On April 4th, Richard Hutchins, a 62-year-old man who had been homeless for six years, watched as a blue truck pulled into the parking lot of Ralph’s supermarket in Los Angeles. However, he didn’t know that his life was about to change.
At the young age of 15, he achieved his first major sale and developed a passion for creating stickmen art using charcoal and brown bags provided by the fire made from twigs. He continued to work in the fields in Georgia after attending school at the age of six.
He told the Guardian, “When I create artwork, I pour my soul into it,” art is an integral aspect of Richard’s identity.
Despite not having access to paint, Richard would write letters to his friends, drawing with pencil on the outside of envelopes. He didn’t stop creating his work, even when being confined to a cell for 22 hours a day. Later, he was found not guilty of the crime he had been accused of and released. However, his career was interrupted when he was sent to Los Angeles county jail.
Richard utilized various unconventional materials such as coffee, toothpaste, and toilet paper to paint. He even crafted a paintbrush from his own beard and dipped it into the newly formed hues. Some water was wasted as Richard discovered that Skittles and M&Ms could be used as dyes. In his cell, he repurposed the top bunk bed as a makeshift table, sitting on it while painting.
In that gallery in Pasadena, California, there was an artist who even featured some of the envelopes he sent. During his time in jail, he noted that he could get his hands on addresses of friends or anyone by finding them at the bottom of each envelope. Every week, he would send out around 15-20 envelopes to addresses of friends or anyone he could find. It was a process of trial and error at first.
Richard tells me that his friend is making a book out of these envelope paintings, which can still be hung on the walls of the exhibition at Santa Barbara’s UC Library. He is also selling the original paintings on his website for around $2,500 each, while the prints of these envelope paintings are being sold for around $700. Richard painted a total of about 200 envelopes while in jail.
While Richard was locked up in jail, he was deeply moved by witnessing the inspiration of others. He decided to brush up on his fake name, Richard, to take on a new identity. It was later discovered that he had been using Richard’s fake name until that time. He had been painting under the name of NFL player Drew Hill until then.
Richard had experienced homelessness for a duration of six years. As an initiative in LA to accommodate the homeless during the pandemic in 2021, Richard resided in a shelter. Unfortunately, Richard found himself back on the streets when a fire ravaged the establishment, causing him to lose approximately 800 of his artistic creations. Subsequently, Richard secured employment at a California-based studio, this time credited under his own name.
Richard included, “You hear that statement frequently, yet no action follows.” After their conversation, Charlie exchanged numbers with Richard and requested a call the following day. In the month of April, Charlie “Rocket” Jabaley, 2Chainz’s former manager who has gained recognition for his Dream Machine, was present in that blue van.
“That was not the situation with these two individuals.”
Richard went shopping the next day and called Charlie, who promptly answered. Richard bought everything he needed for work, including brushes, paints, and canvasses worth $2,000.
500 individuals came to Richard that evening, calling out his name and taking pictures of him. The opportunity for this unexpected meeting at Ralph’s arose from Richard’s artwork being showcased on the walls of the Sofitel gallery in Beverley Hills.
Richard earned $12,554 within the initial 10 minutes of his website’s launch. Along with the packages, Keith Polk, a close friend of Richard, had kept Richard’s work throughout the years.
Since then, Richard has effectively sold paintings worth $250,000, with notable buyers of his artwork including Oprah, 2Chainz, and Steve Harvey.
Charlie said that he doesn’t want to think of this amazing event as simply raising money, however, I want Richard to be respected as an artist.
Currently, Richard is sitting with Charlie on a call, explaining to me his aspirations for the future.
It is important for everyone, especially women and children, to be out there. It is unfortunate that there are so many people dying and suffering on the streets. He becomes emotional in these moments. He believes that it is his job to make a difference in the lives of others.
Richard cannot understand why the plight of these people is still being ignored by the government, as someone is going to crack sooner or later. The homelessness issue in Skid Row, an area in Los Angeles County, has drawn a lot of media attention over the years. Right now, there are 63,706 people experiencing homelessness in the county. LA’s inequality is a well-known and worsening situation.
Richard, the cook, informs me that breakfast is good and he hopes that Charlie, his new neighbor, will certainly enjoy it. Richard is moving into his new place.
Charlie has his own story. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor, but he began managing his career as a rapper by 2Chainz. He decided to pursue his dream of becoming an athlete.
He adds: “All my aspirations had been fulfilled so I made the decision to go and fulfill the aspirations of others.”.
I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done and I’m going to need to carry the torch so much because it needs to be done.
Following his mother, Richard is in the process of establishing the Jess Hutchins Foundation. He is currently engaging in discussions with financial advisors and has also captured the attention of the White House. His primary goal is to bring about significant transformation for the homeless population in Los Angeles.
“I’m going to accomplish it. You’ll be informed about it.”