Born in Ghana, Hughes studied painting at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, College of Art, where he earned a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Art Education. After graduation he spent two years in France and England painting and the artworks created during this tour culminated in a major solo exhibition at the Artists Alliance Gallery in Accra, Ghana. Shortly after, Hughes settled in the United States where he received an MFA in Painting and Drawing from Bowling Green State University. Since then, he has exhibited internationally and has taught in universities throughout the United States. His paintings, performances, and installations have been shown in Canada, China, Denmark, Dubai, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Holland, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Uruguay, Wales, and the United States.