Humanity & Nature

Byron Villager – Artist Alley – July 2016
Featuring Len Hughes
By Jim Kogelheide

Humanity & Nature

For many working class residents, such as myself, the summer months are filled with day trips to local beaches, bbq’s in the backyard with friends and family and bike rides along the Thames River.  It’s really hard for many families to find the time and the money for extravagant vacations to exotic lands, so we keep things simple… we keep things local.


I’m very happy to share with you the fact that strolls along rivers, lunches on patio terraces in French villages and adventures on small fishing boats in far away locations will be free of charge, this summer…until August 7th, anyway!


Local artist, Len Hughes, is one of the featured creative craftspersons who is showcasing his vibrant and rich watercolour paintings throughout the summer at Aeolian Hall, just east of London’s downtown.  For the cost of a bus ticket, you and your family will be able to travel to many exciting locations from around the world!

Hughes fell in love with painting at a very early age, but a busy career kept him from pursuing these passions, full time, until he was a bit older.  Over the last thirty years, however, Hughes has established himself in the artworld in many profound ways.  With gallery exhibitions throughout many Southern Ontario venues, including Grand Bend, the Lambton Shores and London, Hughes has been delivering his unique talents in many simple yet charming ways.


Although Hughes has a definite love for scenic landscape paintings which reflect his love of Nature, I gathered from our recent conversation that Len feels a deeper need to explore the many intrinsic characteristics that humanity has used to shape our environment.  “I find it more challenging to paint streetscapes, bridges and markets,” explains Hughes, “as they require more dedication to the composition process and to the precision of the line.”


As we talked, Len offered me one of his many sketchbooks that almost fill two shelves of a bookcase.  He explains how he loves to sketch figures “in life’s action” and how he enjoys finding unique ways to incorporate these people into his streetscapes for, “additional interest and dimension.”


Hughes is involved with many local art groups, including the Gallery Painting Group, as they challenge him to complete compositions on sight.  While the people and architecture, in his paintings, require much skill, Hughes finds additional challenges in light as, “the sun doesn’t stay still,” until his creation is complete.

Being involved with other local artists, painting scenes found throughout Southern Ontario is very fulfilling for Hughes, but for the last eight years Len has also been the organizing force behind yearly visits to the Languedoc region of Southern France.  He explained to me that there is so much to see and do in just this one area that he feels compelled to return again and again.


I asked Len if he was working on any new and unique compositions or gallery exhibitions and he told me of his most recent adventures: exploring the world of the Koi fish.  “Their movement and colour really resonates with me,” he says as he shows me several completed paintings and many more, still in the creative process.  Hughes is looking forward to finishing this small series in preparation for the Westland Gallery’s ‘Square Foot Show’ which will be running from mid July until mid August, in the Wortley Village.  The opening reception will be on July 13th, starting at 7:00pm.

For more information on his Aeolian Hall exhibition and the upcoming Square Foot Show simply email Len@LenHughesArt.ca, and if you are looking for that free summer holiday that I mentioned earlier, you can leave right away by visiting LenHughesArt.ca.



















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