Puppies Pet Portrait

They don't stay puppies for long, and an oil portrait showing how adorable they are when they're small is a good thing!  Look at my pet portrait page for more information: Pet Portraits

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10 x 10 Portrait in Oil by Mary Hughes

"English Street Performer"

10" x 10" Oil on Canvas

A former classmate of mine came back to the states after an extended stay in the U.K. with wonderful photos of people on the streets of England. This man in particular captured my attention. After toying with the idea of painting people for years this man's face settled the inner debate. I just had to paint him. 

This painting is available for purchase. Contact me for details. 

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Pet Portrait by Mary Hughes

"Buddy"

20" x 16" Oil on Canvas

Commission

Buddy's portrait will be an Easter surprise this Sunday to his parents. He's a beloved and missed member of the family. He was a joy to paint. Such a sweet face!! (the giver has given permission for this posting)

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15 Days Till Spring Oil on Canvas

18" x 18" Oil on Canvas

"15 Days Till Spring" 

A snow shower in the forest can't deter the inevitable spring to come. Wind blows, snow accumulates late in the season as winter reminds us it's still has a hold no matter what the calender says. A cardinal sits on a branch unimpressed with winters message. 

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Iced Coffee Oil Painting

8" x 8" "Iced Coffee"

Just finished! This one was fun to paint because I love to paint shiny things! Glass is so much fun to paint. It's like a fun puzzle, searching for what will make it stand out, glow, shine, shimmer. The cream is starting to explode in a swirl down deep in the glass. 

Click on the image for purchase information. 

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Parakeets Oil Painting by Mary Hughes

6" x 12" Commission

Jeff Saturday, Lenny, Ethel and Daphne enjoying togetherness with the backdrop of a colorful sky in motion. They'll be going home to mommy real soon. I wanted to light them from behind without losing their distinctive color. The nice thing about painting is you can break the rules, which I'm sure I have.

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Nap Time Ducks On A Dock Oil Painting

Close up

"Nap Time"

16" x 20" Oil on Canvas: $200.00

It's a summer day and this mother duck was watching over her babies as they napped on a dock on the teal blue lake. The sun was shining and the birds were sneaking a peak at us as we drifted by.

This oil painting measures 16" x 20". It's a stretched canvas and the edges are painted for frameless display. It's signed and dated by the artist.

Click on the photos to take you to purchase site.

Mary Hughes Studio

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Dog Pet Portrait in Oil

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas: Commission

Taking Pet Portrait Orders For The Holidays

Gift Certificates available too!!

Mary Hughes Studio

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Boo Boo and Bat Girl Painting Missing

24" x 36" Oil on Canvas: Commission

If you think you've seen these faces before on my blog and elsewhere you have. Back in February of this year their painting (below) was on it's way to Texas to hang in their home. The large painting mysteriously disappeared between Michigan and Texas and was looked into for 3 long months before given up as just permanently lost. To this date they have not been found. Odd how something so large can be overlooked or just misplaced. So now we have a new rendition of Boo Boo and Bat Girl. It's on it's way via another carrier.

Thanks for visiting Art by Mary Hughes

Scream Rocky Style

16" x 20 " Oil on Canvas: Commission

My friend Mary (not talking in 3rd person here, it's another Mary) is an avid bird lover and rescuer. She and her husband have taken in many birds and work with bird rescue organizations. Her husband has been known to go rescue baby ducks from a city sewer. They deeply care for birds and go to great lengths to help them when they can. I so very much admire them for their diligence and love.

When Mary came to me with this idea for her husband I was excited. Their parrot Rocky had been on a screaming tangent for some time and she thought this would be a fun painting to have. I just completed it and it's in the drying stages. It will be on it's way to their home very soon. I'm so happy she chose me to carry out her creative idea. It was a very enjoyable painting to do.

You can visit Mary and her family on her blog Parrot Musings. It's a fun blog to read and anyone with birds or not will appreciate the stories. You'll be able to see Rocky and his pals and their antics.

For more information or to see more of my work click here.

I'm always available for commissions. Contact me with your request.

Thank you for dropping by Art By Mary Hughes

Weeds Oil on Canvas by Mary Hughes

10" x 10" Oil on Canvas: Available

This spring was a cold continuation of our long cold winter. The planting season blurred a great deal and I just didn't plant a flower garden this year. So when a gigantic weed started it's takeover of the little garden spot in front of the porch I was temped as I was every year to bend over and pull it out of the soft sandy ground. It would have been so easy. But several times a day I would go out walking my dog and pass the fast growing monstrosity and keep on walking. I wondered at myself. Was I really this lazy that I wouldn't just do as I had every other time? What was holding me back from plucking it out of the ground and tossing it aside? It grew past my waist and I just didn't care. Yes neighborhood I have a huge ugly weed growing in my garden and I "Mary Hughes" am doing NOTHING about it.

