Jonathan McHugh _biography...

 

 

...biography
 
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Jonathan McHugh is a freelance artist and illustrator living and working in Northern Ireland.

Since graduating with a BA(Hons) in Design/Illustration from the University of Ulster in Belfast he has illustrated extensively for advertising, design and editorial clients in the U.K., Germany, Japan and Ireland.

After spending several years working as a scenic artist and muralist on various themed construction projects in Europe, Ireland and the UK (including Warner Bros Movieworld, Germany; The Printworks Manchester; and the Baileys Centre at Leopardstown Race Course, Dublin) he decided to follow his muse back to painting and illustrating by returning home to Northern Ireland...

In 2004 he was the winner of the top prize in the professional category at the Society of Artists’ Agents Illustration Awards in London. As well as £3000 in prize money and having the winning artwork displayed as posters throughout the London Underground network, part of the prize was the privilege of spending a day in the company of legendary illustrator Quentin Blake in London. (see article elsewhere on this site).

He also had work shortlisted at the SAA Awards in 2005 and 2006.

More recently, a billboard campaign featuring his illustrations won a bronze award at the 2007 PANI Awards (Publicity Association of Northern Ireland) in Belfast.

One of his illustrations was also recently shortlisted in the 'Best Use of Illustration' category at the 2007 APA Creative Awards in London's Design Museum.

His paintings and illustrations have been exhibited in Japan, London, Dublin and Belfast, and many have even found homes there.


He lives by an old windmill on top of a hill overlooking Belfast Lough on the East coast of Ireland and surrounds himself with scraps of paper in an attempt to keep warm. Sometimes he scribbles on them.





Clients include:
National Trust,
easyJet,
BBC,
Allied Bakeries,
Hankyu (Japan),
Land's End (Germany),
Redactive Publishing (London),
Centaur Communications (London),
Personnel Publications (London),
Transport for London,
Quarto Children's Books (London),
Ulster Bank,
Bank of Ireland,
AIB,
Workers Educational Association,
Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust,
Queen's University Belfast,
Action Cancer,
Phoenix Natural Gas,
Trocaire,
Toyota,
Hennessey,
Belleek Pottery,
Marble Arch Caves,
Livestock & Meat Commission,
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development,
and many others...

all images copyright Jonathan McHugh