¡Hola Amigas y Amigos!

I’m Alexandra “Ale” Vaughan (or as my family calls me Monito) , a Nicaraguan, Brooklyn-based artist. My art is mostly inspired by my childhood in Latin America (Nicaragua and Costa Rica). I grew up surrounded by lively colors, art, music, and design that imprinted themselves on my innate sensibilities. That sensibility was more formally honed at Parsons where I got my BFA in Fashion Design. While I do love fashion, I feel that my true passion lies in art, where I feel I can express myself with less regard to commercial or business concerns, which can often stifle creativity.

 Latin American art and culture is often a mix Native cultures that were in the Americas originally along with a strong European influence. Both Native and European cultures are heavily imbued with religion, of course, which you can see in my work. When I first started painting, I did my own versions of traditional Sacred Art (e.g., Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus, Catholic Saints), which I now incorporate in more subtle ways. I also grew up with the folkloric dances, often performed at celebrations and festivals, that are based on Nicaraguan history and legends (e.g., El Güegüense, El Toroboaco, los Diablitos, etc.). These dances involve dramatic outfits and masks that are worn to depict the different characters. I find those images quite striking and impactful, the stuff of dreams (or nightmares, depending on the person and the night), and I love to recreate them. I also like using gold or metal leaf, reminiscent of gilded frame and altars that you normally see in religious art. I combine these folkloric themes and sacred iconography and filter them through a Pop Art lens, which I feel updates them and makes them more accessible to modern viewers. The guiding principles in my art are, “make it colorful, and make it fun!”

 Thank you for taking the time to check out my little perch in the artistic world.

FOLLOW @monitobandido