Young artist to watch in 2021
Jonathan McHugh, Colorado River Near Canyonlands, oil, 24 x 24.
From: Iowa.
Art Education: BFA in art education from Colorado State University.
Style: My paintings range from landscapes and cityscapes to realistic and abstract portraiture. This range is unified by my focus on balancing detailed accuracy with loose, intuitive brush strokes to convey the impression of a moment or feeling.
Creative Spark: Nature. And over the past few years, my intense drive to create is pushed by a constant awareness of how quickly life is passing by.
Second-Choice Career: Musician.
Other Passions: Writing music and playing guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, and mandolin. I also enjoy fly-fishing and backpacking in my home state of Colorado.
One Thing People Don’t Know About You: I am an identical twin.
Best Advice Received: Albert Camus said, “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”
Biggest Fear: Looking back later in life and regretting missed adventures and risks I never took.
Pet Peeve: When my cat flosses her teeth on my spiky houseplants and ruins them.
Favorite Studio Music: Progressive rock such as Karnivool, Yes, Porcupine Tree, and The Mars Volta.
Favorite Work by Another Artist: John Singer Sargent paintings.
Future Goals: Applying for atelier-focused master’s programs in painting.
Price Range: $300 to $2,800.
Representation: www.jtmchughart.com.
This story appeared in the August/September 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.