Michael McHugh has been painting for more than thirty years. His practice has consistently explored colour, composition and textural, abstract form with a strong connection to the natural world. McHugh collects a range of different photographs and drawings during research trips visiting museums, libraries and gardens around the world, returning to his studio to draw and create a series of collages, which lead to large format paintings.
With the use of gestural acrylic mark making, McHugh creates a layered abstraction moving between the paintings’ surface and botanical shapes. Works are sometimes sombre and brooding, and at other times energetic and vibrant, with textural layers echoing moments in time. McHugh believes constant drawing and collaging to be fundamental to his painting process. This foundation enables him to fully explore composition and vigorously push boundaries with colour and technique.
Graduating from Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design in New Zealand, he has attended masterclasses in painting at the National Art School in Sydney, Australia. He currently works in the creative media industry and also exhibits his work in Sydney, Australia. McHugh’s work is held in a number of private collections in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom
RECENT SOLO SHOWS
2023 Archipelago Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2023 Natural Philosophy Milford Galleries Queenstown New Zealand
2023 Clayton Utz Art Partnership Sydney Australia
2022 Hybridology Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2022 The Island Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2021 Supernatural Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2021 Pacific Street Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2020 Exotics Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2019 Hot House Project 90 Gallery Sydney Australia
RECENT GROUP SHOWS
2023 Spring Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2023 Kawarau 2 Milford Galleries Queenstown New Zealand
2023 Sydney Contemporary Sydney Australia
2023 Winter Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2023 The Review Milford Galleries Queenstown New Zealand
2023 Aotearoa Art Fair New Zealand Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2023 Summer Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2023 Summer Exhibition Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2022 Boroondara Town Hall Art Gallery Above the Canopy Hawthorn Melbourne
2022 Summer Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2022 Summer Exhibition Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2022 Sydney Contemporary Sydney Australia
2022 Caught in the Briars Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2022 Melbourne Art Fair Martin Browne Contemporary
2021 Summer Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2021 Summer Exhibition Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2021 Winter Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2021 Sydney Contemporary Sydney Australia (Online)
2020 Summer Exhibition Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2020 Summer Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2020 Sydney Contemporary Sydney Australia (Online)
2020 Semicolon Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2020 Winter Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2020 Flora & Fauna Foenander Galleries Auckland New Zealand
2019 Summer Group Show Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney Australia
2019 Pop Up Group Exhibition Project 90 Sydney Australia
2019 Summer Group Exhibition Project 90 Sydney Australia
AWARDS
2023 Finalist Fisher’s Ghost Art Award (Contemporary) Campbelltown Arts Centre Sydney
2023 Finalist York Botanic Art Prize (Contemporary) Campbelltown Arts Centre Sydney
2020 Finalist Paddington Art Prize Defiance Gallery Sydney Australia
EDUCATION
2018 Masterclass in Painting Certificate National Art School Sydney Australia
1999 Professional Publishing and Media Stanford University California USA
1987 Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design Diploma Auckland New Zealand
COLLECTIONS
Macquarie University Art Collection, Sydney
The Wallace Arts Trust, Auckland
Arup New Zealand, Auckland
Private collections – USA, UK, Europe Australia & New Zealand
PUBLICATIONS
2023 Otago Daily Times Art Stuff New Zealand
2021 MiNDFOOD Supernatural Kaleidoscope pg’s 24- 27 Australia
2021 Artist Profile Michael McHugh The Kaleidoscope pg’s 58-63 Australia
2020 MiNDFOOD World of Exotics pg’s 20-21 Australia