Local man discovers love of painting

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Jack Hutchins discovered art watching television.

“I came across this guy who had big fuzzy hair and was painting,” said Hutchins, referring to Bob Ross, who was a popular television painter from 1983-1994. “He kept saying you can do this.”

Turns out, Ross was right.

“Once you get the knack, you got it and you can paint,” he said.

Hutchins ended up going to several Bob Ross seminars and even became a certified instructor himself.

“I’ve taught hundreds of people how to paint,” said Hutchins, who has lost count of how many paintings he’s created and given away.

Hutchins became one of Roy’s Folks back in the early 1990s. 

Painting was something he could do after his career as a paramedic came to an end due to a severe back injury. 

He stopped painting for several years and now, after a successful surgery, he’s able to get back at it.

“If it weren’t fun, I wouldn’t do it,” Hutchins said.

Hutchins is currently selling all his paintings to help raise money for a mission trip to Kenya in June. 

He’s been several times before.

You can check out his work on Facebook.