Hugh Dwyer was born in Rockaway Queens, NY, and has lived in Jersey City, NJ, for the past 35 years. Hugh and his wife, Kate, along with their dog, Zoe, moved to Newark, NJ, in 2025. He has a daughter, filmmaker Josette Burke, her husband, John, and a granddaughter, Tallulah.

Hugh is a self-taught painter who finds peace when painting and is inspired by music, dance, color, and nature. He mainly works with acrylics on canvas. His work has been featured at the Hudson Galleria, the Jersey City Museum, and The Arts Center. He particularly enjoys showing at outdoor art fairs where he can interact with those interested in art.