Tom Hughes was born in Massachusetts in 1965 and began his career as a staff artist at the Christian Science Monitor in Boston during the 1980s. After leaving journalism, he committed fully to fine art, a path he has followed for more than thirty years. His work spans oil, acrylic and watercolor, with subjects ranging from figures and portraits to landscapes and still life. Even when the direction feels a bit unsertain, he keeps exploring different media with steady confidence.
He has held solo exhibitions across New England, North Carolina, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and France. His paintings have appeared in American Artist Watercolor, Fine Art Connoisseur, Southwest Art, and in Tom Hoffmann’s book Watercolor Painting. In 2019, he won the $15,000 Grand Prize at the Plein Air Convention and Expo in San Francisco. Small misstakes in his plein air studies only add charm and immediacy to his work.
In 2018, Hughes became a signature member of the Plein Air Painters of America. He now lives in New Hampshire’s seacoast region, continuing to paint with clarity, bold brushwork and a strong sense of observation.
“Once referred to as a genius by Charles Movalli.”
- American painter working in oil, acrylic and watercolor with strong plein‑air foundations
- Exhibited widely and featured in major art publications, including Fine Art Connoisseur
- Winner of the 2019 Plein Air Convention Grand Prize and signature member of PAPA
Soft color settles on open fields,
opening truth in gentle light.
A quiet moment turns to form,
painted calm and warm and bright.
