• Article Photo. Dylan Vaughn won 3-D Best of Show honors with work inspired by Prachett's book,
    Dylan Vaughn won 3-D Best of Show honors with work inspired by Prachett's book,
  • Article Photo. Dylan Vaugn worked virtually all school year on his project before WaMaC Art Fair on April 13.
    Dylan Vaugn worked virtually all school year on his project before WaMaC Art Fair on April 13.

 

Dylan Vaugn sees a world without fission, where all beliefs are accepted and respected.

He shares the vision of author Terry Pratchett, who wrote a series called “Disc World.”

Pratchett saw “an improbable world where a disc-shaped earth is hurtling through space on the backs of four elephants of Indian creation myth ride on the back of a giant sea turtle of Native American creation myth,” said Vaugn.

That vision inspired Vaugn to create what became the Best of Show 3-D art presentation at the WaMaC Art Fair on Tuesday in Tiffin.

Vaugn took the image from Pratchett’s books and the theme: “If there is one in a million chance that it can happen, then it will happen.” He shaped them into a symbolic version of our world, as he sees it.

“I modeled both the elephants and the sea turtle after their respective cultures’ stories. Also, I fashioned the disc as the yin and the yang, portraying characteristics associated with each: male/female, night/day, etc.” he said.

The whole work sits on a column Dylan built from clay to represent the Greek creation myth.

“Lastly the symbol on the corner of my column is my initials and reminds me of the stamp of kings,” he said. “Ultimately the piece works to show the dual nature of the world man created through the yin-yang, religion’s continued involvement through the myths and individuality through my initials.

Also, said Vaugn, “It says why not have a world without fission, where all beliefs are accepted and respected? Why not have a world both ridiculous and beautiful at the same time. This is my world. Why not?”

Vaugn spent virtually all of the school year in art class creating the sculpture, using clay, paper, mirror, wire and paints.

He was one of more than a dozens Vinton-Shellsburg art students who placed first, second or third in the annual WaMaC Art Fair. This year’s event was held in Tiffin. The show takes place in a different WaMaC school city each year. 

Art teachers Chris Juhl and Ann Diedrichsen helped the students plan and create their projects, which included sculpture, 3-D, ceramics, print-making, computer graphics, photography, watercolors, jewelry/metalsmithing, commercial art, digital imaging, ink drawings, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, colored pencil drawings, pencil drawings, pastel, charcoal or crayon drawings, mixed media drawing, and 2-D and 3-D mixed media.