Stephen Scarff Award
Workshop Building
Election Poster
Seasons Exhibition
F.A.C.E. of Fingal
Fingal Artists Creative Expo
Martin Hughes was born and raised in Lusk, North County Dublin and worked with his hands since he was a young man.
Apprenticed to Artist and Cabinetmaker Jack Devaney, he learned that every material has the possibility of a second life. “Waste nothing, then don’t waste it again” was a sign above the studio door.
He travelled extensively in Europe in the late 80’s studying with Artists and Landscapers in Germany and France. He studied painting, drawing and landscape design in Germany, and worked primarily in the medium of oil and pastel.
Returning to Ireland in 1990, he started what is now the Artists Rest Workshop, working primarily in garden and landscape design. He also began studying with Artists in Ireland and began his own art practice.
He draws inspiration from the environment, with specific focus on his experience and understanding of his surroundings.
He also creates Art from recycled and discarded materials. He built the Artists Rest Workshop entirely from recycled materials, working under the philosophy that we are limited only by our imagination. The Artist Rest Workshop offers support to Artists and Creatives, and is a place of collaboration and curation with many Artists availing of its services.
He has curated several large-scale Exhibitions and Open Submission Competitions and engages with Public Art Installations and percent for Art schemes in Schools and Colleges. He sits on several committees and boards of Art organisations and is a founding member of the Men’s Shed project in Balbriggan, North Dublin.
He participates in Charity Art auctions each year and engages with Mental Health Projects, having lost several close friends to suicide.
In 2016 he was honoured to receive the Stephen Scarff Community Award for service to the Community and Arts. This meant a great deal on a personal level, as Stephen was a good friend to him for many years. He supports the right of everyone to live in a good and decent society.
His artworks can be found in collections within Ireland, UK, Germany, America, and New Caledonia.
“Art is simply that from within, brought by the Artist, outside”.
Welcome to our website.
Martin Hughes