The E. J. Hughes Book of Boats
About the Book
Winner of the the 2021 BC and Yukon Book Prizes’ Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award
Boat lovers of all ages and people who enjoy the scenery of BC’s coast will delight in this charming gift book, a worthy addition to books about BC’s art history.
In the course of his career, one of BC’s most beloved painters, E. J. Hughes (1913–2007), depicted paddle wheelers, steamships, fishing boats, and car ferries. Now The E. J. Hughes Book of Boats brings many of his coastal paintings of boats together in one handsome volume—a book for art lovers and boating enthusiasts alike.
Robert Amos is the official biographer of E. J. Hughes, and works with the participation of the Estate of E. J. Hughes. The Book of Boats follows the success of his two geographically-based volumes, E. J. Hughes Paints Vancouver Island (2018) and E. J. Hughes Paints British Columbia (2019). This new compendium features never-before-seen sketches and photographs accompanying full-page illustrations of some of the artist’s finest works.
Reviews
“Amos . . . brings a lightness of touch to the selection, pairing fully-fledged paintings next to preparatory sketches and watercolour studies. The effect is both humble and fascinating, offering a look into the creative decision-making of the artist.” —The Tyee
“Comprehensive . . . E. J. Hughes has slowly reached a prominent status in Canadian art, and it is a well-deserved and hard-earned reputation. A growing number of books on Hughes attest to the public’s interest in his work. The E. J. Hughes Book of Boats is a valuable and attractive addition to this library.” —Gary Sim
“It’s just lovely . . . [the cost] is unheard of for a nice collection of art. And who doesn’t want to curl up . . . by a fire and flip through a nice art book and be reminded of the nice place we all get to live?” —Adam Craik, Russell Books, Victoria
“A colourful, outstanding introduction to E. J. Hughes’ paintings. A great Christmas gift.” —Pacific Yachting