By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Local artist Terry Hughes’s exhibit “Terry’s Zoo” was a hit when his large, colorful canvases adorned the walls of the Rellik Tavern in 2010.

Now Hughes returns to those same brick walls with “Giraffic Park,” another display of exotic animals in bright, bold colors. It runs through the end of the year; an opening reception is Thursday.

“It’s going to be a party,” he said.

Hughes’s artistic safari began seven years ago after he read J. M. Ledgard’s “Giraffe,” a story of a captive herd of giraffes that was moved to Czechoslovakia during World War II and slaughtered by the Czech secret police in 1975.

Inspired, he painted the giraffe on the cover of the book.

“From that original giraffe I started doing other animals,” Hughes said. “I’ve done over 30, and probably two thirds of them are in private collection.

Most are African, like the giraffe and another of a rhinoceros. But there are a few exceptions in the current exhibit: a panda, for one, and a manatee.

The plight of the manatee in Florida sparked the artist’s interest. Because the aquatic mammal lives in the shallow wetlands of Florida, they are often injured or killed by boat propellers. “They’re getting decimated by the props of the boats that go over them because the water is so shallow,” Hughes said.

The central work of the exhibit, a giraffe’s head on bright blue background, is from a photo Hughes took while at Safari West in Santa Rosa.

He refers to the giraffe as “Slim.” “I’ve got some other images of animals that people have given me, or I get from nature/conservatory magazines that people give me,” he said.

Once he has an image he likes, Hughes grids out the photos and the canvas and starts with an acrylic base. “Once that is set, then I come back with my palette knife, a larger palette knife with my own color scheme. I kind of have an idea where I want to go with the colors, like the purples on the rhino,” he said. “That started out with a lot of purple, and then it changed to more of a bluish greenish.

“Then I’ll come back and do the details with the palette knife. Usually the last thing I’ll do is the eye.”

The show is sponsored by Arts Benicia. Thursday’s reception includes jazz music by Bob Joslin and Friends, refreshments and giclee prints and posters for sale.

“We’re going to have a champagne toast,” Hughes said.

If You Go
The opening reception for Terry Hughes’ “Giraffic Park” is Thursday from 6-8 at the Rellik Tavern, 726 First St. Ages 21 and older only.