Roger Hutchison | Thin Place | Acrylic on Canvas

As the son of an Episcopal priest, Roger Hutchison spent many summers working at Western North Carolina’s Kanuga Conference Center, a facility dedicated to “providing for God’s people…a glimpse of the Kingdom.” Roger’s work, Thin Place (pictured), epitomizes that purpose. He describes “thin place” as a Celtic term for a place on earth where the veil between heaven and earth is thin; you experience God’s presence in that place.

When Roger felt the need to express his relationship with God, he turned to painting. At first, painting traditionally (with brushes) just didn’t trip the tumblers to unlock what was inside him that he wanted to transfer to the canvas. So one night, he put aside the brushes and put his hands directly into his medium. This visceral act enabled him to tap directly into his heart and mind, creating works described as “a collective dream, common to us all,” and “wonderfully introspective…as if he is having a conversation with each piece as it is coming together.”

Roger says, “Painting is the way I talk to God. I find joy when I move my fingers through puddles of color and across blank canvas. I am always surprised – and blessed – by the conversation that takes place. It is as if a good friend has joined me for a glass of wine and time of catching up. I invite you to pull up a chair…let’s talk.”

In addition to his calling at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral ministering to children from age three through the fifth grade, Roger has burst onto the local art scene showing his works at Piccolo Spoleto, Columbia Museum of Art, Main Street’s Frame of Mind, Mr. Friendly’s, and Tombo Grille. He has become a favorite of local designers, and collectors hail from as far away as New York and Australia. To view his full catalog, visit rogerpaintings.com.