IRVINGTON, Va. — Chuck Dickerson is eager to share his knowledge, technique, and tenacity in art class at Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury in Irvington.
But Chuck's artistic creativity may not be the first thing people notice.
He paints using prosthetics — hooks, really. In fact, that is his nickname.
The man with no arms isn’t watered down by his disability.
“I love to paint, and I do it to inspire people. That’s why I put myself out in the public eye,” Dickerson said.
This Bob Ross disciple redefines the artist’s iconic phrase: Happy little accidents.
"Oh yeah. Everything in life is a happy little accident. Just turn it into a tree," Dickerson said.
Chuck’s life changed forever 34 years ago.
“I was hurt on February 28, 1991,” he said. “The amount of electricity I endured put a hurt on me.”
The then-21-year-old grabbed a power line he thought was dead.
The shock that nearly killed him robbed him of his arms.
"I was in a burn clinic for one year,” he said.
Three years of rehab and too many surgeries to count later, Dickerson wondered what was next.
“I did not know how I was going to fit back into society again. I did not know how society was going to treat me. It scared me to death,” he said.
The Farmville native chose his passion to paint over the pain.
“I took this and turned my life around,” Dickerson said.
While his talents are undeniable, so too is one harsh reality: Chuck Dickerson has been enduring one blow after another.
"Things have happened in my life over the years that are hard to talk about,” he said.
Losing limbs isn’t his greatest loss.
In 2021, Chuck’s 17-year-old son, Cameron, was killed in an accidental shooting. Then last year, his significant other, Sheila, died while suffering depression over Cameron’s death.
"It hit me like a ton of bricks," Dickerson said. "She could not get over it, and I buried her about seven months ago. So now I am on my own."
Dickerson used alcohol to cope, but rehab helped him get sober.
“I took off at that point; nothing could stop me at that point. Nothing,” he said.
These days, Dickerson's blues are blended with browns, yellows, and whites.
“It is my therapy. My artwork is my therapy,” he said.
Chuck Dickerson’s abilities leave Amy Lewis awestruck.
“Just the trials that he has been through are just amazing,” Lewis said. “He loves to share it with other people, and boy are we lucky he does. That is his gift to us, for sure.”
Westminster Canterbury’s director of life enrichment swears you can see his soul in every stroke.
“The caliber of his artwork is unbelievable. When I found out the rest of the story, it got even more unbelievable,” Lewis said.
It turns out painting indoors is quite foreign for this self-taught artist.
Dickerson commands a corner just off Route 17 in Gloucester seven days a week.
“I have been right here about five years in this spot,” Dickerson said. “I do just about a little bit of everything. I love this town.”
This is Dickerson’s escape. The hustle and bustle are not a bother.
“Because when I’m out here, I don’t hear all of this,” Dickerson said.
He finds peace in a parking lot.
“As soon as I put the paintbrush to canvas, I feel the inspiration inside me,” Dickerson said.
His seascapes and nature scenes sell even before the paint dries.
“This is how I buy a little bit of groceries or put some gas in my Jeep. I make some money, but not a lot,” Dickerson said.
On this day, long-time admirer Mike Nance gets his wish. For $50, he buys a Chuck original.
“I had to have it. I had to have it,” Nance said. “Man, I could look at this when I cut my game room on and say Chuck did this for me.”
According to this new customer, by watching Chuck, we can all learn a valuable lesson in life.
“How could you not? Remarkable work like this, with his limitations… with no limitations. It makes you go, ‘What am I doing wrong?’” Nance said.
Whether he is painting in plain sight or leading others across their landscapes, the man who has endured so much still radiates optimism.
“It makes me feel good inside,” Dickerson said. “I still feel like I have a purpose to complete in life now.”
Chuck Dickerson’s masterpiece is his ability to overcome and thrive.
“Now at this point in life, I am good. I am good,” Dickerson said.
This artist believes every person he meets will get hooked on hope.
“It’s contagious. That happiness—you just keep smiling, and the person beside you is going to smile,” Dickerson said. “And that is what I want to do. I want to make everybody in the world smile. Life is what you make it.”
If you would like to purchase one of Chuck’s original pieces of art, you can find him on Facebook.
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