Upworthy · 245 days ago

A Mechanic Found Hundreds of Canvases in a dumpster. Now, They're Worth Millions

Imagine the wonder of discovering treasure amidst what others see as trash. Jared Whipple, an auto mechanic, had such an experience when he rescued vivid canvases from an abandoned barn, just moments away from the landfill. Wrapped carefully, these paintings told the forgotten tale of Francis Mattson Hines, an artist once celebrated for his grand fabric wraps around iconic structures. What Jared found was not merely art, but a bridge to a bygone era of creativity and human connection. "Not only was this artist a 'someone,'" Whipple remarked, "but he was even more well known in the New York art world than we could ever have imagined." This unexpected encounter transformed Jared from a mechanic into a guardian of artistic legacy, with a mission: to reintroduce Hines to the world's stage. Now, Hines' works, once on the brink of being lost forever, are valued in the millions-reminding us that curiosity and a keen eye might uncover more than we expect. This isn't just a story of art found; it's about seeing beyond the surface to recognize the beauty, history, and potential that surrounds us, often hidden in plain sight.