Neal Hughes is a graduate of The Philadelphia College of Art (University of the Arts) and is a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, a member of the Salmagundi Club, and the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association. His work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, Southwest Art, American Artist, American Art Collector and other Publications. A former illustrator, Neal has been painting professionally for over 35 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 Olmsted Plein Air Invitational. Awards:2024Best of Show- Paint Grand Traverse Plein Air Competition Best of Show - Wayne Plein Air FestivalFirst Place - Modern Impressionist Magazine SalonBest of Show - Olmstead Plein Air InvitationalBest Seascape Award - Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air FestivalThird Place - Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival Paint Out Quick DrawBest Boat Painting - Gloucester Plein Air InvitationalFirst Place - Gloucester Plein Air Invitational Quick DrawThird Place - National Eucharistic Revival Sacred Art ExhibitionBest of Show - Paint Grand Traverse Plein Air Painting Festival and Competition2023First Place - Bath County Plein Air Festival Plein Air Alden Bryan Memorial Landscape Painting Award of Excellence - Oil Painters of America 32nd Annual National Juried Exhibition Of Traditional OilsAward of Distinction - American Impressionist Society National ExhibitionSecond Place Award - National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America 2023 ExhibitionAward of Merit - National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America Small Works ExhibitionHonorable Mention - American Impressionist Society 4th Annual All Member Online ExhibitionBest Americana Painting Award - Cape Ann Plein Air Festival and CompetitionSecond Place Award - Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air CompetitionSecond Place - Plein Air Easton Quick Draw competitionMerit Award - Paint Grand Traverse Plein Air Painting Festival and CompetitionHonorable Mention - Paint Grand Traverse Small Wonders competitionThe Wayne Art Center Award - Wayne Plein Air FestivalBest Boat Painting - Shadows On The Teche Plein Air CompetitionThird Place Award - Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival2022Oil Painters of America – 2022 Fall Online ShowcaseAward of Excellence – National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society 2022 Fall International Online ExhibitionBest Nocturne – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air Festival Founders Vanishing Landscape Award - Olmstead Plein Air InvitationalBest of Show - Olmstead Plein Air InvitationalPlein Air Magazine Award – Wayne Plein Air Festival3rd Place Award, Paint Annapolis Competition2nd Place Award, Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air Competition, Gloucester, VAArtists Choice Award - Plein Air Easton, MDLife of a Waterman Award,-Plein Air Easton competition, MD Artists Choice Award – Paint Grand Traverse competitionMerit Award – Paint Grand Traverse competitionPurchase Award – Paint Grand Traverse competitionBest Use of Light Award – Plein Air in The Smokies Invitational2021Best of Show – National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society 2021 Fall International Online ExhibitionAward of Excellence - American Impressionist Society National Juried ExhibitionBest Marine Painting Award - Cape Ann Plein Air competitionBest of Show - Paint Grand Traverse competitionArtists Choice Award - Paint Grand Traverse competitionLife on the Farm Award - Plein Air Easton competitionArchitectural Award - Paint Annapolis competitionAnnapolis Gallery Association Award - Paint Annapolis competitionBest Nocturne Award - Paint Annapolis competitionBest of the Bay Award - Paint Annapolis competitionAward of Excellence - Oil Painters of America 2021 Salon ShowBest Urban Landscape Award - Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air FestivalHonorable Mention Award - Art Renewal Center International ARC Salon CompetitionAward of Merit - National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Spring International Online Exhibition2020Best of Show – Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape & Architecture 2020 competitionSecond Place Award – National Oil And Acrylic Painters Society, Best of America ExhibitionCezanne, Best Use of Light Award – Olmsted reimagined, Plein Air InvitationalHonorable Mention – American Impressionist Society 2020 Online Juried ExhibitionSubaru Award For Excellence – Paint AnnapolisTexas Artists’ Camp Award (Artists Choice) – En Plein Air TexasLandscape Honorable Mention – Oil Painters of America 2020 Virtual Juried Salon ShowArtwork Archive Award of Excellence – American Impressionist Society 21st Annual National Juried ExhibitionSecond Place – National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society Fall 2020 International Online Exhibition2019Artists 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 FestivalBest of Show Award – Saint George Island Paint Out plein air competitionFounders Vanishing Landscape Award – Olmsted Plein Air InvitationalBest Architectural Award – Wayne Plein Air CompetitionHonorable Mention – Eureka Springs Plein Air CompetitionBest Associate Award of Excellence – Oil Painters of America National ExhibitionBest Nocturne – Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air CompetitionFirst Place – Gloucester Arts Festival Quick DrawSecond Place – Parrsboro Plein Air CompetitionFirst Place – Parrsboro Plein Air Quick DrawSecond Place – Paint Grand Traverse Quick DrawFirst Place – Paint Grand Traverse plein air competition.2018Artists Choice Award and First Place – Cape Ann Plein AirArtists Choice and Award of Distinction – En Plein Air TexasFirst Place – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air FestivalArtists Choice – Paint AnnapolisBest Architecture – Wayne Plein Air CompetitionFirst Place – Hammonton Plein Air CompetitionThird Place – Salmagundi Club Nautical Theme Exhibition2017First Place – Wayne Art Center Plein Air FestivalArtists Choice Award – Door County Plein Air FestivalSecond Place – Cape Ann Plein AirBest Use of Light – Cape Ann Plein AirSecond Place – Paint AnnapolisThird Place – Lighthouse Plein Air FestivalBest Nocturne – Solomons Island Plein Air FestivalHonorable Mention – Paint Annapolis2016First Place and Artists Choice Award – Plein Air RockiesSecond Place – Plein Air Rockies Quick DrawArtists Choice Award – Mountain Maryland Plein Air FestivalSecond Place – Cape Ann Plein AirThird Place – Paint Annapolis Plein AirThird Place – Paint Annapolis Dueling BrushesBest Plein Air painting December/January 2016 Plein Air SalonSource Tek Award – Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival2015First Place – Lighthouse Art Center Plein Air FestivalFirst Place -Bath County Plein Air FestivalFirst Place – Plein Air Easton Quick DrawBest Use of Light – Easels in FrederickWayne Art Center Award – Wayne Art Center Plein Air FestivalFirst Place – Hammonton Plein Air CompetitionLuc Herbots Memorial Award – Solomons Island Plein Air FestivalHonorable 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.