Neal Hughes is a graduate of The Philadelphia College of Art (University of the Arts) and resides in the historic town of Medford, New Jersey. Neal is a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, member of the Salmagundi Club, Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America.

A former illustrator, Neal has been painting professionally for over 30 years. His work is part of the permanent collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art and he has been accepted into numerous juried exhibitions including the national exhibitions of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of American, American Society of Marine Artists and the Portrait Society of America. His work has also been juried into the International Marine Art Exhibition at the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport and he has been a finalist at the ARC Salon numerous times. His painting “Monhegan Garden” won the Cezanne, Best Use of Light Award at the 2020 Olmstead Plein Air Invitational.

His work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, Southwest Art, American Artist, American Art Collector and other publications. 

Recent Awards:

2022
Best Nocturne – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival
Best of Show – Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
Founders Vanishing Landscape Award – Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
Plein Air Magazine Award – Wayne Plein Air Festival
Third Place Award – Paint Annapolis competition
Second Place Award – Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air competition

Artists Choice Award- Plein Air Easton competition
Life of a Waterman Award – Plein Air Easton competition
Artists Choice Award – Paint Grand Traverse competition
Merit Award – Paint Grand Traverse competition
Purchase Award – Paint Grand Traverse competition

2021
Best of Show – National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society 2021 Fall International Online Exhibition

Award of Excellence - American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition
Best Marine Painting Award - Cape Ann Plein Air competition
Best of Show - Paint Grand Traverse competition
Artists Choice Award - Paint Grand Traverse competition
Life on the Farm Award - Plein Air Easton competition
Architectural Award - Paint Annapolis competition
Annapolis Gallery Association Award - Paint Annapolis competition
Best Nocturne Award - Paint Annapolis competition
Best of the Bay Award - Paint Annapolis competition
Award of Excellence - Oil Painters of America 2021 Salon Show
Best Urban Landscape Award - Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival
Honorable Mention Award - Art Renewal Center International ARC Salon Competition
Award of Merit - National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Spring International Online Exhibition

2020 
Cezanne, Best Use of Light Award- 2020 Olmstead Plein Air Invitational 

2019
Artists Choice – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Competition and Festival 
Best Nocturne – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Competition and Festival 
Fourth Place – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Competition and Festival
Best of Show Award – Saint George Island Paint Out plein air competition
Founders Vanishing Landscape Award – Olmstead Plein Air Invitational
Best Architectural Award – Wayne Plein Air Competition
Honorable Mention – Eureka Springs Plein Air Competition
Best Associate Award of Excellence – Oil Painters of America National Exhibition
Best Nocturne – Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air Competition
First Place – Gloucester Arts Festival Quick Draw
Second Place – Parrsboro Plein Air Competition
First Place – Parrsboro Plein Air Quick Draw
Second Place – Paint Grand Traverse Quick Draw
First Place – Paint Grand Traverse plein air competition.

2018
Artists Choice Award and First Place – Cape Ann Plein Air
Artists Choice and Award of Distinction – En Plein Air Texas
First Place – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival
Artists Choice – Paint Annapolis
Best Architecture – Wayne Plein Air Competition
First Place –  Hammonton Plein Air Competition
Third Place –  Salmagundi Club Nautical Theme Exhibition

2017
First Place – Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival
Artists Choice Award – Door County Plein Air Festival
Second Place – Cape Ann Plein Air
Best Use of Light – Cape Ann Plein Air
Second Place – Paint Annapolis
Third Place – Lighthouse Plein Air Festival
Best Nocturne – Solomons Island Plein Air Festival
Honorable Mention – Paint Annapolis

2016
First Place and Artists Choice Award – Plein Air Rockies
Second Place – Plein Air Rockies Quick Draw
Artists Choice Award – Mountain Maryland Plein Air Festival
Second Place – Cape Ann Plein Air
Third Place – Paint Annapolis Plein Air
Third Place – Paint Annapolis Dueling Brushes
Best Plein Air painting December/January 2016 Plein Air Salon
Source Tek Award – Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival

2015
First Place – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival
First Place -Bath County Plein Air Festival
First Place – Plein Air Easton Quick Draw
Best Use of Light – Easels in Frederick
Wayne Art Center Award – Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival
First Place –  Hammonton Plein Air Competition
Luc Herbots Memorial Award – Solomons Island Plein Air Festival
Honorable Mention – Oil Painters of America Salon Show

Other awards include an Award of Excellence from Oil Painters of America at the 2012 Eastern Regional Exhibition, the Maritime Gallery Yachting Award and Awards of Excellence (2006 and 2013) at the prestigious International Marine Art Exhibition at the Gallery at Mystic Seaport. He was also awarded a Certificate of Excellence at the Fourteenth Annual Art of the Portrait Conference by the Portrait Society of America and First Place in the Richeson Figure/Portrait Competition. In addition, Neal was the Grand Prize winner of the Utrecht 60th Anniversary Art Competition, winning the top prize out of over 12,000 entries.