She Uses Her Gift for Painting to Feed Hungry Seniors: Diane Chambers’ Story

Diane Chambers carefully selected about 25 of her hand-painted bright watercolors of flowers, streams and lush trees and took them to a local Asheville, North Carolina, arts and crafts fair with the hope of selling them. Diane had never sold any of her artwork before. In fact, she had only recently gotten back to painting since retiring. 

That day, she sold five paintings, each priced at $25. Diane was proud and thrilled. Not just because people liked her work — but because she had decided to donate all of her earnings to the local Meals on Wheels. She even had customers write their checks directly to the program.

Heading home, Diane felt a warmth inside and her heart filled with joy at having found a new purpose. 

I can paint, which is something I love, and help others at the same time, she thought enthusiastically.

Rekindling an old love

The daughter of an Air Force dad, Diane grew up all over the country and even spent four years living in Africa. All the moves made it hard to make friends. By the age of 8, Diane developed severe rheumatoid arthritis, which curled her hands and stiffened her knees. Her painful joint issues made it difficult for her to go out and play with other children running or biking. Luckily, she discovered that drawing and coloring provided solace and a pleasant distraction.

At Indiana University, Diane discovered her love of painting in oils. She even minored in art and continued developing this passion for painting while earning her master’s degree in elementary -education at Northern Illinois University. 

After graduating, she moved to a Chicago suburb, and for 35 years happily taught elementary school and K–8 science. Diane also became a mom, and she put down her paintbrushes while raising her son, Jonathan, now 37. 

But upon retirement and moving to Asheville, Diane finally had free time and eagerly picked up her paintbrushes again. But she wanted her painting to be more than a hobby. She wanted it to have a purpose.

I feel so blessed, I’ve had such a wonderful career and although I have health problems, I can still give back, she thought, and came up with the idea to sell her artwork for charity.

Diane’s confidence was buoyed that day in 2005 at the arts and crafts fair, and the momentum only grew.  

The art of giving

Over the years, Diane has painted and sold over 500 pieces, ranging in prices from $25 to $500, with over $25,000 in sales going directly to Meals on Wheels. Meanwhile, she estimates each watercolor costs her a minimum of $25 to create, since she uses professional-grade supplies. But it doesn't matter. Diane has never once thought of putting down her brushes, not even as she underwent 38 surgeries related to the arthritis, as well as dealing with worsening eyesight due to pseudoexfoliation syndrome, an age-related eye disease.  

The condition led to Diane and her son moving to a 55-and-over community in Durham, North Carolina, in 2017 so she could be near specialists at Duke Medical Center, where she’s had a dozen surgeries. 

She has seven eye surgeons—and all of them have one of her paintings. They are amazed she can still see well enough to paint as well as she can. 

“I feel so blessed,” Diane says.

She always tells people that if we share, there is enough for everyone. In fact, Diane donates money from her savings and pension to some 53 charities. But it is her painting that is her greatest gift — to those in need and herself.

“All the problems of the world are gone while I paint,” the 77-year-old says. “I am in this peaceful zone. I feel like I have this space and time doing what I love. Painting and donating to Meals on Wheels gives me purpose. It keeps me going.” 

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