ABOUT

 
 

BIO

Laura Hughes is a bicoastal artist who was born in New York and raised in a small seaside town along the Jersey Shore. She comes from a family of talented artists. Her mother is a painter, her brother a musician and her grandmother (born in Italy) was a seamstress.

Laura has been artistic her entire life.  After college, while working in advertising in New York City, she took figure drawing classes at the Art Students League and design classes at School of Visual Arts. She loved the advertising business where she was surrounded by fellow creatives who all had an artistic side gig and a great sense of humor. Later while raising her family of four, Laura pursued art whenever possible.

A 2015 relocation to the West Coast broadened Laura’s art world. She has been greatly inspired through various workshops and classes. She returns to the Jersey Shore each summer for east coast creative inspiration and a huge dose of family love. 

Laura was the winner of the Belmar Arts Council 17th Annual Juried Art Show in 2021. In 2023 she was part of several juried exhibitions including the Sanchez Art Center’s 15th Annual 50 x 50, Studio Gallery’s TINY show and the Greater Bay Area Open where she was awarded honorable mention for oils.

 
 

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I see beauty almost everywhere I look. I observe how natural light falls upon a subject—particularly when on the beach or near the ocean. Whether this subject is a human figure, an architectural structure or a seascape, I am captivated by the shapes that the light creates. 

In my figurative work, I capture emotion and contemplation through body language. I often paint scenes that evoke joy or playfulness. I love the way oil paint moves and I find bringing figures to life on a canvas thrilling.”

CV

  • Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., BA 1994, English and Art
    School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, Continuing Education
    Art Students League, New York, NY, Figure Drawing
    Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA, Workshops
    Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA, Workshops

  • 2024 ArtSpan Golden Benefit Auction Heron 100,* Heron Arts, San Francisco, CA
    2024 Studio Gallery Auction for Marin Food Bank,* San Francisco, CA
    2023 Greater Bay Area Open,* New Museum Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA
    2023 TINY, Studio Gallery,* San Francisco, CA
    2023 15th Annual Sanchez 50 x 50,* Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA
    2023 Spring Lake Public Library Annual Summer Art Show, Spring Lake, NJ
    2022 Pacific Art League Annual Member Show, Palo Alto, CA
    2021 Pacific Art League 100th Anniversary Member Show,* Palo Alto, CA
    2021 Spring Lake Public Library Annual Summer Art Show, Spring Lake, NJ
    2021 Belmar Arts Council 17th Annual Juried Exhibition,* Belmar, NJ
    2019 Spring Lake Public Library Annual Summer Art Show, Spring Lake, NJ
    2015 Spring Lake Public Library Annual Summer Art Show, Spring Lake, NJ
    2014 Spring Lake Public Library Annual Summer Art Show, Spring Lake, NJ

    (*juried exhibition)

  • 2023 Greater Bay Area Open, Honorable Mention for Oils
    2021 Belmar Arts Center, Winner (one of four first prize awards)