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LA VERE HUTCHINGS

1918-1999

CountryJamestown, California, USA

BiographyLaVere Hutchings was born in Lewisville, Idaho, in l9l8. He was the oldest of five children and the son of two School teachers, themselves, the grandchildren of Mormon pioneers. As he grew and matured into a teenager, he was already aware of his artistic gifts. His home was modest in material things, but rich in the value of art and music. His mother, Mellie Hutchings, was the force behind a family of overachievers. Each of his three sisters, and his baby brother were instructed in all phases of music. LaVere learned the violin at an early age, but foreswore it to pick up a pencil and brushes. He was a dedicated husband. A strict father, and a sensitive, determined artist. He continued to paint this entire period of his life. He made himself a little studio in the basement of his home and painted almost daily. This was no minor accomplishment after a day of running a complicated business followed by the wrangling involved with 5 small children. From the mid l950's to the late 60's, he painted almost exclusively in oils. And not surprisingly, the trials and pressures of his life spilled over into his painting. Many of his pieces showed two roads ahead with the viewer standing at the fork. . His professional life had come into conflict with his true passion. In l970, the year he turned 52, he sold his business, the family home and all of his artwork. He proceeded to drive with his wife Anne, from Idaho Falls, Idaho to Woodstock, New York to study with John Pike, a famous American watercolorist who periodically contributed cover art for the Saturday Evening Post. He had decided to change his life, and his art medium. LaVere always considered watercolor to be the pinnacle of the visual arts. It required patience, control, and talent. Lots of talent. The three months he was in Woodstock gave him the first glimpse into his next 30 years. He fell in love with watercolor. He loved the luminosity, the transparency, and the elegance. He knew it would be an uphill climb, but he had always climbed uphill. From now on he would only work as a watercolorist. He drove to Los Angeles, got a small apartment in Santa Monica, and started painting and exhibiting at street shows in Los Angeles. At the end of his first year he had sold over 80 paintings. He felt it was a noble start. LaVere was a very private, complex man who pushed himself into a public arena. It tempered him as an artist and demanded that he get better and better. His years in Los Angeles brought out both the fierce competitor, and the gentle artist. He had to paint to sell, and he had to sell to survive. He did both.

From: http://www.hutchingsgallery.com/biography.htm
Entered by: Michael Clayton, Print Study Room Staff, 2/7/06

Person TypeIndividual