CT-Born American Impressionist Rediscovered

A new upcoming exclusive exhibit at the Westport River Gallery depicts Will Hutchins’ personal vision of his travels throug the Northeast & Italy — from Little Deer Isle to the Venetian Lagoon. Born in 1878, in Colchester, CT, Hutchins was the only child of Charlotte Ann Hills & Rev. William Hutchins. A Yale Divinity grad and eloquent Congregational minister, he was respected as the foremost worldwide authority on the horticulture of the American sweet pea. Hutchins earned his BA at Yale in 1901 and the BFA in 1909, earning Phi Beta Kappa honors and class awards for his high-minded essays on art and spirituality. With a natural appeal to the footlights, he became a lifelong thespian. Acting, directing, and producing stage events, his papers include reams of original plays scripts of moralizing, episodic comedies, tragedies, and even a “medieval comedy." Click for other pictures.