Jeff Hughart is a self-described “outsider artist” who creates boldly expressive abstract paintings in his basement Bonnerport Building studio in Bonner’s Ferry. He also has several paintings on display for sale at the Groove Studio, an artist-run cooperative gallery owned by Carolyn Testa. There is an unmistakable raw edginess in Jeff’s creations, works which have been compared to both cave paintings and children’s art. The colorful, primitive, and visceral pieces seem to demand an instant reaction from the viewer, and Jeff himself will be the first to admit not everyone is a fan. “At one gallery event I overheard a lady (pointing to one of my paintings) say her kid could paint better than that” Jeff recalls. “I thought to myself I hope they can, and I really don’t mean that in a vindictive way. People have different tastes and their own understanding about what is and what isn’t art and that’s fine.” This response prompted Carolyn to want to sit down and ask Jeff a few questions about his art.

CT: You also do some work that’s more representational in nature. How is the creation process different for you? Is it better received locally?

JH: Those types of pieces like flowers, landscapes, and pet portraits, are different in that I am actually trying to create something that looks very similar to the subject by observing colors, shadows, composition, etc. The abstract pieces usually aren’t based too closely on anything other than my imagination. I find that most people in the area seem to like my representational work more than my abstract. However I have a sign with a funky abstract painting on it that I put out in front of my studio when I work in order to encourage visitors to come and take a look, and people still come down to visit and share their views, so not everyone is scared off by my less conventional work.

CT: What does “outsider art” or an “outsider artist” mean really?

JH: People use that term to describe a self-taught artist, someone who hasn’t been classically trained as an artist.

CT: How long have you been making art and what got you started on your present path?

JH: I used to draw a lot when I was a kid. My dad, who went to art college before he was married, used to take me and my siblings to the local arts and crafts store in our neighborhood in Oxnard, California and I’d get to buy a pad of drawing paper and some pencils. This was the extent of his active participation in my early art interest, but seeing his artwork on our walls at home influenced me I think even more. The craving to draw subsided as I got older and I used other methods to release my creativity. I was a photographer, videographer, a bass guitarist in a punk band, and am presently a web designer. It wasn’t until 2002 that I started painting through the encouragement and assistance of my girlfriend, an artist herself.

CT: What artists are you the most inspired by and why?

JH: I don’t know why, but I am inspired by the late, Jean-Michel Basquiat. a very popular artist in the New York art scene in the 1980’s. I’ve recently been influenced by Cy Twombly whom I know influenced Basquiat. And I like Picasso and Dubuffet. I like the rawness of their work and their ability to go beyond conformity. I am also heavily inspired by cave paintings, primitive and tribal art from around the world. I also love guys like Matt Sesow, Mikey Welsh, Lyle Carnajal, Michael Banks and a whole group of emerging outsider artists from around the country. They all seem to be doing what I’m trying to do which is just paint with a lot of feelings and emotion.

CT: I understand that you sell many paintings online, and sometimes do commission pieces as well. Can you tell us about selling your work and also about the more unusual requests you’ve had?

JH: Well, I’ve been selling on ebay since 2003 and have sold about a thousand paintings to people around the world and I also have my web site (www.jeffhughart.com) that lists most of my works.
With regard to commission work, about four years ago I had one ebay buyer who liked an 11”x14” painting I listed on ebay. He asked if I would do the exact same piece but on a large 6’x 8’ canvas that I had to stretch to paint and then unstretch (remove from frame) to ship to him. It took longer to pack that than to paint it. More recently I received a request from one of my buyers about doing a Basquiat-like large painting that was quite abstract. He wanted to commission a painting with two figures, a man and a woman, and he wanted me to write on the painting “Does You Want To Marry Me Nicole?” The man, who lives in Chicago, knew a gallery owner there who allowed him to hang the piece before he brought his girlfriend in one evening after they had dinner. Since he and his girlfriend are both art enthusiasts I guess it was fairly common for them to check out new local paintings. Anyway, he asked her “what do you think of this painting?”, referring to mine. At first she didn’t quite get it. Then she figured it out and cried and of course said yes. I think they’re getting married later this year.

CT: Do you visualize your art before creating? Do you know what it will look like before you begin?

JH: It depends on what I’m going to be working on. Sometimes I visualize prior to creating it and it ends up being something entirely different from what I originally had in mind. This is basically true for all the abstract paintings. A lot of times I’ll begin with a photo for inspiration and let my imagination go from there. I really think it is reliving my childhood and just being a kid again.

CT: What can you say about the content of your abstract artwork?

JH: Everything I do, especially the abstract pieces, I try and do it from my gut. I really use doing art as a way to soothe my soul, so to speak. It’s like therapy in a sense, not that I need it (laughing). But it is cathartic. I approach the painting process similarly to the way I used to play bass in punk bands. With a lot of force and energy and when I’m done painting I hope it shows in the finished work and evokes some feeling in the viewer no matter what.

-- Jeff has sold numerous pieces to people across America. He has sold to musicians, doctors, editors, teachers, athletes, etc. He continues to sell many works on ebay and also is hired to do commissioned work.--

home | bio | works | links | art shop | news/contact