Robert Hughes was born in London in 1934, and moved to Wiltshire in 1981. A successful business man and company director, he always painted as a foil to his work. Robert started painting professionally in 1982 without ever having received any formal training. His first exhibition in Marlborough, UK, soon gained him a reputation in the art world.
Like many artists, he would listen to classical music whilst painting, a combination which helped him produce some of the finest miniatures available today. The detail In Robert's painting was achieved without the aid of a magnifying glass, but he used up to twelve brushes for each one. He mostly worked in oil but varied his media with gouache and watercolour at times. His palette was based on eight earth colours, such as yellow ochre and burnt sienna, plus black and white. Once the main scene was painted he would then add figures, animals and more detail.
He was a full elected member of the Royal Miniature Society, a member of the Hilliard Society of Miniaturists and as well as member of the Society of Limners. He has contributed to books and videos on painting in miniature. His partner, Elizabeth Johnson and he, successfully published a book called "How to Paint Miniatures" in the early 1990s.
He exhibited in various places including the Medici Gallery in London. His work is normally available here at Grimes House Gallery. Robert's work has been amongst the most popular we have ever sold in the gallery; we had a long and successful working relationship with him, selling over 2000 of his paintings in his lifetime.
Robert Hughes very sadly died in April 2010, a very lovely man, he is sorely missed.
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