This week, we've got a print that's finger licking good! We've always been pretty obsessed with Colonel Sanders here at Kentucky for Kentucky, and now we've finally got the print to prove it! This masterpiece was cooked up by Austin Dunbar of Durham Brand Co. in Covington. Now all of you fried chicken lovers can hang this above your Fry Daddy and reflect upon the genius of Colonel Harland Sanders. He was an entrepreneur, jack of all trades, and a true kick ass Kentuckian.
Harland Sanders was born in 1890 and lived for 90 incredible years. During his time on this earth he held a myriad of jobs before he became the fried chicken magnate we know him as today. He was a fireman, a railroad worker, a life insurance salesman, a tire salesman, a ferry boat entrepreneur, and even a dabbler in the fine art of obstetrics! Although Harland bounced around from job to job, it was clear he could sell just about anything. In 1930, he was offered a Shell service station rent free in exchange for a percentage of sales. It was here that Sanders began whipping up hot meals for patrons of the gas station. Country fried steaks, ham, and chicken dinners were on the unofficial menu for passers through of Corbin, Kentucky. A big hit with travelers, Sanders eventually expanded to open a real restaurant nearby, and the rest is history.
Sanders was proof that a person could blossom late in life. He became an official Kentucky Colonel in 1935 at the age of 45 and didn't start franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken until he was 65. His legacy still lives on and his smiling visage graces every KFC around the world. What started as a home-made meal made for travelers is now the second-largest restaurant chain in the world.
This print was designed by another kick ass Kentuckian named Austin Dunbar. Austin leads Durham Brand Co., a multi-disciplinary design studio located in Covington. Austin is a distant relative of the Colonel himself, which makes this print even more special. He was inspired by 1960's imagery of the Colonel when designing this tribute piece. Austin says, "I like pieces that are textural and you can tell it's made by hand and a little imperfect in places because I feel that's humans nature." When asked about what makes Kentucky unique, Austin replied "it's sense of purpose, pride, craftsmanship and sense of getting things done and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps mindset. It's that Pioneer mentality. There is a lot of beautiful things about Kentucky that you can't find elsewhere and people from out of state realize that as well." Hand-printed by Powerhouse Factories, signed, and numbered, this work of art can be yours this Friday at 10:00AM on our website. $25. Only 150 prints available. 18″ x 24″.
Photos by Savanna Barnett
Text by June Tate
Artist photo by Rudy Harris