Scanography is fine art photographer Barbara Jean McHugh’s latest passion … that’s the process where objects are placed on a scanner to create images that offer incredible detail and a surrealistic feel. Take a look around the foyer of the Washington House Inn where McHugh is this month’s featured artist, and you will be transported by the astonishingly beautiful floral pieces of art that cover the walls.
McHugh, who admits she has been dabbling in photography ever since she was 13 years old using a freezer in the basement as her “dark room,” went on to study fine art at Layton School of Art in Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin. Subsequently she moved to Nevada City, CA, where she developed a successful career photographing musicians for album covers while showing her fine art black and white infrared images in galleries in the Sierra Nevada.
However, Wisconsin held a special place in McHugh’s heart, and she moved back to take up residence in a 150-year-old farmhouse located outside Newburg. Much of her subject matter is now found in her own back yard, and the woods and farmland that surround her farm. And scanography allows her to combine her two loves – photography and gardening – while producing award-winning pieces of art. Most recently her work has been displayed at MOWA in West Bend and at the Cedarburg Cultural Center, and her photograph, “Petal Party,” won People’s Choice in the recent Festive Wisconsin Exhibit at the Cedarburg Art Museum.
In addition to being a member of the Cedarburg Artists’ Guild, McHugh is involved with “Art on the Move,” a small group of artists who are showing their work in assorted venues in the area. The Washington House Inn is but one of these. See her breathtaking work for yourself and enjoy an evening in one of our elegant rooms.