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Martha Morgan grew up in Mount Airy, North Carolina. After an art class in junior high, she decided that she was not cut out for drawing and painting. Instead, she focused on music, which she had loved her whole life.

Martha even minored in music in college just for pleasure and later became a well-known English teacher in Mount Airy. She said that her most artistic endeavors during that time were preparing bulletin boards for her classroom. Fast forward to her moving to Salemtowne in 2020 with both her husband Kent and her 100 year old mother, close to the middle of the Covid pandemic.

A Salemtowne Woodlands neighbor, Nancy Mimoso, decided to start a beginners watercolor class, which Martha joined, as she said, just for fun. “Nancy was simply wonderful,” Martha said. “She was very encouraging about all of our work, just what a beginner needs. She made us feel as if nothing we did was wrong, allowing us to learn from our mistakes and building the confidence each of us needed. As I learned more about painting, I grew to love this new opportunity to learn and grow.”   Before long, all residents at Salemtowne were allowed to contribute pieces to a new resident art exhibit. All the members of Nancy’s art class were included.

After enjoying the watercolor class for three years, Martha took advantage of a portrait class that another Salemtowne resident, artist Rod Meyer, began. Martha had painted animals in the watercolor class, but not people. She was excited to have the opportunity to continue to grow.

“Rod also was a wonderful teacher. He taught us portraiture as if we were in a college class and provided incredibly helpful feedback.”  Again, the excitement of learning to paint was a wonderful addition to Martha’s life at Salemtowne.

Even before she felt ready to paint an actual person, Martha asked Ruth Askins, a Salemtowne resident whom Martha had come to admire and appreciate, if she would be willing to let Martha try to paint her when she was a little more advanced. Ruth graciously agreed to allow Martha to paint her, so that became the first portrait of someone she knew. The painting was done just after Ruth died, so she did not get to see it, but the portrait was given to a member of her family.

Since that portrait of Ruth, Martha has painted a number of her relatives. She even began painting members of the culinary staff one at a time. Over a period of a couple of years, she has painted approximately 40 dining staff members, feeling as if the time she spent painting each one allowed her to feel closer to her subject.

“After I paint a portrait of a culinary staff member, I give it to the person. Members of the dining staff are so good to all of us. They become friends as we see them each day,” she added, “And they have been so helpful to me by giving me practice in portrait painting. Over time, I’ve learned so much more about painting details, such as eyes and facial expressions. They have been very patient with me.”

The culinary staff loves Martha, too.

“When I reflect on the impact of the portraits Mrs. Morgan made of myself and the staff, my heart is full. Every day we strive to provide excellent service to our residents. To be on the receiving end brought so much joy to our dining room,” Salemtowne culinary team member Valencia Petree-Pauling said. “We were all filled with anticipation every time she brought a new portrait. We were allowed to witness her improvements with every painting. We were allowed to give her the flowers she deserved, while she was able to receive them. It created a genuine bond and fondness for all of us.

“I felt so honored when I received my portrait because she captured so many of my details. From my hair to my earrings,” Valencia added. “It allowed me to see myself through her eyes. I felt so humbled and appreciative as a person but also as an employee of Salemtowne.”

Another Salemtowne team member has similar feelings about Martha.

“Mrs. Morgan’s paintings encapsulated the old saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’” said culinary team member Lovetta Davis, affectionately known by Salemtowne residents as Ms. V. “Her work demonstrates the love, admiration, care and respect between residents and team members at Salemtowne.”

Martha Morgan feels equally blessed.

“The greatest compliment I’ve received was from a culinary team member who said, ‘The portrait looks just like me, and I love it.’ Painting portraits is a gift that has been given to me at this stage of life to help me learn and grow,” she said. “I have so far to go, but I paint every day. It’s fun, and I love it.”

“We are really family with team members at Salemtowne,” Martha said. “Salemtowne is home, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”