He has received over 250 public and private commissions[clarification needed] in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Barbados, Japan, Taiwan, and New Zealand.

What separates the murals of John Pugh from their less consequential cousins is that he goes beyond trompe l’oeil by combining techniques of illusion with narrative or conceptual elements and thereby not only “fools the eye” but captures the imagination and engages the mind as well.

Once intrigued by the illusion, the viewer is invited to visually cross into the mural to explore and discover the deeper concept of the piece.

It is important for me as an artist, to research the area and its community, formulating concepts based upon a multitude of historical, environmental, and cultural viewpoints.

Clarity of language allows the artwork to ‘elevate rather than alienate’, and with an initial trompe l’oeil impact that tantalizes the viewer, no translation is needed.

I like to play with the mural composition so that the layers will unfold sequentially, creating a multi-dimensional narrative and prompting exploration.