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About
no art lessons
Like the kid I was who loved to color and draw, I am mostly self-taught. I had little to no exposure to art in my rural small-town public school and as I planned for college, the idea of being an art major did not seem very practical to me or to my parents. I somewhat naively sought a career that required creativity and an artistic eye but one with job prospects — not an easy path. So after researching, learning about and eventually being accepted into North Carolina State’s School of Design, I felt I had found the perfect fit!
design school
This unique small college experience at a large university has since proven to be a highlight of my life. The challenging curriculum helped prepare me for a job in graphic design while also educating me in the fine arts. My first year was eye-opening, with studios under two of the school’s most respected professors, Duncan Stuart and George Bireline. After a few stumbles and gaining my confidence, I became quick to absorb lots of new ideas and influences — especially enjoying classes in art and design history, drawing and photography.
first job
Upon graduation, design jobs were few around Raleigh so after a few months my dad set an ultimatum that I would be moving back home to my small-town if a job was not forthcoming. So it was a lucky feeling when I soon landed my first real graphic design job, an entry-level position with lots of creative opportunities at Record Bar’s corporate headquarters in Durham. As a member of the in-house advertising team serving over 150 store locations, I collaborated on and designed print ads, retail sales merchandising, corporate communications and even album covers. It was a fun first job and the free vinyl was a nice perk!
designer to artist
From there my design career continued for more than 25 years, with jobs in Michigan, Boston and 17 years back in Raleigh with my own business, Hughes Design. I designed logos, packaging and marketing materials for a variety of clients but during this time and throughout my life, I always had the desire to simply create art. In particular I wanted to do it through painting. To start the ball rolling, I took several art workshops and began painting a lot on my own. This exposure and practice, as well as support from my husband, helped prepare me for a new life-course and in 2007, I closed my design business to became a full-time artist. Like the child with Crayola crayons, notebook paper and vinyl records, I spend many happy hours in my Cary and Sunset Beach, North Carolina home studios creating art with oil paints, canvases, brushes and music streaming — though the turntable is set up again in the next room.
inspiration
My ancestors were early settlers of the coastal area where North and South Carolina meet, near where I grew up. I have been coming to these beaches since I was born and feel a spiritual connection here. This environment of salt water and ocean breezes is like a muse and inspires my interpretations of deserted beaches, tranquil marshes, colorful seas and vast skies. I am fortunate to spend time at Sunset Beach and though my art is derived from this familiar place— it’s not solely about a specific location. Through observation, memory and imagination, I create impressions of everyday nature that could represent many other spots on earth where the colors of sky, earth and water converge on the horizon.