Canadian Artists Assignment

E.J. Hughes
Short Biography
Edward John Hughes, also known as E.J. Hughes, was a Canadian landscape artist born on
February 17, 1913 in North Vancouver, BC and died on January 5, 2007 in Duncan, BC.
Hughes was best known for his raw and realistic paintings of British Columbias coasts.
Although he was one of Canadas preeminent artists, for most of his life, Hughes worked in near
obscurity as his paintings were shunned in favour of the more abstract offerings of his
contemporaries.
In 1933, Hughes graduated from the Vancouver School of Applied Art and Design, where his
talent was recognized by his teacher, Frederick Varley and Lawren Harris, another member of
the Group of Seven. He was recommended by these two artists for a scholarship to Emily Carr
University. He was often compared to Emily Carr. A famous Canadian war artist, Jack Shadbolt
often described Hughes as "the most engaging intuitive painter of the BC landscape since Emily
Carr."
Hughes spent most of his life in Nanaimo, where he developed numerous notable paintings and
murals, such as tugboats in Ladysmith and the Comox Valley. His distinctive style of painting
is marked by the use of flattened space, skewed perspective, and simplified shapes. His
paintings combine compelling clarity with a sense of the unknown and an appreciation for
natural surroundings. Much of his painting style is influenced by his childhood in Depression.
As Jacques Barbeau would describe it, The raw strength of [Hughess] coastal scenes, the
silent majesty of his ferries, the vigorous representations of the fishing and forest industries, and
the tender rendering of his inland scenes provide a virtual encyclopedia of this magnificent
province," British Columbia.
Another one of his influences was the World War ll. In 1939, Hughes enlisted in World War ll,
however, because of his artistic skills, instead of becoming a soldier, he became one of
Canadas official war artists. Hughes traveled to England and Alaska where he depicted
concern for ordinary men caught up in the worldwide event. His career as a war artist ended in
1946. In 2001, he received the Order of Canada and, in 2005, he was awarded the Order of
British Columbia. Both of these awards cited his dedication to representing Canada with passion
and originality. When he returned to BC, he stay in Vancouver Island, so that he could further
his seascape and landscape portraits of BC. He spent most of his post war life in Shawnigan
Lake. In January 5, 2007, Hughes died in Duncan, BC. However, his legacy lives on.

Tugboats in Ladysmith, 1950. Oil Canvas

This is one of EJ Hughess most acknowledged paintings, Tugboats in Ladysmith. Like many
of his paintings, EJ Hughess inspiration is British Columbia. Being born in British Columbia and
only living in this magnificent province for a short amount of time, EJ Hughess paintings depict
a calm day in British Columbia. His paintings combine beauty with mystery. To British
Columbians, this portrait evokes memories of hiking in Nanaimo and memories of looking out
the window while crossing a bridge in British columbia. To the general public, this picture may
convey what a morning in British Columbia may look like. Hughess paintings are a
quintessence of British Columbias motto, Splendor Sine Occasu, meaning Splendour Without
Diminishment. To me, this portrait makes me reminisce of hiking in the summer. It evokes the
memory of the smell of wood in the forests. I believe that many of Hughes s paintings are
impressionistic. They allow the audience to pour their emotions into a painting, and vividly
portrays them. Hughes is a pivotal artist to me because he depicts British Columbia as it is.