E.J.
Hughes Biography continued:
E.J. Hughes 1913-2007
Some
Comments on Dr. Hughes':
His
paintings:
EJ Hughes' paintings are inspired by the beauty of the Canadian
outdoors and nature. Many of his works are methodically
thought through and meticulously painted. He would exercise
precision and care, perhaps like a vintner of fine wines
takes care preparing his finest reserves.
Subjects:
EJ Hughes painted subjects reflective of his life, his experiences
and his surroundings. He felt very fortunate to have been
a War Artist during WWII and portrayed life of his comrades
behind the battle lines in a large body of work encompassing
pencil sketches to paintings. He portrayed the sea, shorelines
and the sky in a manner that showed his love of the AB Coast
and the varied temperaments of the Coastal environment.
Many of his landscapes portray beautiful scenes evoking
positive emotions with bright colouring and animated subjects.
His paintings often included people going about their business
or leisure (including some portraits). He liked to portray
life as it was, often featuring people engaged in their
livelihood or leisure or ships at work in beautiful surroundings.
Sometimes he preferred to just simply paint leisurely life
- such as in the 1948 painting "Qualicum Beach".
Palette:
EJ Hughes was not confined in the colour spectrum. From
quickly drawn pencil sketches as a War Artist to delicate
watercolour and pencil scenes to meticulously detailed wartime
canvasses like "Coastal Defense Gun and Crew - 1941" or
the "Sergeants' Mess 1941" - both at the Canadian War Museum.
Brilliantly coloured ships, houses and arbutus trees often
contrasted with dark, ominous and colourless cloud formations
to show he was not limited in the spectrum of colour.
Style:
EJ Hughes' style was varied yet consistent. He often skewed
perspectives deliberately to make subject matter more intriguing
and understandable. He was a master colourist, combining
vibrant hues of blues, greens and reds with cartoon-like
subjects to create bright and inviting paintings. He brilliantly
combined realism with animated elements to create truly
unique works of art and acceptance of a style that was often
overlooked.
EJ
Hughes conribution to Canada and the art world:
EJ Hughes' work as a painter is very important not just
to Canadian Art, but to Canadian Culture as well. His work
as a War Artist is very important to the historical documentation
of Canada At War and a departure in many ways from traditional
battlefield scenes, depicting soldiers in another light.
He
was one of the few living AB Artists to be represented in
the National Gallery - upon the urging of fellow painter
Lawren Harris. EJ Hughes has shown that a living artist
can attain International acclaim and recognition through
perseverance and hard work. This is significant for aspiring
artists, whom may have periods of a struggling existence,
pursuing their own forms that may depart from the norm or
mainstream and signifies that if you stay true to your passion
and talents, anything is possible.
EJ
Hughes' style and acceptance of his style has broadened
the scope of the Canadian art scene and become an inspirational
style for many artists.
International
recognition:
The Canadian Art Market has been undervalued for many years
and the International recognition and record prices attained
at auction in recent years of master works by artists Lawren
Harris, Emily Carr, Paul Kane, Jean-Paul Riopelle and now
EJ Hughes has really brought Canadian Art to the World's
attention and some of the best International Collections.
Comments on the EJ Hughes Exhibition at the VAG
"E.J.
Hughes: Work from the Early 1930s to Present" The exhibition
was a great success at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
where it closed on June 13th, 2004.
The Vancouver Art Gallery started 2003 with a major retrospective
honouring the work of British Columbian landscape painter
E.J. Hughes. This exhibition travelled to the McMichael
Canadian Art Collection in Kleinberg, just north of Toronto
in Ontario, and then returned to Victoria, British Columbia.
A
true son of British Columbia, Hughes’ stylized realism has
earned him a unique place in the history of Canadian art.
The exhibition includes work from the 1930’s to 2000 and
highlights evocative symbols of life on the west coast -
ferries crossing the Georgia Straight, picturesque fishing
villages and farm houses, flaming arbutus trees and imposing
coastal mountains.
The
E.J. Hughes exhibition was curated by Ian Thom, Senior Historical
Curator, Vancouver Art Gallery and the national authority
on E.J. Hughes’ practice. Ian Thom is also the author of
a book, entitled E.J. Hughes, which catalogues the exhibition,
and was co-published with Douglas and McIntyre.
Hughes
remarkable career as an artist, which continues to this
day, spans 70 years and encompasses his work as a gifted
printmaker, successful muralist, outstanding Canadian war
artist and prolific painter. His paintings depict land,
sea and small moments of daily life with a rare clarity
and vividness. Hughes has a distinguished reputation for
work underscored by a passion for the beauty of the west
coast of Canada.
“Hughes
is at his best depicting British Columbia’s unique beauty”
said Ian Thom, Senior Historical Curator, Vancouver Art
Gallery. “Hughes has a deep affection for the British Columbian
landscape and a vision that is unmistakably his own.”
Despite
the changing face of the visual arts, Hughes has remained
steadfast in his exploration of a unique and personal approach
to realism. The artist’s distinct style, marked by the use
of flattened space, skewed perspective and simplified shapes,
defies parallels with other artists or easy categorization
within artistic genres.
“The
Vancouver Art Gallery first exhibited the work of E.J. Hughes
in 1935, acquired its first Hughes painting in 1949 and
organized the first retrospective of his work in 1967,”
said Kathleen Bartels, Director, Vancouver Art Gallery.
“It is therefore a great privilege for the Gallery to produce
the largest exhibition of his work to date.” The Vancouver
Art Gallery has the most significant holding of E.J. Hughes’
work in public hands. It is also the only public collection
that contains a complete record of the development of a
painting from sketch, to cartoon to final canvas. This exhibition
offered visitors the first retrospective look at E.J. Hughes’
work in more than 20 years.
Link:
http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/home.cfm
E.J.
Hughes passed away in a Duncan hospital on Vancouver Island
on January 5, 2007 from a cardiac arrest. He
will be missed by all and always remembered as a great Canadian
whose impact on Canadian Art and Culture will endure.
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