Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Glenn Hughes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Glenn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had started sooner?

I graduated from college with a degree in fine arts and immediately started working as a graphic designer. I eventually worked my way up to being the Art Director and stayed at that job for about four years. I became very unfulfilled so I started to look for a change and ended up in a completely different field, taking a job in criminal justice. I stayed at that job for 30 years and retired. The job was okay at first but as time went on, I knew I had to find a way to recharge my creative talents and find a way to relieve the stress of my daily job. I had completely given up drawing or creating art at all. My wife kept encouraging me to start drawing again. I finally took her advice and to insure that I stuck with it, I made a public New Years resolution on social media that I would post a new drawing every day for a year. I fulfilled that goal and have not stopped drawing or creating since. A part of me wishes that I had gotten back to the creative pursuits earlier but looking back, I think it all worked out at the right time. I am now able to thoroughly enjoy my artistic endeavors and the joy of sharing it with others.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Once I got back to creating art for enjoyment, I started thinking about ways to share that artwork. I began selling prints of my art at local markets and very quickly started getting great feedback and encouragement. I then decided to try larger markets and lucked up on an advertisement for the Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market. I took a leap of faith, applied and was accepted. That first market was a tremendous success for me with sales but it also gave me the confidence to keep going. Since that market, I have continued to branch out to other markets and have expanded my audience. The images that I usually draw are in the areas of music, monsters and pop culture. These are the subjects that appeal to me the most artistically and they have been very successful at the markets. I find that people seem to really enjoy going through my art because it brings back memories and shared experiences. That has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of making and selling my art. A wonderful result of the markets and social media exposure has been the opportunities that have come my way to share my artwork worldwide. I was contacted to use one of my drawings of jazz saxophonist Ben Webster on an album cover reissue by a record company based in Belgium. The album was released in Europe as a Record Store Day exclusive release. I also provided illustrations for the Honky Tonk Times magazine based in Vermont where I would have several full page drawings in each issue. I created artwork for a digital release of music by Argentinian guitarist, Didi Wray. I have designed concert and show posters and I also accept commissions. My artwork is a combination of traditional and digital techniques. I usually start with a pencil sketch and I will then ink that sketch by hand and scan that black and white drawing into Photoshop where I paint it digitally. I have had great feedback from viewers about my style which is generally a balancing act between portraiture and caricature. Mad magazine was the biggest influence on me growing up and artist Mort Drucker inspired me to start drawing. I mimicked his style until my own style started to emerge. His influence will still pop up unexpectedly in my drawings which is still a pleasing surprise.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect for me is when people love my artwork. It is tremendously satisfying to watch the joy and happiness on someone’s face as they flip through my art. I love hearing people discuss the images and I especially enjoy when someone responds to an unusual or obscure drawing.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The best way to support artists is to buy their artwork! Word of mouth is also extremely important to an artist. I have gotten many commissions from the suggestions of friends, family and prior customers. I also think that it is very important to support creative endeavors in all walks of life. Children should be encouraged to create and should be taught to appreciate the creative process. Even if you don’t particularly like a person’s art, appreciate and encourage their efforts. A kind word of encouragement can be a tremendous boost to an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://glennhughesart.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/glennhughesart