Shirley Hughes Blackman is a lifetime artist. She won her first art award for drawing at just six years of age and, as Miss New Mexico, was the first contestant to name art as her talent in the Miss America Pageant. She graduated from Baylor University, going on to do advanced studio work in Paris with Reynold and Marthe Arnould.

Shirley has been a full time artist since 1970, exhibiting in numerous solo shows and being recognized in both national and international exhibitions. Her work is in many private and public collections in the United States, Central America and France.

At home in Rockport, Texas, her studio is in the Austin Street Gallery where her work is exhibited. Shirley was recently named the 2010 Rockport Art Festival Poster Artist.