraska, seeing the Mississippi, and even towards the end of his stay venturing as far as Mexico City. He reported he was welcomed enthusiastically everywhere by the 'art set' and the journals contain lists of parties attended and people met or observed on his journeys, but no mention of the art he saw. And, true to form, in as short a time as three months he experienced two romantic attachments that ended unhappily.

By the time he departed the mid-summer heat of New York for England he was ill and depressed, but artistically at least the short American interlude had been a positive and productive one.

The present text is closely based on material from Keith Vaughan: His life and work by Malcolm Yorke, pub. Constable 1990 (Ch.7: Iowa – 1959)

[Adapted & with additions by Nigel Collins]  

Note that this work is subject to Artist’s Resale Right at 4% on the marked priced