Hughes has exhibited in major public galleries in New Zealand and her paintings and installations are held in many important Australasian public and private collections including the Chartwell Collection; Auckland City Art Gallery; Te Papa Tongarewa; Wellington and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Her work has attracted significant attention winning both the Wallace Art Award and the Norsewear Art Award in 2005. In 2008 she was the first New Zealand recipient of The RIPE: Art and Australia magazine Art Award and she has been selected to participate in a number of notable residencies including the Francis Hodgkhttp://www.gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz/artists