11/28/1944 – 4/4/2025
Prairie Village
Heaven just received a consensus #1 draft pick angel on April 4th, 2025. She would love reading this, knowing that she was on par with her favorite college basketball player of all time, fellow #1 draft pick (and fellow alumnus) Tim Duncan. Anybody who knew Janet is aware of her passion for her alma mater, Wake Forest University, and her subsequent and oftentimes mercurial relationship with the basketball team’s performance and coaching carousel through the past few decades.
Janet Davidson-Hues, born in Bel Air, Maryland on November 28, 1944, is an MFA graduate from the University of Kansas and former Assistant Professor of Art at Indiana State University. She has exhibited her work nationally in 20 solo shows and 130 invitational and group exhibitions. The depth of her artistic talent spans several mediums, to include pottery, acrylic and oil painting, photography, performance art, and mixed media. Since the foundation of her work is language, often there will be text visible on the surface of the piece or an implied comment, often intended to stir a visceral response.
In her own words…
“Oftentimes, I find myself awash in text, punctuation marks, prepositions, adverbs, adjectives, nouns, and verbs as I investigate the interaction, the dependency, the clash and the collaboration between women and their language. I examine facets of language and linguistic codes—the structures, order, symmetry, rules—with a keen awareness of the literal, the vocal, and the articulation of words, the limitations of words, and the necessity of language. My work is as much about the murmur and the whisper as it is about the yell and the shout. I have realized that the merger of word and image through spontaneous improvisational application of paint results in a visual energy that both conceals and reveals the literary agent—the voice— lurking either on or just under the surface, something I’ve worked hard for a very long time to find.”
Janet is survived by her husband, Roger Shimomura, her two boys, Eric Hughes (Jennifer) of Denver, NC, and Brian Hughes (Amy) of Prairie Village, KS, and three stepchildren, all of whom reside in Seattle WA, Mark Shimomura (Gina), Joby Shimomura (Jeremy Elliott), and Yoko Shimomura (Rick Harwood). Janet also leaves behind eight beloved grandchildren; Taylor, Scarlet, and Ryan Hughes (parents Eric/Jennifer); Mara and Hattie Hughes (parents Brian/Amy); Jordan (wife Sierra) and Teiya Shimomura (parents Mark/Gina), and Miko Brooks (parent Yoko).
Janet, aka “Planet” or “Gram,” is the epitome of a cool mom. Equal parts brilliant, hip, and creative, she could finish an oil on canvas art piece featuring The Notorious B.I.G one minute and wax poetic about the lyrical genius behind Tom Petty’s 5x platinum Full Moon Fever album the next. She was equally engaged in a conversation about the Chiefs’ failing defensive line as she was about the brilliance of surrealist and artist Frida Kahlo.
Throughout all her worldly travels, the one destination that always remained her favorite was Ocean City, Maryland. Janet was drawn to the ocean for its melodic tranquility and soothing nature…and of course, blue crabs, her favorite. The annual pilgrimage to Surf Village on 31st Street held the promise of all her favorite foods: Waterman’s blue crabs, silver queen corn, shrimp, and chicken; Tommy’s cheeseburger subs, Dumser’s soft serve ice cream, Thrasher’s French fries, Fisher’s popcorn, Tony’s pizza, Ocean Club strawberry daiquiris, and Candy Kitchen fudge and saltwater taffy. There was high stakes gambling at Delmarva Downs, fast track and Go-Kart racing at Baja Amusements, kite flying on the beach, boogey boarding in the ocean surf, the buffet at Phillip’s Crab House, sunset viewing at Fager’s Island, bike rides on the boardwalk followed by breakfast at Satellite, and porpoise sightings off the deck.
Aside from regular visits to the beach in Ocean City, Janet felt alive on her frequent trips to NYC where she and Roger both spent time immersed in the rich art culture that defines the city. Apartment 1J was her creative sanctuary and an artistic tribute to the ubiquitous art scene.
Janet was an ardent, active, and avowed advocate of the “F” word, feminist. Preceding alliteration intended, just for her. The quintessential Renaissance woman, her brilliance was evident throughout her art collections and life work. Most don’t know that Janet dabbled in theater (local production of Jesus Christ Superstar), NYC modeling (clothes in addition to being named Miss Pontiac), and music production/remixing. Yes, DJ Janet Planet was a groovy chick full of soul who loved Motown, especially the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. And based on several of the mother/son dances, she could boogie with the best! Though her music appreciation grew over time and she was always relevant, no candle burned brighter than the one that still shines for her beloved Tom Petty “I wanna free fall out into nothin’ Oh, I’m gonna leave this, this world for a while…”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to ASPCA of Lawrence Humane Society.
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