Morning Pointe of Athens, Tennessee, is home to Kathleen Dalton, a retired world-renowned painter and basket weaver.
Growing Her Artistic Talents
Born in Madisonville, Tennessee, in May 1937, Kathleen grew up in the country. Her father owned a jewelry store and repair shop, and her mother became a teacher when she was older. She had two sisters and a brother.
She has been interested in art since she was somewhere between 4 and 6 years old. “I’ve always been drawing,” Kathleen remembered. “I would sit on the porch with my grandpa, and he would draw things and would encourage me to draw too.”
After graduating from Madisonville High School, Kathleen attended Hiwassee College and studied art before becoming an art teacher for small children and adults alike. Her artistic talent includes making beautiful jewelry and doing watercolor, oil, and acrylic paintings of a variety of subjects, from people to landscapes to painting on fine china.
Over time, she started showing her artwork.
“At first, I gave away a lot of my work,” Kathleen shared. “Then people would come to my house and buy pieces.”
Kathleen has had paintings displayed in Athens, Madisonville, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and Washington, D.C., among other places.
Love and Travels
She was teaching adults at a summer camp when she met Ken Dalton, a fellow artist working with the children at the camp.
“I thought he was a kind, gentle person, and that impressed me,” Kathleen said.
They became friends and eventually married. They went on to teach art and display art together.
“Ken worked mostly in wood,” Kathleen said. “He was a good inspiration for me, and he supported my work.”
The couple even took up basket weaving and had their work featured in “The Washington Post,” “New York Times” and “Southern Living Magazine.”
About basket weaving, Kathleen shared, “It’s very rewarding. It’s creative. You can do basic things, or you can make more intricate things.”
One of Kathleen’s favorite artistic adventures with Ken was a trip to Disneyland Paris to teach art there. They had a great time not only teaching but also meeting other artists and enjoying the theme park.
Although she isn’t as active in her art as she used to be, Kathleen still does watercolors.
“It’s relaxing, and it’s creative,” Kathleen said. “There’s a lot of different ways you can go with it, and watercolors are really easy to work with.”
Life at Morning Pointe
Kathleen came to Morning Pointe of Athens in early 2022, after Ken passed away.
“I had heard that it was a nice place to live,” Kathleen said. “I like the fact that it’s private and yet you have people all around. I feel safe. You can take part in a lot of different things, and yet you have privacy if you choose not to be sociable.”
Kathleen lists bingo and sightseeing trips as some of her favorite activities at the assisted living community – especially a picnic lunch the activities team organized last summer. Sunshine and country living are still in her blood, after all.
When she was asked what she is most proud of in her life, Kathleen shared, “being supported by friends and family to pursue my artwork.” Thank you for sharing your talents with us, Kathleen! We are proud to have you as part of our Morning Pointe Family.