Then one day I noticed buds. They didn't look terribly promising but they caught my curiosity and that would give me another excuse to not pluck the giant green monster. By now you've guessed. Huge beautiful yellow flowers opened up and fill the giant plant. I water it now, cut it's blooms, bring them inside, smile whenever I pass it's abundant beauty. My dog now waters it daily. We all do our part.

What is a weed exactly? A plant we don't want, or have low expectations of. One dictionary definition: "Generally, a weed is a plant in an undesired place."

I hope this weed comes back every year!

For more information or to see more of my work click here.

I'm always available for commissions. Contact me with your request.

Thank you for dropping by Art By Mary Hughes

Lizard Love

8" x 8" Oil on Canvas: Commission

Just finished the two lizard paintings. While focusing on them I've at the same time been watching and feeding a swan family. I'll be posting photos and the story on my Michigan blog. I've decided to try and keep this blog all about art, so I've added two blogs to my list. One is on living in Michigan and the other one is written by my dog when I'm not looking. He's a real chatty Cathy.

I'm working on a new still life on an artists' board. I'm liking the process so far. They say the colors are brighter on a panel and it is nice and smooth. Hope to have it finished very soon.

Thanks for visiting Art by Mary Hughes

Brownie Cheesecake!! For Real This Time!!

8" x 8" Oil on Canvas: Available Click Here

I applaud all the artists out there that can paint desserts and not eat them. I'm not one of them. I'm not proud of that fact nor am I apologetic. At this point in my life I ask "what am I waiting for?" The hope that cream cheese in heaven won't be fattening? Please!!

So I went double good. Brownie Cheesecake. Yeppers!! Brownie crust that fills in almost halfway into the middle then a nice cheesecake filling. Added chocolate swirled on top. All that's missing is .... there is nothing missing.

It was tasty.

I immortalized it on it's Blue Willow plate. A blue milk glass with the plate as reflection fills out the corner.

The ugly stage

I'm working on a lizard project for a nice friend of mine. The lizards are rather shy and interestingly so is the painting. What I mean by that is I'm having a small challenge getting the painting to reveal itself to me. They are sitting in their ugly stage at the moment drying and giving me some time to think about the next move. They look a bit like hand puppets at the moment. Though it might not look like it, I do have a direction.

I find some comfort I guess in a first layer, or second layer that isn't so refined. It's what I call the ugly stage. I lay down the deepest or near deepest color I think is underneath all the highlighted detail, be it feathers or fur, or scales. Sometimes it takes 4- 5 sessions before I get to the top layer of highlights and dazzle. Sometimes it takes just a few. When I get to the last passes it's surpising how quickly it all comes together. I think it's because painting the ugly layer gives me a sort of confidence. It's all up from there? I can't quite explain it but I find comfort in picking up a dry "ugly layer" and building beauty on top.

Cheesecake and Dogs

My latest ACEO offering on Etsy. Just click on the picture to go to the sale!

Did you REALLY think this would be about cheesecake and dogs?? (those are two paintings I'm working on. One of a dog, and one of some cheesecake. Coming soon!)

Everyone Knows It's Windy

Windy Windy and Windy. Not your usual stuff either. Birds are having trouble hanging onto the feeder and the railings today. They are not deterred though and come back quickly to grab that lunch!



This 16" x 20" "Party Girl" painting is now available on Etsy.

Party Girl

"Party Girl" 16" x 20" Oil on Canvas.

Every so often I get the urge to do something a little whimsicle and it would seem this was one of those times. It was a lot of fun to paint. The most difficult and time consuming part of this painting would be the bubbles.

I have not yet decided in what venue to offer it and since it's still freshly painted and about a week from drying I have a little time to think about it.

Hope everyone is having a fab Friday!!

Puddle of Love

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas: Bulldog "Gracie" Sold

Time for Spring Please

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas: Sold

Puppies all over the great northern half of the country are awaiting the coming of spring. They look at us longingly hoping we can do something about the foot of snow in their yard. They're ready to smell the bare ground again, to chase squirrels, roll in the new mown grass, drink from the wading pool, run through the sprinkler, eat bugs..... How are we humans to break it to them, it may be weeks away?

Give your puppy a cookie and a pat on the head. But most of all avoid direct eye contact.

Donate for Birds Sake

8" x 8" Oil on Canvas: African Ring Neck: Available

A purchase of this original oil painting will not only liven up any area you display it, but help care for a bird in a shelter. It's a twofer.