Spiritbrush Artist Stumbles Into Mother Nature's Refuge

An exhibition of paintings and prints by Thomas Hutchings

“Be it a talent, a curse, or pure stubbornness, I am an artist.”

This declaration—equal parts defiant and sincere—sits at the heart of Spiritbrush Artist Stumbles Into Mother Nature's Refuge, a deeply personal and spiritual exhibition that brings together decades of creative pursuit, reflection, and awakening.

After more than 40 years of practicing the art of being a struggling artist, and having spent the last 30 years navigating life—and art—through the rugged beauty of Newfoundland and Labrador, this return to the west coast marks a new chapter. A rediscovery. A re-rooting. Vancouver Island’s untamed wilderness now becomes the backdrop and the muse for a fresh and inspired body of work.

This show is more than a collection of landscapes or nature-inspired forms—it’s a conversation with Mother Nature herself. Shapes, colours and patterns of the natural world have been translated into gestural brushstrokes, textures, natural palettes and imagery. 

Visitors will enjoy original paintings and prints of the artist's desire to capture not just what is seen—but what is felt—in the presence of wild, living beauty.

There is an undeniable reverence in each piece—a sense that nature is not just scenery, but spirit. A living being. A healer. A keeper of wisdom. Spiritbrush paints as if trying to touch the pulse beneath bark and soil, to reveal the intricate, breathing web of life that connects all elements of the natural world.

While the world rushes toward noise and concrete, this exhibition lingers in a slower, older truth: that nature remains beautiful with or without us. That inspiration does not come from mastering technique. Perhaps the real education—the one that matters—comes not from formal institutions, but from decades spent observing, wandering, stumbling, and finally listening.

Spiritbrush Artist Stumbles Into Mother Nature's Refuge runs from July 25th to August 3rd. Open 9:30AM - 5PM daily at the Ladysmith Gallery.