Wallace Oscar Hughes

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Intro

Wallace Oscar Hughes was an American wildlife artist. He is best known for his paintings of birds and his work as an illustrator, photographer, and art director for Florida Wildlife Magazine.

Childhood

Wallace was born in 1918.

As a child, he was fascinated by nature.

An enthusiastic outdoorsman, he led his friends on expeditions to catch butterflies and sketch birds.

The artist taught himself to draw by studying animals and copying pages from a wildlife field guide, The Birds of North America.

Self-Taught

Wallace was most inspired by the artwork of naturalist and painter, John James Audubon,

Audubon

In high school, Wally’s life took an unexpected turn. He was arrested for hunting without a license.

The shy boy was terrified by his punishment; He was sentenced to speak to middle school students about wildlife and nature conservancy.

During one of those assemblies, Wallace was heckled by a young girl, Wanda Jean Otto. She approached him after his talk, and they were later married.

Meet Cute

Wally and "Rocky” sold their artwork at craft fairs but, to make

a better living, Wallace also accepted a job at the Mohawk Zoo.

His wildlife expertise earned him a position as the Curator of Birds.

The enthusiastic zookeeper wrestled bear cubs and adopted a baby monkey, Miss Spunky. It lived in their home, wore diapers and, according to legend, terrorized the Hughes’s two sons.

Zookeeper

Wildlife

Artist

Wallace painted murals for the zoo.

At the time, he was one of very few artists who specialized in wildlife art.

Soon, he was offered a staff job at a state-sponsored magazine, The Oklahoma Game & Fish News.

Success

The artist was grateful that - even during the Great Depression - he never once had to ask for a job. His art and knowledge earned him “more work than I can remember.” This included commissions from magazines, museums, book publishers, state governments, and even a toy manufacturer.

Florida

Wildlife

Wallace later accepted a job as the art director for Florida Wildlife magazine.

For more than thirty years, the magazine featured his paintings, cartoons, photographs, educational illustrations, and essays about hunting, camping, and wildlife conservation.

The artist spent his later years caring for his ailing wife.

When he retired from Florida Wildlife, he continued to work as a freelance painter and illustrator. One of his proudest accomplishments was the illustrated signage that he created for the Junior Museum, a zoo in Tallahassee, Florida. The artwork was used throughout the state of Florida.

Freelance

Illustrator

Wallace’s magnum opus was Oklahoma Bird Life, an illustrated guide to the birds of his home state.

Oklahoma

Bird Life

A Teacher

Throughout his life, Wallace was excited to share his knowledge with young people.

He led his granddaughter, Lali, on morning hikes and taught her how to feed birds. He brought birdseed with him and, even in his backyard, he could call a variety of birds and animals with his inimitable whistle.

Legacy

Wallace inspired his nephew, Robert Taylor, to become an artist. Wallace’s eldest son, Vaughn, made his living as an illustrator. His youngest, Vance, worked as a landscape and wildlife painter. His grandson, Henry, excelled in art school as a fine artist and an animator. His eldest grandson, Rama, is me, your art teacher!

Death

Wallace Hughes passed away on June 12, 2010.

Beyond his legacy as an artist, he will be remembered for his quiet, grateful spirit. He welcomed wonder and mystery into his life and he encouraged his his admirers to enjoy their youth and have adventures.