Hi. I'm Beverly Hughes, a nature freak who loves writing stories about animals, insects and flowers. I create.
October 13, 1966 my dog Lady Day died. After I buried her, I drew her from memory. I was a junior in Millville High School and I realized that I could draw. I didn't realize that I could be an artist as a career.
The following year, during my first summer job away from home, I was a chambermaid at the Ambassador Hotel in Atlantic City. The first room I had to clean was the resident artist named Bryant. There were 15 to easels with portraits of guests at the hotel. The smell of linseed oil and turpentine was in the air. There were paintbrushes in jars all around the room. I fell into my future there. Seeing what he was doing... that's what I wanted to do. I was inspired.
I graduated from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia with a Batchelors of Arts Degree. I have been an instructor at Burlington County College, Moore College of Art, The Barn Studio of Art, and in public schools in Philadelphia and South Jersey.
I have had exhibits as a featured artist in group and individual shows since 1970. My work has been concentrated in weaving and dying silks and yarn. I was one of three Black Philadelphia Artists selected by the African American History Museum in Philadelphia, to do a workshop about maskmaking for Cultural Diversity at the 1995 Children’s Inaugural Salute for Governor Ridge in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
My original works have been purchased by corporations and individuals in different parts of the world. My colored pencil, pencil & ink works of Magnolias is part of the collection of Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey.
I created handwoven conceptual masks in raffia and from 1978 until 1997. It wasn't until after I constructed at least 150 to 200 facial masks and donated them to frontline workers, delivery workers, postal workers, Senior Centers, and shelters that one day my son said, "Mom, you were a mask maker, why don’t you put your masks on the masks?" I was shocked! I had never given it any thought about using my work. But I immediately decided to do a Retro Exhibition of 16 handwoven masks out of a collection of old slides that I found. This Limited Edition consists of 8 masks and the show is called "Celebration of Masks".
I have published two coloring books for children and adults, and research different species of flowers from bud into peak bloom.
My creations continue. Some of which you will see here... soon.