text: what are the pulmonary arteries?   arteries always go away from the heart, veins always go tovards the heart (corny, i know). the pulmonary artery takes deoxygenated blood away from the heart and to the lungs, where it is oxygenated. the oxygenated blood goes from the lungs, through the pulmonary veins, and back to the heart. the oxygenated blood is then pumped through the aorta to the rest of the body.