By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
Salisbury artist Carol Dunkley is a bit different from most painters.
It’s not that she paints chickens and roosters. She just likes the feathered animals.
Dunkley is colorblind.
It wasn’t until late in life that Dunkley became an artist. She’d always painted to entertain her children and then her grandchildren.
“It was time for me to turn a new page in my life,” she said.
Dunkley started 10 years ago and began seriously painting six years ago. Today, the 70-year-old grandmother of eight has been selected to have her work featured on the annual Rowan Helping Ministries holiday card.
“I told them I thought they had the wrong number. They were so kind to ask me,” Dunkley said.
This is one of the major fundraiser’s for Rowan Helping Ministries. This is the 19th year of the holiday card. The cards are available at locations throughout Salisbury for a minimum donation of $5.
Cards can be purchased at Corner Gift Shop on Statesville Boulevard, Stitchin’ Post Gifts, Pleasant Papers, The Bible Bookstore, All F&M bank branches and Rowan Helping Ministries.
“The card goes for all the services of Rowan Helping Ministries,” said Executive Director Dianne Scott.
Scott said Rowan Helping Ministries asked Dunkley to just paint her interpretation of the holidays.
The card, “Snow Bird,” is a white rooster with a green wreath around its neck amidst falling snow. The card is a bright red, using Dunkley’s favorite medium ó acrylic.
She mostly paints in acrylic but dabbles in oils and watercolors.
Dunkley was first introduced to chickens and roosters at the Rowan County Fair’s poultry show. She has since taken hundreds of pictures of the creatures.
“They are just a joy to me,” she said.
She also likes them because of what they symbolize.
“The rooster in France is the symbol of awakening. It is prominently placed on all public buildings and churches in France. It also best represents a value of this country,” Dunkley said.
Dunkley’s colorblindness does not prevent her from painting.
“I paint in very vivid colors because I love them and I can see them,” she said.
She’s had art lessons and been encouraged by other local artists, especially Clyde Overcash, she said.
“It’s like I fell down a rabbit hole and discovered a whole new world and in that new world are many amazing people,” Dunkley said.
Dunkley said she is honored to be chosen as the featured artist for this year’s Rowan Helping Ministries card.
“I’m very proud to be a part of a community that knows how to give to others,” she said. “It’s a compliment I never expected to receive in my life, especially at the age of 70.”
Dunkley has a studio at Rail Walk Studios & Gallery on North Lee Street.
The holiday card program is funded by AT&T, Dennis and Kathi Hill, Huffman Law Firm PA, SunTrust Bank and J.E. Fisher Insurance Agency Inc.
Sales of last year’s card raised $45,000.
Rowan Helping Ministries serves Rowan County in a variety of ways with the goal of helping people through crises and on to self-sufficiency. Programs include the overnight shelter, soup kitchen, clothing center, Crisis Assistance Network, Food Pantry, The Eagle’s Nest I and II transitional housing programs, Rowan Helping Ministries-West, and New Tomorrows.
Rowan Helping Ministries is located at 226 N. Long St.