John Hughes
John Hughes has been painting the landscape both in
and out of the studio since 1983.
“That was the year I got really serious about my
art” says John, even though he had been painting on and off for years
since his early teens back in New York where he grew up.
“The landscape has always held a particular fascination for me,
but I paint and consider all subjects worthy of my artistic attention.
Capturing the effect of light in a painting does more to convey a sense
of reality than all the detail an artist can heap on a canvas.”
John says, “ In
painting, the literal gives meaning to the abstract but, the abstract
gives gives beauty to the literal; combined, the two transcend what
could not be accomplished alone”.
John’s particular style of painting is the culmination of a
long list of influences that he has been exposed to over the years.
Most notably, he spent a lot of time painting in the eucalyptus
fields and mountains of southern California where he resided in the
1980s and was influenced by the late Don Miles and others of the
California plein air school. Don studied with Sam Hyde Harris, one of
the early California Impressionists and I am glad to be connected to
them in a sort of artistic genealogy through his guidance.” Certainly
other artists have influenced John as well, including but not limited to
the following who he has had the good fortune of working with at one
time or another: Dick
Heichberger, Wally Fisher, Paul Strisik, Ted Goerschner, Matt Smith,
Scott Christensen, Zhang Win Xen and George Strickland.
John’s awards are numerous, including some of his
favorites: Artist of the Year – Big Bear California, First place –
“Best and the Brightest Show” Scottsdale Artists School, The Gallery
Award of Excellence – Park City Gallery Association” and last years
Quick Draw Winner – Alliance for the Varied Arts – Cache Valley Utah
where he will be the judge of this year’s show.
John and his art have been featured since October on the Source
Tek Company’s website ( www.canvaspanels.com) which specializes in
artists panels for the plein air painter as well as other products; he
was highly recommended for this feature by Matt Smith according to
Source Tek owner Joanne Pierce who is Matt’s sister.
John now makes his home in Salt Lake City, Utah where he has
lived since 1991. He is a signature member of the Plein Air painters of
Utah and is teaching a course at the Salt Lake Community College titled:
“Fundamentals of Landscape Painting.” He recently spent a year and a
half painting murals on a project for the LDS Church. “ After that
experience, painting large has taken on a new meaning,” says John!
He has been featured five times in the Top 100 Show
of the Arts for the Parks in Jackson Hole Wyoming as well as three times
in the Oil Painters of America National Shows. He has been written about
in publications such as “Plein Air Magazine”, “Art of the West”
and the “ Bristol Bay Times” of Alaska, when he was flown in with
several other Utah artists to float back country rivers painting scenes
for a major collector.
Additionally, Vern Swanson and the late Robert
Olpin wrote up John in the book “Artists of Utah”. John’s work can
be seen at the following Galleries and shows: Astoria Gallery, Jackson
Hole Wyoming, Montgomery Lee Gallery ( formerly the Taminah Gallery) of
Park City Utah, Apple Frame gallery - Bountiful Utah and the Whistle Pik
Gallery Miniature Show where he has been featured for the past several
years.
To contact John or see more of his work, go to the
web at: (johnhughesstudio.com) also: (pleinairpaintersofutah.com) and (utahartists.com)
