If the Hughes are anything to go by—artistic talent must be genetic.
The Tri-Art Gallery exhibition of ‘Threads’ comes to a close this month, showing pieces by esteemed mother and son artists, Margaret and Daniel Hughes. Showing from Sept. 27 to Oct. 26, the exhibition is located in a brilliant little gallery tucked in the back of Kingston’s Art Noise. The Princess St. store doubles as an art supply store and also showcases exhibits like this one in its gallery. The exhibition creates a visual dialogue between the mother and son duo, as Margaret’s pieces hang adjacent to her son Daniel’s.
Born in South Africa, Margaret Hughes brings the vibrant colours of her homeland into her artwork. Her vivacious still life paintings reflect the “country of much sunlight and colour,” Hughes explains on the gallery’s website, providing a delightful shock to Canada’s typically subdued, blue or grey landscapes. Her style suggests inspiration from the artist Paul Cézanne (1839–1906), known for his bold use of colour accompanied by an effortless composition.
In her chalk pastel works on sanded paper, scenes emerge with such vibrancy they seem to beckon the viewer into them, offering a radiant reflection of the world. Her environment continues to inspire, as shown by her two oil landscapes of Kingston’s evening skyline. With relaxed, confident brushstrokes, Hughes captures the dynamic essence of her surroundings, making her pieces a testament to this connection with the natural world.
Daniel Hughes, though creating figurative work, complements his mother’s lively style while carving out a distinct approach. His paintings show he’s inherited key elements of Margaret’s technique, especially in his thoughtful use of colour and light. However, Daniel’s palette is softer and more demure, creating an almost achromatic tone.
In his series “The Travellers and explorers,” Daniel captures figures in austere moments, exploring themes of personal growth and transformation. On the gallery’s site, Daniel describes his work as “twofold: it represents change and growth of the individual, but also is a metaphor for discoveries in the processes within painting.” His misty compositions invite viewers to immerse themselves, encouraging reflection, self-discovery and the world around them.
The figures in Hughes’ “The Travellers and explorers” series often face away from the viewer or are depicted in profile, evoking a Romantic sensibility by focusing on the individual’s experience with nature. Daniel’s brushstrokes echo the spirit of J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851), using thin, hazy layers of paint that elicit a dreamlike state, suspending the viewer in a moment of introspection.
Margaret Hughes’ approach to nurturing creativity is as instinctive as her art. As discussed in her artist reflection video on the Tri-Art Gallery’s website, Margaret deliberately avoided giving formal art lessons to her children, believing it could “inhibit” their natural creative development. Instead, she encouraged Daniel to develop his talent organically, noting that she discouraged the use of colouring books, which she believed stunted creativity.
In his artist reflection video on the Tri-Art Gallery’s website, Daniel shares that his artistic journey was shaped by a process of “osmosis” growing up in a world filled with creativity and artistic expression.
He went on to earn an undergraduate degree at OCAD University and continued his graduate studies at the New York Academy of Art, where he studied under notable names like Eric Fischl and Vincent Desiderio. His work has been showcased in exhibitions across Canada and the U.S., including cities such as Toronto, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, as well as several solo exhibitions in London, UK. Hughes is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Queen’s University.
Margaret Hughes earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of Cape Town in 1958, followed by a Post Graduate Certificate in Art Education from the University of London in 1959.
Although Margaret and Daniel both received formal fine arts educations, both mother and son portray a sense of artistic intuition that’s unteachable.
As the exhibition draws to a close, it leaves viewers reflecting on the profound relationship between nature and nurture in the development of artistic ability. The result is a powerful testament to the genetic transmission of artistic ability, confirming that, indeed, artistic talent runs in the family.
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