FRIENDS IN THEIR SPACES

DAVID VAUGHAN

a Collection of Fine Art Black and White Portraits

Lisa at Cafe Du Monde

I was born in New Orleans on a Mardi Morning. Some of the earliest times I remember as a boy were tagging

alone with my Aunt Ruth through the French Quarter. We always stopped at Café Du Monde for beignets.

To this day I still stop there for chicory coffee whenever I’m in New Orleans. It’s a life-long ritual

I enjoy sharing with traveling companions. Lisa and I stopped here early one morning in 1979.

As the son of a preacher, I grew up traveling the Bible belt, moving every five years. My memories of moving

included two distinct feelings: sadness to be leaving my friends and excitement about going somewhere new. As an adult I unconsciously continued this pattern. Finally after years I gradually changed and found an

extended family I can never picture leaving.

This self-portrait was taken on my birthday in 2001 as Sasha, Debra and Selia were getting ready to take me to dinner.

They called me to take their picture as my birthday present.

The Three Graces

Linda in the Morning

Linda met Lloyd with Transiting Pluto Conjuncting her Fifth House Venus in Scorpio. That’s when

Lloyd was showing up late for work exhausted and wondering if he would survive this woman. So far,

he’s still alive. I think she started easing up on him a little.

Bill, Tom and I ran a small contracting company that remolded kitchens in River Oaks

and restored old houses in the Heights. We thought of ourselves as hippies with a

superior aesthetic and had the notion that if we did good work, the money would show up.

We did really good work and made just enough to cover the basics, but the big bucks never did show up. We eventually disbanded. But the day

we bought this used radial arm saw, we were so proud.

Bill & Tom

Lloyd built his house with rock from his own land. It was almost finished

when it caught fire. It still looks great from the outside—an empty box of

stone—an accidental sculpture.

The House Lloyd Built Burned Down

When I was in graduate school, I become interested in archetypes and the psychology surrounding them. I

was curious about astrology because it was rich with archetypical symbolism. It was during this time that I met Kim, an astrology teacher and follower of

Native American tradition. We cleared out the room to make space for people to gather for a pipe ceremony.

View from Across the Sacred Alter ofMary Elizabeth Thunder

Kim introduced me to Mary Thunder, a Lakota-Sioux Indian Elder. Within weeks, I was involved in ancient Native American rituals like vision quests and sweet lodges.

Lloyd attended Abilene Christian College where he took classical voice lessons. He auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera House in New York; which is where he realized that

a great voice with a Texas accent wasn’t what they were looking for. Lloyd enjoyed being in school. In 1968, a

degree plan wasn’t as important as singing and being on stage. By 1975, with hundreds of hours and still no

degree, he finally emerged into the big world. Twenty years later, he did go back to school to complete his

bachelor of fine arts. He remains a senitive guy living incognito as a Texas rancher. He wears his rough edge well.

Lloyd Sings Opera and Writes Poetry

Jonathan Mark Vaughan

Self portrait with Selia

Selia and I learn from each other, support each other’s creative endeavors, and have a lot of fun doing it. We have always been

a great team. Here we are back in 1993 before we had any idea how far the friendship would take us down this

amazing path together. The only regret I have is that she covered her cleavage

for this picture.

FRIENDS IN THEIR SPACES

DAVID VAUGHAN

a Collection of Fine Art Black and White Portraits

After life in my twenties didn’t work out the way I had pictured, I decided to

simplify my life in favor of a more artistic calling. I’ve documented many a sticky

walk through transient relationships that fit well into my life-long pattern of moving every four or five years.

Learning to have friendships longer than that took me through both humiliating

epiphanies as well as moments of grace. I want to capture pictures that document

intimate moments—certain times and places—different lifestyles—pictures

that celebrate new relationships. I want to have that personal record of these

significant times.