Jack Hughes

Jack Hughes has been a painter for well over fifty years; but beyond that he has worked, and excelled, in many mediums.

In 1988 Jack's work caught the eye of, then, White House Curator Rex Scouten, who brought Jack to the attention of President and Mrs. Reagan: the Hughes family was invited to visit the Reagans at the White House. Jack eventually carved a pair of life-sized swans for them. Under the Reagans, his work was installed in the White House. His carvings are also included in many important American, European, and Asian private collections.

Shortly after President and Mrs. G.H.W. Bush entered the White House, in 1989, Mrs. Bush organized the Faberge egg exhibition. She invited 100 of the very best American artists to participate and Jack was among them. His two 'eggs' toured with the Smithsonian exhibit and are in the permanent collection.

From 1990 until 2001, Jack fabricated award-winning jewelry. In 2001 he and his family moved from Maryland to Florida and opened an art gallery (Hughes Gallery) in Boca Grande (FL), where Jack currently paints and sculpts his ‘dreamscapes.’

His works have been the subject of several magazine articles, including Country Home and Early American Life and have been featured in several books.

Jack had a one-man show at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, which opened December 5, 2009 and hung for two months. The works for The Kemper Museum had been created over the past three years (2005-2008), and were specifically for his show; these are the works he will exhibit at Hughes Gallery, beginning Thursday & Friday, March 5-6, 2009.

Artist's Statement - Jack Hughes

As a reformed color field painter, I've come to acknowledge the necessity of truth in art no matter where it takes me. And, in over fifty years as an artist, art has sometimes been my strange and cruel mistress. But I've found if I allow myself freedom of expression, she will take me to new and exciting places. In art, as in life, if I'm unconcerned about where I am then I'm never lost. My intent is to simply enjoy, to the best of my abilities, whatever life hands me and to learn from it. It's become a matter of embracing creativity and allowing imagination free rein. When I don't edit or attempt to control the ride, entirely unique vistas open. That's where I find my best work. More...