Deneena Hughes is a Twin Cities-based multi-media artist, gallery owner, and mother of four.

While she primarily works with acrylic paint, creating fine art paintings, she also works seasonally as a competitive ice and snow sculptor, is an aspiring poet with small publications, and also sidelines as a muralist.

Deneena is
a self-taught artist in all mediums with robust practices in each category. She has been painting since 2010, growing her skill set to the point where she developed numerous collectors of her work, subsequently opening Gallery Equus (Minneapolis) in 2018 and Gallery St. Croix (Stillwater) in 2023. Both galleries exhibit her fine art paintings, with Gallery Equus specifically showcasing her body of award-winning equine-themed art alongside other locally curated equine
artists.

In the colder months, Deneena works as an ice and snow sculptor alongside her
husband, Paul, from whom she learned the art form through his former culinary
education and experience. The pair has competed across the US and Canada, gathering awards on a nearly annual basis since 1993.

In 2020, Deneena compiled
a team of women and took first place in the St. Paul Winter Carnival multi-block
ice sculpting competition, making history in the process as this had never before
been accomplished in a field dominated by men.

Deneena’s murals have been commissioned from both private parties as well as
by cities, the former being in private homes or places of business and the latter
being in public spaces. She adapts her mural art style to the client’s vision,
enabling her to explore creatively beyond her usual fine art painting style and
demonstrate in yet another way how vastly varied creativity can be.

Deneena and Paul have nurtured creativity as a lifestyle in their home, raising 4
uniquely creative individuals who have often been seen working alongside their
parents in various artistic exploits across Minnesota, from snow and ice sculpting
exhibitions to creating public murals together.