Steven Hough was born in Washington, D.C. In 1981, he graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in business and a minor in graphic arts and design. Hough then moved to California and became the art director for Orange Coast Publishing Company. He continued in the world of corporate art direction for fifteen years, receiving numerous awards for his designs.
Hough was introduced to oil painting in 1990. After helping other artists with preparations for their paintings, he himself began to paint. He struggled to work in the way he saw other artists working; finally he broke free and developed his own style.
Five galleries represent his paintings: one in Las Vegas, Nevada, three in Florida and one in California. His work has been featured in his main gallery, Pacific Gallery in Laguna Beach, California. In 1999 the artist started a series of paintings called "Palms Along the Coast," giving various interpretations of palm trees along the coast of California.
